The Trophy Wives Club
by Kristin Billerbeck
Published by Avon Inspire
Click on book
cover to order
at Amazon.com
Reviewed by Laura V. Hilton
In this inspirational chick lit, Haley Cutler’s role as wife is cancelled when her producer husband decides, after almost eight years of marriage, that he wants out. And thanks to an unfortunate pre-nup that Haley signed when she was in love and had stars in her eyes, she is left with nothing, except her clothes that were thrown out on the front porch–and a car. Her ex-husband, Jay, even kept her cat.
With nowhere to go except to her parents, Haley returns to her childhood home. But instead of the carefree girl she was when she left, now Haley is bitter, and determined to get Jay where it hurts. After all, he’s moving on with a young starlet, and not only is he keeping his fortune, he’s gaining someone else’s.
Haley attends a meeting at a church that her husband’s lawyer mentioned – a club for ‘Trophy Wives.’ But these women seem too wrapped up in Bible study when what Haley needs is revenge—and someone to talk her through applying for a credit card, and other necessities. Will she find what she needs, and so much more?
The Trophy Wives Club is the first book in Kristin Billerbeck’s newest series through Avon Inspire. Haley is understandably bitter after everything that happens to her, and she has some snappy lines, but it took me a long time to really care what happens to her. I find it hard to relate to a woman so far removed from Midwestern standards, and used to getting pedicures for fun, and wearing designer footwear.
But in typical Kristin Billerbeck style, the character did begin to grow on me, and I sympathized with her, eventually. The story is very well written, and did hold my interest to the end. And the faith message is a bit more obvious than in some of Billerbeck’s other books, but it still isn’t preachy (a feat that must have been hard to accomplish, since the club for Trophy Wives is actually a Bible Study group. Discussion questions are included at the end.
Armchair Interviews says: First in a new series by Billerbeck.
Author’s Web site: http://www.KristinBillerbeck.com