BOOK REVIEW-Truly, Madly, Guilty

TRULY, MADLY, GUILTY by Liane Moriarty

Publisher:Macmillan

432 Pages
2016

Six responsible adults. Three cute kids. One small dog. It’s just a normal weekend. What could possibly go wrong?

In Truly Madly Guilty, Liane Moriarty turns her unique, razor-sharp eye towards three seemingly happy families.

Sam and Clementine have a wonderful, albeit, busy life: they have two little girls, Sam has just started a new dream job and Clementine, a cellist, is busy preparing for the audition of a lifetime. If there’s anything they can count on, it’s each other.

Clementine and Erika are each other’s oldest friends. A single look between them can convey an entire conversation. But theirs is a complicated relationship, so when Erika mentions a last minute invitation to a barbecue with her neighbors, Tiffany and Vid, Clementine and Sam don’t hesitate. Having Tiffany and Vid’s larger than life personalities there will be a welcome respite.

Two months later, it won’t stop raining, and Clementine and Sam can’t stop asking themselves the question: What if we hadn’t gone?

In Truly Madly Guilty, Liane Moriarty takes on the foundations our lives: marriage, sex, parenthood, and friendship. She shows how guilt can expose the fault lines in the most seemingly strong relationships, how what we don’t say can be more powerful than what we do, and how sometimes it is the most innocent of moments that can do the greatest harm.

My thoughts on Truly,Madly,Guilty:

I have read several of New York Times best selling author, Liane Moriarty's books and thoroughly enjoyed them. I liked The Husband's Secret, Big Little Lies(Now an HBO Limited series starring Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and Shailene Woodley), What Alice Forgot, The Hypnotist's Love Story, and Three Wishes. Each of them had a great plot and a story that ran along smoothly. Her stories have made me turn page after page well into the night. BUT sadly this book missed the mark for me. NO SPOILER ALERTS REVEALED: There is such a BIG build up to the events the the night in question that when all is finally revealed 3/4 into the book the incident feels like a balloon that lost it's helium and becomes a flaccid, limp, sad thing. The whole book feels like a giant tease with chapters skipping around to the three families involved in present time(recovering)and then back to the the day of the BBQ where so much of nothing is revealed until you are mostly done with the book. ARRRGGGG!  On Amazon there is a clear division of how people feel about this book, the ratings are clearly divided up between 5, 4, and 3 stars. Lots of reviews with readers writing about  mixed and frustrated emotions, so I'm glad I'm not alone in my feelings toward Truly,Madly, Guilty.

I have no doubt I will read a book by Liane Moriarty again, I have really liked her others. But if you are trying to decide whether or not to buy this on your kindle or check it out at your local library--save your money and check it out.