Review: A Woman of Fortune by Kellie Coates Gilbert

June 2, 2014

Title: A Woman of Forutne
Author: Kellie Coates Gilbert
Publisher: Revell
Pages: 336
ISBN: 978-0-8007-2272-2
Publication Date: June 3rd, 2014

Synopsis:
Texas socialite Claire Massey is living the dream. Her world is filled with designer clothes, luxury cars, and stunning homes. But her Neiman-Marcus lifestyle comes crashing down when her charming cattle broker husband is arrested for fraud. Suddenly, she finds herself facing attorneys, a media frenzy, and a trail of broken hearts. Betrayed and humiliated, Claire must start over against incredible odds to save her family--and discover a life worth living.

Poignant and emotionally gripping, A Woman of Fortune reveals the many ways we deceive ourselves and how resilience of the heart is essential to authentic living. Drawing on her experiences as a legal investigator, author Kellie Coates Gilbert delivers emotionally gripping plots and authentic characters. Readers will love Claire's unbending determination as she strives to keep her family from falling apart and learns to embrace the kind of fortune that lasts.
Review:
I was intrigued by this book right off the bat. It is set in Texas. Generally, that's all I need to hear to want to read a book. I mean really, Texas is just an amazing state.

I also was interested in the the idea of the story. I remember Enron and the Berny Madoff scandals. I always did wonder about the families. The ring leaders of these scams are hated with such a passion, you can't help but wonder if their families didn't help with such schemes, because of the amount of money laundered. A Woman of Fortune offered a look into a families life when the lies finally catch up.

Kellie's background as an investigator enhanced this story. The knowledge of the workings and reactions is great. The anger, resentment, the hurt are written by one who has knowledge of it all, it really shows in how the characters act and what they say. I enjoyed that immensely about this story. There is so much more that goes on then what the press writes about.

Having been born in raised in Texas, especially in the general area that the story is set in, I noticed one of my pet peeves pop up. It's the over abundance of the Texas culture. It saturated the story. It took away from the enjoyment a bit for me. Just as I was getting drawn in to the, "Oh, my goodness, did that really happen, wow!" moments, the exaggerated Texas moment would pop up and push me back a little bit.

I will say, that is from battling people my whole life and dealing with Yankees who assume that we ride horse and have no grass or trees, (yes, people have looked at me with disbelief when I burst their bubbles), but back to the story....

I loved how this story unfolded with the new information that was presented and how Claire dealt with each blow that hurt her and her family more. When life seems to fall apart in an instant, you are set in the stages of loss and grief, and Claire showed how hard it is to deal with, especially when it comes out of the blue. The damage to the family, the personal heartache, and the physical pain are all present and the different ways to cope.

The story really draws you in and makes you wonder what will happen next. It also shows how one person can affect so many lives.

3 out of 5

About the Author:
Kellie Coates Gilbert is a former legal investigator and trial paralegal who investigated the largest cattle fraud case in US history. Her legal experience gives her an insider's view into how people react under pressure. Gilbert explores the complexity of relationships in her emotionally charged stories about women in life-changing circumstances. The author of Mother of Pearl, she currently lives in Dallas, Texas, with her husband. Learn more at www.kelliecoatesgilbert.com.







Thank you to the Revell Blog Tour Program, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

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