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The Replacement Wife

by Eileen Goudge (Goodreads Author)

3.13 of 5 stars 3.13 · rating details · 699 ratings · 174 reviews

Camille Hart, one of Manhattan’s most sought-after matchmakers, has survived more than her fair share of hardships. Her mother died when she was a young girl, leaving her and her sister with an absentee father. Now in her forties, she has already survived cancer once, though the battle revealed just how ill-equipped her husband Edward is to be a single parent. So when doct...more

ebook, 419 pages

Published March 27th 2012 by Open Road Media (first published January 1st 2012)

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Sep 23, 2012 Dinjolina rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People that want to be disillusioned about nice men and karma

Shelves: hero-i-wanted-dead, hero-overly-angsty, hero-that-broke-my-heart, angst, bipolar-alert, cheating-jerk, chick-lit, evil-other-woman, lite-romace, married-couple, maybe-i-should-not-try, more-rant-than-rew, never-going-back-to-them, omg-eeeewww, stress-inducer, sorry-but-just-no, horribly-wrong-ending, horribly-sad-ending, drama-queens

(view spoiler)...more (view spoiler)[I *KNOW* this is a story about how something you do in the best of faith can come and bite you in the behind.

Even so, still, the character I most connected to was Caroline. And in doing so, I was not able to like the fact that essentially her husband cheated on her of his own free will. And fell in love. As much as this whole book was about ‘not being able to help who you love’ he made a choice to enter that relationship. Sadly enough, he entered it for all the wrong reason, which makes me cringe even more.
The premises the author trust upon me was that the wife, Caroline, tried to matchmaker her husband and failed. He took this as an ok to find who ever he liked before his wife died. Well, not really find…but she wanted him to? Right? Right?
Even thou he was the one that waxed on about loving his wife, and hoping she makes it so they can continue to be happy…he found somebody else. So what kind of man is this? Not somebody I could be fond of.

The fact that the hero and…other heroine, Angie, have a HEA while Caroline musses how this was all her own fault I wanted to scream and say ‘It’s not her fault!’
By saying she was a factor in this cheating, by ‘opening the door to possibilities’ the author is coping out. She is basically giving me excuses so I could love a story of cheating. Real life cheating, not the nice-nice cheating where the wife is a shrew.

The ending tore my hear out, but not in a tear jerker way. I was completely unhappy with Angie and Edward getting married and having their love. If we factor in David, Angie’s love interest that asked her to marry him, I somehow felt this heroine (because we do have Angie’s point of view…) had it all made. The happy happy HAPPY wedding scene in the end made me almost get sick. Maybe this whole thing was supposed to make it easy for me. Make me understand their love-But all I see is selfish. And even kind of cruel. Both of these characters took when they wanted and whatever they wanted.
On the other hand, the fact that Caroline now has nobody gives this whole novel an overall feel of punishment. That makes me even angrier because the only likable character in this story is her. (hide spoiler)]

I am pretty much labeling this book an ‘Ewwww’ one, even thou a lot of other readers seem to love its mushy tear-inducing qualities. The only tears I shed over it were tears of frustration. (less)

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Apr 17, 2012 Lila rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: gluttons for punishment

Shelves: contemporary-american-fiction, kindle, read-in-2012

I know that most of us readers (if not all) are familiar with the phrase 'stranger than fiction', and in truth, fiction works better when the events in a story are at least somewhat plausible. The Replacement Wife deals with a very serious and very real matter, a disease that kills every day, not only people afflicted with it but also those who loved them, cared for them, depended on them (parents, children, husbands and wives) and in the end had to watch them die. Unfortunately, the author mana...more I know that most of us readers (if not all) are familiar with the phrase 'stranger than fiction', and in truth, fiction works better when the events in a story are at least somewhat plausible. The Replacement Wife deals with a very serious and very real matter, a disease that kills every day, not only people afflicted with it but also those who loved them, cared for them, depended on them (parents, children, husbands and wives) and in the end had to watch them die. Unfortunately, the author manages, by a weird, miracle of imagination, to turn all the unhappiness (caused by both the quickly approaching death and by all the mistakes and heavy consequences of the decisions made not only by Camille, but by almost every other person in the novel) into a happily-freaking-ever-after tale that belongs to the world of dreamy and steamy Harlequin romances, not the literary novel The Replacement Wife's author probably wanted it to be. I'm obviously no expert of literary critique but as a devoted reader I do know what I hope to encounter while reading certain types of books. While the first half of the book was promising and held my interest, the second half ruined any good feelings I had for the story by trivializing it with neatly tied, highly improbable turns of events.

The one thing that partly redeemed The Replacement Wife was Ms Goudge's impeccable writing skills and strong character building. Despite the above mentioned flaws, the book reads smoothly and with ease. The major 'players' built in me strong emotions, and whether it was immense dislike, such as towards Camille Hart, whose 'I'm-right-because-I'm-dying-and-you're-not' attitude I couldn't stand or her husband who elicited genuine sympathy from me (despite of his actions), because he really was pushed to the very limits of his love for Camille. All and all, there were very few characters that I felt truly indifferent to.

Even though the ending left me disappointed in the whole book, I must give it credit for a life lesson it imparts. What I took away from this novel, is that, if every action we take has consequences, then we'd better be damn sure we're prepared to pay the price, whatever that may be. And because one really can never be sure of anything, maybe we should stop and think first, and then expand our imagination beyond the unimaginable. Maybe that can spare a few lives from being broken and a few mistakes from being made.(less)

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Apr 25, 2013 Kelly rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. First, my main qualm with this book is the science is WRONG WRONG WRONG. In the acknowledgements, Goudge states that she met with an oncologist (cancer doctor) in order to get Camille's health issues right... well, she obviously didn't listen to the oncologist. In one part, she states she's going to a hematologist-oncologist, and her previous treatment included a stem cell transplant, which would lead the reader to believe she has a leukemia or lymphoma of some sort. Then later, she alludes to a...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Betty-Anne rated it 3 of 5 stars

I received an ARC through the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program in exchange for reading and reviewing it.

If I had to write a tag-line for this book, it would probably be “be careful what you wish for – you just might get it”. Initially, the premise was what caught my attention about The Replacement Wife. A woman who is a career matchmaker is battling cancer, and before she dies, wants to choose her husband’s next wife. I’m not much of a fan of formulaic romance books, but I love a good story,...more I received an ARC through the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program in exchange for reading and reviewing it.

If I had to write a tag-line for this book, it would probably be “be careful what you wish for – you just might get it”. Initially, the premise was what caught my attention about The Replacement Wife. A woman who is a career matchmaker is battling cancer, and before she dies, wants to choose her husband’s next wife. I’m not much of a fan of formulaic romance books, but I love a good story, and I felt the story would be the driving factor here.

Overall, I’d have to say it didn’t turn out the way I expected at all. I can’t say I liked the resolution, but I wasn’t in the least bit surprised by the direction the book took. Going into any detail would give away too much of the plot, so I will just say that while Camille’s motivations for finding Edward his next wife may have seemed wholesome and altruistic to her, I found myself wanting to ask her if she didn’t think before she went down that road.

Again, while I didn’t like the resolution of the story, the behavior of the characters felt very realistic; their emotions and actions were ones which I could conceivably see happening in a situation such as this one. In the end though, I felt I understood them much more than I liked any of them.

The one issue I have to take is with the writing style. This could have been a much faster, smoother read if the author did not get bogged down in a lot of detail that frankly could have been left out without affecting the story in the least. Some of it was repetitive, and some just simply boring, and the book would have been better without it.

I remain with mixed feelings about this book. How can I say I enjoyed the book, when there was so much about the people and the situations I did not like at all? Yet, that is exactly how I feel. I suppose the most telling thing is that I’ve looked into the author’s previous books and there are at least two I’ll probably be reading.(less)

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Jun 11, 2012 Naberius rated it 3 of 5 stars

I liked that all of the characters seem realistic (even if their lives seem a bit too charmed at times). What I also liked was that the characters had flaws. For all of her good intentions, Camille doesn't ask her husband what he really wants before starting down the path of finding him a new match. Edward's a bit self-absorbed at times. I didn't always like either of them (and actually, liked one of the supporting characters more than either of the two main people .... even if that character wa...more

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May 18, 2012 Diane rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Replacement Wife seemed like a good choice for me, as I was looking for something a bit different from what I'm generally drawn to. I was hoping for a book that wouldn't require a lot of concentration, and for the most part this was true, although it's not an upbeat story, it did hold my interest.

On the surface, Camille Hart, appears to have it all: wife of a physician, mother to preteen children, and a career as a successful Manhattan matchmaker. She's battled cancer once and won, but now s...more

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Apr 06, 2012 L_manning rated it 4 of 5 stars

Camille Hart has a great job, great family, and really great husband. As a matchmaker, Camille gets to help people find as much love as she has found. Then one day, Camille discovers the cancer she thought she had beat is back with a vengeance. As Camille tries to make plans for the future, she realizes her husband is not ready to be a single father. Camille decides to use her matchmaking skills to find her own replacement, but this proves to be much more difficult in reality. Everyone's lives w...more Camille Hart has a great job, great family, and really great husband. As a matchmaker, Camille gets to help people find as much love as she has found. Then one day, Camille discovers the cancer she thought she had beat is back with a vengeance. As Camille tries to make plans for the future, she realizes her husband is not ready to be a single father. Camille decides to use her matchmaking skills to find her own replacement, but this proves to be much more difficult in reality. Everyone's lives will be changed as Camille tries to deal with it all.

This was a very interesting book that gave me a lot to think about. Camille knows she is dying, and she really wants to make sure her family will be taken care of after she is gone. Naturally, her husband Edward resists this idea. However, a friend suggests to Edward that he humor Camille's wishes, he goes along for the ride. Camille soon finds that doing what you think is right can still be very hard, especially as you see something you love slipping away. I was left wondering what I would do in my situation. Would I want my husband to find someone new as quickly as possible? I'm not so sure. I think Camille vastly underestimated Edward's ability to take care of things (or hire someone who would). Of course, she did have her past experience from her previous battle with cancer to go on, but I still think things would have been different.

I was enjoying this book greatly up until a point. I don't want to give away any plot points, but there is one thing I cannot abide no matter what. I was greatly disappointed when this happened, and I could no longer like a character that I had felt a lot of admiration for. This really pulled me out of the story and just kind of made me angry. The ending was very sweet for what it was, but I was still unsatisfied. That was just me though. I think a lot of people will enjoy this more than me (and probably be way less judgmental than I am). I did appreciate how Camille handled things though. I thought she was a great character, and I found myself liking her even more in the end. I wouldn't consider this an easy read, but it is a very interesting one nonetheless.

Galley provided for review.
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Apr 05, 2012 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Just when you have read the last page of what you think is the best book ever, along comes Eileen Goudge with a new book and suddenly you are exchanging that “best book ever” with THE REPLACEMENT WIFE. Eileen has once again given readers a novel that is a love story that grabs you from the opening and drives you to hold on to the roller coaster of ups and downs, twists and turns, while testing your emotional strength. THE REPLACEMENT WIFE is a love story not just about two people but about the m...more Just when you have read the last page of what you think is the best book ever, along comes Eileen Goudge with a new book and suddenly you are exchanging that “best book ever” with THE REPLACEMENT WIFE. Eileen has once again given readers a novel that is a love story that grabs you from the opening and drives you to hold on to the roller coaster of ups and downs, twists and turns, while testing your emotional strength. THE REPLACEMENT WIFE is a love story not just about two people but about the main character’s entire world; her husband, children, friends, and career.

First and foremost, this love story is about a husband and wife, and how although their relationship definitely changes over time, it never loses its effect on the lives of the people it touches, nor the reader. Camille Hart appears to have it all; a perfect family with two wonderful children and an amazing husband, Edward. She enjoys her work as a matchmaker because she sincerely wants to help other people find true love as well as ideal companionship. Could there really be something in this idyllic life that would pose a problem?

Sadly, there is a very big “something” which is that Camille has cancer which had been in remission. The fight was a brave one and her second chance had given her back this perfect life. That is, up until the villainous illness returns and appears that no remission is in sight this time and she must make plans to deal with the inevitable. Camille is a fighter and if she isn’t going to beat it this time, she is sure she is going to leave her beloved husband and children in the best of hands. Faced with probably only six months left to live, Camille decided to do her best job ever with her matchmaking and find her husband a replacement wife. This would give Camille peace of mind knowing that her family would be in good hands after she was gone. Edward, a doctor, is not agreeable to this but in order to make Camille happy, he goes along with it, as he hangs on to the slim chance she might beat the cancer a second time.

What happens as Camille puts her plan in motion is not what one might think. I was surprised by what happened and especially by the ending. With Goudge’s propensity for creating realistic as well as compelling characters, the narrative burst forth from the pages to capture the reader’s heart and this beautiful story begs the reader to consider what they might do if put in the same situation. Camille and Edward’s story is unique in many ways, but with great attention to detail, Goudge is able to touch on issues that do come up in most people’s lives such as making choices for one’s family, illness, and the effects one’s decisions can have on their marriage and family. Being deeply invested in the plot line, and expecting a much different ending, I have to say I was sorry for this story to end. I enjoyed it so much and as always with Eileen Goudge, one of the first writers to take a personal interest in me when I started out, I now have to wait again for her next work of art! Thank you once again, Eileen. Do not miss this one my friends!(less)

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Feb 27, 2012 Kitty Bullard rated it 5 of 5 stars

Book Title: "The Replacement Wife"
Author: Eileen Goudge
Published By: Open Road Media
Age Recommended: 18 +
Reviewed By: Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating: 5

Review: I've just finished "The Replacement Wife" by Eileen Goudge, and I'm still sitting here wondering what it would be like to be told you only had a few months to live. A few months left with your children, your husband, friends, and family... what would you do? What would you do if you were a business-woman whose job was to find matches for people...more

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Mar 28, 2012 Kathleen rated it 5 of 5 stars

What would you do if you had terminal cancer, and you didn't want your family to fall apart after you're gone? Would you try and find your husband / wife a replacement spouse, and your children a new mother? What if your "arrangement" worked out, but a miracle occurred and you are in remission, will you be able to deal with the ramifications of what you brought into your marriage?

Forty-two year old Camille Harte, is a successful Manhattan matchmaker, mother of two and happily married for twenty...more What would you do if you had terminal cancer, and you didn't want your family to fall apart after you're gone? Would you try and find your husband / wife a replacement spouse, and your children a new mother? What if your "arrangement" worked out, but a miracle occurred and you are in remission, will you be able to deal with the ramifications of what you brought into your marriage?

Forty-two year old Camille Harte, is a successful Manhattan matchmaker, mother of two and happily married for twenty years to the love of her life. After a tough year of fighting for her life, her cancer was in remission and life resumed until the latest PET scan revealed that the cancer was back and had spread, and that this time it was terminal. With possibly only six to nine months left to live, Camille planned to find her husband and children a replacement wife, so that her family would not fall apart after she was gone. Her husband, Dr. Edward Constantine, was not a willing participant at first, but finally agreed to humor her, while holding out hope that she still had a chance to beat the cancer once again. The arrangement creates many changes within their marriage, and ultimately has life changing ramifications ... like the old saying goes ... "be careful what you wish for"...

The Replacement Wife is a hauntingly beautiful story that will pull at your heartstrings. The storyline is well written and incredibly powerful and compelling. The plot is intriguing and thought provoking, it leaves the reader pondering what they would do if they were in Camille and Edward's position. It begs the reader to consider if they would go to such lengths that Camille did to ensure that her family would remain intact; would your dying wishes supersede that of your family; and would you be able to handle the ramifications of your choices and decisions. The characters are realistic and engaging, their complexities and interactions with each other make the story that much more captivating. The attention to detail is outstanding, the palpable emotions and heartbreaking reactions will have you clutching the box of tissues, you can't help but be pulled emotionally into Camille and Edward's story. The Replacement Wife is a unique story that takes a look into a couple's marriage and how they handle various issues within their relationship: illness, family choices, decisions made, paths taken, and ultimately the ramifications that affect their marriage and family.

I haven't read a story that completely wore out my emotions in a long time, and The Replacement Wife did just that. This story engages you from the beginning pages, and captivates you as you go along on the emotional roller coaster ride that is Camille and Edward's story. This novel will make you smile, laugh, scream , and break your heart. It will make you grateful and count the blessings that you have in your life, reminding you to never take anything for granted.

I highly recommend that both men and women should read The Replacement Wife, it could change the way you value your own relationships.

Disclaimer: I received a Kindle edition of the novel from Open Road Media and NetGalley, at no cost to me, for my honest review.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
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Jun 05, 2012 Cindy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What would you do if you were told you only had a short time left to leave? That story is one I have thought before... if I died, would I want my spouse to find love again? Would I even go as far to help him find love again before I even died?

Warning: if you are looking for a happily ever after book, you won't find it in this book.

Spoilers: I didn't care for the characters. While I understood Camille's logic based on her occupational as a matchmakers and her childhood, I didn't understand her gi...more

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May 23, 2012 Diana rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-books

While I don't hate this book because it is well-written enough to keep me reading, the story is wretched. Not one primary character here is sympathetic.

I suppose that I empathize the most with Camille. While she is officious and micro-managing - and the architect of her own misery - she is a cancer victim with a damaged childhood, so perhaps her judgement is justifiably awry. Still, it is hard to have much compassion for her.

Her "wonderful" husband, Edward, who is absentee at best and self-obses...more

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May 16, 2012 cupcake rated it 4 of 5 stars

I can't help it, I loved this book. I loved it so much that I brought it with me to my son's high school band concert and read it there (don't tell). I loved it so much that I delayed teaching my 1st period students, just so I could find out what happens to Camille, Edward, Elise and Angie.

THAT is how much I loved The Replacement Wife, by Eileen Goudge.

I loved it in spite of it not being one bit like I thought it was going to be.

I rarely read much about a book before reading it, because I like t...more

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Feb 12, 2012 Arlena rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-stars, ebooks, my-reviews, women-fiction, romance

Author: Eileen Goudge
Published by: Open Road E-rignal
Age Recommend: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Raven Rating: 5
Blog Review For: GMTA
Review:

"The Replacement Wife" by Eileen Goudge was some interesting romantic read. How Eileen Goudge was able to bring all the characters together was a simply remarkable in how she was able to have such interesting people through the whole story... and there is a long list.... get ready... and still the main focus was on Camille Hart... front....center to the end....more Author: Eileen Goudge
Published by: Open Road E-rignal
Age Recommend: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Raven Rating: 5
Blog Review For: GMTA
Review:

"The Replacement Wife" by Eileen Goudge was some interesting romantic read. How Eileen Goudge was able to bring all the characters together was a simply remarkable in how she was able to have such interesting people through the whole story... and there is a long list.... get ready... and still the main focus was on Camille Hart... front....center to the end.

This story is of a woman ...Camille Hart, who is a matchmaker and very good at her job and that saying "be careful what you wish for" really applies to this story. Camille having survived cancer once and now it was back at stage four, decides with her matchmaking expertise she could make life easy for her husband (Edward Constantin) and her children... Kyra and Zach...by being the one to find him his next wife and mother for the children while she was still alive. Camille wanted someone strictly platonic that would be there for her family when she was gone...YES, she wanted to find Edward his next wife! How Camille goes about this is exciting and humorous to read.

However, when it comes to Camille her own personal life, this matchmaking doesn't go so well. You will simply have to read this story for yourself and you will see how this all plays out. I don't want to give it away because if is a wonderful read that will keep you on the edge of your seat...turning the pages to the end.

In the end I can truly say I believe Camille had a wonderful heart but that saying "be careful what you wish for" can come back to bite you in the butt.... in that now Camile may have had her health back but the love of her life (David) has been .... get this read... you will not regret it!

I really enjoyed enjoyed reading "The Replacement Wife" by Eileen Goudge and I am sure if you are in for a good romance story with a lot of twist and turns you will find this one a good read.

Read more: http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.probo...(less)

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Jan 05, 2013 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The first half of this book was OK. Even interesting.

Then came the second half, where UGH.

Part 1: Wife is dying of cancer, decides to apply her career in matchmaking to finding a replacement for herself so that husband won't have to fend for himself. Husband is appalled and uncooperative.

So far, so "good." Depressing, but an interesting setup.

Part 2: Wife's choice turns out to be of platonic interest at best, although she's theoretically the perfect match. Husband meets wife's caterer and has a...more

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Sep 29, 2012 Barbara rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 09, 2012 Lydia Presley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-stuff, 2012, contemporary, fiction

When I read the summary for The Replacement Wife by Eileen Goudge, I got a little bit of a thrill inside. It'd been a while since I had read a straight-up chick lit book and I was craving some emotional, doesn't-require-a-lot-of-thought, reading and thought this would fit the bill perfectly.

What I was unprepared for was the completely unseen twist that the book would take halfway through and send me spiraling into rage instead of pleasure.

But I cannot blame that on Eileen Goudge, or the story,...more

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May 10, 2012 Denise rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, chick-lit

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 06, 2012 Muzette Alcocer rated it 3 of 5 stars

I loved the quote at the beginning of the book, “But love is blind and lovers cannot see the pretty follies that themselves commit.” from William Shakespeare – The Merchant of Venice, Act II, Scene 6. It is a great one line summary of what the characters in The Replacement Wife face.

The Replacement Wife chronicles the life of Camille Harte, a woman who seems to have everything – at least all the important things. A loving husband, wonderful children, and a flourishing business, Harte to Harte, a...more I loved the quote at the beginning of the book, “But love is blind and lovers cannot see the pretty follies that themselves commit.” from William Shakespeare – The Merchant of Venice, Act II, Scene 6. It is a great one line summary of what the characters in The Replacement Wife face.

The Replacement Wife chronicles the life of Camille Harte, a woman who seems to have everything – at least all the important things. A loving husband, wonderful children, and a flourishing business, Harte to Harte, a high-end matchmaking business.

Camille didn’t have much of a childhood – her mother died while she was just a teenager, and for all intents and purposes, raised her younger sister, Holly. Their father left them to fend for themselves with only a live-in housekeeper, who did not double as a nanny. When Camille is diagnosed with cancer, she fights long and hard to beat it. She calms her family’s fears, continues to work when possible, and even goes through a stem cell transplant in her fight. Her recovery gives her an appreciation for waking up everyday, and making the most of life.

After Camille’s latest PET scan shows that she is out of remission and now in Stage 4, she decides that hope is too hard, and that she must learn acceptance. Her Hematologist-Oncologist has given her only a 3% chance of beating the cancer this time, and at the most, only 6-9 months to live. She begins to make plans for her family’s life after her death. She tells her husband, Edward, that she will not be continuing treatments this time, and that he needs to prepare for her to die.

While they decide not to tell their children how dire the diagnosis is, Kyra and Zach, ages 14 and 9, are devastated by the news. As the family adjusts to Camille’s news, she and Edward’s relationship becomes strained when he wants her to continue treatment, and she refuses. After watching her mother pass away and her father drift further and further away from their family, she is concerned with how well Edward will manage the children and his practice without her.

Although she continues to work, she promotes her assistant, Dara, to a full partner and begins to shuttle more of the word load to her. Camille tries to decide how to help her husband cope after she’s gone and devises a plan to use her matchmaking skills to find a woman who can integrate into her family, be there for her children, and help her husband cope with her death. When she shares her idea with him, he is furious with her – he only wants her to live, not for her to replace herself.

As Edward and Camille struggle with her deteriorating health, and her continued resistance to seeking treatment of the cancer, they drift further and further apart emotionally. Camille follows through with her plan and actively pursues women to come meet her husband and children. When a new cancer drug becomes available to test subjects, Camille decides to give it a try. She is afraid to hope, but with nothing to lose, she moves forward with the trial.

As Camille’s health improves, her relationship with Edward continues to deteriorate. Will her physical healing lead to emotional healing in her family?

– — – — – — –

I have to say that this is a subject that I hadn’t considered. While I have complete faith in my husband’s ability to juggle both career and family if the need arose, I would want him to be happy, and can’t see actively seeking my replacement. After reading The Replacement Wife I told my husband about it, and assured that I would want him to move on with his life and be happy – after an appropriate level of mourning, of course! I don’t want to spoil the book, but it didn’t end as I thought it might – and I’m l still not sure if I liked the ending.

While I understand the selflessness Camille was trying to display for her husband and children, it also seems that she was trying to control how their life would be after she was gone. The book allows you to feel both Edward and Camille’s emotions, as well as the motivation for the decisions they make.

Based on the cover information, I’m not sure that I would have picked up this book on my own, as I feel like there is enough sadness and drama in real life without actively seeking to bring it into my life through reading. I was disappointed with the ending, although I totally understand the characters and the actions that bring them to that conclusion.(less)

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Mar 26, 2012 Meg - A Bookish Affair rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, chick-lit, fiction

I was intrigued by the premise of the book. As a married person, I could not imagine ever facing death and facing what will happen to my family if I passed away as Camille does in the book. I think its interesting (albeit very scary) to think about. Camille is a matchmaker so she knows what people want in a relationship. That being said while I understand that Camille wants to make sure that her children are taken care of, it almost seemed like she was meddling in her husband's future life and i...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Monique rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2012

Full review on my blog

I really wanted to like this one and had high hopes for it. But my hopes were dashed.

My main problem was that he characters did not grow. Which is a problem, because essentially this is a character driven novel. Stuff happens, but it is the kind of stuff that you would expect to happen on an normal given day in the course of ones lifetime. This story was prefect for strong, unforgettable characters that the reader could watch grow and develop. But they don't. Camille did le...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Elise Smith rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: absolutely no one

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. It was impossible to find one thing that I liked about this book. I managed to finish it just so I could give it one star.

What kind of man cheats on a woman who has cancer? And who would want that man to end up happy? Certainly not me.

I could not find one character in this story that did not make me sick to my stomach. The writing was insipid. The book was 400+ pages and it easily could have been resolved in less then 200.

There were many details that were of no consequence to the story. I don't...more

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Roxanne I've known men who have cheated on their dying wives...and they're not such bad people, more numb and inconsiderate...and I must say I've not wished t...more
Nov 24, 2012 07:26am

Elise Smith You are very thoughtful with your response. I think my problem with this book lies not with the characters actions, but with the author's lack of desc...more
Nov 24, 2012 09:30pm

Roxanne Elise wrote: "You are very thoughtful with your response. I think my problem with this book lies not with the characters actions, but with the author'...more
Nov 29, 2012 07:52pm

Jun 20, 2012 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, arc-reading-challenge, e-books, read-in-2012

I am always attracted to a book that has a beautiful wedding dress on the cover so this book caught my eye instantly. As soon as I read the description, I knew this book was one for me! It did not disappoint. I found the story to be much different than what I was expecting. It was a pleasant surprise for me.

There were times while reading this novel that I was highly disappointed in all of the characters involved. Camille is a matchmaker and is good at what she does. When she finds that she has...more

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Jun 29, 2012 Ellen W-S rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, read-in-2012, still-thinking-of-this-book

This review is not going to rehash the plot line as it has been done already. I loved this book and I will tell you why, this story is going to stay in my mind for a long long time. The plot was a unique love story with a few twists and few turns. Yes, yes, I agree with all that has been said before, the theme is definitely “be careful what you wish for”, it might come true and some of twists were frustrating to read as the characters placed themselves in uncomfortable situations. This story pla...more

This review is not going to rehash the plot line as it has been done already. I loved this book and I will tell you why, this story is going to stay in my mind for a long long time. The plot was a unique love story with a few twists and few turns. Yes, yes, I agree with all that has been said before, the theme is definitely “be careful what you wish for”, it might come true and some of twists were frustrating to read as the characters placed themselves in uncomfortable situations. This story placed me, the reader and wife to the same man for 20 years, outside my comfort zone. I loved that and for that reason alone I recommend this book. After reading the synopsis of the book, my first thought was oh no, this one is going to be emotionally too difficult to read and depressing. Well, that first impression was wrong. The author paints a true life characterization of life as your marriage becomes seasoned and comfortable. You count on the fact that your spouse will always be there for you and vice versa. When Camille finds out about her reoccuring cancer is now going to take her life she plots to use her successful career as a matchmaker to find her family’s new wife/mother. The first encounter of the plan, is the beginning of the end of her marriage although her marriage had taken a few knocks her first go round with cancer. Camille’s scheme and her refusal to pursue treatment angers and hurts the near-perfect overworking husband, Edward. He feels Camille is already trying to pawn him off on another woman without taking his love for his wife into consideration.

This combination of festering scheming and anger creates a huge crevice in their marriage and opens a pandora’s box for the outcome of Camille’s plan. I won’t give away any plot twists but I was angry at both of the characters. Instead of spending every waking minute together making new memories for their children and for Edward and reminiscing over days gone by, they were both wrapped up in their own heads. This takes its toll. It was not necessary to judge the morality of the situations in the book because their situation was not black and white but a muddied gray, so on I read accepting that this is how these characters dealt with the serious path that life had taken them and merely let the story wash over me.

Ms. Gouge writes a wonderful and beautifully written book that was refreshing to read, not dark and morbid as you might think. I highly recommend title and look forward to reading more by this author!

Thank you to Open Road Media and Netgalley for the opportunity to read yet another book that will not soon be forgotten!(less)

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Apr 16, 2012 Kim rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: sad, medical, sexy-romance, contemporary-romance

Sometimes when I’m bored I scavenge Barnes and Noble’s website looking for what I call “book oddities”. What I mean by this are books that completely shock me plot-wise. These could be off the wall, like Fifty Shades of Grey, or quite depressing like The Replacement Wife. Every once in a while I feel that I need a book to give me a good cry. After reading the plot of The Replacement Wife by Eileen Goudge, I felt as if I found a book that fit the bill.

Camille Hart thought she had been through it...more

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Mar 25, 2012 Beks rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Caution to conservative readers: lots of strong language and some sex.

I really liked this story. I thought the author did a really good job at portraying a marriage and all that it could go through when facing something like this. It also made me think about what I would do if I had 6 months or so to live. Thankfully as I don't have a husband and kids my choices could be a little more selfish.

I thought Goudge did a great job with all of her characters I somehow loved Angie in spite of what was...more

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Mar 08, 2012 Danielle rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book is the perfect example of a book that I would highly recommend to people who like this sort of book even though I rather hated it because I don't like this sort of book. I'm not even sure why I read it, but I did. The story centers around Camille, a professional matchmaker, who has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and who most likely only has a few months to live. Her mother died when she was a young girl and her father unprepared to raise his two children alone following th...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Kari Anderson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Camille Hart is a wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, cancer survivor and match maker. Her family and her job are the most important things in her life, so when she finds out her cancer has returned, she brings her job home. She isn’t given very long to live and wants to find her replacement, someone she can trust to keep family together.

Since she runs a match making business, she already has a few ideas of who to hook her husband up with. He isn’t completely on board, but wants her to be as...more Camille Hart is a wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, cancer survivor and match maker. Her family and her job are the most important things in her life, so when she finds out her cancer has returned, she brings her job home. She isn’t given very long to live and wants to find her replacement, someone she can trust to keep family together.

Since she runs a match making business, she already has a few ideas of who to hook her husband up with. He isn’t completely on board, but wants her to be as happy as possible for the remainder of their time together, so he goes with it.

What neither of them expect is that he, instead of she, may find the perfect match for him and it may be the thing that tears them apart, rather than bringing them together when they need it the most.

I was so intrigued by this book from the second I read the description. It’s such an interesting premise. I’m a morbid person and think about death. Think about what my husband’s life would be without me and have thought, minimally, about if anyone in my life would be a good replacement if I wasn’t here. Don’t get freaked out, I don’t sit around and stew about it at night, but it comes up in conversation at times, “You could never marry So and So because ….”. It normally has to do with my husband playing golf But I don’t think I could ever find someone, while I was alive, to take my spot and urge them to get close with my husband. I may be a little of the jealous type. But that’s exactly what Camille does in The Replacement Wife.

I have mixed feelings on the characters in this book. I’ve never been told that I have a very short time to live, so I can’t say what I would do in Camille’s shoes. I have also never been married to someone on their death bed, so I can’t really speak to her husband’s angle either, but some of the decisions that both of them made in this book irked me. Like Camille’s husband not agreeing with her decision to “hook him up” but being ok with finding love on his own. Or Camille urging her husband to move on, but being very unhappy when he finds someone, who wasn’t the one she chose for him. I think they both lived through some serious double standards here.

As sad as the plot sounds, and I obviously had some issues with the characters, there were lights of hope in this book. Little glimmers of light at the end of the tunnel. No matter how you look at this book, you cannont deny the scariness of reality in the words. This book is proof that life can change in an instant. What you are doing that you may think is helping someone may actually be hurting them. But as I’ve always believed, everything happens for a reason.

This book is one that I will not soon forget. I think it is one that throughout my life, through sickness and in health, I will remember and think back to. I know that in my life there will be times when I think about if anything happened to me, who could/would take my place, but I’ll think of this book and how it impacted this couple. I love books like this that I can reflect on and although it’s fiction, it can happen and who knows if it hasnt?

I give The Replacement Wife 4 bookmarks.
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Apr 18, 2012 Mel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs-and-galleys, 2012-releases, makes-my-heart-swell, contemporary, adult, tears

The Replacement Wife should come with a warning label, “BE PREPARED TO HAVE YOUR HEART RIPPED OUT OF YOUR CHEST AND PUT BACK TOGETHER PIECE BY PIECE.” This story hit me hard. It’s written beautifully. I knew from reading the synopsis that this was going to be one tough cookie to swallow, but my goodness, I couldn’t breathe at times.

These characters have haunted me over the past few days. They are so real. It feels as if I were to fly to New York I could find them. Eileen Goudge did an excellent...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Teena rated it 2 of 5 stars

I liked the story line and the characters in this book, however, there were way too many flashbacks for me. The flashbacks in the beginning seemed relevant, because all of the characters were being introduced. Unfortunately,the flashbacks continued in extremely lengthy detail all through the book. Most had little to no significance to the story line. If this book was edited down by approx 100 pages or so (unnecessary details and conversations ) this book would have been much better. Also, at ti...more

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About Eileen Goudge

I was born on the Fourth of July, and it's been fireworks ever since. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay area as one of six kids, I was never without a cast with which to stage my early theatrical productions, which included a musical rendition of "The Christmas Carol," in which I was Ebenezer Scrooge. I began writing at age eight, with short stories and poems, and I haven’t looked back since. Fr...more I was born on the Fourth of July, and it's been fireworks ever since. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay area as one of six kids, I was never without a cast with which to stage my early theatrical productions, which included a musical rendition of "The Christmas Carol," in which I was Ebenezer Scrooge. I began writing at age eight, with short stories and poems, and I haven’t looked back since. From the early days of mostly collecting rejection slips, I went on to publish thirty-two novels for young adults, thirteen (and still counting) of women’s fiction, as well as numerous short stories and magazine articles, and one cookbook.
Often I’m asked where I get my ideas. Fortunately, I have a wealth of life experiences to draw from. Not all of them so good, but they each contributed to my writing in some way. Starting when I dropped out of college to get married, at age eighteen. Two years later I was divorced, with a baby son and no means of support. I ended up briefly on welfare, and stood in line for government surplus food. But every cloud has its silver lining, and this one led to my determination to make a go of it as a professional writer. I borrowed a typewriter from my next-door neighbor, and lacking a desk, plunked it down on the living room floor. The rest, as they say, is history.

I wrote non-stop for the next couple of years, selling a few articles here and there. Enough to fan the flame, if not to make ends meet. Oddly enough, with each rejection slip my determination only grew. I guess it's true what they say: Success is getting up one more time than you fall down. My first break came in the early eighties, when I was chosen to help launch a line of teen romances, which went on to become the phenomenally successful "Sweet Valley High" series. At last I had enough money (barely!) to strike out on my own. Ending another bad marriage, I pulled up stakes and moved east with my two children to New York City, where I was determined to make it as a novelist.

In 1986, my first adult novel, GARDEN OF LIES, was published. The saga of baby girls switched at birth---one rich, the other poor---went on to enjoy a combined total of 16 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, in hardcover and paperback. Though there’s no such thing as an overnight success, I felt like one, having gone in a matter of months from not knowing how I would pay the rent to wondering what I was going to do with all that money. The first thing I did was fulfill a fantasy born of years of wearing hand-me-downs: I walked into Saks Fifth Avenue and bought a dress...without even looking at the price tag!

I've since gone on to write many more novels. My most recent, which came out in June of '08, is titled DOMESTIC AFFAIRS ---a Cinderella story in reverse: Riches to rags but with a happy ending. I've posted a few sample chapters on this site. In '09, I have two new titles coming out, a Mother's Day novella, THE DIARY (April), about two adult daughters who come across their mother's girlhood diary while cleaning out her attic and discover a shocking secret. And ONCE IN A BLUE MOON (August), about sisters separated in childhood who are reunited later in life, after having lived drastically different lives. Look for a "sneak preview" of each in the weeks prior to publication.

My own real-life romance reads like those in my novels. After three failed marriages, I finally found true love in the most unlikely place of all: sitting at home. I was being interviewed over the phone by a radio talk show host named Sandy Kenyon, formerly of CNN and now a correspondent for WINS and WABC-TV, here in New York City. He sounded so nice that when he asked if he could call back later on, I said, "Sure!" We talked for three hours that night...and every night after that. Six weeks later, when we finally met, it was as if we'd known each other all our lives. We were married in September of 1996, and after more than ten years w(less)

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Quotes from The Replacement Wife

“Looking at him now, she saw a study in contrasts. Someone who was kind and loyal but who could also be stubborn and intractable; who was his own man but also your typical man from Mars; who was always there for her but who had a tendency to hold back when showing his own emotions; who was forgetful at times but who never forgot was was most important. In short, someone who wasn't perfect but perfect for her, because of rather than in spite of his flaws.” — 1 person liked it

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