An interesting set of characters forms the centre piece of this book, with a lot of effort put in to building their relationships so the reader can engage thoroughly in their experiences. It is a thoughtful book and this can mean the pace seems a little slow at times but it is worth it as the action picks up about halfway through,

3 stars

Thanks a lot, NetGalley, for sending over the ARC!

I’ve got mixed feelings about the book. I read it in one sitting, but the ending left me a bit torn. I wanted to see the conflicts resolved face-to-face, but at the same time, the ending felt complete and realistic. It was intense and raw, especially in how the characters reflected on their actions and leaned on their faith. The final third of the book was particularly powerful. What really struck me was how David realized he’d been hiding his guilt behind a mask of self-assuredness. Isn’t all of us like that?

On the flip side, the book felt a bit draggy to me. It felt like nothing much happened until about 75% through, but I guess the last 25% made up for it.

The book really resonated with me through its take on forgiveness and self-reflection. Watching the characters deal with their guilt and seek redemption felt really real, humane and relatable. I think i haven’t always been good at forgiving others, but it’s making me think I should try harder in the future, right?

Lastly, here are two quotes from the book that really left an impression on me:

"And maybe, when he finally sees his true self, he will find the strength to ask for forgiveness."


"But without trying, forgiving is impossible. It requires both human effort and divine help."

David and Ruth have a happy marriage, punctuated by their sadness dealing with infertility. Ruth indulges herself by spoiling her niece and David loses himself in work. He’s a successful landscape designer and has had a stream of satisfied customers except for one slightly crazed investor. Ruth is a lawyer and is surprised by her director’s request that she work with a new client, Brian Bishop, in San Francisco. She begins her new assignment with a promise to come home as often as possible. While she is away, David hires Annabeth, the young, rudderless daughter of a late friend, to be his office manager. (I think you can see where this is going). David becomes infatuated with Annabeth while Ruth and Brian deal with a slow burning attraction to each other. What happens next will put their marriage to the test.

Something Better, a debut family drama by the talented Diane Parrish, weaves love, frustration, anger and forgiveness together with threads of Christianity. I enjoyed all the characters, especially David, Ruth and Maeve. What I didn’t like was the final chapter. Without spoilers, I found it sad and depressing. Love does not win. So 4 stars and I will definitely read whatever Parrish writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Meryl Moss Media Group and Diane Parrish for this ARC.