Do we ever really know the ones we love?
Reclusive Clare Collins crafts her novels like she crafts her life: perfectly. So the world is stunned when the famous author is found dead on a beach from a self-inflicted gunshot—the morning after her latest book hits the shelves.
Her sister, Eileen, is at a loss. Clare led a charmed life: success, mansions, money… Why would she throw it all away? … Why would she throw it all away? But while reading through her sister’s latest—and greatest—novel, Eileen discovers a clue that unravels the fiction and reveals the painful truth. Suddenly, the life that Eileen had envied doesn’t seem so sparkling…
Her Perfect Life is a page-turning debut that reminds us that no matter the success, everyone has secrets. And some are more devastating than others.
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Clare Collins is the big sister who has everything going for her: a wildly successful career, unlimited money, and the adulation of throngs of fans. But when Clare commits suicide, her younger sister Eileen is determined to learn the reason why. A beautifully-written debut novel, HER PERFECT LIFE is a page-turning saga of family secrets, broken hearts, and overwhelming guilt that will keep you reading long past bedtime. Definitely a must-read for fans of Women’s Fiction.
Elaine and Clare are sisters, who over the years have grown apart. Elaine is busy with her husband Eric and their three kids. While Clare is a world famous author who is loved all over. Elaine’s day to day life is hectic with minimal help from her husband. Elaine’s only excitement is taking portraits for families, which is a far cry from the photography career she thought she would have. When Elaine receives a call from Clare’s husband Simon telling her that Clare has killed herself, Elaine is not only shocked, but also confused as to why one of the richest, most famous women on earth would kill herself. To top it all Elaine has received some photographs on Eric’s car that show he is clearly cheating on her with his co-worker. Elaine rushes to San Francisco to not only help Simon, but to also see if she can find clues to Clare’s suicide.
Clare seems to have it all, but has never recovered from the death of her high school sweetheart Adam right before graduation. Simon is a good husband and Literary Agent to Clare, but she can never love him the way she loved Adam. Clare struggles to confront her true feelings and answer the questions about what really happened the night Adam died.
I really enjoyed this book. The storytelling was interesting and even though the book skips back and forth through time periods, each era captivated me. I wanted to know what happened in all stages of Clare’s life and try to figure out for myself where the story was going. The story held me to the end on Clare’s story, but also on what Elaine was going to do with her life now that she is armed with proof of Eric’s cheating. I was really happy with the ending for Elaine, was rooting for her as a character. I would definitely recommend this book. Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this ARC.
I want to preface my review by saying that there are a few themes that may be triggering to some readers. The theme of suicide is prevalent although it is handled elegantly and not detailed/ gory or romanticized in any way. Also the theme of infidelity is witnessed within multiple characters.
Does anyone truly have the perfect life? Her Perfect life at its core it is a story of love, loss, grief, and what it means to simply be human.
Clare is a writer who has been trying to tell the same story for years. When she is finally admits it to herself and writes the true story, its enough to break her. Eileen is a mother who is struggling with the loss of her older sister while also coping with the discovery of her husbands infidelity. They are such relatable and believable characters that your heart cant help but to ache for them.
Her perfect life is a truly engaging read that kept me on edge with each turn of the page. The story flows effortlessly and the characters are layered in a way that makes them obviously flawed and very much human.
Overall I fell unexpectedly in love with this book.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
I was hooked within the first few chapters on this one. Who is Clare, exactly, and why would a best-selling author, who seems to have everything going for her, take their own life?
Clare’s story is fascinating, and the insights into the writer process and psyche of a best -seller are fun and interesting, whether you live in that world or not. But it was the character of Eileen, the sister who survives Clare who kept me turning the pages. She’s relatable – a mom who’s juggling (sometimes badly), feels like she wasn’t there enough for her sister, and is desperate to know why her sister would choose to leave her? And did she ever know Claire at all?
The characters are well formed, believable, and at its core, this is a book about holding secrets and the prior life experiences we carry forward with us, no matter how much we try to leave them behind.
A skillfully-written page turner where you’ll relate to the characters, and be left asking questions about what happens if our past is hidden, instead of faced head on? Great, fast, enjoyable read.
Debut author Rebecca Taylor spins a superb story of two sisters who, despite growing up together, might as well have been strangers. Secrets, lies, and tragic truths unspoken swirl together through the pages, creating a sophisticated page-turner. It felt like sneaking a read of someone’s fascinating private diary—and being completely powerless to put it down.