Review by Moray_001 -- The Surgeon's Wife

[Moray_001]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Surgeon's Wife" by William H. Coles.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The Surgeon’s Wife is written by William H. Coles. It is a novel that is focused on two surgeons, who appear to be unfulfilled in their relationships. Clayton is an impaired surgeon whose methods are putting patients at risk, while Mike is a surgeon, who was mentored by Clayton but finds himself in a position where he has to correct his mentor’s mistakes.

This puts a strain on their friendship, especially when Mike’s girlfriend, Rosie, breaks up with him because she feels he doesn’t love her the way she loves him. She forms a friendship with Clayton’s young wife, Catherine. However, Catherine and Mike grow close and eventually start dating, this action completely destroys her marriage with Clayton and brings her closer to starting a new phase of her life with Mike.

While reading this novel, I observed the age gap between Catherine and Clayton. I thought it might have contributed to the distance between them in their marriage. Also, Clayton’s dedication to his job was understandable as a surgeon but it put a strain on their relationship.

I was pleased at the fact that Melissa, Catherine and Clayton’s daughter, had a father figure to look up to despite being a troubled child. However, her actions taught me the extent to which a child could seek comfort in the arms of strangers when he or she isn’t in a functional home. I like the way the author portrayed realistic characters that had their own flaws and shortcomings. No one was perfect and that is true of human nature. The novel was also well-edited and had only a couple of errors.

The only aspect of the story I didn’t like is the clandestine affair between Mike and Catherine. It was unethical and wrong in so many ways. It eventually led to more than either of them bargained for and I feel they would’ve been better off going about their attraction in a different way that wouldn’t have led to such great consequences. There were a few aspects that left me confused, especially after the birth of Mary Beth.

I rate this story 3 out of 4 stars. I would recommend it to those in the medical field, people in relationships and even teenagers who may feel out of place in their own homes. There are lessons to be learned from the characters and I feel readers can get some insight into the human behaviour and the emotions that drive our actions. However, for those who love fast-paced action novels, this book is perhaps not the best fit.

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The Surgeon's Wife
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