Audiobook Review: The Unwanted Wife by Natasha Anders

No one had ever looked at her and seen perfection - until now.

 

Delicate, titian-haired Theresa Noble has met her father’s associates in the past, but the gorgeous, Italian-born Sandro De Lucci leaves her speechless. Eighteen months into their marriage, however, Sandro has turned to ice. Desperate to escape a relationship that has proven to be as stubbornly passionate as it is cold and hateful, Theresa summons up the courage to ask for a divorce. But before he’ll grant her request, Sandro demands something from Theresa: a son.

 

The stalemate sickens her. Never mind that Sandro has yet to introduce Theresa to the large family that means so much to him. Or that Theresa overhears her husband on the phone with a mystery woman. Most damning is that Theresa senses, in Sandro’s treatment of her, the behind-the-scenes machinations of Jackson Noble, her cruel father. From the depths of her anxiety, Theresa must seek an empowering truth about the husband who calls her, with such cold affection, his cara, his beloved.

This book was a bit like a train wreck. I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t.

 

If ever a marriage counselor was needed, it was needed for Sandro and Theresa. That way the line of communication that was severally lacking would have been open and Theresa wouldn’t have spent the entire book whinging worse than a somebody-done-somebody-wrong country song. 

 

Okay, so here’s what’s going on. (I know, I’m probably going to drive people up the wall with this review, but remember, it’s my personal opinion. So, if I offend you, go eat a piece of cake to console yourself.)

 

Jackson Noble, Theresa’s cold-hearted father, offered Sandro a deal he couldn’t refuse: Marry his daughter and produce a son. The first would ensure that Sandro received the property he was after. The second would free him from a marriage he didn’t really want to be in. Okay, let’s not automatically assume that Alessandro’s a pompous arse or the sing the Wanker Song in his honor, there was a valid reason he wanted the property and he thought that Theresa knew the terms of their marriage.

 

Now nearly two years in, a son still hasn’t appeared and Theresa has grown tired of the way Sandro treats her. Apparently, she had heard his post-climax plea for her to give him a son one too many times.

 

While he rocks her world in bed, in daily life, he keeps her at arm’s length, and I guess Theresa has finally decided enough is enough.  Keep in mind, Sandro was never abusive. He just didn’t seem to care. Although what I really want to know—given the derision Sandro felt for Theresa, because he more or less thought she was behind her father’s offer—is how he treated her before they married. I have a feeling that Theresa probably knew what she was in for.

 

Finally, Sandro discovers that Theresa didn’t know the terms of his and her father’s agreement. He also discovers that Theresa’s pregnant. With the secrets finally brought to light, Sandro now realizes that he can let his guard down and let his wife in. Although Theresa isn’t sure she can trust her husband anymore.  Yet Sandro is determined to make her love him once again.

 

If you’re looking for a novel filled with angst and a whole lot of hero groveling, then this is the book for you. While I absolutely wanted to thump Theresa over the head with something hard and tell her to stop whining and do something about it, I loved this book.

 

The writing was engaging and I found that I was quickly pulled into Theresa and Sandro’s life and wanted to know more. Depth and emotion flowed from this book and I thoroughly loved the way the hero was quick to realize he was in the wrong and try his best to make amends for the wrongs he committed.

 

I’m not going to lie. I liked Sandro. He wasn’t afraid to step up and say, ‘hey listen, I was an arse.’ I had a bit of a problem with Theresa and her whinging. I’m not sure if it was because she was naïve or if she just didn’t want to put on her big girl panties and face what needed to be dealt with, but a few times she came off as annoying. I was starting to wonder if someone was going to need to take out an ad on a billboard just so she could finally get what was going on around her. Of course, there were daddy issues from when she was child, (aren’t there always) but come on lady, ask some bleeding bloody questions and get on with it. Don’t just sit there and keep the tissue company in business.

 

Overall, I could not get enough of this book. Angst and a groveling hero, count me in! Natasha Anders has won another fan.  I will most definitely be reading—or listening—to more from this intriguing series.

 

This was an audiobook from Audible, which I listened to on my Kindle. With me, the narrator can make or break a character or a plotline for me. I remember when I read the Swan Thief, I loved the book, although when I listened to the audiobook on a car trip with a friend of mine, I hated the book, especially the main character, because of the annoying narrator.

 

Thankfully, Justine Eyre was a brilliant narrator. She truly brought the book and characters to life. While I had no problems understanding her, I have heard that some listeners had trouble understanding her accent. 

 

 

Written by: Natasha Anders

Narrated by: Justine Eyre 

Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins 

Series: Unwanted, Book 1

Format: Unabridged 

Release Date: 03-25-14 
Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Rating: 4 Cups

 

 

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