By Robyn Rossit
Content warnings: Suicide, child abduction, violence, psychological abuse
The Almost Wife by Gail Anderson-Dargatz is a fast-paced thriller set in Ontario. The main character, Kira, is engaged to Aaron, a wealthy businessman, who is a great father to their baby Evie as well as to his 13-year-old daughter Olive from a previous marriage. Kira didn't have a stable childhood, so having a secure and loving home of her own is important to her. However, Aaron's ex-wife Madison has other plans, which include stalking Kira and attempting to abduct Olive, whom she had recently lost custody of. While Aaron is away on a business trip, Kira takes the girls to Manitoulin Island, her childhood summer home. Things take a turn when she realizes Madison followed them. Dark secrets and a past she would rather forget threaten the picture-perfect life Kira has been so desperately trying to create.
The Almost Wife was definitely one of those thrillers that the reader just cannot put down—I finished it in a single afternoon as I needed to know what happened next. It was fast-paced and full of intriguing twists and turns as the story progressed. Each character in the story was flawed in their own way, but I still found myself rooting for Kira and I wish the characters had a little bit more development to make them more likeable.
One of the themes that I found the most gripping was psychological trauma. Kira had a rocky relationship with her estranged father and an unhealthy relationship with her manipulative mother. The psychological trauma she experienced is very much a present theme in her life, both in the way she reacts to the stressful situations she is put in and in her attempts to break the cycle and create a positive life for her new family.
One of my favourite things about The Almost Wife is its Canadian setting. I get pretty excited when I am reading a story set close to home. While I have not visited Manitoulin Island (yet), the picture Gail Anderson-Dargatz paints of it made me feel as if I was there. I did read this book by a lake, so I enjoyed shutting my eyes and feeling like I was there. While the story does start in Toronto, I loved the small community feel present when Kira and the girls arrive on the island. Reading the author's bio and finding out she once owned a summer home on Manitoulin Island makes the setting feel even more special.
If you're looking for a fast-paced thriller that will keep you guessing, The Almost Wife certainly will keep you on your toes.
Thank you, HarperCollins Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!