Fran is tired of her abusive, egotistical husband and begins an affair with a married man named Jack. So she decides its time for her to leave and Jack agrees to run away with her, only he never shows up to the airport. Helena, Jacks wife, knows he has been having an extramarital affair and she is not going to let him go. Fran and Helena eventually meet and have a big argument where we ultimately find out Jack isn't worth having at all.

Parts 1 and 2 were really good and built up the tension for me but part 3 kind of fell flat for me. Parts of the book also dragged on.

A story told in more or less three distinct parts but which for me only held my interest through part one. I was totally engrossed in what was happening to Fran only to be dragged back in order for Helena to tell me her side of the story and that was when I lost interest.
I thought the change in Fran was unrealistic and only provided room for the plot to develop. Helena and Pete just very unpleasant and Jack and Harry not much better. Quite a miserable lot really

I was hooked on this title and synopsis and thought it sounded mysterious and gritty.

I wasn't wrong. The book is carefully split into 3 parts. First, we have everything about Fran and her life. She and her husband had relationship problems but do not be fooled by the homely start to the book. I loved the way details about the surroundings and neighbour's actions were sprinkled here and there.

The writing made me feel that all was not what it seemed and I was swept up on the journey all the way through. The book takes us from London to Madrid, both favourite cities of mine and vastly different. The way Madrid was described is spot on, the light and customs. I loved all the references to Spain and Spanish culture.

The second part of the book focuses on Helena, the wife of the guy Fran had an affair with, and part 3 wraps everything up.

The book kept me guessing and the escape plan was well-thought out and gripping. The way plans and made and there are so many twists and turns throughout the novel made for an interesting rollercoaster ride.

The attention to detail is in the right places and I felt I was following every character.

The Other Woman is a novel of contrasting places, people opinions intertwining lives and secrets.

Thanks to Amanda Brookfield, Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

4 stars.

I particularly like the structure of this thriller, with different sections which give you the perspective of different women. You realise that they are partly giving you different sides of the same tale and that each woman makes assumptions which may not be right. In the first section, you follow Fran's story and feel the claustrophobic nature of her life, caught under the power of her husband. You silently urge her to leave him but as you discover, life is not always that straight forward. When the focus changes to Helena, you meet a complicated character who initially is quite difficult to like. She seems self-centred but you slowly see the other pressures which are in the background of her life.
You are given several marriages to examine in this story. Two of them have abusive strands but in Fran’s brother, Rob's, you see a much more equal partnership which is suffering from different pressures. Children seem like witnesses to their parents' marriages, even when grown-up and you are always aware that what appears on the surface, may be very different behind the scenes. There is plenty of suspense and some stand-out scenes which will stay in your memory.
In short: Anatomy of marriages
Thanks to the author for a copy of the book

Amanda Brookfield’s The Other Woman is a deft exploration of twisted loyalties, toxic relationships and dangerous secrets that easily gives your Netflix binge a run for its money.

Fran is an ordinary wife and mother who appears to live an ordinary life, however, scratch beneath the surface and you will find a woman who has had enough. She is fed up of looking after her ungrateful family and catering to their every need, she is sick of being taken for granted and most of all, she has had it with her bullying husband Pete who has driven her to the brink of absolute despair. Fran cannot take it anymore and one day decides that she will not spend another minute trapped in this domestic hell, so she packs her bags, leaves a note for Pete and another one for her beloved son and heads off to the airport in search of a new adventure and a life unshackled from all the frustrations that are weighing her down.

In another house on another street, Helena is feeling equally unfulfilled and aggravated. Her husband Jack pays next to no attention to her and the only way she can get him to notice her is by vexing him and baiting him. It is only when she has tested his patience that Jack seems to realise that he has a wife and their screaming rows and ear-splitting arguments have left Helena completely fragile and devoid of all hope. Is this what Helena’s life is going to be like for the rest of her days? Should she cut her losses and start over elsewhere? Or will she end up worse off than she had initially started?

Fran and Helena never imagined that their lives would end up colliding, but when fate unites them in the most unexpected of ways, they quickly realise that freedom is theirs for the taking – but first they need to change one another’s future. Will Fran and Helena get the fresh start they are so desperate for? Or will they continue to be held back by old sins and past mistakes?

Amanda Brookfield’s The Other Woman is an addictive relationship drama full of surprises and twists and turns that will keep readers absolutely glued to it’s pages. Written with honesty, flair and style, The Other Woman is a perceptive and captivating page-turner that is sharp, insightful and so enjoyable that readers will struggle to put it down.

A compulsively readable tale guaranteed to keep readers up way past their bedtime, Amanda Brookfield’s The Other Woman is not to be missed.

The story starts with Fran, she has her bags packed and she is leaving. She has left letters for her abusive husband Pete and her beloved son Harry, and she is heading to the airport to run away with Jack.

The story then flicks to Jacks wife, Helena and we hear her side of the story.
I liked the way we heard first Frans side, the Helena’s and then both as their tales intertwined, rather than flipping between chapters for each.

This is a really well written tale of romance lies and dreams. I was invested in both wives’ tales and it made me think!

I would recommend this book.

This book is told in 3 parts.
1st part is Fran planning on leaving her marriage and starting over with her lover jack.... except he doesn't arrive.

2nd part you hear from Helena Jack's wife leading up to the start of his affair with Fran you see a side of her that may of caused him to start an affair but is it that simple.

3rd part brings everything to a close but I won't spoil.

I enjoyed this book and how it's told in 3 parts you get to see a different side and parts of people and think what would you do.

This is a different read but well worth it.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I really enjoyed this book and also like the style of writing. I would recommend to other readers

This was an odd book. I had a hard time keeping track of what was happening. The storyline was good. A married woman and a married husband have an affair. They plan to run away together. What happens next is .... it wasn’t my favorite book I’ve ever read.

There are always two sides to every story and in The Other Woman we get to see the reason why Fran feels compelled to leave her husband of twenty years and also why in another marriage, which is also on the brink of destruction, we get to see the lengths that Helena will go to in order to cling onto a husband she seems to despise.

The first section of the book is taken up with Fran's story which leads us through a whole range of emotions binding us quite firmly onto Fran's side. Beautifully written, we experience Fran's emotional turmoil as she considers leaving a marriage which is going nowhere, with a husband whose domineering nature is constantly wearing down her self esteem.

By contrast in Helena's section of the story we meet a very different woman. She is brittle, argumentative, quick to anger, drinks far too much and goads her husband into taking notice of her at at every opportunity. She was the least likeable of the two women but her story was just as compelling.

The final section of the book brings all the threads together and what a complicated tapestry they make of two very different marriages and two very different women. The author writes this type of relationship drama well and cleverly weaves all the strands together in a fascinating story which grabbed my attention from the beginning. I raced through at top speed ready to journey with both Fran and Helena and keeping a close watch on how their complex stories eventually pulled together.

If you enjoy relationship stories, which draw you in emotionally, then The Other Woman is a perfect book to read on a crisp, autumn, afternoon by the fire.

“How our destinies can be changed by the smallest decisions”
Fran met Jack at an auction when she wandered in out of curiosity. She knew her marriage was rather a sham and that Pete really didn’t treat her well, having resorted to violence at times and her treading on eggshells being very careful what she even said to him. The relationship between her and Jack blossomed to the point of having planned to escape to Madrid. Fran arrives at the airport with a loaded suitcase and there is no sign or message from Jack. She waits and waits to no avail and eventually has to return home quickly and carefully putting everything back before Pete and their son Harry get home. Her best friend Mel is the only one who knew about this other than what she had put in her resignation letter which she manages to rescind. Of life after being let down so badly and being in a marriage she really wants out of but with little chance of escape.
I quickly got into his- always the sign of good writing to me and I liked Fran who came across level headed and someone you would take to in real life. A story of hope and friendships and chances . Of making the most of what life throws at you-when life throws you lemons- add gin! (or make lemonade!). A well written book that perhaps makes you think about life a little, the things we perhaps take for granted and grabbing that opportunity and not putting up with certain things. A wonderful read that I highly recommend.

(restof links as part of blog tour)(amazon done- misfits farm)

THE OTHER WOMAN by Amanda Brookfield (BoldwoodBooks) is exactly what comes to mind. A story about two women, each being 'the other woman' in an affair. But THE OTHER WOMAN is also a slick page-turner, you won't put down until the end, about love, marriage, lies, secrets and fate.
"Life must change shape. Sometimes for good and sometimes for bad. And sometimes it takes time for us to know which one it is." THE OTHER WOMAN

Fran has had enough of her abusive marriage to husband Pete, so she leaves and gets on an airplane to be with her lover, Jack and freedom. Helena knows her husband is having an affair and she's made up her mind not to let him go. Jack is in the middle of this threesome and determined to leave Helena and be with Fran. They agree to meet at the airport and start their new lives, but it doesn't turn out that way.

Fran and Helena eventually have a showdown, and we realize Jack is not worth it. While reading a book about an affair, its normal to take a side. We readers get to spend a good deal of time with each woman and we get to understand "her side." But THE OTHER WOMAN made me really look at what each was experiencing and it wasn't bliss. I liked the fact that Amanda Brookfield developed these women beyond a bitch-fight. I could connect with Fran who was looking for an escape from abuse and for real love and Helena, an insecure woman only trying to hold on to what she believed was hers. Eventually we realize Jack's not worth it. Well, that's the way I felt. You may have a completely different take after reading THE OTHER WOMAN.

"Nothing, ever, is lost, good or bad." THE OTHER WOMAN

First book I have read by Amanda Brookfield. The book was about a woman who planned to escape her relationship with another man. The story follows the lady through her attempt. I feel it held a true perspective of some current day relationships and the struggles that can occur within them. I really enjoyed the ending of this book. From the start of the book to half way, I found it slightly boring and repetitive with not too much happening but the storyline definitely picked up pace to make the book an enjoyable read. Would recommend. Thanks for the ARC from NetGalley.

Well, where do I start? What a compelling read. The first half of the book I was drawn in to Fran and her POV hugely...all the elements of her life, her friends, relationships and hope... trying to understand what had happened and hoping it would piece together! Then, all of a sudden we’re listening to Helena’s POV the other woman, in fact, the wife, and her life and struggles and, wow! The way the stories are separate but they touch on exact same moments. They way it was told, you can see both their thoughts and it was done very well!!

Jack and Pete are polar opposites for me and I was so heartbroken for fran in the beginning but everyone goes on such a journey in this book and I loved how the mystery of the story just kept on developing and developing! The ending was also done very well! I would recommend!

What can I say gripping great plot a bit twisted but I found it gripping I did not like a couple of characters I want to shot and them that what made a gripping plot I recommend to you all great

This was not my usual genre but I loved it all the same. Exceptionally well written and very deep and sad at times. Very relatable too. Highly recommended xx

The Other Woman is a tale of two marriages, one affair and the aftermath that ensues when this deception is uncovered.
The novel begins on the day Fran is planning to leave her marriage and start over again with lover Jack. It is a poetic opening as Fran trundles her suitcase along the pavement, all her hopes for the future and her angst at leaving son Harry behind wrapped up in this scene, the air heavy with expectation. A new life is tantalisingly close, the minutes ticking down to her secret rendezvous at the airport with Jack laden with such importance that had me holding me breath. The anticipation is everything. The author’s keen eye for detail, intricately observing the mundane yet infusing it with emotion is present in every word so that you are left in no doubt how crucial a turning point in Fran’s life this day is. As we learn of how Fran and Jack’s paths cross, her unhappy marriage to bullying husband Pete, its as if this love affair, whilst not deliberately sought out is Fran’s one chance at true happiness. At this stage my thoughts were solely with her, the other woman not even entering my mind. That Jack will fail to show up at the airport is then detrimental to Fran’s life going forward, forever trapped in her marriage to a most detestable man, living her days on autopilot, her senses numbed and dulled. All I kept thinking, whilst the author wrings out every ounce of emotion from this character, pouring it onto the page was where is Jack and what has happened to him? Has Fran spent so much time painstakingly planning and preparing for her departure for nothing to change? Part one ends in a shocking, brutal,unexpected way that left my stomach roiling and incandescent with rage but it is a showstopper of a scene that forces you to keep reading.

In part two the reader hears from Helena, Jack’s wife, their marriage leading up to the commencement of his and Fran’s affair and beyond. Helena is a complex character, one who clearly occupies the driving seat in their marriage and unfortunately she is a difficult woman to like. Her drinking habits spiral out of control as she senses but has no proof of another woman’s presence in Jack’s life, which is the point at which she does deserve some sympathy. Blinded by this intuition,Helena descends into a state of depression and you do get to see a side of Jack previously unseen. The author’s words express so eloquently the state of Helena’s mind (just as she does with Fran) so that you glimpse this love affair from a new alternative perspective. I could understand why Jack and Fran have embarked on their love affair, a respite from their troubled lives but couldn’t help wondering if that’s all it is, a mirage, an oasis in the desert, rather than true love. I think you view Fran from another angle and wonder whether Jack simply provides a convenient means of escape from her unhappy life and nothing more when previously you’ve been led to believe they have found their perfect love match. In another heart stopping dramatic scene that does finally answer some questions the author brings to a close part two in preparation for these two women’s worlds to collide.

Part three loses some of the suspense and horror present in the previous sections of this storyline yet retains one final jaw dropping scene to bring matters to a head and is deliciously satisfying. The thriller type feel to the narrative becomes redundant with the introduction of characters offering lightness and hope to Fran’s future. The role of Fran’s brother Rob and his family as well as best friend Mel takes on greater importance so that the final pages centre around Fran’s reawakening to a life that holds much promise.

I thought that by dividing the storyline into three parts with the first two exclusively reserved for Fran and Helena’s perspectives added strength and depth to their characters. The reader has the opportunity to fully understand these two women and the lives they lead so that you have a sound base upon which to cast judgement, if you so wish. Naturally, given that we hear from Fran in the beginning, learning of the type of marriage from which she is desperate to escape I did come to Helena’s perspective already empathising with the other woman. I think all parts have moments of high drama, some more shocking than others but these dramatic moving scenes keep the storyline flowing, reminding the reader there are at least two sides to every story. With the ending came the realisation that you can never underestimate the strength of these women, they both have to be admired for the hands they have both played and that fate can offer an intervening hand to help shape their futures. Amanda Brookfield’s exquisite writing elevates this exploration of the complexities of marriage and the individuals involved in this love triangle to one that kept me thoroughly captivated. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed The Other Woman, appreciating the author’s ability to portray human relationships in all its guises. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

Engaging Domestic Drama....
When the lives of two women unintentionally and emotionally collide the reasons and the fallout may not be quite as expected. Related well in differing perspectives. Engaging domestic drama, nicely written with credible characters and a poignant storyline.

A tale of women, marriage, secrets and lies .. and how it affects everyone around.

Fran has been having an affair with Jack, and they have decided they can't be apart any longer. This is the day they leave their old lives behind and fly off to a new one together. Fran has planned her escape carefully, not wanting to alert her husband to her plans, whilst the other woman, Helena, is busy picking a fight with Jack. Can both women get what they want?

This is a very full read, bursting with details of the lives of both these women. First we follow Fran, learning all about her marriage, career, son and her relationship with Jack. Then the focus changes to Helena and her life and relationships. Finally, it all comes together to a very satisfying conclusion. Beautifully written and superbly created, The Other Woman is a wonderful read with angst and pathos in equal measure. At the very end, I could close my e-reader with the satisfaction of a fabulous tale, fully enjoyed. Amanda Brookfield has a winner on her hands once again. A solid five stars, and worth each and every one.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley, and to Rachel's Random Resources for my spot on this tour; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

This story is told through the viewpoints of the two women in Jack's life, his wife and his lover. I enjoyed the different viewpoints offered but felt saddened that Fran was in the situation she was in but hopeful for her outcome. I wished the character of Helena was a bit more likable, it seemed like she was a female version of Pete and just needed to get her way which really made me not like her. Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.