Review: 'The Divorce' by Freida McFadden

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Every reader has their guilty pleasures—authors they turn to for a quick escape, even if they know the stories may not be literary masterpieces. For me, that author is Freida McFadden, the pen name of Sara Cohen. I've read four of her books so far, and without fail, I snatch up every new release, promising myself that I'll read them all eventually. This brings us to her latest thriller, The Divorce ^[*], published by Poisoned Pen Press. I picked it up on release day, not intending to read it right away; it was destined for my Freida McFadden shelf, collecting dust for the foreseeable future. However, boredom struck the following night, and I found myself opening the book. Three-quarters in, and I was hooked, finishing it off the next day. Was it a page-turner? Well, that depends on your definition. I was never bored.

The protagonist, Naomi, wasn’t relatable, but her story was undeniably intriguing. I found myself eager to uncover what would happen next. And true to McFadden’s style, the characters rarely are who they seem. The twists and turns, designed to shock the reader, are part of the ride, but I anticipated one of them. Predictable? Absolutely. Yet, that didn’t ruin the fun; the unraveling mystery was a thrill in itself.

So, what is The Divorce about? At its core, it follows Naomi, who once lived a fairy tale: a whirlwind romance, marriage, a beautiful home, and the promise of a happy family. But then, the dream shatters—her husband, Jeremy, ejects her from their life, hires a top-notch divorce attorney, drains their bank accounts, and promptly replaces her with a much younger woman. It’s a gut-wrenching conclusion, one that leaves Naomi shattered. The conventional path would be to accept defeat, wallow in a shabby apartment, find a job, and try to pick up the pieces. But Naomi refuses to bow down.

Instead, she becomes fixated on her husband’s new girlfriend. What begins as a cynical curiosity spiral into obsession and ultimately unravels into something much darker. As Naomi digs deeper, she uncovers secrets that put her own life on the line. But if it means preserving the façade of her perfect family, what’s the cost?

Let’s be clear: The Divorce won’t win any literary awards. McFadden relies heavily on her familiar formula featuring multi-point-of-view narratives. I’ve never been a huge fan of shifting perspectives, but in McFadden’s hands, it enhances the unfolding twists. Whether you appreciate the surprises or roll your eyes at them is a matter of personal taste. Some readers will savor the ride, while others may scoff and question their choices before tossing the book aside.

While Freida McFadden is my guilty pleasure, I won’t pretend her work stands on high ground. It’s thrilling, engaging, and, yes, a little trashy—but that's part of its charm. The writing itself is fluff; dialogue sparkles at times but can also fall flat, evoking the feeling of a melodramatic Lifetime movie. The characters—Naomi included—often come off as wooden, outrageous, and sometimes shockingly foolish, leaving me wondering how I had invested time in them.

Admittedly, I’m a bit of an oddball and perhaps an even stranger reader. But despite its predictable flaws, I enjoyed The Divorce ^[*]. It may be flawed, but it’s entertaining, and that counts for something in this world of literary pretension. ╌★★★★✰

〜B.J. Burgess