All Ward Manning wanted was to be a famous writer. And while it took some time to build momentum, he’s a literary legend now. His wife, Claire, is a philanthropist and socialite, with the brains and beauty to match.
The couple’s only child, Isabelle, has wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps since childhood. She was envious of the way everyone clamored for his attention and favor, not to mention the fame. But her writing career can’t seem to take off; her first book was rejected by publishers, and as she nears her 35th birthday, the pressure is mounting, as is the fear of failure.
When Claire dies unexpectedly, it throws both Ward and Isabelle into turmoil. Ward is coming to terms with the fact that his popularity may be dwindling, and realizes just how much Claire brought to his life. And when Isabelle goes through some keepsakes Claire left for her, she discovers something which makes her question everything that has transpired in her life, all of her assumptions about her parents and the people they were.
I love some good family drama and dysfunction, and this certainly delivered more than its share of secrets and lies. The book shifted back and forth through past and present, narrated by the three Mannings as well as Isabelle’s best friend, Brian. Also, interspersed between chapters are excerpts from a novel about a woman wronged by her husband and how she tries to right the score. But whose book is it?
I just wanted a bit more from this book.
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