Review: His Other Wife

His Other Wife: A Novel

One thing I hope never to have is an ex-husband.  Hilary, the main character in His Other Wife: A Novel has one, much to her dismay.  The divorce was his idea, and shortly thereafter, he married his mistress, the mistress who was able to give him another child, something Hilary would never be able to do.  The book opens setting the scene of the divorce proceedings and letting  us know that there is a twelve year old son involved.  The action soon moves to the time around their son's high school graduation--a time when tragedy strikes.  The three involved adults have to learn to work together, to accept themselves and their brokenness, and then to heal and forgive.

The author, Deborah Bedford, calls this book a modern re-telling of the story of Hannah, the Biblical woman who was barren for years.  Her husband had another wife who constantly reminded Hannah that Hannah was not good enough.  According to Bedford, when things change for Hannah, it isn't because circumstances change, but because Hannah changes.  In this book, the circumstances don't change, but Hilary does and because of that she is then open--not to the love of her ex, but to other love from other people.  

While billed as a Christian novel, the amount of religion in the book is minimal and I think most people who like what is typically called "women's fiction" would like this one.  Grade:  B.

I'd like to thank the publisher for providing a complimentary review copy.  I was under no obligation to provide a positive review.