Great plot to get yourself lost in. This book has everything. A real fast paced thriller. Will get your heart racing on more than one occasion. Very well written. Highly recommend this book

Maybe I have high expectations of the likeability of characters, but in this case, I couldn't accept the self-righteous behaviour of Cecily and the damnation of Willow without showing her journey. She seemed to be the villain but in my mind she was also the one who tossed out. Francesca was infinitely more likeable.

Not my style of book but maybe it works for some.

Wow, the Other Women kept me breathless almost from the first page. Cecily and Francesca touched my soul, and I held my breath, rooting for them, for this insane yet perfect match, knowing what had to happen, hoping no one would get irremediably hurt. It’s like the sword of Damocles, you know something terrible is coming, but you don’t know when or how. Beyond the love story and the betrayals and everything that ripped my heart and all that mended it slowly, Zak sprinkled her novel with really cool secondary characters.

Great book, great job.

I love all books by this author, can highly recommend. Just wonderful. The main characters are well developed and its so well written you feel personally involved in the journey.

The connection between Cecily Yates and Francesca Lopez is strong and very sexy. While reading I thought about how the reveal would unfold. Although I am not a big fan of infidelity, after reading some of the reviews, I decided to go for it. In general, I am glad I did. I really liked Francesca's character and tried to understand Cecily's character. The secondary characters were a positive addition to the story. They provided opinion and support which is needed as the two mains process what is and has happened to them emotionally. The "bad guy" was so very good at being smooth which made her a very good bad guy.

Erin Zak is one of my favorite authors. I’ve never been disappointed in her novels, and this includes her current story, The Other Women.

This is a love triangle between three women: Cecily Yates, Willow Carmichael, and Francesca Lopez. Obviously with such a triangle, there is going to be a lot of heartbreak, guilt, and jealously in the story, especially since Cecily is also married, though she is starting the process of separating from and divorcing her husband.
Ms. Zak is an expert at writing books filled with angst. She had me in tears reading her last novel, and I came pretty close to that a couple of times with this one. Her characters are realistic and easy to connect with. The secondary characters in this tale are also well developed, and help to lighten the tale somewhat. The romance between Cecily and Francesca is both intense and sweet, even though you can see the possible disaster looming in their future.

Overall, this is a very emotional, angst filled romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. If you love to read passionate, angst filled romances, I believe you will also like this novel.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

Rainbow Reflections: http://rainbowreflections.home.blog/

Erin Zak has this uncanny ability to create characters who are realistically flawed, imperfect and one hundred percent relatable; so from page one you become invested in their personal journeys of hope and love. I am not a fan of romance novels, generally speaking, but I have become a fan of Zak because her pace and tone are perfect to dive into and the way she develops her plots is so skillfully done that you cannot help but read just that one (or two) more chapters.
‘The Other Women’ follows Cecily, whose marriage is effectively over but whose heart has been broken after the end of an affair. And the story of Francesca, who has been left broken in every way after being brutally dumped. The cause of both of their pain is the same woman- Willow Carmichael. Then all of their worlds collide in Vegas where Cecily and Francesca meet and feel an instant connection but can they allow themselves to feel love again or might the woman they both once loved tear them apart again?
Zak’s rich use of secondary characters, emotional and light hearted balance and her honest yet hopeful take on relationships made this a perfect read.

Cecily hasn't been happy in her marriage for years, and has been seeing a woman at work, Willow. But when Willow takes a job in Las Vegas and Cecily can't bring herself to leave her husband, their relationship is suddenly ended. Francesca is a bartender at a swanky hotel in Las Vegas and her brief three month affair with Willow comes to a sudden end when Willow calls it off. Francesca is still reeling when Cecily meets her at a bar when she's on a work trip to Las Vegas, and the two are immediately attracted to each other. But as they grow closer and begin to heal from their respective heartbreak, will their bond be broken when they find out their heart has been broken by the same woman?

I always enjoy books by Erin Zak. This one was definitely a bit different, with three POVs, but like with Create a Life to Love, it really works. The only thing that took away form my enjoyment of the book was that the characters didn't really click with me but the story itself and the writing was as always well done and enjoyable. Even if the characters didn't jive with me, Erin Zak really writes beautiful and intense emotional turmoil that really helps connect me to the story. The chemistry and the emotional connection between Francesca and Cecily was really intense and made the short time frame of this romance really believable.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cecily Yates, a married woman falls in love with another woman, Willow Carmichael, a woman she works with. Cecily is married to a man but has been having a 4 year affair with Willow but when Willow decides to go after a new job she dumps Cecily and leaves her heartbroken.
"I have no idea how I am these days, I miss my girlfriend, while I am married to my husband.
Willow Carmicheal is the first women I had been with and sadly she is the only person I have cheated on my husband with."

.After a few months Cecily is proffered a promotion that involves a work trip to Las Vegas where she locks eyes with a sexy and attractive woman, her bartender. The bartender is Francesca Lopez who also happens to be an ex of WIllows although Cecily doesnt know that,She and Fransceca decide to spend a whirlwind weekend together.

Story told in two POVS so very easy to follow but seemed to happen over more than just a few days.

CW: Cheating, references to drug use and gambling addiction.

Cecily Yates and Francesca Lopez have recently found out that Willow has been with other women. The twist is neither of them knows it is each other. However, Cecily and Francesca seem to get along well enough to actually pursue a relationship with each other, even with the aftermath of Willow's cheating.

I'm going to be incredibly honest. Cheating tropes are my least favourite tropes, there is something inherently messy about them. However, what "Zak" does so incredibly well is she makes the reader focus on the aftermath of cheating and the kind of thoughts that run through a person's head when they found out the news that their partner has been cheating.

Cecily and Francesca really understand what it is like to be hurt in this manner and we see them open up to each other, although they are too afraid to use Willow's name. While there weren't a lot of soft-moments, I did enjoy the ones we were given like glimpses into both women's jobs and family lives. A lot of the characters were used in realistic and interesting ways however I didn't like that Willow was low-key villainized for actions other characters would have probably made when she was in the same situation as her.

I can't speak on the accuracy of the Mexican representation however I can speak on the fear of coming out to a relatively conservative family. While this fear did seem to be a prominent one, "The Other Women" doesn't really tackle it apart from stating that both women were fearful of rejection.

I would put "The Other Women" as slightly heavier than a summer read. While it is fun in some moments, most of the book has quite a serious tone to it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books, Inc for allowing me to read a review copy of "The Other Women" all opinions stated are my own.

I’d seen a lot of reviews about this before I had the opportunity to actually read it, so whilst I was sceptical about the subject matter, I thought there was a good chance I’d enjoy it - but I actually loved it. This is my first Zak book and I just couldn’t put it down.

Cecily is a higher flyer, groomed to be a future CEO, married to her childhood sweetheart and having an affair. She’s unhappy with her life and is at heart essentially looking for herself amongst all the different aspects of her life.

Francesca is a Las Vegas casino bartender. Having fallen for someone who broke her heart in a cruel manner she’s now looking for a way to heal in all the wrong places.

Cecily and Francesca meet when Cecily goes to Vegas on a business trip. What follows is instant attraction, openness and a respectfulness that’s a bit hard to describe. I loved these two characters together. The push pull tension of the attraction but their hurt hearts - it made for a great storyline.

The angst is actually great on this occasion. Their realisation of a shared past was hard to read and only made me root for them more. How they deal with getting back together and moving on also felt like a really good narrative to me.

I liked that the storyline depicted both Cecily and Francesca as having very successful careers but that they weren’t happy in their personal lives. Too often society leads people to believe that happiness is money - so I liked that this was explored thoroughly through both lenses.

I enjoyed the alternating point of view between the two MCs, but I especially liked that it wasn’t necessarily alternating chapters, or even whole chapters before the POV changed. It mixed up a formula that’s often seen and I found this refreshing.

I also really enjoyed both MCs relationships with their families, be it Cecily’s with her husband and sister, or Francesca with her close friends and her family. With some aspects of pitfalls of Vegas life woven in it was a really well rounded story and I think I’ll actually be putting this on my read again pile.

I received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review "The Other Women".

I enjoyed this easy going lesfic romance. Told unusually in a dual aspect first person narrative, it focuses on the relationships between the main characters Cicely and Francesca.

The slow chase is well paced and the conversations character have with each other, voicing their own misgivings and thoughts is well done. Unusually most of the characters are immediately likeable. The narrative paints each in a glowing light, and the only person to fail to meet the standard is Willow.

It's an unusual presentation, but it works. There is plenty of anticipation and desire and the chemistry between the characters does escape from the pages to make it a decent read. But what really makes this such an enjoyable read is the way the author uses her cast of minor characters to their full potential. And it is they who are effective in moving the pace, direction and flow of the storyline. 4*

[Content warnings: infidelity, mention of miscarriage, gambling addiction, mention of drugs, mention of past car accident scene, mention of parental loss, uses of ableist language]

This book is heavy on infidelity but light-hearted. The flirty interactions between these two other women are cute and them entering a friendship without expectations makes the story relatively low drama.

Francesca Lopez (31, Latina, bi+) is recently dumped by Willow Carmichael, who declared she was in love with a married woman elsewhere. Cecily Yates (bisexual), who has been with Willow for four years, and her husband Luke are separating. When Willow dumped her, too, while Cecily is on a business trip, Cecily meets bartender Francesca. The pair decides to spend the rest of Cecily’s trip together for an unforgettable weekend, not knowing about the woman they once shared.

For a book whose first half covered only about three days and the second half two, it feels oddly fast-paced and is engrossing. The main romance stems from instant attraction, but with Francesca and Cecily both surprised by it, their connection becomes a lot more believable for me. Pure physical attraction is often lost on page but since a great proportion of the book consists Francesca and Cecily talking and connecting, I understand that they need each other in a way that is not merely for a temporary release, but something more. I love how Zak incorporated subtle movements to signify great emotions between Francesca and Cecily, and I also love how they are both possibly still in rebound mode and confused about the whole situation. The one thing both women shared but not with each other was Willow. Though both believed themselves to be in love with Willow, it only took for them to meet each other to understand how wrong they were about their past lover.

Told in dual first-person point of view, there are a lot of internal dialogues on both sides as they doubt themselves and express their desires. It feels like playing a video game where the main characters have their thoughts displayed on the screen. It also feels like a recount as I keep learning about random but important facts about the characters like they just popped up as an afterthought. The story suffered a little from the narrative choice, since apart from Cecily not cursing, the two voices are mostly indistinguishable, yet I appreciate that all the thoughts have helped us understand more of what both characters are emotionally going through.

While Zak did an amazing job at tackling infidelity, my main issue with the story is that Willow makes absolutely no sense. There is no logical reason for her inconsistent actions, and though she is an important character, I find her motives and desires conflicting, confusing, and ambiguous. Though the overall storyline was really well-done and I whole-heartedly root for Francesca and Cecily, the story didn’t strike an emotional chord in me.

There are many wonderful secondary characters. I love how Cecily’s husband Luke was never antagonized and is mostly a very nice man. But the best side characters are probably the ridiculously handsome Max, Francesca’s fellow bartender, and Armando, Francesca’s brother. Both are such a joy and radiate so much love.

You could say that The Other Women is a story of infidelity; you could also say it is of love. I think in addition to it being romance, the story is about self love, too, that being dumped like a dirty rag never means you are unlovable, but that you deserve so much more.

What a book! The thing called fate comes to mind. You just never know under what circumstances will you meet the one and only that will take your heart.
This book moved me. I totally understand the need of trying to forget and from nowhere you find this wonderful person and there is the pull. I am happy that this book had so many ups and few downs. It had the feelings I was looking for. Totally amazing read.

As the title suggests, “The Other Women” is about cheating. However, the way Zak handles it, the cheating, while a main theme throughout the book, isn’t the main story although it seems like it would be.
Cecily is an executive in Chicago who is cheating on her husband with Willow after she realizes she’s no longer in love with him. She’s guilt ridden and refuses to leave him for Willow. After four years Willow finally accepts it and moves to Las Vegas for a new job. Once there, although she and Cecily never really ended their relationship, she starts dating a bartender, Francesca.
Willow then cruelly ends things after four months with Francesca when she thinks things may change with Cecily but in a turn, Cecily ends things with Willow when she finds out she’s been sleeping with someone else.
Cecily and Francesca meet at a hotel bar and sparks instantly start flying. Neither are aware that they are the other women in their recent relationship failures. They are both hurting with their relationships having imploded and aren’t looking for love. There is an instant connection between them that neither can deny and they spend three days together and start falling in love.
While I’m not usually a fan of the insta-love that seem to be more and more popular, I believed it completely this time. It wasn’t hard to believe the chemistry and how they bonded over the hurt from their other relationships. Cecily is feeling guilt over cheating on her husband and feeling unworthy after find out Willow was cheating on her. Francesca is feeling self-doubt after the way Willow treated her in the end of their relationship. They are both vulnerable and are honest in their discussions. They open themselves up to each other more than they normally would. So yes, in this one instance, the insta-love works for me.
One of the things I really appreciated about the insta-love aspect of this story was that both Cecily and Francesca, acknowledged that they were developing their feelings much too quickly and how unusual it was for them. They even questioned the feelings and attributed them to the high tensions and circumstances they found themselves in. I can’t stand books that have the main characters fall in love after a few days and never acknowledge how unusual and often times unbelievable that is.
My only real complaint about “The Other Women” is the sometimes over the top emotions the characters have. The reactions and emotions regarding certain circumstances seemed dramatic and unbelievable at times. In my opinion they didn’t react in the ways that I thought women of their age should.
I never thought I’d be recommending a book about infidelity, love triangles, and insta-love, but here we are. It’s full of angst and drama and is very mess but it makes for a very fun read.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a delicious, sexy curveball on life and love!

Erin Zak has ruined me this year between her last book ‘The Road Home’ and now ‘The Other Woman’. I feel like she has upped the ante on her writing and lifted the veil on writing emotions because that was just beautiful. I could feel the heartache of both Cecily and Francesca. These women have been through so much, and when they feel they both feel deeply.

Francesca, without a doubt, was my favourite character. She has been hurt, and she was left tormented by cruel words Willow left her with before breaking her heart. But even though the hurt she felt was real, she used that to fuel her love of Cecily. It was so very brave.

Cecily! Gosh, I wanted to hug her so much. This woman made mistakes. Big mistakes, but she gathered herself up and made the best of things and ultimately found the love of her life even if she thought it was someone else for a while.

You all know how I feel about epilogues, and this one is a slam dunk. It was the perfect amount of time into the future; it gave me all the feels while summing up the protagonist’s journey to happily ever after.

This book is like a love letter to anyone with a broken heart. Erin Zak is telling you that you will get through it, and if some break your heart, they were never worthy in the first place.

The chemistry is off the charts in this book. Cecily and Francesca are beyond compatible in every sense of the word, be it in a relationship and when they hit the sheets. And the sex was oh so very yummy!!!

I adored this book. Get yourself ready for a rollercoaster of emotions and don’t forget the wine and tissues. This book is 100% worth your time!

I was given a copy of the story in exchange for an honest review.

This is a dark, emotional rollercoaster read.

All of the female characters are 'the other woman' and their connection through Willow, is tense, uncomfortable, full of drama and unforeseen consequences.

Cecily is a married, childless executive who lives in Chicago and has a long term affair with Willow.

Willow is Cecily's first female lover which is complicated by religious upbringing, a husband and career ambition.

Francesca is a driven, hardworking bartender in Las Vegas.. she meets Willow when Willow relocates to Vegas for her dream job. Francesca believes that Willow has fallen in love with her until one night, Willow harshly, brutally breaks off her affair with Francesca.

The rest of the story follows how the three women connect, discover they have each been betrayed and the consequences of their actions.

This book was written with such a fresh take on the typical romance! The writing style and the topic were both so unique, and really appreciated. It’s a little longer than what I was expecting, but I still read it in one day. I honestly couldn’t put it down. The story is written in first person with the narrators point of view switching between the two main characters. The depth of emotion they describe going through hits your right at your core and it’s so easy to empathize with their every action and feeling. It’s so good, and really touching. I liked everything about this book.

When I read the book summary, I thought this book would be an interesting read. Cecily is in an unfulfilling marriage when she meets Willow. After a four year affair, and with no signs that Cecily will leave her husband, Willow moves to Las Vegas. When Cecily finally decides to separate from her husband, she goes to Las Vegas in hopes of finally rekindling her relationship with Willow. However, things take a turn and she meets Francesca. After Cecily and Francesca spend the weekend together, they both discover how attracted they are to each other.
Unfortunately, I found both main characters to be a bit juvenile especially given their ages. Cecily was very wishy washy and somehow chooses to blame others for her actions and decisions. And Francesca was able to fall in love in just two days (quite possible) and is able to immediately heal from a broken heart. As much as I wanted to like this book, it fell short in terms of believable and well developed characters.

Infidelity is no joke..
They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Cecily and Francesca are brought together by fate. They are both nursing a broken heart .unbeknownst to them, they share something in common (Willow). After spending time together flirting non stop, they've come to terms with the fact that their attraction is very strong and mutual. It was fascinating to watch the relationship between both characters develop. Its very realistic. Both women uplifted each other in so many ways. This book is also about Self Love, Self Esteem. Second Chances, Forgiveness and love. Beautifully written. I recommend..

Thanks You for the ARC, NetGalley, Bold Stroke Books, Erin Zak : The Other Women