Book Review: Evidence Of The Affair by Taylor Jenkins Reid

 “Often, I feel overwhelmed by this sinking feeling in my heart that I will never be enough.”

― Taylor Jenkins Reid, Evidence of the Affair

Taylor Jenkins Reid's short tale explores the effects of an extramarital relationship. Evidence of the Affair was published in 2018 as an Amazon Original Story. A written correspondence between the wife and husband, whose spouses are having an affair with one another, starts in 1976. Evidence of the Affair examines the complicated nature of the heart through the letters of two consoling strangers and two secret lovers. 

Synopsis from Goodreads...

A desperate young woman in Southern California sits down to write a letter to a man she’s never met—a choice that will forever change both their lives.

My heart goes out to you, David. Even though I do not know you…

The correspondence between Carrie Allsop and David Mayer reveals, piece by piece, the painful details of a devastating affair between their spouses. With each commiserating scratch of the pen, they confess their fears and bare their souls. They share the bewilderment over how things went so wrong and come to wonder where to go from here.

My reaction to the novel...

This book is unquestionably quite brief. It just took me around 15 to 20 minutes to read it. It was really simple, but yet incredibly upsetting. This was something I had been meaning to read for a while. I haven't read anything by Taylor Jenkins Reid before, but it definitely won't be the last. The plot was engaging with realistic and multifaceted characters and the resolution that will shock any readers. It's incredible how the author tells the story, how we learn about various events from various perspectives, and how the plot develops through time.

Actually, I kind of knew what would happen, but the ending was so shocking and the story was so brief that I felt I needed to know more. What happens next to the main characters piques my curiosity. For me, that wasn't really enough. This novel has me completely engrossed. The characters haven't left my mind, and I'm eager to see more of them. It evokes every feeling and will undoubtedly transport you. Without giving away any twists in the story, I can't go into too much detail.

This book, in my opinion, really discusses love and how imperfect it sometimes is. Love may be confusing, ugly, and difficult to achieve on a daily basis. It can also be filled with forgiveness at times. Additionally, I feel this book does a pretty good job of highlighting how simple it is for individuals to criticize the relationships of others without showing any empathy to them.

Despite the fact that this story deals with some really delicate subjects, I truly enjoyed it. I was astonished, and I'll read whatever the author publishes in future. She certainly deserves to be listed as one of my favorite modern writers, and I believe she is doing some pretty original things with her work. Without a doubt, I'll suggest this short story to all readers. It is excellent and well worth your time to read.

My Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨(4.5/5)

“It seems as if you see me exactly as I wish to be seen. There is no greater gift than that.”

People seek affection and attention. Most of the time, people act with the expectation that the other person would do the same for them or will at least be aware of their nice deeds. They yearned for recognition and grandeur, therefore they are making every effort to live up to the expectations of the person or people they desire attention from.

“I guess I find it pretty easy to look like nothing is happening when everything has changed.”

Even when it hurts, it's simple to act foolish and reject what you have seen or learned. Because it is really difficult to accept that everything changes except for you and that you cannot go back to the pleasant and loving moments in your life.