This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Deborah Lloyd for Readers' Favorite
When American soldier John Morton saved a young Parisian woman, Danièle Foucher, from a threatening barber days after Liberation Day celebrations in 1944, a romance began. John and Danielle (she changed her name to the American version) settled in a duplex in Clearsboro, New Jersey. John started his career as an insurance agent, and Danielle tried to adjust to this different lifestyle and make a few friends. The birth of identical twin daughters, named Monique and Sophie, in the summer of 1952 gave her life purpose. In The Shadow Wife by Gayle Ridinger, the theme of identity is paramount.
As the twin girls struggle with their individual characteristics and goals during school years, their lives become more and more divergent. A few times they switched identities, primarily for fun, but another time for a major test. As young adults, Monique remained single, focused on an academic career in Chicago. Sophie married a radiologist named Matt Gagliardi, part of a large Italian family. They live in a large home and have a sweet little girl named Leslie-Ann. Their marriage, however, is less than ideal – and Monique agrees to help.
This book engages the reader from the first page to the last. The author is an excellent writer, and the story unfolds in captivating ways. The characters are developed fully, and the feelings and motivations of each main character are disclosed, bit by bit. In The Shadow Wife, author Gayle Ridinger presents an intriguing plot, with an unforeseen conclusion. This is an extraordinary read for those who appreciate a deeper understanding of personality and identity formation.
