Book Review: The Comfort of Lies

Author: Randy Susan Meyers
Publication Date: February 12, 2013
Publisher: Atria

 

“Happiness at someone else’s expense came at a price. Tia had imagined judgment from the first kiss that she and Nathan shared. All year, she’d waited to be punished for being in love, and in truth, she believed that whatever consequences came her way would be deserved.” Five years ago, Tia fell into obsessive love with a man she could never have. Married, and the father of two boys, Nathan was unavailable in every way. When she became pregnant, he disappeared, and she gave up her baby for adoption.

Five years ago, Caroline, a dedicated pathologist, reluctantly adopted a baby to please her husband. She prayed her misgivings would disappear; instead, she’s questioning whether she’s cut out for the role of wife and mother.

Five years ago, Juliette considered her life ideal: she had a solid marriage, two beautiful young sons, and a thriving business. Then she discovered Nathan’s affair. He promised he’d never stray again, and she trusted him.

But when Juliette intercepts a letter to her husband from Tia that contains pictures of a child with a deep resemblance to her husband, her world crumbles once more. How could Nathan deny his daughter? And if he’s kept this a secret from her, what else is he hiding? Desperate for the truth, Juliette goes in search of the little girl. And before long, the three women and Nathan are on a collision course with consequences that none of them could have predicted.

Riveting and arresting, The Comfort of Lies explores the collateral damage of infidelity and the dark, private struggles many of us experience but rarely reveal.


“Happiness at someone else’s expense came at a price. Tia had imagined judgment from the first kiss that she and Nathan shared. All year, she’d waited to be punished for being in love, and in truth, she believed that whatever consequences came her way would be deserved.” – Finished Copy pg. 3

 

“Rather than telling her mother the truth, Tia pretended to be a woman who’d slept with too many men and, thus, didn’t know the identity of the baby’s father. The horror of that lie was still better than the truth. She couldn’t bear telling her mother she’d been sleeping with a married man – and had tried to steal him.” – Finished Copy pg. 11

 

“Juliette thought how sad those words were as she poured olive oil in the pan. How could you hide your love? Did her mother still do that, even as she closed in on forty years married? Her parents were knotted to a degree Juliette envied and hated, but she refused to believe it was built on tricks. Her father and mother loved each other so completely and unreservedly – except for Dad loving a bit more, just as Mom wanted – that Juliette never had a chance. Growing up, their marriage had seemed a two plus one to her, with Juliette the plus to their tight couple. All her life, she’d danced on the outskirts of her parents’ love.” – Finished Copy pg. 20

 

“Okay, Katie. Good news, bad news. Blessing: I got a college degree. Blessing: I fell in love with a good man, and wonderful husband and father. Curse: He wasn’t mine.” – Finished Copy pg. 41

The lives of three women intersect all because of the infidelity of one man. Nathan and Tia are having an affair, and all is happy and well until Tia finds out that she is pregnant. She, of course, relays the information to Nathan who then leaves her with no explanation and no intent to act as the child’s father. Nathan and Juliette are married, and Nathan must confess his affair to her. Then we come to the best part of the novel. The baby that Tia and Nathan conceive is put up for adoption. Peter and Caroline end up adopting the baby and name her Savannah. However, even though Nathan was honest about the affair, he was not honest about the baby. What will happen when Juliette finds out about Savannah? Can she ever forgive Nathan for this indiscretion?

 

All my avid readers know that I am a fan of books that share the lives and perspectives of multiple female characters. Being a feminist, I just love the idea of strong, confident female roles. I am also a huge fan of chapters that are sectioned and labeled by the character’s name in which it revolves around. I was fascinated with the idea of this book, even though I imagined it may get a little predictable. I was wrong! Each female lead, as well as many outstanding secondary characters, kept the pace in super speed and kept me on my toes. At certain parts, I became so invested in their lives that I forgot to finish my dinner and forgot that I had to be at work early the next day. Their stories are definitely worth getting lost in.

 

These characters and their lives are so relatable that I felt I knew them all like they were my very best friends. I don’t know what it is about Meyers’s writing, but it is phenomenal. She has this outstanding ability to draw you in and use language, that isn’t any different from the next author, but yet gives you a cozy, warming feeling. I snuggled up with this book and a hot cup of cocoa and stayed with it for hours. I definitely enjoyed Tia’s character the best, even though I looked down on her for having an affair with a married man and coveting another woman’s husband. However, she was my favorite character. I felt like I struggled right alongside her and wanted so badly for her to keep the baby.

 

For readers that love alternating chapters and perspectives, I highly recommend this novel!

 

***A BIG thank you to the publishers at Atria Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review***