Perfection - Julie Metz

Julie Metz has a seemingly perfect life. She's a successful graphic designer, has a beautiful daughter with her husband Henry and a new home in a charming small town. What more could anyone want? Sure, there have been ups and downs with Henry - but what marriage doesn't weather a few storms?

But the unthinkable happens one day - 44 yr old Henry dies....

The grief of losing a husband and your child's father unexpectedly and at such a young age is unimaginable. But what Julie discovers after Henry's death is even more gut wrenching. Henry was not the husband and lover she believed him to be. He had been cheating on her for most of their time together. And the one affair that went on the longest was with a woman she called a friend.

Perfection is an intimate look into a private sorrow. Metz leaves nothing out - I felt as if I were reading her private journal. We are privy to her pain and anguish over losing Henry and her anger and pain as she discovers the lies. She painstakingly pieces together the details of his betrayals - first through emails and then by contacting the women themselves. Remarkably, relationships are created with a few of these women - they too were subject to Henry's deceptions. The last third of the book chronicles Metz's attempts to rebuild and go forward in life. And her success in finally putting the past to bed.

I applaud Julie Metz's  honesty and openness in sharing such a difficult time in her life. I don't agree with everything she did and found some of her decisions questionable - my choices would not have been the same. But it's very easy to judge from the outside looking in. There is no blanket policy for handling grief and anger. I think the writing of Perfection was a catharsis and a way for Julie to put an end to this time of her life. Perfection was a compelling, emotional and addicting read, although at times, I felt a little like a voyeur. But a book I couldn't put down.

Make sure you stop by tomorrow for a Q&A with Julie and a chance to win a copy of Perfection for yourself. Read an excerpt of Perfection. You can find Julie on Facebook  and on Twitter as well.