REVIEW: TEMPTING FATE, BY JANE GREEN

 

Gabby’s predicament is not that unusual, given her long marriage (eighteen years) and the way that life seemingly settles into a humdrum pace, dramatized occasionally by the snarky teen daughter and her sulky pre-teen sister.

What sets this story apart is how the author is able to dig deep into Gabby’s psyche and reveal the lost, abandoned soul who felt overlooked by her parents, and who suddenly feels as though the sun is shining upon her when a handsome, hunky man, ten years her junior, begins to shower her with compliments and attention.

Who wouldn’t fall for it, given the circumstances, and, since their email relationship and occasional meetings for drinks never seem to cross the friendship line, how could it hurt? But then one night, everything changes.

And suddenly, Gabby’s life is topsy-turvy, and she finds herself in the eye of a storm that surges around her, with more of the wrong kind of attention than she could ever have anticipated. And why are her best friends turning their backs on her? Hurt and bewildered, she forges ahead…and everything goes from bad to worse.

Yes, what happens to her afterwards might seem predictable…and like the kind of punishment an “unfaithful” woman deserves. But does she really? Wasn’t it just one little mistake?

As a reader, you must decide if Gabby’s sins are that unforgivable, or if she might need a second chance. But first you must consider how far-reaching the consequences are.

I felt for Gabby…yet her husband Elliott had done no wrong. He was behaving as any husband might, when comfortable in the life he believes is perfect. His feeling of betrayal is bound to be huge…and the author takes us into his perspective as well, just in case we were ready to hate on him for some of his actions.

Gabby grew up in London, while Elliott, a doctor, is familiar with the landscape that is their life in Connecticut.

She has never quite fit into the suburban milieu, but had a best friend named Claire who made her feel understood. And accepted. So I was disappointed in how quickly Claire turned on her, but also understand how, in a separation, friends tend to choose sides. But I felt especially hurt on Gabby’s behalf, having experienced this very thing in my life, friends taking sides. Our own experiences do tend to alter our perspective in stories like these.

Tempting Fate takes what looks like, on the surface, a predictable chick-lit tale with familiar themes of family, betrayal, and abandonment, and gives it depth, and the occasional twist and turn that left me smiling. This author has a way of doing that, leaving me with no choice but to award five stars.

---