Traveling With T purchased this book because of the cover and the blurb “for fans of The Divine Secrets of Ya-Ya Sisterhood and Desperate Housewives.”

The Young Wives Club

Summary: In Toulouse, Louisiana finding your one true love happens sometime around high school. If you’re lucky, he might be the man you thought he was. But as four friends are about to find out, not every girl has luck on her side in this charming debut novel perfect for fans of The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and Desperate Housewives.

Laura Landry’s quarterback husband was her ticket out of Toulouse. But when a devastating football injury sidelines him, they’re forced to move back to the small town she was so desperate to leave. As Brian starts drinking instead of rehabbing his knee, Laura must reevaluate what her future looks like…and if it includes her husband.

For years, Madison Blanchette has been waiting for bad-boy musician Cash Romero to commit to her. When wealthy George Dubois asks her out, she figures she may as well wait in style. Life with George means weekend trips to New Orleans, gourmet meals, and expensive gifts. At first she loves how George’s affection sparks Cash’s jealousy, but when George proposes to Madison, she finds herself torn between two men…

All Claire Thibodeaux wants is to be the perfect wife and mother. If she can do everything right she won’t end up like her mom, a divorced, single parent trying to make ends meet. But when Claire’s husband Gavin, a well-respected local pastor, starts spending late nights at work and less time in their bed, she can’t help but fear that history is about to repeat itself…

Gabrielle Vaughn never thought she’d end up with someone like her fiancé. The son of a prominent congressman, Tony Ford is completely out of her league—which is why she lied to him about everything from having a college degree to the dark truth about her family. She knows she has to come clean, but how do you tell the love of your life that your entire relationship is a lie?

As these young wives come together to help each other through life, love, and heartbreak, they discover that there are no easy answers when it comes to matters of the heart.

 

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

The reference to fans of The Divine Secrets of The Ya-Ya Sisterhood and Desperate Housewives drew me to the book. The cover really caught my eye.

The back of the book- with the summary- interested me. While I don’t live in the area that Julie Pennell writes about- I live in a sister state. I could “see” this area because the town I am from has some sameness about it.

Felt charmed by the prologue. So cute. Then…..

Well here’s my Goodreads review (with a spoiler) for what made me unhappy about this book.

So, with that in mind- I wasn’t going to review this book on my blog. It wasn’t sent to me for review, I had rant-y feelings about this book at times, etc.

BUT I COULDN’T GET OUT OF MY MIND HOW JULIE PENNELL takes lemons and turns them into lemonade….

This book shows what life is like for these 4 women who showed by hitching their wagons to other people’s dreams that they are shortchanging their own worth. Listen, I’m not a wife. So, I don’t know sh*t about being married (like not really. I know what I want, etc BUT how marriage REALLY works…. eh, who knows?) But these girls should not have been considering being someone’s wife. Or actually being someone’s wife. They should have been out there chasing dreams. Having fun. Going to college. Saving up to go to college.

When each of them begins to see how she’s shortchanged herself- that is where the strength of the book is. How each person picks herself up, dusts herself off and says “World, I’m coming for you!”

Bottom line: This book, for the most part, feels too young for me. After all, I’m in the age range of knowing “trust me on the sunscreen” and that Vitamin C is more than just a vitamin. However, I do think this would be a good book for moms and daughters to discuss together! It could open up all sorts of dialogue and discussion.

 

*Have you been wanting to read this book? Why don’t you pin it on Pinterest? And while you are on Pinterest, give me a follow!*

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T