The Quickie by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge is about Lauren, a wife caught in the spiderweb of lies of his almost perfect husband.

One accidental discovery led to a one-night stand. And murder. One wrong choice brought forth lies, crimes, and head-spinning revelations.

How far will you go for the person you love? And what if, in the process of saving him, you find yourself unmasking a scary stranger you promised to love and to hold for richer, for poorer, 'til death do you part?

The Quickie By James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge Book Review

Rant and review (You've been warned)

SPOILER ALERT!

You know that feeling when you see a glaring red sign DANGER, but instead of turning around, you rush into it head-on?

I feel like that's how Lauren, the main character in this book, feels. 

How can you turn around and walk away when every flip of the page, every turn of events, is an unveiling? That your married life has been nothing but a big fat lie?

Men.

Oh, men.

Men who are cheaters, accomplished liars, two-faced monsters. Not the giant hairy monster that will get you running the other way when you see them.

But monsters with beaming gorgeous smiles and dimples in well-pressed suits.

I can forgive a mistake when it's all in the past when I'm not in the picture yet.

But cheating while we're together, albeit in a messy situation, is unforgivable. 

One wrong step, one stupid decision on a wild night because of lust, alcohol, and misery may be a misstep. But if you keep doing it and living in it, that's not a mistake anymore. That's a choice.

A deliberate decision to plunge the knife into my heart again and again and again.

There you are, walking through our door every night like a good husband and responsible citizen.

Walking inside a different home in another city on another day. Acting like the perfect husband and doting father to your bastard. While we're still together. Legally, imperfectly happily married.

How can you look at yourself in the mirror?

Calling that child an accident is another freaking layer of this beautiful wrapper to this fantastic gift that is the truth.

So did you trip and fall on the woman, and then boom! You find yourselves naked with your plonker inside her warm cave? How convenient! Some magic that could put David Blaine to shame.

Cheaters got me riled up. 

I can only imagine how this wife feels. 

After saving her husband's ass by covering his tracks repeatedly, risking her career and her life only to find out he's the devil's pawn driving a Ferrari in his parallel life.

And him telling her it's all for the child's sake. It's a picture of a happy family they're trying to paint for the daughter. He and the woman have long been over. Only to find a sonogram of twins in his pocket.

It's like being sucker punched.

Ah, the perfect family that we never will be.

When is the lie going to end? When will you stop insulting my intelligence?

How nice of you to be making your dreams come true while we're struggling for years to build our own family.

How are you going to digest all that? In one sitting? Because I finished the book in one day.

It's a real page-turner.

My heart is still pounding, and my blood pressure is still high while writing this review.

My heart breaks to a thousand pieces for the wife. And my heart boils for the lying, cheating sonofabitch husband she has.

It's like watching Ally McBeal discover the truth about Billy moving to Chicago and ending their decades of relationship again.

It's like watching Rachel break up with Ross over a quickie afresh.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I give five blinding shining stars because James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge made me feel things I didn't want to in this novel.

Dread. 

Fear. 

Confusion. 

Loathing. 

The gut-wrenching, soul-crashing pain of betrayal. 

Rage. 

A whole lot of rage.

It forced me to look at the hideous face of infidelity, which I never wanted to see.

What I like about The Quickie by James Patterson

• It will get you hooked at the get-go.
• Happy ending for Lauren.
• A clean slate for the people involved.
• Justice. Not the one it deserves, in my opinion, but justice all the same.
• Made me thankful I married a faithful man.
• I didn't like the ugly emotions this book evoked in me, but that's what an excellent, compelling book does! It disturbs you and makes you want to scream in anger and frustration.

I do love a happy ending. I'm glad that loose ends were tied in the story. At least for the time being. 

Because you know what they say. The truth always comes out.

Unfortunately for Lauren, it did. 

The truth about what kind of man he married.

And he didn't even have the balls or the decency to give her all the truth she deserved to hear.

Evil up to the very end.

What I don't like

I hate, loathe, despise, abhor - and insert all synonyms that apply - cheaters. Especially those who don't own up to their mistakes. And have the gall to point the fingers at you. Infidelity rubs me the wrong way because I'm a wife myself. I can't imagine what I'll do or feel if I were in that situation. 

It will take me a while to process the betrayal. 

The world Lauren crumbled down just when she thought everything would be alright. More than alright. Picture perfect.

It's like finding your favorite toy on the far-off shelf after scouting store after store, and then suddenly, someone grabs it and breaks it into pieces right in front of you.

That's how I felt when the puzzle pieces kept falling into place. 

As Lauren followed her too-good-to-be-true, doting, loving, perfect husband. Knocking at his other beautiful home's door, looking at his glowing face in the photographs like the ideal husband and father he is to these strangers he also calls his family.

Watching him glow with pride and happiness as he plays the good old daddy paying a visit from his hectic work schedule.

Lie after lie. My heart is being smashed as I turn every page.

Will I recommend it?

Absolutely! Especially to those who enjoy crime or cop novels or stories that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

WARNING: If you don't want to be stressed out by lying husbands, don't read this book!

I didn't expect it to affect me this way, but here we are.

Final thoughts

I'm happy that Lauren got her chance to a new beginning. Lying husband-free.

I'll get to that happy place soon. 

It's difficult for an emotionally involved reader like me to move on after this traumatizing roller coaster journey. 

But I'll get there. Not as quickly as the quickie that started this all out. But soon enough. 

What book has stirred your emotions?