Review: The Good Woman by Jane Porter

Title: The Good Woman Author: Jane Porter Publication Date: September 4, 2012
Synopsis:
The firstborn of a large Irish-American family, Meg Brennan Roberts is a successful publicist, faithful wife, and doting mother who prides herself on always making the right decisions. But years of being “the good woman” have taken a toll and though her winery career thrives, Meg feels burned out and empty, and more disconnected than ever from her increasingly distant husband. Lonely and disheartened, she attends the London Wine Fair with her boss, ruggedly handsome vintner, Chad Hallahan. It’s here, alone together in an exotic city, far from “real” life, that Chad confesses his long-standing desire for Meg.

Overwhelmed, flattered, and desperately confused, Meg returns home, only to suddenly question every choice she’s ever made, especially that of her marriage. For Meg, something’s got to give, and for once in her life she flees her responsibilities—but with consequences as reckless and irreversible as they are liberating. Now she must decide whether being the person everyone needs is worth losing the woman she was meant to be.

~My Thoughts~

The Good Woman is the story of Meg Brennan Roberts, a forty-something-year-old married woman with three children. She works as a publicist for a successful winery and attends as many baseball games, dance recitals and horse back riding lessons as she can. But something is missing. Meg is becoming depressed and is feeling alone and neglected by her husband, Jack. When she travels to London for work, Meg's boss, Chad, takes this opportunity to let her know how he feels about her. This couldn't come at a worse time. Meg is confused and conflicted. Could she really risk losing her family just for the chance to feel wanted?
As if this isn't enough, Meg has a large family with their own problems. Her mother is sick and her sisters are all struggling in their own ways. Meg has always been the strong one, the good one, the perfect one. The choices she makes will not only affect her husband and children, but the entire family will be caught up in the storm.

Jane Porter is a brilliant storyteller. This is my first time reading one of her books but I can promise you that it won't be the last. In fact, I am anxiously awaiting the release of The Good Daughter in February, the second book in The Brennan Sisters trilogy. Even though this book was over three hundred pages, it felt as if it was only one hundred. It was incredibly easy to read and it sucked you in for hours before you even realized how much time has gone by.
I'm glad this series started with Meg, the oldest of the Brennan sisters. Her story is one that just about every woman can relate to, especially if you have been married for a long time. Meg has three children between the ages of ten and sixteen, all of which have their passions. Meg works very hard at her job in a winery, yet still comes home every day to make sure each child makes it to their activity. Even with babysitters helping out, she is exhausted. Jack, her husband, doesn't help out nearly enough when it comes to the house or children and Meg is burning out quickly. If that isn't enough, Jack doesn't seem very interested in Meg at all lately, even at night when she tries to start something physical. 
I found Meg to be very authentic and I quite liked her. She is trying to juggle work, kids and a large family into her hectic schedule. She doesn't get much help and she is embarrassed to tell her husband that she feels ignored. I could fully understand and sympathized  with her. I think anyone who is trying to do too much with little help is bound to break eventually. 
Aside from Meg, the other family members felt just as real. Each sister had their own personality and life situations that were not far fetched. There is a lot going on in this book, but it never felt like too much. In fact, it just served to drive home the fact that this family could actually exist. No family is perfect, but the way you chose to interact with one another is crucial. The Brennans are a unique clan, yet so much like every other family. 
The only concern I had going into this book was the sexual aspect. I know Jane Porter is a romance author, and I wasn't sure how graphic this book was going to be. I don't usually read romance books, I prefer to not have any details when it comes to character's sexual encounters at all. But Jane handled it tastefully and I was not bothered by any of the romance scenes. 
The relationship between sisters is always a complex one. Sometimes the bond is close and sometimes there is barely a bond at all. Porter does an insanely good job capturing the real side of life within a large family, as well as married life. Her characters are genuine and believable, their actions relatable and real. 

I can't praise this book enough. If you love Chick Lit, family drama or are just looking for something to help you forget about your own struggles and to suck you in completely, this is the book for you. 

For more about Jane Porter and The Good Woman, visit her website here.


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*I received this book for free in exchange of my honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way and all views and opinions expressed are 100% my own.