The English Wife by Adrienne Chinn (Review by Lara Ferguson)

Rating: 4/5

The war is over and Ellie Burgess and her young son, bravely head a world away from her native England to Newfoundland, to meet her husband, a man she hardly knows and thought dead. She leaves the comfort of her family and home for a rural life for which she is hardly prepared. But she loves her husband and is determined to honor her commitment.

In another time, Sophie Perry is headed for an interview for her dream job, when her plane is diverted to Newfoundland after tragedy strikes on September 11, 2001. In a twist of fate that only real life can deliver, Sophie ends up stranded in the town where her aunt Ellie has fought for and made her life. Ten years later, Sophie finds herself back in her aunt’s town, having constructed her dream life, with an unpopular business proposal for the town, and a host of questions about her family for her Aunt Ellie.

The tale that follows is one of discovery, betrayal, family, and love. Family secrets and connections draw the reader in with a tempered release of plot and character development that insists the book not be put down. In the end, Sophie has a choice. Will she continue to pursue the life she has worked so hard for, or will she listen to the voice inside that might be encouraging her to take a harder look at what really constitutes happiness. Does she know herself well enough to make the right decision?