The Love of My Life: A GMA Book Club Pick: A Novel

I enjoy good wine. The first sip lays on my tongue and I decide whether I will savor it or just enjoy the glass. If this book had been a bottle of wine I’d have savored every sip, letting in lay on my tongue for a bit before swallowing. The characters were well drawn, and the plotting excellent with unexpected twists and turns which kept me reading until the wee hours of the morning. It speaks of secrets kept and the high cost the characters paid for them. And most of all, it speaks of the immutability of love.

Interesting and different storyline. I wouldn't refer to it as thriller though. I think it might fall more in the drama category. Good cast of characters. A couple of twist and turns. I can see this as book club worthy. Tiny bit slow in the beginning. Hang in there. Curiosity will prevail. Good read. I would recommend it to a friend.

This book is awesome! So romantic but also lots of thrill/twists.

This book was REALLY difficult for me to get into. I pushed through bc I don’t like to purchase books and then not read them. I will say, it did pick up in the middle and I really enjoyed the second half. Lots to unpack and reflect back on while reading along, but it is quite a story!

Honestly, I started to give up on this book after a couple chapters in. But I'm always determined to finish what I start. I'm glad I did! Now, this book is almost too wordy, and the first half is a bit drawn out. But if you can make it to the halfway point, it really takes a couple turns that I didn't expect (I thought I'd had it figured out). The last half made it worth reading thru the slowness.

I recently had the pleasure of delving into the captivating world of "The Love of My Life" by Rosie Walsh, a gripping thriller that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. This book is a true gem that I devoured in just three days, unable to tear myself away from its pages. From the very first chapter, Walsh masterfully weaves a heartbreakingly beautiful tale that will leave readers both breathless and emotionally invested. The intricate plot twists and turns, keeping you guessing until the very last page. The author's ability to create such suspense and maintain it throughout the story is truly commendable. The characters in "The Love of My Life" are incredibly well-developed and relatable. Each one is flawed and complex, adding depth and authenticity to the narrative. One of the standout aspects of this novel is Walsh’s exquisite writing style. Her prose is elegant, yet accessible, effortlessly drawing readers into the story and making it impossible to put down. The pacing is perfect, with a careful balance between heart-pounding action and poignant moments of reflection. I cannot recommend "The Love of My Life" enough. It is a true page-turner that will have you enthralled from the very first sentence. Rosie Walsh has crafted a masterpiece that deserves nothing less than a full five-star rating. So, grab a copy, buckle up, and prepare for a thrilling ride that will leave you breathless and wanting more!

I am a constant reader. I read at least 2-3 hours a day and average between 120-160 books a year. I love all genres. Obviously I read a *lot* of books. There are many books and authors I really enjoy but there are a handful of authors whose characters, plot lines, and details are so seamless and true to life it satisfies me entirely. This is one of those books for me. I will admit I struggled getting into the book at first as the characters and foundation were being built. But then it turned a corner and I couldn’t stop reading. The author put in small details that made the book a more realistic, well developed story. Small spoiler alert) Such as when Leo mentions early in the books that Ruby had been getting up after she had been out to bed every night. Then later in the story she got out of bed at a bad time at the cabin. A lot of writers would just put her hopping out of bed with no background. But for me all the small details like this made the story fuller and more real to me. The characters had flaws, made major mistakes in life, and suffered with guilt. Just like real people. And the writer also managed to surprise me a couple of times which is pretty hard to do. This is an author I will definitely watch for and read again without hesitation. Everyone is different, but I thought this was an excellent book.

Emma and Leo are, by all appearances, a loving married couple; she a biologist, he an obituary writer. They dote on young daughter, Ruby, walk dog James, and cherish one another’s idiosyncrasies. Except everything Emma has told Leo is a lie. Emma has just recently beaten cancer, and, because of her low level of fame as a television presenter, the news outlet for which Leo works wants an obituary on file should something unexpected happen, a common practice. And so Leo begins to mine her past for details of her life. What starts as an innocent exercise turns into a realization that Leo has no idea who he is married to and what she’s been doing. And as her secrets begin to surface, Leo will find that he’s not the first love of her life. It’s an enjoyable thriller with low stakes, but what I loved most is the style of prose. It’s intimate and pulls you in like a whisper, making you immediately invested. The surprise isn’t hard to figure out, but the twists continue and your investment in the couple is real. I always forget to read these kinds of books but this was a great reminder.

Dieses Buch war seit langem mal wieder das erste, das ich in jeder freien Minute verschlungen habe! Ich liebe ihren Schreibstil und die Story geht mir wieder einmal sehr zu Herzen.

The book is of poor material. Both the cover and the pages👎🏽

I liked the way the story was told; even when it jumps to the past, it does so in an original way. I liked the characters, and I love complex, intelligent, imperfect women in stories.

* I have added content warnings for this story at the end of my review, but some are inevitably spoilers so please proceed with caution * Emma and Leo have a seemingly perfect marriage, even though they've been through fertility issues leading to IVF and the birth of their daughter, then a cancer diagnosis for Emma. Leo, a writer of obituaries, has been insistent on preparing one 'just in case' to file away and hopefully not be used until long into the future. But Emma, a marine ecologist, has a secret past. One that begins to merge into her present as her lies are revealed. I really loved this book. The storytelling was compelling and the POVs all worked extremely well to build the suspense. I was hooked almost immediately and really enjoyed hypothesizing the outcomes of several twists and turns. I did ultimately guess the main ones but they were no less impactful. I found both Leo and Emma incredibly likable and authentic, which only made their POVs more emotional. I cried a LOT in the second and third parts. The supporting characters were also well-rounded. There's so much else I would love to say about this story, but almost all of it would spoil the book. I received an eARC plus an advanced copy of the audiobook. I found the narration of both Emma (Imogen Church) and Leo (Theo Solomon) extremely compelling. In particular, those events at university were voiced in an incredibly visceral way, and if you get the opportunity I would highly recommend the audiobook. *Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review* Overall rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Heat Rating: n/a Emotional Rating: 🥰😬💔😭😭💔💓 cw: detailed descriptions of mental illness, post-partum depression, bereavement, alcoholism, suicidal ideation, and infertility

Excellent storyline and kept you guessing just the kind of book I like. Should put it on your list it's a good read.