In Cathy Lamb’s gripping and thought-provoking novel, a woman whose memory is shattered must piece together her husband’s secrets—and reevaluate her life, love, and relationships . . . When Natalie Shelton thinks back to how things were before the car accident, she remembers a great marriage. She and her husband, Zack, seem as strong and dependable together as the houses he builds. They live in … builds. They live in Portland, Oregon, and Natalie is co-owner of a successful accounting firm. They’re happy, she’s almost sure of it.
Yet as Natalie lies trapped in a coma, unable to communicate though aware of everything around her, she realizes that her husband is hiding something. Zack has always been reticent about his past, which she attributed to an unhappy childhood. Now the strange calls he’s receiving, the apologies when he thinks she can’t hear him, and her fragmented memories from the morning of the accident suggest a deeper secret.
When she finally awakens, Natalie is determined to find out the truth. Sorting through clues as her brain heals, she realizes she has a rare opportunity—to reexamine the life she’s made and the man she’s made it with. But as answers come to light, she faces surprising, heartrending decisions, as well as a danger that could upend her world once again, as Zack’s past finally catches up with them . . .
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Cathy Lamb’s book is hot off the presses and just came out this week, so I’ve only just begun to dive. But this story of a woman who struggles to piece together her memories and unearth her husband’s secrets after emerging from a coma is a real page-turner. It’s classic Cathy – a book that makes you think and keeps you guessing, all wrapped up with some simply beautiful writing.
What a heartwarming, gloriously unique tale of secrets, lies, and the true meaning of home. I loved the full cast of quirky characters, the sexy guys with soft hearts, the laugh-out-loud antics of three life-long girlfriends, the monster mommy…and the suspense of a chilling mystery. This novel made me laugh, cry, and hold my breath. I can’t recommend it enough.
This was a very intriguing story. I could not put it down and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I already reviewed this book. It was wonderful
I totally loved this book. It kept you on edge throughout the entire story. When I first started reading I am it, I was intrigued by the way it starts out like the marriage is going to end. When Natalie goes through all she goes through after the accident while in a coma and once she is awake is reality to what can actually happen in real life. Natalie’s memory of one fateful day is gone, but she knows Zack is not telling her the truth. It kept me on edge, not knowing what event was going to happen next. I definitely give this book a 5 star rating. It was intense and emotional throughout and the ending was surely not what I thought it would be but I totally loved it and loved the happy ending.
We never know everything about our spouse and this novel is a prime example. Natalie and Zack have been married for just a short while before she gets into an auto accident and winds up in a coma, unable to communicate to her family that she can hear them! For years her husband Zack has been hiding his real identity but he has always loved Natalie and does everything he can to protect her. So who is out to hurt her and what is her husband hiding?
Just really liked this book……
Cathy-Lamb never disappoints a reader. She is always on my top ten list for reading.
This book has many elements I adore: secrets, a vivid, funny voice, and some heartfelt emotion without being sappy. When Natalie is hit by a truck and lands in a coma, she can hear almost everything people are saying about her, even Dr. Doom and Dr. Hopeless. But she can’t remember the morning of the accident and through her rehab for her brain injury she pieces together her husband’s secret.
Great writer!
What do you do when the husband you adore is not the man you believed him to be? And how do you take charge of your life when you’re stuck in a coma?
I like Cathy Lamb books, wouldn’t miss one!
I loved this book. Cathy Lamb does it again. I love how the characters developed, especially Jocelyn. Delightful.
I automatically order all Cathy Lamb’s books as I am never disappointed in them. They’re a little peculiar/ whimsical at times and some characters are unique to say the least. She’s an Oregon author and uses local names and locations which is fun to picture.
We meet Natalie and Zach, married for 5 years. Zach receives a text that changes Natalie’s life and her perception of Zach forever. Zach tells Natalie his real name is Devon Walton and he’s wanted for murder. Natalie refuses to run away with Zach. She gets into a car accident that puts her in a coma
I absolutely loved this book. I loved all the characters especially Natalie, Chick and Justine. I’ve never laughed or cried so much as I did reading this book
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
This book had me guessing throughout the entire story….who is this man that Natalie married? He sure seemed suspicious as I read the book and I didn’t expect how this story ended. I was captivated by the concept of this story…Natalie is married to a man who isn’t who she thought he was. Then she is in a terrible hit and run accident and ends up in a “coma coffin” but can still hear and feel emotions but isn’t able to express that she’s “in there”. She can’t remember the accident or events right before that. Which then leads to the rest of the story and putting the puzzling pieces together.
The characters that Ms. Lamb has created in this book are wonderful. There are best friends, a loving and devoted father, a peculiar and eccentric mother, several co-patient characters, a lunatic mystery man, and most importantly, the husband.
This book had great passages that made me laugh, made me cry, got me worried, was afraid, felt compassion and hope. It made me think. What would I do if something like this were to happen to me? The story felt real. The life we are given is a gift not to be taken for granted. It doesn’t always go as planned and people aren’t always who they seem. This passage spoke to me so much:
“People are complicated. Love is complicated. But after being in a coma, I know one thing for sure: I will take this crazy life any minute, any day, and be grateful for it.”
The book is a good read and I recommend it. This was the first book I’ve read by Cathy Lamb and I look forward to reading more by her. Thank you!
Cathy Lamb writes the most incredible characters! Natalie is on her way and has a terrible car accident. She is in a coma. As her husband, her 2 best friends, and her parents visit, she can hear everything that is said. She is just trapped in her coma. Natalie knows her husband is hiding something from her and as Natalie is attacked in the hospital, she tries hard to remember the morning of the accident. Natalie awakens and is so determined to get her life back. Can Natalie and Zack save their marriage with all the secrets Zack is hiding? Can Natalie figure out what Zack is hiding and get her life back? I loved this book as it has mystery, true friendship, and such a loving bond with her dad. Natalie, Justine, and Chick have been friends since they were children. They call themselves the Moonshine and Milky Way Maverick Girls. I wish these girls were my friends! They have the very best fun and are always there for each other. This book with its amazing characters will stay with me forever. Cathy Lamb is a must read author for me. I received an advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corporation. All opinions are my own.
I love Cathy Lamb’s book and this is one of her best. I loved the characters, the plot, the location – I loved it all. It made me laugh and it made me cry and it taught me how life could be after brain damage and how difficult it is to recover.
Natalie is in love with her husband when she finds out that he is keeping a major secret from her. As she drives to work that morning, she is in a tragic car accident and ends up in a coma. The doctors don’t think that she’ll recover but her husband and father never leave her side. She can hear everything that is said while she is in her coma but is unable to respond. During this part of the book, we learn about her history, her best friends and her marriage to her husband. Once she wakes up, she goes into rehab with other people with brain damage where we meet a whole array of people with brain injuries. Natalie still can’t remember what Zack’s secret is but she knows there is a problem. Will she ever remember and will it affect her life with Zack?
If you like books with great characters, an intriguing plot, a few laughs and a lot of love – this is the book for you!
Thanks to net galley for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
My first book by this author but definitely won’t be my last. I love when a book takes me on an emotional journey and The Man She Married did just that. This story had me bouncing around between fear, sadness, happiness, heartbreak, surprise and joy and I loved every minute.
Hit five stars by mistake. Really didn’t like or finish this book.