When Colm and Shauna meet, it’s the proverbial case of love at first sight which leads to an intense romance and whirlwind wedding. Although Colm has been married before, Shauna is immediately accepted by his twin boys and welcomed into the family. Yet life has a habit of creeping up on us all and throwing events into the mix which can threaten even the most perfect relationship. As the couple’s once fairy tale marriage begins to show cracks, Shauna discovers that Colm has committed the ultimate betrayal: sleeping with someone else. Can Colm and Shauna mend their marriage or will the infidelity become an issue too large to circumvent?
This was a beautiful book: well plotted and offset with a strong array of characters. The author relates the story of Colm and Shauna through their alternate viewpoints between past and present to enable the reader to learn their history and how they find themselves in their present circumstances. Although it is essentially a love story, the author deals with myriad themes which couples face: the pressures of work and careers, extended families, children, the demands of marriage and I think a lot of readers will identify with them. Colm and Shauna are really likeable characters and you find yourself really rooting for them. A highly emotional and intelligent read, by turns funny and sad, this is a well-written story with a cast of strong characters. Definitely one to savour. (LP)
The Story of Our Life, by Shari Low, is a bittersweet story about marriage. The summary says: "So what would you do if your husband slept with another woman?
Colm strolled into my life fifteen years ago. If there's ever such a thing as love at first sight, that was it for us both. A few weeks later we married, celebrating with those who cared, ignoring the raised eyebrows of the cynics. We knew better. This was going to be forever. The dream come true. The happy ever after.
Until it wasn't. Because a couple of months ago everything changed. We discovered a devastating truth, one that blew away our future and forced us to revisit our past, to test the bonds that were perhaps more fragile than they seemed.
So now I ask you again, what would you do if your husband slept with another woman? Because this is what I did.
I'm Shauna. And this is the Story of Our Life..." The Story of Our Life is out in July 2016.