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It Isn't Cheating if He's Dead
It Isn’t Cheating if He’s Dead is a modern day fairy tale complete with damsel in distress, white knight, village paupers, an evil step-mother, a castle, and happily ever after. Full of rich characters and a palpable sense of place, it is a sexy tale that is never sappy.
Jemima Stone waited four long years for her missing fiancé to come home, burying herself in her job and feeding the homeless. When Gerald is found dead halfway across the country, she is devastated. Detective Finn Wight promises to uncover the truth behind Gerald’s mysterious death.
Delivering sandwiches to her homeless friends, she discovers a newcomer. Though he refuses to speak, his haunted eyes tell Jemima that he is in trouble — hiding from someone or something. Jemima turns to Detective Wight in hopes of helping the man. But uncovering his true identity leads to the discovery of secrets none of them could have imagined.
Jemima Stone waited four long years for her missing fiancé to come home, burying herself in her job and feeding the homeless. When Gerald is found dead halfway across the country, she is devastated. Detective Finn Wight promises to uncover the truth behind Gerald’s mysterious death.
Delivering sandwiches to her homeless friends, she discovers a newcomer. Though he refuses to speak, his haunted eyes tell Jemima that he is in trouble — hiding from someone or something. Jemima turns to Detective Wight in hopes of helping the man. But uncovering his true identity leads to the discovery of secrets none of them could have imagined.
248 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 13, 2013
58 people are currently reading
629 people want to read
About the author
Julie Frayn
12 books138 followersJulie Frayn pens award-winning novels and short stories that pack a punch. And a few stabs. When not working or writing, Julie spend as much time as possible with her babies. Well, they’re grown adults now, but they still think she’s cool. Right kids? Right? Hello?
In grade school, Julie was a math whiz, loved to write stories and poems in English class, and had an artistic flair for pencil drawings and pen and ink pointillism. When it came time to choose a career, she was torn between three loves. Her artistic brain ached to create. But her practical side, and the need to eat, won out. She devoted her career to numbers. She counts beans by day, but still revels in the written word.
In grade school, Julie was a math whiz, loved to write stories and poems in English class, and had an artistic flair for pencil drawings and pen and ink pointillism. When it came time to choose a career, she was torn between three loves. Her artistic brain ached to create. But her practical side, and the need to eat, won out. She devoted her career to numbers. She counts beans by day, but still revels in the written word.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
June 30, 2016
My husband said, he didn't mind me saying this as hes not ashamed as he can't help it. I support him.
Since his early 20's to his life now at the age of 62 he has a mental health psychosis known as Bi Polar. So this read was close to my heart and I could feel every pore in my body open, every muscle in my body clench.
If someone goes missing, its bad enough, its terrible, where are they? Where did they go? Who took them? Are they alright?
When someone goes missing how has a mental health illness, did they go off or were vulnerable and been taken off?
Are they OK? Are they still alive?
Did their random thoughts make them wander?
For four years Gerald has been missing and Jem has been seeking to find him. She is seeking him everywhere even homeless shelters. There she meets and looks after them by bringing them food.
When she finds out that Gerald has met his death she still continues the kindness to the homeless people.
But what happened to Gerald?
Finn is the DI who is on the case.
There are emotions that are felt between them as things develop feelings, but Jem is not ready, she needs to come to terms with Geralds death.
I think the author has done a fab job in portraying some of the afflictions from a mental health point of view.
There are so many people who are scared of mental health, but it could be you, it could be me.
It has no target for young or old.
Mental health covers a wide spectrum from Post Natal Depressions to a real psychosis.
I found that the pace of this story was good because it was fast enough to keep you panting between what happens next.
I have to thank the author for asking me if I would like to read this, I am so glad that she did.
Its a subject matter very close to my heart.
July 14, 2014
It isn’t Cheating if He’s Dead by Julie Frayn is a 2013 Julie Frayn Publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is an emotional story about the toll mental illness has had on the friends and family of a man diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and also the positives that resulted from it as well.
Jem is a criminal defense lawyer who has spent the past four years trying to find her fiance who is mentally ill. This search took her into the world of the homeless and she began bringing food to them. Even after she learns the sad fate of Gerald, she continues to visit these people and feed them. When a new man shows up earning the nickname of “Chief”, Jem is determined to help him.
Meanwhile, Jem is finally able to start pulling her life together and really start living again. This brings her relationship with Finn, the detective that worked Gerald’s case, into a new light. But, before she can really move forward, Jem must grieve for Gerald, deal with Gerald’s very difficult mother, and the legalities of Gerald’s life which could get a little sticky.
This story has a real ring of truth to it when dealing with having mental illness touch your life. Many families chose to live in denial and attempt to sweep the stigma of the disease under the rug. They feel shame and embarrassment even though this is an illness like any other. I can’t imagine having a loved one go missing when I knew they were suffering from mental illness. Four years is a long time to put your life on hold and we must give Jem her propers for waiting until she knew Gerald’s fate before moving on to another relationship. Jem is a principled character and I admired her strength. Although things with Gerald have been resolved, Jem doesn’t give up on those she has been helping the past four years. Not only that, she really takes a special interest in one man who is obviously hurting. The journey she takes with him will give you chills.
Now, if I had to complain about anything it would be that the story seemed to just move at an incredibly fast pace.. it was a little too fast. I had a hard time catching my breath from one big reveal before we were off on another one. So, I guess I’m saying the pacing could use some work, but really it’s just a minor complaint.
This book is labeled as Women’s fiction, but I would also recommend it Contemporary Romance readers as well. Finn and Jen really heat things up between the sheets so there is a lot of romance included and not all heavy drama. There were many lessons we could learn from this story. Gerald possibly could have gotten help sooner if his family had not been so secretive about their family history and we should never make judgements about people when we don’t know the whole story. “Chief” was judged harshly by others and conclusions were drawn about him that just were not fair. No one was harder on him than himself though. I really, really recommend this book to everyone regardless of whether or not you enjoy romance in your novels or not. The story is so inspirational it will stay with you long after you have finished it.
This one a 4.5 rounded up to 5.
October 30, 2021
When I left my current book at home one day and needed something to read on my break at work, I turned to my Kindle app and decided to read the book that had been on it the longest. I don’t read a lot of digital books as I prefer holding an actual book in my hands, but this book just reminded me of why I should turn to my Kindle app more often!
For four years Jem has been living in stasis, ever since her fiance walked out of the house one day and disappeared. I don’t mean she’s just lying around her house doing nothing, she’s an attorney and does go to work every day. But she’s also waiting. Waiting for Gerald to come home, or be found, or something. Until the waiting is over, and the mourning can begin.
Finn is the detective who has been investigating Gerald’s disappearance for the past four years. Once a week, Finn comes to Jem’s home for an update meeting, where they talk about Gerald and the case. I thought it was a bit unusual for a detective to put that much time into a missing person case, especially four years down the road. But later, I understood Finn’s motivation.
Gerald had schizophrenia, and while Jem deals with the aftermath of Gerald’s death – and his mother, who refused to believe he had schizophrenia – we learn more and more about him and how that affected both their lives. Jem actually saw him at a park one day, where a lot of homeless people hung out, and he ran from her. After that she began making sandwiches every morning and taking them to the park to hand out to the homeless population, some of whom became treasuredfriends. Their situation isn’t glorified, the narrative mentions occasionally how bad they smell, for instance, but since Jem only sees and interacts with them for an hour or so in the morning, the narrative doesn’t go into much detail about what their lives are like. It does, however, dwell quite a bit on the schizophrenia aspect, as Jem muses about past incidents and memories of life with Gerald, and it was a bit fascinating.
When a new fellow shows up at the park, sitting against a tree, refusing to talk, Jem is drawn to him. He becomes her mission. To find out who he is, what brought him to the streets, who might be looking for him. Slowly, slowly, she begins to break through his barriers, and form a friendship. Finally learns his story, and schemes to reunite him with his family. The resolution to that story line had me in tears.
As Jem embarks on a relationship with Finn, she begins to look at her past life with Gerald differently, realizing how much she became wrapped up in his life, and not living her own life. She still loves Gerald, still cries occasionally. But Finn helps bring her back to herself. I gotta tell you, I adored Finn. So much.
For all that the subject matter is deep, the narrative is still a bit lighthearted. The writing is easy, almost simplistic, but engaging. I really enjoyed this book.
For four years Jem has been living in stasis, ever since her fiance walked out of the house one day and disappeared. I don’t mean she’s just lying around her house doing nothing, she’s an attorney and does go to work every day. But she’s also waiting. Waiting for Gerald to come home, or be found, or something. Until the waiting is over, and the mourning can begin.
Finn is the detective who has been investigating Gerald’s disappearance for the past four years. Once a week, Finn comes to Jem’s home for an update meeting, where they talk about Gerald and the case. I thought it was a bit unusual for a detective to put that much time into a missing person case, especially four years down the road. But later, I understood Finn’s motivation.
Gerald had schizophrenia, and while Jem deals with the aftermath of Gerald’s death – and his mother, who refused to believe he had schizophrenia – we learn more and more about him and how that affected both their lives. Jem actually saw him at a park one day, where a lot of homeless people hung out, and he ran from her. After that she began making sandwiches every morning and taking them to the park to hand out to the homeless population, some of whom became treasuredfriends. Their situation isn’t glorified, the narrative mentions occasionally how bad they smell, for instance, but since Jem only sees and interacts with them for an hour or so in the morning, the narrative doesn’t go into much detail about what their lives are like. It does, however, dwell quite a bit on the schizophrenia aspect, as Jem muses about past incidents and memories of life with Gerald, and it was a bit fascinating.
When a new fellow shows up at the park, sitting against a tree, refusing to talk, Jem is drawn to him. He becomes her mission. To find out who he is, what brought him to the streets, who might be looking for him. Slowly, slowly, she begins to break through his barriers, and form a friendship. Finally learns his story, and schemes to reunite him with his family. The resolution to that story line had me in tears.
As Jem embarks on a relationship with Finn, she begins to look at her past life with Gerald differently, realizing how much she became wrapped up in his life, and not living her own life. She still loves Gerald, still cries occasionally. But Finn helps bring her back to herself. I gotta tell you, I adored Finn. So much.
For all that the subject matter is deep, the narrative is still a bit lighthearted. The writing is easy, almost simplistic, but engaging. I really enjoyed this book.
June 26, 2015
You've read the synopsis of the book. It even warns you that the book contains strong language and sexual content. But while I am not offended to read about either if it's a necessary component to a story, I did not feel that either was needed here and instead their use took away from what would've been a much better book. About 50 % of the content was strong writing...I enjoyed Jemima's interactions with the homeless community, her desire to help the newest member, Joseph, and the mystery surrounding what happened to her fiancée who disappeared 4 years prior. The author could've had a bestseller if she had expanded these themes. Instead, 50% of the book is about a "too perfect" man, with pages and pages of explicit "too perfect" sex. If the author only cares about selling to the chick lit or erotica readers, then she hit the mark. If she wants to be taken as a serious author of women's fiction, then she fell far short because of this.
December 2, 2014
I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion. I really enjoyed this story. Jem is a sassy, smart and at times infuriating lawyer. I particularly liked her for her daily feedings of the homeless in her local park. Of course that's all part of the story, her lost, schizophrenic, and then dead fiancee, helping out homeless "Joe" get his life back on track, and eventually running her own "pro bono" law firm. It all worked really well and fit neatly together. My favorite part...her witty banter with herself and her ex-mother in law. My least favorite...Mr Perfection, Finn. OK, so I know she deserves it after that grueling relationship with sicko Gerald and all the crap that comes with it. And she waited for years hoping he'd come home alive. But really, give Finn SOMETHING not so perfect, even if it's a crooked tooth. Not only is this man single, available, straight, sensitive, gorgeous, unbelievably great in bed, a good man and a good cop, he's also stinking, filthy, inherited the mansion RICH. So maybe I'm just jealous. But that part annoyed my just a tinge. A very good read, I couldn't put it down once I started.
May 4, 2015
Damn, there is some lovely writing in this book. I wasn't sure at first whether I would enjoy this - the blurb made it sound rather frivolous - but I was hooked from the start.
The characters are complex yet believable, the details are rich without being 'waffle' the story moves from dark angst to fun sex, the 'plot' is simple and yet all the more enjoyable (and believable) for that.
A great read.
The characters are complex yet believable, the details are rich without being 'waffle' the story moves from dark angst to fun sex, the 'plot' is simple and yet all the more enjoyable (and believable) for that.
A great read.
May 7, 2015
I was truly disappointed in this book. I read that the author won several awards but the book was so crude and crass that I don't know why these awards were given to the author. I thought the language was uncalled for, the love story and all the graphic sex scenes really took away from what could have been a good book; and a plot that centered around a mental illness, that had it been explored more fully, could have made for a more interesting read.
January 21, 2014
First of all the title alone hooked me in to find out what this book had to tell. Beyond the catchy title was a novel written so well I felt Julie Frayn was retelling her own story. Her character, Jemima Stone, had to face her demons of dealing with a loved one's mental illness and feeling like she was in a nightmare she could't dream her way out of. She was mired in questions, grief and self doubt. Do I recommend this book? Yes, I say a hearty READ THIS BOOK! You won't be dissapointed
May 6, 2015
This was a lovely story of loss and grief and redemption and survival. Loved the storyline between Jem and Joe; so sweet!!! That part of the story was a real tear jerker. Loved the storyline between Jem and Finn too.
March 12, 2018
Who wouldn't love Finn? She has some doubts about her 4-year-missing fiance, Gerald.
But the wonderful Finn (detective who has tried to uncover what has happened to Gerald) hangs in there. He knows / recognizes Jem is a rare and wonderful woman. And she proves this repeatedly throughout the novel. Her generosity to the homeless guys in the park made me cry more than once. What an inspiring read!
But the wonderful Finn (detective who has tried to uncover what has happened to Gerald) hangs in there. He knows / recognizes Jem is a rare and wonderful woman. And she proves this repeatedly throughout the novel. Her generosity to the homeless guys in the park made me cry more than once. What an inspiring read!
May 20, 2018
Please read this book!
The story is about: persistence, mental health, anger, death, unconditional love ( in death and in life), finding true love, passion, love for life, love for friends. Last and most important, forgiveness.
The story is about: persistence, mental health, anger, death, unconditional love ( in death and in life), finding true love, passion, love for life, love for friends. Last and most important, forgiveness.
December 9, 2019
Great story
Here I was, thinking this was another romance novel. Well, I wasn't right or wrong. While Jem falls in love, she also finds something else. The end of this book broke my heart.....But I still really enjoyed it
Here I was, thinking this was another romance novel. Well, I wasn't right or wrong. While Jem falls in love, she also finds something else. The end of this book broke my heart.....But I still really enjoyed it
December 3, 2014
It Isn’t Cheating If He’s Dead by Julie Frayn is an emotional read that is hard to put down. I found myself swiping page after page to see what was going to happen next.
Jemima Stone has been waiting for her missing fiance for a long time. He was suffering from a mental illness and had stopped taking his pills, and she feels guilty for not being able to help him. She does not know how she has survived the whole time he has been missing and the guilt she is feeling, but somehow she has. She keeps busy with work and helping the homeless. While helping the homeless she meets Joe and finds that she has a second chance to help someone in need.
This book is very well written. It is emotional, suspenseful and heart wrenching at times. It also offers hope, a chance at new beginnings, forgiveness and romance. That is quite a lot to handle in one book and the author handles it all skillfully. It delves into the world of mental illness and the homeless, topics that are dark and depressing. Topics that are current and problematic in our society. You can tell that the author did a lot of research on these topics because it shows in her writing. I really appreciate this.
The writing style flows smoothly and is very descriptive. The book pulled me in from the very beginning and kept pulling along until the very end. I have not read any other books from this author but I plan on checking out her other books. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted suspenseful contemporary read.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. And I honestly enjoyed this book a lot.
Jemima Stone has been waiting for her missing fiance for a long time. He was suffering from a mental illness and had stopped taking his pills, and she feels guilty for not being able to help him. She does not know how she has survived the whole time he has been missing and the guilt she is feeling, but somehow she has. She keeps busy with work and helping the homeless. While helping the homeless she meets Joe and finds that she has a second chance to help someone in need.
This book is very well written. It is emotional, suspenseful and heart wrenching at times. It also offers hope, a chance at new beginnings, forgiveness and romance. That is quite a lot to handle in one book and the author handles it all skillfully. It delves into the world of mental illness and the homeless, topics that are dark and depressing. Topics that are current and problematic in our society. You can tell that the author did a lot of research on these topics because it shows in her writing. I really appreciate this.
The writing style flows smoothly and is very descriptive. The book pulled me in from the very beginning and kept pulling along until the very end. I have not read any other books from this author but I plan on checking out her other books. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted suspenseful contemporary read.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. And I honestly enjoyed this book a lot.
February 10, 2015
It Isn't Cheating if He's Dead by Julie Frayn
Jemima "Jem" Stone has been waiting for four years to find her missing fiancé Gerald. Detective Finn Wight is on the case. He is found dead far from home, and it was declared a homicide. As Finn tries to find out who killed Gerald, Jem tries to get on with her life.
Every morning she feeds the homeless. When a new homeless man appears, something about him grabs her attention. She is compelled to find out more about his man, and why he became homeless. Together Jem & Finn are about to uncover some deep long buried secrets.
A fast paced murder/mystery with a touch of romance. Jem is very likable, her feelings towards Gerald are deep. She struggles to come to terms with his death, and to move on. Finn is there to help in every way she needs. The story is fresh, original and moves along at a good pace.
Jem has a lot of emotional feelings she has to face if she wants to enjoy her life. We watch her struggle with feelings, of love, loss and acceptation. I recommend It Isn't Cheating if He's Dead to those who like an emotional romantic/mystery.
Jemima "Jem" Stone has been waiting for four years to find her missing fiancé Gerald. Detective Finn Wight is on the case. He is found dead far from home, and it was declared a homicide. As Finn tries to find out who killed Gerald, Jem tries to get on with her life.
Every morning she feeds the homeless. When a new homeless man appears, something about him grabs her attention. She is compelled to find out more about his man, and why he became homeless. Together Jem & Finn are about to uncover some deep long buried secrets.
A fast paced murder/mystery with a touch of romance. Jem is very likable, her feelings towards Gerald are deep. She struggles to come to terms with his death, and to move on. Finn is there to help in every way she needs. The story is fresh, original and moves along at a good pace.
Jem has a lot of emotional feelings she has to face if she wants to enjoy her life. We watch her struggle with feelings, of love, loss and acceptation. I recommend It Isn't Cheating if He's Dead to those who like an emotional romantic/mystery.
August 16, 2015
I grabbed It Isn’t Cheating If He’s Dead when it was free on Amazon. I saw the cover, read the blurb, and my 1-click finger took over. Let us give a shout out for that beautiful dramatic cover. I love it!
What a great book and a great way to get people interested in mental health issues. That is a central theme throughout the book from Jemima coping with Gerald’s behavior before his disappearance, his disappearance, and than death, and another character that is going through some seriously traumatic events that occurred in their life.
The way she reached out to the homeless in her community touched me too. It made me think about what I do/don’t do to help those in my own community and how I don’t think it’s enough. I’ve been giving a helping hand during some hard times in my life and this book made me think about those moments and how I should be doing more to help others the same way I have been helped.
I loved Detective Wight and how he interacted with both Jemima and the homeless people that he ended up helping too. I loved the way their relationship built and just who he was a person. Very likable and in real life I probably would have a slight crush on someone like him.
What a great book and a great way to get people interested in mental health issues. That is a central theme throughout the book from Jemima coping with Gerald’s behavior before his disappearance, his disappearance, and than death, and another character that is going through some seriously traumatic events that occurred in their life.
The way she reached out to the homeless in her community touched me too. It made me think about what I do/don’t do to help those in my own community and how I don’t think it’s enough. I’ve been giving a helping hand during some hard times in my life and this book made me think about those moments and how I should be doing more to help others the same way I have been helped.
I loved Detective Wight and how he interacted with both Jemima and the homeless people that he ended up helping too. I loved the way their relationship built and just who he was a person. Very likable and in real life I probably would have a slight crush on someone like him.
November 7, 2015
Frayn is a gifted writer. Her prose is effortless to read, her dialogue is believable, and her characters are spunky and charming (not counting the potential mother-in-law from hell, but she's deliciously awful). This book was an enjoyable read during a busy week. If I had one criticism, it would be a certain lack of building tension in the plot.
Potential spoiler alert!
I kept waiting for complications that never arrived. While her backstory contained much to overcome, in the real time of this novel everything went quite swimmingly for our heroine -- especially if you like to read plenty of moderately hot sex scenes with the perfect guy. (I sure don't mind.)
If you'd like a pleasant, well-edited, good-hearted escape from the world, this novel fits the bill.
Disclosure: I am distantly acquainted with the author via social media, but I purchased this book after it won a Reader's Choice Award (beating my book out, I should further disclose). Now that I have a Kindle I am finally beginning to work through my stash of eBooks. I'm glad I got to this one at last, and look forward to reading more by this author.
Potential spoiler alert!
I kept waiting for complications that never arrived. While her backstory contained much to overcome, in the real time of this novel everything went quite swimmingly for our heroine -- especially if you like to read plenty of moderately hot sex scenes with the perfect guy. (I sure don't mind.)
If you'd like a pleasant, well-edited, good-hearted escape from the world, this novel fits the bill.
Disclosure: I am distantly acquainted with the author via social media, but I purchased this book after it won a Reader's Choice Award (beating my book out, I should further disclose). Now that I have a Kindle I am finally beginning to work through my stash of eBooks. I'm glad I got to this one at last, and look forward to reading more by this author.
July 23, 2015
Thinly disguised porn....warning
First, I have to say that I did not read 50 Shades of Gray, but from what I have heard, however.....The author takes what may have had potential for a great short story and them stretches into novel length with very explicitly detailed pornographic scenes.
Reading this book is like walking into a movie expecting to see
Casablanca but getting XXX. In between the sex, which, of course is the greatest the lead character, who naturally thinks she is not very attractive but is really beautiful, there is a good story of love and compassion.
I began reading and was pulled into the story; I liked the character, the premise was different and unusual. Then , as if I were hitting a wall, I banged ( used purposely ) into the first sex scene. Ok, not a big deal until several "chapters" later when , after sex now became the central theme, did I feel cheated...
In my opinion, if you would like to read a sexually explicit story, you will like this, but if you are looking for a good read, this falls short
First, I have to say that I did not read 50 Shades of Gray, but from what I have heard, however.....The author takes what may have had potential for a great short story and them stretches into novel length with very explicitly detailed pornographic scenes.
Reading this book is like walking into a movie expecting to see
Casablanca but getting XXX. In between the sex, which, of course is the greatest the lead character, who naturally thinks she is not very attractive but is really beautiful, there is a good story of love and compassion.
I began reading and was pulled into the story; I liked the character, the premise was different and unusual. Then , as if I were hitting a wall, I banged ( used purposely ) into the first sex scene. Ok, not a big deal until several "chapters" later when , after sex now became the central theme, did I feel cheated...
In my opinion, if you would like to read a sexually explicit story, you will like this, but if you are looking for a good read, this falls short
March 12, 2016
It's hard to make a book an easy read with this type of topic. Julie Frayn manages to pull the reader along, page by page, through the ups and downs, joys and sorrows, and the hopes and fears of the main character. While the subject is heart wrenching, the writing is so refined it makes the book easy to read. I loved it!
July 23, 2015
This book was written by a Canadian author and deals with mental diseases and how they affect people. I love to support our Canadian authors and I am grateful for their great talents. I enjoyed this emotional story, the complex characters and the happy ever after ending.
May 16, 2023
"It Isn't Cheating if He's Dead" is a slow burn, so much so that I kept putting it down - it took me almost two weeks to finish it. It is rare for a book to take me more than a day to finish - if it's awful I stop reading, but when a book has promise I'll eventually finish it.
And I am glad that I did, because the final third is excellent.
There are three main strands. Jemina Strand's mentally troubled fiancée, Gerald, has been missing for four years. She's falling for the detective who never gave up on the search. And while helping the homeless, something she began after Gerald disappeared, she finds a lost soul, Joe, and tries to help him.
Her life has been on hold for too long and she's hoping to break free of the memories and the grief.
I had a problem with Jemina and Gerald, it's over-stated (though maybe that's because they are newly in love and feel the need to over-share with the reader). It's just a minor cavil.
The final chapters are highly-charged and genuinely moving.
A solid 3 Stars.
And I am glad that I did, because the final third is excellent.
There are three main strands. Jemina Strand's mentally troubled fiancée, Gerald, has been missing for four years. She's falling for the detective who never gave up on the search. And while helping the homeless, something she began after Gerald disappeared, she finds a lost soul, Joe, and tries to help him.
Her life has been on hold for too long and she's hoping to break free of the memories and the grief.
I had a problem with Jemina and Gerald, it's over-stated (though maybe that's because they are newly in love and feel the need to over-share with the reader). It's just a minor cavil.
The final chapters are highly-charged and genuinely moving.
A solid 3 Stars.
March 26, 2020
It was good, not great. A bit contrived, but overall decent. It definitely won't be in my top books of all time but a decent story that delves into some heavy topics such as mental illness, schizophrenia, and homelessness. It also deals with loss, guilt, and moving forward after tragedy. There are several layers to this story and one is a love story between Jem (our main character and lawyer) and Finn (the cop investigating the disappearance of Gerald, Jem's fiance), also Jem deals with the loss of her fiance who struggles with schizophrenia. Another part of the story is Jem's relationships she develops with a small group of homeless gentlemen, one of which has a deep secret/story that she hopes to uncover. Three complex story-lines. A lot was covered in this short book. It was a lot to manage in such a quick timeline but the author did ok with it. It just didn't WOW me.
October 11, 2021
Dealing with grief how long do you wait
A brilliant researcher disappears. His fiancee believes he walked off but doesn't understand why. The police detective has been following this case for 4 years giving Jen weekly updates. Jem takes sandwiches and drinks tpo the Park a homeless area hoping to find her fiance. She thought she saw him once but she has given up at seeing him there but not on the people she has met there. This is a great story about mental illness and the people it effects. I was drawn into the story and held until the story was over. I feel like this could easily be made in to a TV series of a movie.
A brilliant researcher disappears. His fiancee believes he walked off but doesn't understand why. The police detective has been following this case for 4 years giving Jen weekly updates. Jem takes sandwiches and drinks tpo the Park a homeless area hoping to find her fiance. She thought she saw him once but she has given up at seeing him there but not on the people she has met there. This is a great story about mental illness and the people it effects. I was drawn into the story and held until the story was over. I feel like this could easily be made in to a TV series of a movie.
August 27, 2021
I got totally tired of reading how perfect and hot the protagonist's new boyfriend is. And that was only one of the things that annoyed me about this book.
September 20, 2015
Jemima Stone, an attorney, spends her mornings feeding the homeless in a park near her house, her days defending clients she doesn’t really like, or believe in, and the rest of the time, waiting for news of her schizophrenic fiancé who abruptly left her because he didn’t want to be married and he didn’t want her. Before she knows it, four years have passed and she doesn’t have any more answers than the day he left. But she does sort of enjoy the updates from the handsome detective working on her fiancé’s disappearance.
I bought this book because I thought it was a mystery, and the title was very clever. It turned out to be more chick lit romance than mystery, which was a let-down, with way too much graphic sex for my tastes. (So I just paged past all those sections.)
I did, however, enjoy the writer’s style of writing. Describing the detective, she writes, “ ... Detective Wright halfway down the stairs, the angle of his square jaw, a mirror reflection of his jar-head haircut. He was all slants and corners and points and sharpness, his voice crisp and tight and all business. Oh what ripped muscles must live inside that well-pressed suit?” I also liked the passage where Jem is thinking about grief, “How do you measure grief? Two sleepless nights. Six bottles of wine. Four three-hour long baths. Two tubs of butterscotch ripple ice cream. Zero phone calls made. Zero visits to the park. Zero sandwiches delivered. Zero trips to the grocery store. Once unanswered knock at the door.”
I mostly enjoyed the book – Jem was interesting enough to want to see how the story ended. And the ending was very satisfying. Do I want to read it again? No. Would I read more by this author? Yeah, I think so. This would make a good beach read, or a pleasant way to pass the time at the gym.
I bought this book because I thought it was a mystery, and the title was very clever. It turned out to be more chick lit romance than mystery, which was a let-down, with way too much graphic sex for my tastes. (So I just paged past all those sections.)
I did, however, enjoy the writer’s style of writing. Describing the detective, she writes, “ ... Detective Wright halfway down the stairs, the angle of his square jaw, a mirror reflection of his jar-head haircut. He was all slants and corners and points and sharpness, his voice crisp and tight and all business. Oh what ripped muscles must live inside that well-pressed suit?” I also liked the passage where Jem is thinking about grief, “How do you measure grief? Two sleepless nights. Six bottles of wine. Four three-hour long baths. Two tubs of butterscotch ripple ice cream. Zero phone calls made. Zero visits to the park. Zero sandwiches delivered. Zero trips to the grocery store. Once unanswered knock at the door.”
I mostly enjoyed the book – Jem was interesting enough to want to see how the story ended. And the ending was very satisfying. Do I want to read it again? No. Would I read more by this author? Yeah, I think so. This would make a good beach read, or a pleasant way to pass the time at the gym.
June 11, 2013
Julie Frayn is one talented writer. “It Isn’t Cheating if He’s Dead” couldn’t be more different from “Suicide City; a Love Story.” Frayn does one again shine a light on mental illness in a very meaningful way. This is the hot topic of the day. Glenn Close has said that the one role she regrets is the one she played in “Fatal Attraction” because she feels as though she played into a stereotype when her character was actually suffering from a mental illness. Frayn encourages us to think twice about the huddled mass in our inner-city doorways. Colloquially called “bums” a number of homeless face sincere mental illnesses that rip them from those they love. In the case of Gerald, his character was on track to cure cancer. He’d won awards and been well acclaimed in his field and in the cold light of day, Jem acknowledges that there were signs she might have seen and times she should have known something was off.
A theme Frayn seems to embrace in her writing is that when life kicks you, you have to get right back up. Jem has been feeding the homeless and she takes a few days to wallow in grief but she knows that they need her so she gets right back up. When she meets Joseph, a new person in the park who won’t talk to anyone and scares the locals, she knows that he needs a human connection and kindness. She not only helps him but herself by talking out her demons with him. He becomes a stand-in for Gerald. Not in a romantic sense but in the knowledge that she has a second chance to help someone in the way she should have helped Gerald.
At the end of the day, Frayn has produced another masterpiece. Julie Frayn is an author to watch closely.
A theme Frayn seems to embrace in her writing is that when life kicks you, you have to get right back up. Jem has been feeding the homeless and she takes a few days to wallow in grief but she knows that they need her so she gets right back up. When she meets Joseph, a new person in the park who won’t talk to anyone and scares the locals, she knows that he needs a human connection and kindness. She not only helps him but herself by talking out her demons with him. He becomes a stand-in for Gerald. Not in a romantic sense but in the knowledge that she has a second chance to help someone in the way she should have helped Gerald.
At the end of the day, Frayn has produced another masterpiece. Julie Frayn is an author to watch closely.
March 4, 2014
Jemima Stone, Jem for short, is one those characters I found myself caring about almost immediately. She isn’t without faults (who among us is?), but she also has a way of taking a negative and turning it positive, which is a quality we could all emulate. An example of this is her obsession with finding her fiancé, Gerald, who disappeared. When she spotted a man that looked like him apparently living among the homeless in a park, she took to preparing and delivering food to the homeless in this park each morning. While initially this was with the hope of finding Gerald, it quickly became more about helping those in need and continued after he was found murdered in another city.
In addition to the main storyline, finding out and coming to terms with what happened to Gerald and why he left like he did, there are secondary story threads which are no less compelling. The changing relationship with the police detective who was investigating Gerald’s disappearance is one. Another is Jem’s work with the homeless, especially one man who she goes above and beyond in finding out his story and trying to help.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
In addition to the main storyline, finding out and coming to terms with what happened to Gerald and why he left like he did, there are secondary story threads which are no less compelling. The changing relationship with the police detective who was investigating Gerald’s disappearance is one. Another is Jem’s work with the homeless, especially one man who she goes above and beyond in finding out his story and trying to help.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
June 7, 2015
This is the story of a relationship, and the clearing of a person feelings for another. The main characters fiance disappeared one day, while suffereing from a mental illness. She then spends a number of years lookig for him before he turns up dead in another city.
I love the mother-in-law character, she who will not believe that her son has a mental illness and blames everything on the main character, and always acted as if she was not good enough for her son. Only to have it later that this was because her own husband was also ill and she could not accept this as she could do nothing about it.
The side story of the redemption of a character met while giving out free food in a park.
just good
I love the mother-in-law character, she who will not believe that her son has a mental illness and blames everything on the main character, and always acted as if she was not good enough for her son. Only to have it later that this was because her own husband was also ill and she could not accept this as she could do nothing about it.
The side story of the redemption of a character met while giving out free food in a park.
just good
November 6, 2014
I was given a copy of this book not too long after it was published. I was not aware that I didn't review it until today.
I wasn't expecting to like this story. Mental illness and romance genres are generally not my cuppa. Still, I opened it on my kindle...
and was sucked into a world of missing people, heartache, new love, and starting over.
This book is so much more than what I was expecting. The stark (and sometimes ugly) realism Frayn brings to the table is tempered with understanding, acceptance, and the need to reach and do for a stranger what couldn't be done for a loved one. The road traveled is a rough one but it leads to a beautiful ending. I highly recommend this book.
I wasn't expecting to like this story. Mental illness and romance genres are generally not my cuppa. Still, I opened it on my kindle...
and was sucked into a world of missing people, heartache, new love, and starting over.
This book is so much more than what I was expecting. The stark (and sometimes ugly) realism Frayn brings to the table is tempered with understanding, acceptance, and the need to reach and do for a stranger what couldn't be done for a loved one. The road traveled is a rough one but it leads to a beautiful ending. I highly recommend this book.
April 1, 2015
Jemime "Jem" Stone has waited four years to find Gerald her missing Fiance. Detective Finn Wight is on the case. Gerald was found dead far from home, his death was declared a homicide. Finn is trying to find out who killed Gerald and Jem is trying to get on with her life. Every morning Jem feeds the homeless. When a new homeless man appears, something about him grabs Jems attencion. She feels she needs to find out more about him and why he became homeless. Jem & Finn are about to uncover some long deep buried secrets. A fast paced murder/mystery. I highly recommend to everyone who enjoys a romantic emotional/ mystery story.
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