The Replacement Wife

Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf Reviews

This was a long and incredibly emotional read. I'll preface this review by saying that you'll need to make sure that you have a box of tissues at the ready while reading and someone to hug when you've come to the conclusion...because you will need a hug.

Camille's character captures one's heart from the first few chapters...and how could she not. She's a matchmaker...and not just as a means to live by...but because she genuinely wants to help people find love and companionship. She has what appears to be the perfect family: two great kids and a stalwart husband who has stood by her literally "in sickness and in health" and who she loves so much that when the dreaded happens (her cancer returns) she worries not about herself and her future but for those of her husband Edward and her children.

I can't say that I agreed with much of Camille's logic, but I definitely felt her pain and understood her motives. Certainly a lot more than I could understand those of her counterpart Edward. (But much as I want to I won't say too much on that count..I hate spoilers) Suffice it to say that there were as many moments in this book that I wanted to yell at and strangle characters as there were moments where I couldn't read through the tears. And there were many such moments. Perhaps that is the greatest compliment that one can give an author....the experience of such a range of emotions all within one volume...at times all brought out by one character.

I will say that I feel that this book is a pretty good example of human nature. Of the lengths that we will go to secure the happiness of our loved ones as well as the lengths that we will go at times to escape their sadness as well...regardless of the costs. I actually don't agree with the synopsis that this is a "refreshing look at the unexpected paths that lead us to our own happy endings", but it certainly does show the multitude of paths that we can take as individuals and as part of a family and the variety of consequences/results to which those paths may lead us. Some of them happy, some of them not so happy, some that can be rebuilt into something meaningful and wondrous...and others that can't. But ultimately, no matter the path, no matter the destination...we can survive.

This book broke my heart...and I think that you should all give it the chance to impact upon you as well.

(I actually could not decide if this should be a four or a five star book. My range of emotions was so extreme. If I had 4.5 Timepieces I would have used that)

12 out of 14 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

"THE REPLACEMENT WIFE" (GMTA REVIEW)

Book Title: "The Replacement Wife"
Author: Eileen Goudge
Published By: Open Road Media
Age Recommended: 18 +
Reviewed By: Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating: 5



Review: I've just finished "The Replacement Wife" by Eileen Goudge, and I'm still sitting here wondering what it would be like to be told you only had a few months to live. A few months left with your children, your husband, friends, and family... what would you do? What would you do if you were a business-woman whose job was to find matches for people that had not the time nor ability to find that perfect someone in their life, then one day you find out that you had to find someone to replace you because you fear your family would be unable to go on without you? How hard would it be to seek out a woman to finish raising your children, to be your husband's companion, to give yourself a sense of accomplishment and well-being before you traveled down your final road to eternal sleep?

This book made me cry, it made me smile and above all it made me thankful for what I have in my life. Eileen Goudge writes this story beautifully, with an expertise that makes you feel, dream, and truly live it as though you were there. Camille Hart is not just a matchmaker with a terminal illness, she's a martyr, a fighter and a modern day heroine. The surprising ending is the best of all. I whole-heartedly recommend this novel. Everyone should read it, man or woman, a beautiful book and one to truly be cherished.

7 out of 11 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Hated it

This book alternated between depressing and infuriating. I didn't like any of the characters. They were either hypocrits, selfish or controlling. I regret reading the book.

5 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

I was intrigued by the premise of the book. As a married person,

I was intrigued by the premise of the book. As a married person, I could not imagine ever facing death and facing what will happen to my family if I passed away as Camille does in the book. I think its interesting (albeit very scary) to think about. Camille is a matchmaker so she knows what people want in a relationship. That being said while I understand that Camille wants to make sure that her children are taken care of, it almost seemed like she was meddling in her husband's future life and ...moreI was intrigued by the premise of the book. As a married person, I could not imagine ever facing death and facing what will happen to my family if I passed away as Camille does in the book. I think its interesting (albeit very scary) to think about. Camille is a matchmaker so she knows what people want in a relationship. That being said while I understand that Camille wants to make sure that her children are taken care of, it almost seemed like she was meddling in her husband's future life and in the woman who she sets him up with. Was it really fair to either of them? I know that couples have to have that conversation of what happens after but is this the way to do it? It almost seemed really controlling on Camille's part.


While I had a hard time understanding the decisions that the characters made, this book really did make me think. And I love a book that makes me ponder things in my own life. I also really enjoyed the twists in the books. They definitely kept me on my toes.


I would be interested to read some of the other things that Eileen Goudge has written. The writing is great. I do wish that the number of extraneous minor characters had been cut down a little bit. It really confused me and I kept waiting to see how these minor characters were going to factor into the story and they never really did, which took away from the story of the main characters.


Bottom line: Overall, an interesting premise with questionable motives.

4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Utterly captivating! The story of a matchmaker, looking for a ne

Utterly captivating! The story of a matchmaker, looking for a new wife for her beloved husband, as she battles cancer, is both funny (if you can imagine), heartbreaking and hopeful.

Successful matchmaker, Camille Hart, has discovered the return of her cancer. Her handsome physician husband, Edward,wants nothing more than to find a cure for her. Camille has decided, instead of treatment, that she wants to find a new wife/mother for her family. Someone who will love her kids and help Edward through his grief.

She finds a good candidate in a teacher, who loves kids and is looking for love.Unfortunately, she does not share her plan with Edward. All he feels is rejection, and he turns to a beautiful caterer for friendship.(someone to talk to)

Each is deceiving the other, with the best of intentions, when everything suddenly changes. Be careful what you wish for because it might just come around and bite you on the butt. (and sometimes you get what you deserve).

When I found myself getting angry at Camille for being so stupid and selfish, I thought about what I would do in her place. I became more forgiving.

Bittersweet, and a fitting ending, made me love the story after all. READ THIS BOOK!!

4 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Disappointed- Romantics Beware

I was very disappointed with the outcome of this book. Unfortunately, I pegged the outcome from the beginning. I did, however, expect the character to stay physically faithful and was disappointed by the way the author portrayed the characters morally.

I almost quit reading, but didn't want to waste my money by not finishing the book. I was not only dissatisfied with the outcome of the book, but also with some of the writing. I found myself skimming large portions of the book to "get to the point". I love to read, but this book was approximately 200 pages too long.

I am glad that I purchased this book on sale. I wish it had been free, because at this point, I see it as a waste. I wish I could get the last two days of my life back...

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY! I am an avid reader and this

DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!
I am an avid reader and this is the first time that I have ever hated a book so much that I felt the need to write a review. The characters are not likeable - especially the mistress, YUCK! The characters are selfish morally devoid people. There is no chemistry between husband and wife or husband and mistress - I found myself not caring about who he ended up with... Further, the story is boring. I found myself skipping pages when reading details about some of the characters lives. HATED IT!!!!!!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

A heavy book in two ways, quite a chunkster in pages and a heavy

A heavy book in two ways, quite a chunkster in pages and a heavy topic that at times was hard to swallow, but in a good way. From the beginning you fall head over heals for Camille, a mother of two young children who are on the cusp of the teenage years and need a mother now more than ever. She has already battled cancer once and now facing it again, the prospects look grim. With a profession as a match-maker, she decides that fixing her husband up with a future partner will help the family avoid undue heartache and pain when she leaves them.

From there the story takes quite a few twists and turns. I never reveal plot points that may ruin a story, but this one has the reader on the edge of the seat from beginning to end. I wanted to know how Camille and Edward were going to fare after the endeavors that this journey called life would take them on.

I may have read this book with deeper meaning because of what is going on in my personal life. Recently engaged and planning a wedding and a marriage, it was hard to think about a future without this boy next to me and then to think if I would then find someone to accompany on the rest of the journey or if I would finish this life alone. Hard thoughts for me, but I crave books that make me reflect on topics that I wouldn't otherwise think about.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

This novel asks the question, "What would you do if you wer

This novel asks the question, "What would you do if you were told you had six months to live?" Wow, this book really gets you thinking about that question. The author does a great job of having you feel sympathetic for a character then totally doing an about face and feeling for another, and then getting so mad at them! Honestly, the actions of two of the characters almost had me putting the book down for good, however, what happens is "real life" (but does not make it right), and I cared enough about the characters to find out what happened. This would be a great book for your book club.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Amazing

Great but little cheesy at tye end

2 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Great Read.

This book was good. I like that it was in not predictable. The characters are real and flawed. It is sad to see a marriage unravel but things like this happen every day and typically authors wrap it up neatly in the end and everyone lives happily ever after. Not so in this case. Highly recommend this novel.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Even though this book came out in March, I received an Advanced

Even though this book came out in March, I received an Advanced Review Copy of the book just a month or two ago. I thought the premise of the book was very interesting and I looked forward to reading it. I was completely into the book and was really enjoying it until mid-way through. I found there were way too many characters. Besides all the family members, there were Camille's match-making clients and their exes included in the storyline. I was wishing I would have made a post-it note to keep track of all the characters. I think that there were some characters that could have been left out as well as the detailed descriptions of them.

I really thought the idea of the book was interesting and honestly made me think about what I would do if I were dying. How would I want my husband and children to be cared for? Would I be willing to "set them up" before I am gone to assure things are playing out like I want them to? After reading this book, I am definitely left with the decision to leave it up to God to handle. Meddling only got Camille in trouble and I am assured that it would happen that way in real life too.

I thought there were a lot of different ways the author could have taken this story, and I wasn't thrilled with the storyline she chose. As I said, I really lost interest half-way through when the plan started to go downhill. I don't want to giveaway any surprises, but I became no fan of the husband in the story. I think both Camille and her husband, Edward, acted very immaturely and Edward didn't step up when he was needed. Because of all this drama and poor choices, I do believe this would make an excellent book club discussion for both men and women.

I am afraid that I ended up skimming a lot of the story because the author became much too detailed for my interests. I really didn't need a lot of the background information about people and/or details of the scene that the characters were in. I was more interested in the main characters and how their lives were going to play out.

So, even though I began with liking the book, I ended up being disappointed, but I did finish it. Even though I wasn't happy with the ending, I can see the author's point in writing it that way. Just remember, not everything always turns out the way you planned it and be careful what you wish for!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

A must read. I can't stop thinking about it!

The Replacement Wife should come with a warning label, “BE PREPARED TO HAVE YOUR HEART RIPPED OUT OF YOUR CHEST AND PUT BACK TOGETHER PIECE BY PIECE.” This story hit me hard. It’s written beautifully. I knew from reading the synopsis that this was going to be one tough cookie to swallow, but my goodness, I couldn’t breathe at times. These characters have haunted me over the past few days. They are so real. It feels as if I were to fly to New York I could find them. Eileen Goudge did an excellent job on character development. Normally when I read a book I know who I’m rooting for, good guy/bad guy. Easy. Well not this time. My stance practically changed after each chapter. I know I will be thinking about this book for a long time. As it is, I’ve told so many people about it simply because I can’t get it out of my head. Read it for yourself and see what I mean. I hope you have a strong heart.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Glorifies Infidelity

This book is well written-but there's an infidelity subplot that is disgusting and supposedly romantic. And ruins the story.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Camille Hart is a wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, cancer

Camille Hart is a wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, cancer survivor and match maker. Her family and her job are the most important things in her life, so when she finds out her cancer has returned, she brings her job home. She isn’t given very long to live and wants to find her replacement, someone she can trust to keep family together.

Since she runs a match making business, she already has a few ideas of who to hook her husband up with. He isn’t completely on board, but wants her to be as happy as possible for the remainder of their time together, so he goes with it.

What neither of them expect is that he, instead of she, may find the perfect match for him and it may be the thing that tears them apart, rather than bringing them together when they need it the most.



I was so intrigued by this book from the second I read the description. It’s such an interesting premise. I’m a morbid person and think about death. Think about what my husband’s life would be without me and have thought, minimally, about if anyone in my life would be a good replacement if I wasn’t here. Don’t get freaked out, I don’t sit around and stew about it at night, but it comes up in conversation at times, “You could never marry So and So because ….”. It normally has to do with my husband playing golf But I don’t think I could ever find someone, while I was alive, to take my spot and urge them to get close with my husband. I may be a little of the jealous type. But that’s exactly what Camille does in The Replacement Wife.

I have mixed feelings on the characters in this book. I’ve never been told that I have a very short time to live, so I can’t say what I would do in Camille’s shoes. I have also never been married to someone on their death bed, so I can’t really speak to her husband’s angle either, but some of the decisions that both of them made in this book irked me. Like Camille’s husband not agreeing with her decision to “hook him up” but being ok with finding love on his own. Or Camille urging her husband to move on, but being very unhappy when he finds someone, who wasn’t the one she chose for him. I think they both lived through some serious double standards here.

As sad as the plot sounds, and I obviously had some issues with the characters, there were lights of hope in this book. Little glimmers of light at the end of the tunnel. No matter how you look at this book, you cannont deny the scariness of reality in the words. This book is proof that life can change in an instant. What you are doing that you may think is helping someone may actually be hurting them. But as I’ve always believed, everything happens for a reason.

This book is one that I will not soon forget. I think it is one that throughout my life, through sickness and in health, I will remember and think back to. I know that in my life there will be times when I think about if anything happened to me, who could/would take my place, but I’ll think of this book and how it impacted this couple. I love books like this that I can reflect on and although it’s fiction, it can happen and who knows if it hasnt?

I give The Replacement Wife 4 bookmarks.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Outstanding Story Outstanding Story Outstanding Story

Love all of EIleen Goudges books. She did it again with Camille
And Edwards story. Excellent story line. This is a must read.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Not what I expected

The premise of this book so hounded me after I was done reading it that I begged others to read it just so we could talk about it. Rarely does a story stay with me like this one, but even months later I'm still thinking about it. This story took me through a range of emotions including frustration, anger and pity. It's a good lesson on how things can end up if you try to control life.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

I am always attracted to a book that has a beautiful wedding dre

I am always attracted to a book that has a beautiful wedding dress on the cover so this book caught my eye instantly. As soon as I read the description, I knew this book was one for me! It did not disappoint. I found the story to be much different than what I was expecting. It was a pleasant surprise for me.

There were times while reading this novel that I was highly disappointed in all of the characters involved. Camille is a matchmaker and is good at what she does. When she finds that she has cancer for the second time, she takes it upon herself to set her husband, Edward up with someone who will be there for him and their children when she passes on. Camille pushing a new woman on her husband and family was hard to read even though a part of me understood that she loved her family enough to want them taken care of in her absence. Edward disappointed me at times too. I wanted him to stand up for himself and stop Camille from picking out his next wife.

There are a few suitable women who are introduced in the story, some more likeable than others but each brought a uniqueness to the story. I enjoyed getting into the heads of all of the characters. It is such a different situation to read about. I can say the story really tugged at my heartstrings!

The story takes an unexpected twist in the end. Even though it is not the ending I imagined, it is a satisfying ending. If you want to know more, you'll have to pick up a copy of the book and read it. This is a book you will want to read without reading any spoilers.

I look forward to reading more of Eileen Goudge books as I enjoyed this one very much!

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Really good read....

This book was really good. The story is both unbelievable yet something you would wonder if you could do it if you were put in the same situation.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

A book on how dysfunctional a marriage can get...

I think this book is a handbook on how not to do things. No matter how great you think your marriage is, no matter how much you love each other and how good your intentions may be, you can just do everything WRONG. I can't really recommend it, but maybe a few people should read it. I think the message I got out of it is don't assume you know how your spouse feels or what they are thinking. You'll probably get it wrong and mess things up.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.