Book Review: The Life She Wants by Robyn Carr

When a woman finds her marriage was a lie can she find her way back to the person she once was?

My book rating for The Life She Wants: 4.5 Stars

For Emma Shay Compton, life should be perfect. She has a rich, successful husband, life among the glittering ton of New York City and one as far as removed from her hometown in Sonoma County. Then it all crashes down on her with the indictment of her husband in a ponzi scheme that had him making millions off of others and Emma is devastated by the lie that was her life. When she is cleared of any wrong doing, she moves across the country back to her hometown and tries to pick up the pieces. But what she finds is so much more than she even imagined. Starting over isn’t easy and bad memories are coming at Emma from all sides. But a chance to work for Riley Kerrigan in her cleaning company gives her the step she needs to get on even footing and a friendship with Riley’s brother has all the makings of a romance…but the one thing Emma must do is face her past and make peace with it in order to get the future she longs for.

Wow is all I can say after finishing the latest novel from Robyn Carr. Ms. Carr delivers an emotional and heart rendering story that just pulls at your heart and doesn’t let up till the very last page is read. I just devoured this book and could not put it down. I literally forced myself to put it aside in order to sleep and eat. The story moves quickly with scenes so emotional you can’t help but well up with tears and the characters are just as diverse and engaging as ever. I love this author’s books but her new novel, THE LIFE SHE WANTS, is by far one of her bests to date. It has real life issues such as ponzi schemes, con men, victims and more to keep the reader glued to the pages. I eagerly flipped those pages just to see what would happen next for Riley and Emma.

Meet Emma Shay. A woman who lost so much yet always tried to raise above it…that is until her husband’s ponzi scheme blew up in the press and courts. Then Emma found out that the charmed life she wed into was all a bunch of cards. I won’t go into details so I won’t ruin the story for those who haven’t read it yet but Ms. Carr delves deep into the aftermath of such crime and how people react, etc. Emma is strong yet bruised, vulnerable and beaten down. But moving back to Sonoma County brings her a joy & comfort that she can’t explain. I loved Emma from the first moment I met her. She was so eager to move forward yet resigned over the fact that by being married to her husband, she is tainted just by association. I loved how the author uses the past to move forward the story and it is done in such a way that you see no abrupt point of views or anything. It just flowed seamlessly into the story. Riley and Emma have a history and a past that was done so well within the story. We got to see both point of views and memories and I loved how the author wove that shared history into the story. The secondary cast of characters was just as entertaining and intriguing. I loved meeting them and hope the author will come back to this little place again so we can see these wonderful people again.

Overall, THE LIFE SHE WANTS is one story that sticks with you long after the story is done. It’s powerful, emotional and so engaging that I was smiling through the tears a few times. The ending alone leaves you breathless and filled with joy. If you are looking for that perfect beach read or lazy afternoon book, then I highly recommend any of Robyn Carr’s books. They bring you a feeling of home and deliver a story that you can not help but fall in love with. I look forward with an eager breath at what else is coming from this talented author.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

Buy the new book from Robyn Carr at Amazon