Phew, that is a stunning cover! After reading the summary, I was so excited to receive this ARC and couldn't wait to dive in.
From Goodreads: All it takes is one lie for the best-laid plans to go awry.
After decades of pushing away traumatic memories from childhood, Colette De Luca is ready to start a family of her own. It’ll be healthy, a wish come true, with a man she believes is the love of her life. Thankfully, she thought ahead when she was younger and froze her eggs for this very moment.
Greta O’Brien, a wealthy hedge-fund manager, is forced to confront the making of her own family when tragedy strikes her twin teenage sons. As she debates whether to confess a betrayal to her husband, the ripple effects of the family’s devastating circumstances begin to spread far beyond their home.
These two women, hopeful, disillusioned, and desperate, are on an emotional decades-long journey to motherhood by any means necessary. Strangers whose lives explode in the wake of a shocking event—and converge in more ways than one—Colette and Greta are forced to face the twists of fate and the choices they’ve made.
Simply put: I loved this book.
Both Greta and Colette's voices are engaging in different but equally-riveting ways. I wouldn't go so far to say that they are likeable characters, but I am a sucker for unlikeable and found them incredibly realistic and relatable. From childhood traumas to relationship pressures to larger picture questions of morality and redemption, An Imperfect Plan tackles these tricky areas with raw honesty and never shies away from revealing the darkness underneath. And with this unveiling, the reader is asked to reflect on their own choices and judgments, something I see spurring deep and meaningful conversations.
Crossing decades can be a tricky feat to accomplish, but the time passage was also handled well, clearly setting up the lives of these women and how they were inextricably woven together through the years. So similar, yet so different. I loved the dichotomy, seeing how each milestone was marked, and how their lives inevitably collided.
Overall, An Imperfect Plan is a brutal, heart-wrenching read that isn't afraid to tackle real issues with grace and empathy. An absolute must-read on your 2022 TBR.
Big thanks to Lake Union (and the authors) and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.