A few weeks ago I asked on Instagram which review you were most excited about and most people were excited to hear my thoughts about this book. Today I’m sharing my review of The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins.
Synopsis
Meet Jane. Newly arrived to Birmingham, Alabama, Jane is a broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates––a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. The kind of place where no one will notice if Jane lifts the discarded tchotchkes and jewelry off the side tables of her well-heeled clients. Where no one will think to ask if Jane is her real name.
But her luck changes when she meets Eddie Rochester. Recently widowed, Eddie is Thornfield Estates’ most mysterious resident. His wife, Bea, drowned in a boating accident with her best friend, their bodies lost to the deep. Jane can’t help but see an opportunity in Eddie––not only is he rich, brooding, and handsome, he could also offer her the kind of protection she’s always yearned for.
Yet as Jane and Eddie fall for each other, Jane is increasingly haunted by the legend of Bea, an ambitious beauty with a rags-to-riches origin story, who launched a wildly successful southern lifestyle brand. How can she, plain Jane, ever measure up? And can she win Eddie’s heart before her past––or his––catches up to her?
With delicious suspense, incisive wit, and a fresh, feminist sensibility, The Wife Upstairs flips the script on a timeless tale of forbidden romance, ill-advised attraction, and a wife who just won’t stay buried. In this vivid reimagining of one of literature’s most twisted love triangles, which Mrs. Rochester will get her happy ending?
Why I Decided to Read this Book
This was my friend Emily’s (@enw_reads) first first book club pick and I was in the mood for a thriller.
Rating
3.5 Stars (I Liked it!)
My Thoughts
I had high hopes for this book because it got a lot of hype. This is a modern retelling of Jane Eyre which I haven’t read so I can’t comment on how well the retelling was done. This is an enjoyable book but I don’t get the hype it received.
I listened to the audiobook and I really liked the narration. I think audio is the way to go with this one. It kept me engaged and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened. The best way I can describe this book is entertaining. I think this year I’m reading a lot of book were I enjoy the time I’m reading it but there’s either holes in the plot or I don’t enjoy the ending and that is the case with this one.
This book is full of unlikeable characters, I’m not sure I liked any of the characters which can sometimes be hard to read but it wasn’t the case on this one for me. While I disliked the characters I wanted to know what happened and the unreliable narrators kept me intrigued.
Overall, this is a good thriller but there were some things that were not believable or were hyped up within the book but didn’t materialize into anything and there were a few holes in the plot. If you’re looking for a quick thriller fix I’ll recommend it. However, if you read a lot of thrillers you may not like it.
Content Warnings
Death, confinement, toxic relationship, alcoholism, violence, infidelity, emotional abuse, grief
Who I Recommend this Book to
I recommend this to someone that doesn’t read a lot of thrillers. If you are looking for a quick read and something that grabs you from the beginning this may be for you.
Get the Book!
Did this review of The Wife Upstairs convince you to read it? Check out the links below to get it from Bookshop.org and libro.fm. Please consider ordering it from a Black owned independent bookstore. This list of Black owned independent bookstores accepts online ordering.
>>Shop on Libro.fm (use code GISSELLEREADS for a discount if you want to start a membership)
If you’ve read this book let me know your thoughts in the comments!
