Raney lashes out big time when she discovers that her husband Aaron has cheated on her. Talk about using your powers to do revenge. Wow. However, the two of them, against all odds, go into therapy where she begins to understand that there are, to put it mildly, a number of problems she's ignored while working and mothering twins. She's not really a likable character - she's not nice to the people she works with either- but she can be sympathetic if you give her a chance. I didn't like Kennedy's first novel but this one was more interesting to me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I suspect this one might be polarizing but give it a chance.

Raney thought she was happily married, until, that is, she discovered that her husband cheated on her. So she reacts in a very Stella Got Her Groove Back moment and pretty much destroys his professional reputation.

Then she loses her ... uh ... mess.

I kept trying to relate to her. I get that she thought her marriage was all that, but it becomes clear in conversations with husband Aaron and her therapist that Raney largely paid no attention to the realities of her relationship. When she is forced to realize just how much she has ignored, her reactionary tendencies go into hyperdrive and she makes some colossally stupid moves.

Yet, as Eliza Kennedy shows, it's all in the interests of growth and self-knowledge.

You will not always like Raney. In fact, you may not like her at all. Even though Aaron was unfaithful, I found myself liking him the most, along with a couple of other secondary characters. Raney is either so far up her own anal cavity or so woefully unaware that I wondered how (and why) she had friends.

Yet, as Eliza Kennedy shows, when you give someone the chance to grow and become more aware of herself, she might surprise you and earn your affection.

Parts of this book felt like they were supposed to be funnier than they actually were, just as parts felt like they were supposed to be more emotionally poignant than they actually were. I liked it, though, and I think it's a pretty good choice for a book club. There is quite a bit to discuss as far as Raney and her choices are concerned.

Loved this book. Didn’t want it to end. Highly recommend.

Love love love. Incredible book. Fabulous book club pick too

I couldn't get past chapter six. Raney, the supposed heroine is so vindictive and self-serving that I just could not continue.

This was a page turner, thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Raney, a hotshot Attorney at a prestigious law firm in Manhattan. With a blink of an eye her works is turned upside down. She experiences many different emotions and reactions throughout the book.

I would recommend this book.

3.5 stars

This is quite the page turner and roller coaster of emotions. I was simultaneously excited and exhausted while readings through this. The main character is unfortunately a familiar figure, and quite the unlikable one. Recommend to those who like reading fast paced books about strong willed women.

A light read, but not nearly fun enough to be entertaining. The characters were too lightly-sketched for me to be invested in their wackiness.

I thought the storyline of a hot-shot attorney was a little too over the top for me. It was just too
ridiculous for an attorney to do what she did. I really couldn't get past that. Just so unrealistic, especially for an attorney who should always keep a cool demeanor.

First, what I liked: Crisp, succinct writing. Excellent dialogue. Although I had very little in common with Raney Moore, I found her to be delightfully witty. The scene where she gets drunk at the bar was hilarious and very well done. This was a quick ready and the pacing was very brisk.

What I didn't like: Since the 2016 election, I've found that I can go NOWHERE without hearing about politics. I constantly feel inundated with everyone's political views. For me, it's overwhelming and very unwelcome. This book wasn't super political, but it was enough to make me roll my eyes and get annoyed at times. It's a personal pet peeve of mine-- I don't want to know the political leanings of the characters and certainly not the author. If I wanted this, I would just watch the news or read about current events.

Two more things: The handling of sexism in the workplace felt very off. There was so much crammed into this book I think author just didn't have enough time to pull it off. Also, the ending was weak and frankly, I felt it was a cop-out.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for this honest review.

Do This For Me is the latest novel by Eliza Kennedy. Although Raney, the main character, is a high powered attorney there isn't a lot of law practiced in this story. Raney is an unforgettable character who will keep you turning the pages to see what's next. Some laughs and some shaking my head made this a story I hated to see come to an end. I was given as early copy to review.

The author captures marital malaise and its fallout through the eyes of a modern-day woman who on the surface “has it all” reminding us that no one really does—something always suffers and its human nature to want more, to want something different when often what we really need lies within us.

Raney attended Harvard Law School and credibly writes about the social, political and logistical machinations of a law firm and pithy character dialog. Do This For Me is her second novel and a great read— insightful, entertaining and relevant.

A brilliant, funny, and thought-provoking story about infidelity, sexism, and the evolution of a relationship -- both with lovers and ourselves. Bonus points for mega-feminist themes.

I nearly got whiplash from the rate at which this woman goes from seemingly normal to straight up crazypants. After discovering that her husband has cheated on her, she sets about methodically ruining every aspect of his life. Though I found the process of her finding herself and sorting through her emotions and thoughts a bit slow-moving, I liked how well-developed and relatable Raney was and really enjoyed the story as a whole.

Favorite Quotes:
"I don't want to be that woman, Doctor Bogard."
"What woman?"
"You know the woman. The one who's husband betrays her, humiliates her, disrespects her- and she stays. The one we've seen at a thousand press conferences, standing stone-faced as her dearly beloved apologizes to the world for whatever deceitful, depraved thing he did. That's not my story, Doctor. I reject that narrative. But..."

"We are mysteries to ourselves. We don't know anything. And maybe that's okay."

I received an arc from Netgalley. Wow I am left in shock after reading this book. It had me conflicted right from the start and I had times where I just wanted to abandon it and put it down. I hung in there hoping for one type of ending but I didn’t get the ending I was hoping for. The book still leaves me conflicted.

Now it may have left me conflicted but the author did an amazing job of making me feel this story. Left me with a lot of thoughts on life and conflicts in life.

This book was certainly a great rollercoaster ride from the get go! It'll have you cheering on the main character and marveling at to what lengths a scorned woman will go to regain her self-worth.

unfortunately another one that just didn't work for me and i couldn't get into it. i'm sure it's a good book but i am trying to be better about quitting books when they aren't clicking and i tried to get into this one a few times. it's a DNF from me. thanks anyway netgalley.

Raney Moore is a high powered attorney in a reputable New York firm with all of the appearances of a happy marriage and fulfilling life. Everything changes with one phone call from her husband’s co-worker’s husband (catch that?). What happens next is every woman's, who’s ever been cheated on, wet dream of revenge. As Raney coldly dismantles her husband’s professional career and evaporates their life together, I was very much on her team and relishing in the meticulous details of her payback. But the book takes several bizarre turns where Raney tries to analyze the failings her marriage and sex life with a fine-tooth comb using her best friend, a therapist, and her coworkers. When a new hire under her wing tries to get Raney to admit to and help address the institutional sexism in their firm, she herself is having sex with a client and several co-workers. Raney was definitely a woman in crisis but her changing moods and different personalities were dizzying. Like when Raney gets thrown in jail for assaulting a stranger on the street while drunk, and then wants to stay in jail so she can help legally represent women who have been unjustly arrested. The good news is that this was a quick read but I really did not enjoy it. It was like being unable to avert your eyes at a car wreck; you want to see what happens, but you really don’t.

Read all my reviews at: https://brainfartsandbooks.wordpress.com

I have to admit, I really kind of liked the revenge factor in the first part of this book. Ok, let’s start from the beginning. Raney Moore is a top notch attorney who kills it in her daily life. She and her husband Aaron have twin school-aged daughters. But with an unexpected phone call, Raney’s life is turned upside down. Is her husband cheating on her? Yes, he admits to it. I had to feel for Raney at this point because I know how hard it is to balance a full-time job, kids, housework, and relationships with friends with family. You shouldn’t have to worry about your husband cheating on you, should you? Anyhow, Raney does something to get revenge on Aaron which almost destroys his career. Was I cheering for her? Yes, yes I was. As Raney moves on trying to understand why her relationship fell apart and wondering if it’s worth salvaging, she learns some valuable lessons about herself. I really enjoyed reading this book because it showed how someone who has it all can hit rockbottom in an instant and completely rediscover what is important to her.

Thank you to Netgalley, Eliza Kennedy, and Crown Publishing Group for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An engaging read. The story of a professionally driven and very skilled lawyer, who finds out her husband has cheated on her. She has nothing but resources at hand, and methodically goes about destroying her husband and his reputation. It's a knee jerk reaction - she does it pretty much without thinking, bringing in the people she works with into her plan. She and her husband go on to try to make things work, but it turns out he wasn't 100% honest with her about his affair when given the chance. This sends her on a journey of sexual and personal discovery, but it is a case of be careful what you wish for, as her life spirals out of control. When all is said and done, the ending of this book does not give the reader complete final closure or an answer to what life she will choose for herself. Rather, all is left open ended. Personally, I know what I want her to choose for herself, and maybe that's what the author was going for.

A successful and driven lawyer, loving wife and mother to twin teenage girls, Raney Moore has a lot to love about her life. It's a life she would call "perfect," until she is blindsided by the discovery of her newly famous entomologist husband's affair with his producer. The news launches Raney onto a long, twisting path of reinventing herself to find herself. The novel is highly readable, with several memorable scenes to stay with you as you make your way through this pageturner. It's kind of what I imagine "Sex and the City" would be like to read (I've never watched the show, though, so this may be way off-base) in that it takes the reader on a romp through NYC from the perspective of the well-off, explores relationships and sex and therapy, balancing in some girl talk and some career-oriented plot points.

However, as readable and occasionally fun as "Do This For Me" was, its uneven tone and sometimes frantic plot knock a few stars off my rating. The story almost seems to move as wildly as Raney herself as she Supermarket-Sweeps through vengeance and makeovers and one night stands, grabbing ideas off the shelves and throwing them in front of the reader. While it's certainly interesting to see Raney's own short attention span playing out in her yo-yoing attempts to "deal with" her husband's infidelity, it makes for dizzying reading to have the novel follow suit. Overall, I'm not sorry that I read it, but I can't think of who I'd recommend it to.