Beside Herself by Elizabeth LaBan

☆☆☆☆
ebook, 272 pages
Published October 22nd 2019 by Lake Union Publishing
About the Book:
When she finds out her husband cheated, Hannah Bent thinks her marriage is over. Isn’t that what happens after an affair? But she’s seen friends divorce, and it’s not pretty. Plus, she and Joel have kids and an otherwise-happy life, and she still loves him, although begrudgingly. Furious and feeling stuck, she suggests having her own affair to even the score. Joel, desperate for forgiveness, agrees. But does she really want to go through with it? And how exactly does a married mother of two get back in the dating pool? Many awkward dates follow until she finds a deep and unexpected connection where she was least looking for it. Just as she thinks she’s made a decision, her journey to happiness is waylaid by storms of doubt. But the important thing is that she’s finally figuring out what she truly wants for herself, and she understands that whatever choice she makes must be hers and hers alone.

Overall, this is an emotional read about a couple that isn't quite typical. I felt the characters were well developed, and I could sympathize with each one, I could feel their happiness and their pain. I thought the author did a great job making the characters authentic...they are flawed, resilient, and real. The author delves into each character's fears, failures, and accomplishments to make them meaningful and multidimensional as their story displays how someone can change for the better.

This book tackles some serious issues, growing old, mental health, infidelity, divorce and the author did an excellent job of presenting them as well as dealing with them sensitively. This book is about forgiveness. One cannot look forward to the future if all they do is live in the past. Especially, if it keeps you from even living in the present.

This book takes you on a journey into one couples life, suffering from an infidelity (or 2?), and how it plays out...with and without forgiveness. I found the writing to be absolutely wonderful and very intense and even though it contained very heavy themes, I walked away from it with a smile on my face. Highly recommended.

Thank you NetGalley, Elizabeth LaBan, and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.

#BesideHerself #NetGalley