I’m always in the middle of several books, both physical copies along with audiobooks. Earlier this month, I read The Wife Between Us while I listened to The Last Mrs. Parish on an audiobook. I was actually pretty shocked at how similar the two plots were… I kept confusing storylines, character motives, and it became a bit much until I decided to shelf one for a week or so until I finished the other.
Two Recent Reads with Nearly Identical Plots
I’m pulling the description of each book from GoodReads, as I think the descriptions are a pretty accurate summary.
The Last Mrs. Parish by Liv Constantine
Amber Patterson is fed up. She’s tired of being a nobody: a plain, invisible woman who blends into the background. She deserves more—a life of money and power like the one blond-haired, blue-eyed goddess Daphne Parrish takes for granted. To everyone, Daphne and her husband, Jackson, are a golden couple straight out of a fairy tale.
Amber’s envy could eat her alive–if she didn’t have a plan. Amber uses Daphne’s compassion to insinuate herself into the family’s life, the first step in a meticulous scheme to undermine her. Before long, Amber is Daphne’s closest confidante, and growing closer to Jackson. But soon, her well-laid plan may fall to pieces.
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks
When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.
You will assume you are reading about a jealous wife and her obsession with her replacement.
You will assume you are reading about a woman about to enter a new marriage with the man she loves.
You will assume the first wife was a disaster and that the husband was well rid of her.
You will assume you know the motives, the history, the anatomy of the relationships.
Assume nothing.
OK, so now you have a basic understanding of the two books, they sound like they’re pretty different, right? The two would have a different tone, narrative, and voice. And while that is true, I couldn’t help but marvel at just how similar these two books were… *warning* spoiler alerts below!
SIMILARITIES
- The husbands we’re extremelly wealthy, charismatic, and handsome. Too good to be true! Both were such charming sociopaths that their young brides never suspected anything.
- Their young brides were vulnerable, naive, and of course, gorgeous and blonde. And thin.
- Quickly after the wedding, the husbands true nature revealed itself. Nasty, controlling, manipulative — oh my! The wives are trapped in a life that looks glamorous and wonderful (so much money! and an oh so powerful and successful husband!), yet are held in a prison of their circumstance, totally miserable and looking for an escape.
- Years later, each wife ends up concocting a way out! Finding a new object of their husbands affection in order to escape through means of an affair / divorce. Pass him onto someone else…
- Plot twist! Turns out that each of the new soon-to-be wives was actually the one who was pursing the husband for their own agenda. But little did they know, it only helped expedite the former wives plans.
- Just like the first wives, the soon-to-be wives had no idea that who they were about to marry would be total controlling sociopaths!
- Revenge is served! End book.
I liked them both, but I didn’t love them. They were entertaining enough to finish in under two weeks, but they’re pretty forgettable novels with slightly ridiculous / unrealistic plots. I feel like I won’t be able to tell you much about either of these books by this time next year. I liked The Last Mrs. Parish a bit better, mainly because I thought the writing was tighter and less annoying than it was in The Wife Between Us. The main narrator in The Wife Between Us was just awful, I didn’t enjoy her at all.