Perfection: A Memoir of Betrayal and Renewal by Julie Metz

Flap copy from ARC:
"Every wife's worst nightmare.

In the aftermath of her husband's death, one woman discovers her life has been a lie.

Julie Metz seemed to have the perfect life- an adoring if demanding husband, a happy, spirited daughter, a lovely old house in an idyllic town outside New York City- when in an instant, everything changed. Her charismatic, charming husband Henry suffered a pulmonary embolism and collapsed on the kitchen floor. Within hours he was dead, and Julie was a widow and single mother at forty-four. Just like that, what had seemed like a perfect life melted away. But the worst was yet to come.

Six months after his death, Julie discovered that her husband of twelve years, the man who loved her and their six-year-old daughter ebulliently and devotedly, had been unfaithful throughout their marriage, going so far as to conduct an ongoing relationship with one of Julie's close friends.

This memoir...is the story of coming to terms with painful truths, of rebuilding both a life and an identity after betrayal and widowhood. Ultimately, it is a story of rebirth and happiness- if not perfection."

This memoir of a grieving widow forced to reassess every aspect of her marriage in light of revelations of her husband's infidelities is both raw and moving. Metz pulls the reader into her feelings of loss and confusion as evidence of multiple betrayals mount. As Metz delves into the stark realities of her marriage, she is honest that there were signs that she missed, opportunities to invstigate that she ignored in favor of maintaining the fiction of the perfect marriage. In the end, she is more forgiving that I suspect I could be under similar circumstances. Despite the awkwardness of certain chapters (such as Metz's reentry into the wonderful world of dating), I couldn't help but root for her and her journey to rediscover the self that had been savaged by her husband's actions. A great read, highly recommended especially for anyone who has dealt with the issue of infidelity.