The Mistress's Revenge by Tamar Cohen

Paperback, 224 pages

Fatal Attraction set in the era of Facebook: fiery, passionate, engrossing, unsettling, manipulative, and graphic...a debut novel written as one woman’s letter to the married man who has just dumped her—upon whom she exacts a teriffic revenge.

Expected publication: June 7th 2011 by Free Press

The "Mistress" begins a journal when her therapist  encourages her to write down her feelings after a traumatic break up with her married lover.  This book becomes a one sided conversation by the Mistress with her ex-lover.  It is an account of what she does to the ex-lover and what she is thinking as she carries out her plans to get him back.  

As the book continues, the Mistress becomes more and more obsessed with her ex-lover and his family.  She is bold and unrelenting in her pursuit of this married man.

We all know a woman that has been through a similar break up.  However, as book progressed, this mistress went beyond any resemblance to my friends.  She dives head first into mental illness.   Her only goal is to get this man back in her life.  She is willing to sacrifice anything, including her relationship with her children and their Father.  

At the mid-point in the book I became a bit uncomfortable.  It was like watching a car crash.  You really don't want to see it, but you can't make yourself look away.  So, I kept reading....

I will admit that I had to re-read the last few pages.  I was so sure that I knew what would happen, that I was surprised by the ending.  

I found this book easy to read.  It flowed well and the writing style was very "reader friendly".  It really was like reading someone's diary.  The middle of the book seemed to drag just a bit, but the paced picked up again near the end.  

While I didn't hate the book, I didn't love it either.  I have been trying to pinpoint the reason why for the last week.  I think it is because I never really felt empathy for any of the characters.  I just didn't relate to them or have any kind of connection with them.  It is entirely possible that someone who has been involved with a similar situation would feel differently.

Thanks to Free press at Simon and Schuster for proving me with an advance copy and the opportunity to review The Mistress's Revenge by Tamar Cohen.