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The Pretend Wife  By  cover art

The Pretend Wife

By: Bridget Asher
Narrated by: Carrington MacDuffie
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Publisher's summary

For Gwen Merchant, love has always been doled out in little packets - from her father, who buried himself in work after her mother's death, and from her husband, Peter, who's always been respectable and safe. But then an old college boyfriend, the irrepressible Elliot Hull, invites himself back into Gwen's life with a surprising proposition.

Elliot, it turns out, is in need of a pretend wife, just for the weekend, in order to fulfill his dying mother's last wish. But as Gwen finds herself drawn into Elliot's quirky, wonderful family - and uncovers a few secrets about her own - she begins to question everything she has believed about love.

©2009 Julianna Baggott (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Asher brings an abundance of warmth and wisdom to this tale of lost-and-found love." ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about The Pretend Wife

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

easy listen

is ok not one of those run out and buy but ok. made a fast trip to houston and back and it kept me busy. if you want easy fast and not to deep this is what you need. hope there is not a second one don't think i could stay awake for it.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Sleepy

Would you try another book from Bridget Asher and/or Carrington MacDuffie?

Carrington MacDuffie's voice droned on so slowly, I actually had to put my iPod on double-time just to get through the rambling internal debates and baggage the main character was struggling with. I would avoid future books with her narrating.

What aspect of Carrington MacDuffie’s performance would you have changed?

Be alive! She sounded like Ben Stein at times!

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Irritation. I loathe books where you're supposed to sympathize with the protagonist for being an adulterer. I feel like the author "bailed out" the protagonist; for some reason when the protagonist discovers that her husband "cheated first" her indiscretions were all justified and she becomes the victim. Wtf. Seriously.

Any additional comments?

Try "The Undomestic Goddess" if you want a fun bait-and-switch story.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Yawn

This book sounded good but it just goes on and on and on. I'm going to stick it out; but, I'm afraid it will never end.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • S
  • 06-25-09

this book is nonsense. don't bother

Lacks an actual story--just an annoying woman who basically lives in her head and makes me want to stab a fork in my eye to end the misery. I'm 3 hours in and just can't finish. I'm giving up. I want a refund.

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19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars
  • D.
  • 02-19-23

Going No Where

The narrator was OK. The story was going no where. I even read the summary thinking I'd be inspired, it didn't help. I'm sure other readers might enjoy the story but it wasn't for me. It's fair to say I lost money on this purchase.

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