Melanie Summers was a new author to me so I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I started reading this story. It turned out to be so much more than I could even imagine. The character and world building in this book are perfection. I was truly immersed into these characters’ lives, especially Abby since it’s told only in her POV. You know a writer is fantastic when you can feel the other characters’ emotions and feelings without even getting in their heads. This isn’t your typical, run of the mill romance, but it’s filled with so much heart and emotion. I couldn’t help but fall in love with Abby, Liam and Olive. There are some really fabulous lessons in this story and it’s definitely one that will stay with me for a while.

The After Wife started off slow for me. Then it became more enjoyable. There were many funny moments and some just so heart touching. I felt deeply for Abigail Liam was a shocker.

Thank you, NetGalley for the advance copy to review.

I received a copy of this book from the Author and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I should not have started this book last night, because I ended up with only 2 hours of sleep. I had to keep returning to the book to learn more. Summers is a new author to me, but I will be searching out her other works.

This was a bittersweet novel about love, life, loss, family and a courageous woman's return to herself.
We meet the protagonist Abby who has really become lost following the death of her husband Isaac and has allowed life to simply happen around her almost swallowing her as she struggles with her grief and who she is. She is forced from her NYC home due to life's circumstances and she reaches for a geographical cure which takes her to a tiny island in Canada where she is forced to interact with neighbors and deal with a house she purchased that needs a lot of work. Enter Liam and his tiny daughter Olive and over the course of time she begins to emerge from herself and return to life and her feelings.

This is not your classic boy meets girl and they live happily ever after. Rather it is a story of two lost souls who have born unimaginable sorrow and begin to heal. It's about a return to family, feelings and a return to one's self. The novel does not end with a happily ever after, rather it leaves us with more questions and perhaps space for a follow up novel.

This was a novel I needed to sit with for a few hours after finishing it in the wee hours of the morning because I didn't want it to end and I wanted more as I had grown connected to her characters through her words.

What a great book! It made me laugh, it made me cry, made me happy and made me sad. My emotions were all over the place while reading this story of Liam and Abby. These characters are so fleshed out it felt like I was reading about long lost friends. There is so much going on in this couple's life and they have both endured the loss of a spouse. Don't want to give you any spoilers but this is a beautifully written book that I highly recommend.

This is a new author for me. I loved this story of Abby and Liam who have both lost a spouse and how they dealt with it. . Read this story to see what happens . Is Abbey strong enough to take chances in life to be happy and will Liam be able to handle things that happen to him. Of course, his daughter, Olive is such a character. This is a very GOOD Read.

I completely enjoyed this book. A woman who, on the surface, has a wonderful life, experiences a terrible loss, sending her into a spiral that she tries to hide. Her career goes downhill, and then she has one more blow that breaks the author’s back, so to speak.

She goes to a far away place that she recalls fondly from happier times, and tries to settle in, while still keeping up her very tall, very strong walls. The rest of the book deals with her life in Canada, her relationships and family. It is a deeply moving book that I feel was her best so far. I rarely rate any book 5 stars, but this one deserves it.

I was sent the book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book sounded great. A great little read filled with atmosphere, healing, and a Hallmark worthy love story.

Firstly, and this is not a spoiler, this is not a Hallmark worthy love story, the author basically tells you this in the opening note to the reader! Not all stories have a happily ever after and this book may or may not have one of those, so be prepared.

The After Wife focuses on Abbie Carson, a young widow who after more than a year of grieving quite privately, ups and leaves the place where she feels like everyone knows her business for a place where she can get a fresh start and no one will know her! Only she's moving to a small maritime town and is basically the talk of it even before she arrives!

Abbie is grieving still, both for the loss of her husband and for the loss of herself and her work. She's bitter and uninterested in any kind of help beyond having her new and very rustic home fixed up. Now naturally the man, Liam, who can fix it up is easy on the eyes and tragically single. BUT hold on, remember this isn't a Hallmark movie so where your mind just went probably isn't where this story goes! Ok, it probably does in a way but it's deeper, it's more heartbreaking and it's far more nuanced than what Hallmark dishes out. (Thank goodness!)

While I found this book dragged at times I can honestly say the writing was good enough that I didn't really dwell on that. It's beautifully written and absolutely heartbreaking, even the happy times broke my heart because there was always that underlying reason of why the happy times were occurring.

This is a book for fans of women's fiction, books like Evvie Drake Starts Over (one of my favourites) and The Overdue Life of Amy Byler and charming characters and locations.

This book really is something. It kept me engaged and glued to the pages. To review it is difficult because I really enjoyed most of it, even the hard parts, but the ending threw me a bit and left me a little unsatisfied. Despite that, because I believe it's just personal preference, this story resonates with me on many different levels. A women's fic novel about a 39 year old widow, from her point of view, who upends her life for an isolated change in a new environment who slowly ends up rediscovering herself, her feelings on love and life, and the choices she made as a young woman. Aiding in this life shift is a man who became her fast friend and confidant and his young, curious daughter.

The heroine's slow burn type of development felt organic and true as people don't suddenly see the light after 15 years and how she takes those mottled feelings and reshapes them into something she can live with and understand really struck a chord. The male main character was perfectly understanding, patient, and kind despite his own personal tragedy and subsequent growth. There's hope in the pain and love in the banter. The small town setting lends itself nicely to the story and really just fits. There are some truly special and touching moments with the aforementioned child that really make you think and want to believe in the unfiltered faith that children hold close.

This author is new to me and I really enjoyed her storytelling style. The chapters are short and the writing tight and concise without a lot of superfluous detail but still packing a lot of meaning and emotion. The After Wife isn't your typical romance story in style or structure. It's about loving and understanding one's self to truly give to another and understand them. The ending is one that I think I love to hate but that's the beauty of a well written, engaging story.

The After Wife by Melanie Summers is a full length, stand alone novel. This is a new to me author and oh boy I'm so glad I gave this book a try.
The After Wive is an emotional read, - have tissues at hand and consider you warned, I had more than one ugly cry.
Meet Abby Carson. She's a 39 year old widow who's still grieving the loss of her beloved husband. To top it off she has to move - so why not start over. She moves from Manhattan to a village in Canada, new scenery, new people, new house, new everything. But she's still the same woman.
Then she meets Liam Wright, a single dad and contractor. Liam also had to endure a lot, sorry not sorry - no spoilers here. Only so much, karma is no friend of his. The story is a slow burn, raw and gritty. I was captivated from the start and I read the whole book, cover to cover in one sitting, I couldn't put it down.
Reading about Abby and Liam's fate was absolutely heart wrenching, gutting. I connected with the characters and I could feel all their emotions in the words, their devastation, their love, their heartbreak.
The writing is more than excellent and the storyline is exquisite.
The After Wife is a book that stays with you. I read it a bit ago and the story and the characters are still in my head. They stubbornly stay, and I like it.
The After Wife is one of the few books that had an impact on me. I highly recommend the book, 5+ Stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Indigo Group for the advance of this title in exchange for my honest review. I'd never read this author in the past, and I was happy to discover her with this title. This was just the breath of fresh air I needed after a lot of thrillers. The characters are well done, and the plot was easy to follow and enjoy. I loved this book.

This was my first time reading a book by this author, but it certainly won't be my last. I loved everything about this book, the story was excellent and heartwarming, the characters were exceptionally done. Highly recommend!