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The Forgotten Wife

by Emma Robinson

Literary Fiction , Women's Fiction

Pub Date 27 Jan 2020

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Literary Fiction , Women's Fiction

Pub Date 27 Jan 2020

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Description

It was a wooden box, white with yellow and green flowers. Shelley ran a finger over the embossed lettering – Memories – pressed her lips tightly together, feeling her heart pounding in her chest… and opened it.

When Shelley first met Greg, her life had been full of possibility. A whirlwind romance, a dream wedding, moving into their first house together, thinking about starting a family…

But now it’s ten years since their wedding. Greg has gone. And there’s a room in the house where Shelley has shut a baby blanket away. In a box, under a bed, in a spare room, behind a door that she never opens. If it’s there, she can forget about it. Just like everything else in that room. Just like her other memories. Of a marriage that perhaps hadn’t been perfect. Of a life that hadn’t gone the way she had expected.

She’s been managing to hide from her past. Every day she acts like everything is normal. Going to work and following a routine helps her pretend the bad stuff never happened.

Until one day, everything changes. She sees the couple moving in next door, giggling as they walk up the path to their new home. The woman is pregnant. It’s like she has everything that Shelley has lost. But when Shelley properly meets Lara, she soon discovers she is in fact carrying a heartache to match Shelley’s own.

As her friendship with Lara deepens, Shelley starts to wonder what might happen if she opens the box she’s hidden away. Will the secrets from her past – about what she lost, what she’s hiding from, and what she has been doing her best to forget – destroy her?

A heartbreaking emotional drama about the power of friendship that will make readers laugh and cry, perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, Dani Atkins and Daniela Sacerdoti.

A Note From the Publisher

*** THIS IS AN UNCORRECTED ADVANCED REVIEW COPY ***

Advance Praise

Readers love Emma Robinson:

‘An uplifting masterpiece. This story is fabulous, and I loved reading it. I cried happy and sad tears, read parts out to family and friends, and thoroughly enjoyed the storyline... A must read.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars

‘Omg! What a heartbreaking story... My absolute favourite book ever!’ NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars

‘I loved it!!! What a wonderful book. You laugh, you cry, you cheer... I was turning the pages as fast as I could.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars

‘Absolutely fantastic, had me gripped!!! Loved it!’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars

‘I’m not sure I have an adequate vocabulary to explain how much I loved this book! I couldn’t put it down and read it in just a day...This beautiful book deals with difficult issues, but does so sensitively and with huge empathy and a whole lot of heart.’ Jan’s Book Buzz, 5 stars

‘Oh my goodness! I read most of this book with tears in my eyes, and was openly weeping by the end. This is such a beautiful, emotional story… a beautiful read and one that will stay with me. I was deeply moved by it… An accessible, relatable tale of love, friendship, acceptance and hope.’ Suze Reviews

‘I was hooked… Put me through the emotional wringer… Brought a lump to my throat.’ Ginger Book Geek, 5 stars

‘I was so involved I didn't realise there were tears rolling down my cheeks.’ Rona Halsall

‘Such a sad and moving story but one which left the reader with a feeling of hope at the end.’ Jen Med’s Book Reviews

‘So relatable… About real people with real lives and real problems… A lot of emotion, and a lot of heart!’ Audio Killed the Bookmark

‘Will pull at your heart-strings and will open your eyes. A beautiful book that I flew through and didn’t want to put down.’ Whispering Stories

‘Truly heartfelt and honest.’ Stacy is Reading, 5 stars

‘Poignant and thought provoking.’ The Writing Garnet, 5 stars

Readers love Emma Robinson:

‘An uplifting masterpiece. This story is fabulous, and I loved reading it. I cried happy and sad tears, read parts out to family and friends, and thoroughly enjoyed the...

Available Editions

EDITION	Ebook
ISBN	9781838881092
PRICE	£1.99 (GBP)

Additional Information

Average rating from 40 members

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Featured Reviews

Joan H, Reviewer

My Recommendation

I knew from the very beginning that this novel was going to be a brilliant read. Emma Robinson writes beautiful, vivid and interesting stories that pull on your heartstrings, and this one is a real corker. I have always awaited her new novels with excited anticipation and have never, even once, felt disappointed. In fact I would go so far as to say, her storyboards seem to be getting better and better with each poignant, thought-provoking and emotional story.
Meet Shelly, who was married to Greg for ten years before he left her. She has now retreated into herself. She so badly wants him back, but she knows they can never be a couple again, or at least only in the treasured memories she holds on to in her broken heart. She is angry, lonely and isolated. She misses him every day of her life. She is paralyzed in a time warp. Work has become her total lifeline: when she is there she thinks about other matters and her mind is taken off her brooding, lonely situation. Greg used to be her absolute soulmate; he paid all the bills and arranged every household matter. She just loved his constancy and was grateful for the way he treasured her and looked after her. At work she had respite from all the responsibility, bills and thoughts of what she should be doing. Her friends are all gone. Greg was always the sophisticated, sociable rock she depended on for everything, even her social life. Without him she is bitter, desperately unhappy and unfulfilled, left only with what ifs?
Meet Lara, who is married to Matthew and who is just moving into the house next door to Shelly. Straight away Shelly notices that she is heavily pregnant. Lara introduces herself with a cheerful smile and her big, warm personality. She is a bit like Greg in many ways; kind, friendly and a brilliant organiser. When they meet, Shelly gradually rediscovers her joy in friendship and quickly the two women build a very strong relationship. Lara is staying at home, well away from her stressful job as a solicitor. She must be careful in her late pregnancy and Matt checks up on her from his workplace multiple times a day with phone calls and texts, so she really welcomes Shelly’s friendship. She is used to being in the hub of a busy office, being kept busy and amongst friends and she too, is lonely on her own when Matt is at work. It’s a friendship both of them welcome with open arms. It was a relationship made in heaven. It was meant to be and they relished their growing mutual support.
But both of these ladies are harbouring heart-breaking secrets from the past, which still govern their present-day lives. This novel is about their friendship and how they build up trust in each other, helping them to sort out what has gone so tragically wrong with their individual lives. I fell in love with them both, becoming more and more involved in their story, so gradually unfolding. I really rooted for each of them; full of compassion, empathy and understanding. I loved their mutual support and growing love for each other and I loved the thrilling ending of the story as well. Believe me this story was absolutely stunning and so well worth reading. I drank it in and was further rewarded with each and every page.
I received this book through my membership of NetGalley and from publisher Bookouture in return for an honest review. Thank you most sincerely for my copy. I recommend this novel most highly. I think it is unmissable and I know you will be very glad you read my review.

My Recommendation

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