An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

The second offering from Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen is in the same vein as the first. There’s some mind-bending deception, a couple of twists here and there, and a satisfying conclusion. Jess, a twenty-something makeup artist, fakes her way into a morality study to make a little side-cash, only to have the study make more demands of her than she signed up for. The puppet-master, Dr. Lydia Shields, has an ax to grind and Jess becomes her blade. An Anonymous Girl lacks the “I never saw that coming” twist that was the highlight of The Wife Between Us (you can quickly guess where this storyline is going), but it’s an enjoyable ride there. My only beef is the tone that Dr. Shields was written in as she observes Jess (You fiddle with your hair, you hesitate before you answer this question, etc. [not verbatim]). It almost made me stop reading the book. But if you get past that hurdle the rest is worth it.

The Ever After by Sarah Pekkanen

Josie finds out that her husband, Frank, is having an affair. This story could go so many ways, but Sarah Pekkanen tees it up for a reconciliation right from the start. They didn’t actually sleep together. It was only a couple of times. He’s so sorry. He is a five-star human, going to church and volunteering at a homeless shelter. He’ll be her punching bag forever as long as she takes him back. By the end of the book, Josie starts to look like the “bad guy” because she used to go to bed early to avoid hanging out or having sex with Frank! The other example of an “affair” is equally weird, with Josie’s best friend admitting that another guy kissed her once. Huh? That’s not an affair people! There are some funny moments about motherhood tucked in between (Josie notes that she can easily fill up a half hour chit chatting about nothing with an acquaintance so as to avoid talking about her separation) and you’ll feel happy for them all at the predictable conclusion. 

The Copenhagen Affair by Amulya Malladi

After a lifetime working in the corporate world as an overlooked minority woman, when Sanya finally gets the promotion she deserves, she loses it. Completely. First she can’t stop laughing, then crying, then she says nothing at all, hiding out in her bed for almost a year. Her husband, Harry, has a business opportunity in Copenhagen, but is also looking for a way to bring his formally cheerful and productive wife back, and he convinces Sanya to go with him. The new setting and different kinds of people she meets slowly bring Sanya out of her shell, but in an I-don’t-give-a-f$$k kind of way. The results are hilarious. As she mingles with Danish high society, she tells them what she thinks, and/or refuses to play their games, and you’ll want to take a bit of her spirit with you at the end. 

The rest of the plot includes some shady business dealings, propositions between married people, and a tall, dark and handsome stranger who seems to be the only one who understands what Sanya is going through. Harry, meanwhile, sees his marriage falling apart, and fights to bring Sanya back not just from depression but to their marriage. All in all a highly entertaining read, and worth it alone for setting. Come for the scenery and stay for the story.