If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins

Title: If You Only Knew
Author: Kristan Higgins
Publisher: Harlequin Australia - MIRA
Date of Publication: September 1st 2015
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley.

Synopsis

Letting go of her ex-husband is harder than wedding-dress designer Jenny Tate expected…especially since his new wife wants to be Jenny’s new best friend. Sensing this isn’t exactly helping her achieve closure, Jenny trades the Manhattan skyline for her hometown up the Hudson, where she’ll start her own business and bask in her sister Rachel’s picture-perfect family life…and maybe even find a little romance of her own with Leo, her downstairs neighbour, a guy who’s utterly irresistible and annoyingly distant at the same time.

 Rachel’s idyllic marriage, however, is imploding after she discovers her husband sexting with a colleague. She always thought she’d walk away in this situation, but her triplet daughters have her reconsidering her stance on adultery, much to Jenny’s surprise. Rachel points to their parents’ perfect marriage as a shining example of patience and forgiveness; but to protect her sister, Jenny may have to tarnish that memory — and their relationship — and reveal a family secret she’s been keeping since childhood. Both Rachel and Jenny will have to come to terms with the past and the present, and find a way to get what they want most of all.

Review

Jenny moves into a lovely rented property and is instantly attracted to the handsome, but cranky, super Leo. The attraction is mutual, but Leo warns her he is for recreational purposes only - no getting attached. Inevitably, Jenny does get attached, but there's a very real reason for Leo's warning. At the same time she's trying to establish her bespoke bridal wear business in this new location, and deal with the fact that her ex husband, who didn't want children, is now having a baby with his new wife. And they both want to be her best friend.

Jenny's sister Rachel is thrilled to have her back, but she's having issues of her own. Her seemingly perfect marriage is on the rocks and she has to choose between forgiving her husband's indiscretions, or starting over with three young children.

I was expecting some light fluff from If You Only Knew, but it delivered much more than that. It explored grief and fidelity and family relationships and was actually very moving. I found myself crying through the last couple of chapters. 

Jenny and Leo had real chemistry and I was dying for them to get together and for him to sort out whatever it was he had going on so he could realise he wanted to be with Jenny too. And I'm a sucker for a musician, especially a pianist. Yum.

Better than average chicklit and I really enjoyed it.