Get Your Free Audiobook
-
A Beautiful, Terrible Thing
- A Memoir of Marriage and Betrayal
- Narrated by: Jen Waite
- Length: 6 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Health & Wellness, Psychology & Mental Health
Add to basket failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from Wish List failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Listen with a free trial
Buy Now for $20.83
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
People who bought this also bought...
-
The Stepchild
- By: Nicole Trope
- Narrated by: Taryn Ryan
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s the phone call every mother dreads. I’m climbing into the car after a trip to the grocery store. As the engine starts, my phone rings. It’s my stepdaughter, Shelby, who is babysitting my three-year-old Millie. "I only went upstairs for a second," she says through her sobs. "She’s gone." When the police turn up, Shelby’s story starts to unravel. What is she hiding? Then I get a message saying, "Your husband is not who you think he is." Suddenly, my family feel like strangers. Everyone has a secret - even me.
-
The Couple Next Door
- By: Shari Lapena
- Narrated by: Kirsten Potter
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
People are capable of almost anything. Fast-paced and addictive, The Couple Next Door announces a major new talent in thriller writing. You never know what's happening on the other side of the wall. Your neighbour told you that she didn't want your six-month-old daughter at the dinner party. Nothing personal, she just couldn't stand her crying. Your husband said it would be fine. After all, you live only next door. You'll have the baby monitor, and you'll take it in turns to go back every half hour.
-
-
Predictable and implausible
- By Fiona on 27-12-2016
-
I Survived
- I Married a Charming Man. Then He Tried to Kill Me. A True Story.
- By: Victoria Cilliers
- Narrated by: Sophie Roberts
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On Easter Sunday 2015, experienced skydiver Victoria Cilliers undertook a parachute jump, a gift from her husband, British Army Sergeant Emile Cilliers. Her parachutes failed to open and she plummeted 4,000 feet to the ground, sustaining life-threatening injuries. Miraculously, she survived. Then the police arrived at her door. Someone had tampered with her parachute, and they suspected Emile.
-
-
I couldn’t stop listening
- By Anonymous User on 26-04-2022
-
The Mother
- By: Jane Caro
- Narrated by: Jessica Douglas-Henry
- Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Recently widowed, Miriam Duffy is a respectable North Shore real estate agent and devoted mother and grandmother. She was thrilled when her younger daughter, Ally, married her true love, but as time goes by, Miriam wonders whether all is well with Ally, as she moves to the country and gradually withdraws, finding excuses every time Miriam offers to visit. Their relationship has always had its ups and downs, and Miriam tries to give her daughter the distance she so clearly wants. But is all as it seems?
-
-
Thoroughly enjoyable
- By shelley miezenbeek on 03-03-2022
-
The Paper Palace
- The No.1 New York Times Bestseller and Reese Witherspoon Bookclub Pick
- By: Miranda Cowley Heller
- Narrated by: Laurel Lefkow
- Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On a perfect August morning, Elle Bishop heads out for a swim in the pond below 'The Paper Palace'—her family's holiday home in Cape Cod. As she dives beneath the water she relives the passionate encounter she had the night before, against the side of the house that knows all her darkest secrets, while her husband and mother chatted to their guests inside.... So begins a story that unfolds over 24 hours and 50 years, as Elle's shocking betrayal leads her to a life-changing decision—and an ending you won't be able to stop thinking about.
-
-
Loved the story but content warning
- By Kindle Customer on 07-08-2021
-
Verity
- By: Colleen Hoover
- Narrated by: Vanessa Johansson, Amy Landon
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of best-selling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read.
-
-
Horrible unnecessary book
- By Trudi on 06-12-2019
-
The Stepchild
- By: Nicole Trope
- Narrated by: Taryn Ryan
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s the phone call every mother dreads. I’m climbing into the car after a trip to the grocery store. As the engine starts, my phone rings. It’s my stepdaughter, Shelby, who is babysitting my three-year-old Millie. "I only went upstairs for a second," she says through her sobs. "She’s gone." When the police turn up, Shelby’s story starts to unravel. What is she hiding? Then I get a message saying, "Your husband is not who you think he is." Suddenly, my family feel like strangers. Everyone has a secret - even me.
-
The Couple Next Door
- By: Shari Lapena
- Narrated by: Kirsten Potter
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
People are capable of almost anything. Fast-paced and addictive, The Couple Next Door announces a major new talent in thriller writing. You never know what's happening on the other side of the wall. Your neighbour told you that she didn't want your six-month-old daughter at the dinner party. Nothing personal, she just couldn't stand her crying. Your husband said it would be fine. After all, you live only next door. You'll have the baby monitor, and you'll take it in turns to go back every half hour.
-
-
Predictable and implausible
- By Fiona on 27-12-2016
-
I Survived
- I Married a Charming Man. Then He Tried to Kill Me. A True Story.
- By: Victoria Cilliers
- Narrated by: Sophie Roberts
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On Easter Sunday 2015, experienced skydiver Victoria Cilliers undertook a parachute jump, a gift from her husband, British Army Sergeant Emile Cilliers. Her parachutes failed to open and she plummeted 4,000 feet to the ground, sustaining life-threatening injuries. Miraculously, she survived. Then the police arrived at her door. Someone had tampered with her parachute, and they suspected Emile.
-
-
I couldn’t stop listening
- By Anonymous User on 26-04-2022
-
The Mother
- By: Jane Caro
- Narrated by: Jessica Douglas-Henry
- Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Recently widowed, Miriam Duffy is a respectable North Shore real estate agent and devoted mother and grandmother. She was thrilled when her younger daughter, Ally, married her true love, but as time goes by, Miriam wonders whether all is well with Ally, as she moves to the country and gradually withdraws, finding excuses every time Miriam offers to visit. Their relationship has always had its ups and downs, and Miriam tries to give her daughter the distance she so clearly wants. But is all as it seems?
-
-
Thoroughly enjoyable
- By shelley miezenbeek on 03-03-2022
-
The Paper Palace
- The No.1 New York Times Bestseller and Reese Witherspoon Bookclub Pick
- By: Miranda Cowley Heller
- Narrated by: Laurel Lefkow
- Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On a perfect August morning, Elle Bishop heads out for a swim in the pond below 'The Paper Palace'—her family's holiday home in Cape Cod. As she dives beneath the water she relives the passionate encounter she had the night before, against the side of the house that knows all her darkest secrets, while her husband and mother chatted to their guests inside.... So begins a story that unfolds over 24 hours and 50 years, as Elle's shocking betrayal leads her to a life-changing decision—and an ending you won't be able to stop thinking about.
-
-
Loved the story but content warning
- By Kindle Customer on 07-08-2021
-
Verity
- By: Colleen Hoover
- Narrated by: Vanessa Johansson, Amy Landon
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of best-selling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read.
-
-
Horrible unnecessary book
- By Trudi on 06-12-2019
-
The Marriage Secret
- By: Carey Baldwin
- Narrated by: Stephanie Cannon
- Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the outside, my marriage to Zach was perfect: a dream home, a perfect baby girl, and passionate, all-consuming love. But as I cradle my gorgeous baby, I have to accept that the husband who used to be my everything has changed. At first, it was little things: expecting me to keep to a strict schedule, picking out my clothes for me. Now, he controls every aspect of my life: from how much money I have, to when I leave the house, and who I can see. I know deep down, only one of us will make it out of this marriage alive.
-
Reminders of Him
- A Novel
- By: Colleen Hoover
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley, Ryan West
- Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After serving five years in prison for a tragic mistake, Kenna Rowan returns to the town where it all went wrong, hoping to reunite with her four-year-old daughter. But the bridges Kenna burned are proving impossible to rebuild. Everyone in her daughter’s life is determined to shut Kenna out, no matter how hard she works to prove herself. The only person who hasn’t closed the door on her completely is Ledger Ward, a local bar owner and one of the few remaining links to Kenna’s daughter.
-
-
Loved it
- By Anonymous User on 01-03-2022
-
Rock Paper Scissors
- By: Alice Feeney
- Narrated by: Stephanie Racine, Richard Armitage
- Length: 10 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Adam and Amelia are spending the weekend in the Scottish Highlands. The remote location is perfect for what they have planned. But when their romantic trip takes a dark turn, they both start to wonder - can they trust the one they’re with? Because every couple tells little white lies. Only for Adam and Amelia, the truth is far more dangerous.
-
-
Enjoyed this enormously
- By elizabeth b. on 23-08-2021
-
My Mother, Munchausen's and Me
- A True Story of Betrayal and a Shocking Family Secret
- By: Helen Naylor
- Narrated by: Helen Naylor
- Length: 10 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ten years ago, Helen Naylor discovered her mother, Elinor, had been faking debilitating illnesses for 30 years. After Elinor’s self-induced death, Helen found her diaries, which Elinor wrote daily for more than 50 years. The diaries reveal not only the inner workings of Elinor’s twisted mind and self-delusion, but also shocking revelations about Helen’s childhood. Everything Helen knew about herself and her upbringing was founded on a lie.
-
-
brave woman you are Helen
- By Sharryn Simpson on 10-05-2022
-
Then She Was Gone
- By: Lisa Jewell
- Narrated by: Gabrielle Glaister
- Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A missing girl. A buried secret. From the acclaimed author of I Found You and the Richard & Judy best seller The Girls comes a compulsively twisty psychological thriller that will keep you gripped to the very last moment. She was 15, her mother's golden girl. She had her whole life ahead of her. And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone. Ten years on, Laurel has never given up hope of finding Ellie. And then she meets a charming and charismatic stranger who sweeps her off her feet.
-
-
I feel a bit dumber now
- By Amazon Customer on 26-05-2018
-
All Her Fault
- By: Andrea Mara
- Narrated by: Jessica Regan
- Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Marissa Irvine arrives at 14 Tudor Grove, expecting to pick up her young son Milo from his first playdate with a boy at his new school. But the woman who answers the door isn't a mother she recognises. She isn't the nanny. She doesn't have Milo. And so begins every parent's worst nightmare. As news of the disappearance filters through the quiet Dublin suburb and an unexpected suspect is named, whispers start to spread about the women most closely connected to the shocking event. Because only one of them may have taken Milo - but they could all be blamed.
-
-
Quite brilliant
- By Fly London Lover on 30-07-2021
-
The Turnout
- 'Compulsively readable' Ruth Ware
- By: Megan Abbott
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 11 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dara and Marie were trained as ballet dancers by their glamorous mother, founder of the Durant School of Dance. After their parents died in a tragic accident nearly a dozen years ago, the sisters took over running the school together with Charlie, Dara's husband and once their mother's prized student. But when a suspicious accident occurs, just at the onset of the school's annual performance of The Nutcracker - a season of competition, anxiety and exhilaration - an interloper arrives and threatens their delicate balance.
-
The Trivia Night
- By: Ali Lowe
- Narrated by: Kate Winter, Taryn Ryan, Vivien Carter
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the outside the parents of the kindergarten class at Darley Heights primary school seem to have it all. Living in the wealthy Sydney suburbs, it's a community where everyone knows each other - and secrets don't stay secret for long. The big date in the calendar is the school's annual fundraising trivia night, but when the evening gets raucously out of hand, talk turns to partner-swapping. Initially scandalised, it's not long before a group of parents make a reckless one-night-only pact. But in the harsh light of day, those involved must face the fallout of their behaviour.
-
-
Almost stopped listening but I’m glad I didn’t…
- By Anonymous User on 04-05-2022
-
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
- By: Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Narrated by: Alma Cuervo, Julia Whelan, Robin Miles
- Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The entrancing story of a reclusive Hollywood starlet as she reflects on her relentless rise to the top and the long-held secrets the public could never imagine - from the best-selling author of Daisy Jones & The Six. Reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?
-
-
A goodie!
- By Sophie van den Bogaerde on 11-09-2021
-
Hopeless
- By: Colleen Hoover
- Narrated by: Angela Goethals
- Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Would you rather know a truth that makes you feel hopeless, or keep believing the lies? Beloved and bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with the spellbinding story of two young people with devastating pasts who embark on a passionate, intriguing journey to discover the lessons of life, love, trust--and above all, the healing power that only truth can bring.
-
-
Gut wrenching love story
- By Josie on 14-02-2015
-
The Perfect Lie
- By: Jo Spain
- Narrated by: Sophie Jo Wasson
- Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Five years ago, Erin Kennedy moved to New York following a family tragedy. She now lives happily with her detective husband in the scenic seaside town of Newport, Long Island. When Erin answers the door to Danny's police colleagues one morning, it's the start of an ordinary day. But behind her, Danny walks to the window of their 4th-floor apartment and jumps to his death.
-
-
Dragged out
- By helen crosswell on 30-06-2021
-
For Your Own Good
- By: Samantha Downing
- Narrated by: David Pittu
- Length: 10 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Teddy Crutcher has won Teacher of the Year at the prestigious Belmont Academy. Everyone thinks he's brilliant. Only you know the truth. They all smile when he tells us his wife couldn't be more proud - though, if they stopped to think, they would realise no one has seen her in a while. They're impressed when he doesn't let anything distract him - even the tragic death of a school parent. Even when the whispers start, saying it was murder. You're sure Teddy is hiding something about what happened that day. You're sure you can prove it.
-
-
Crazy plot and devious characters!
- By Joanna on 02-11-2021
Editorial Reviews
Editors Select, July 2017
Even if you’ve never experienced betrayal at the magnitude the author has, I think it’s safe to say we’re all familiar with the sensation of being blindsided - and it’s that connection that makes this moving, unflinching memoir so powerful. In her own words and voice, Jen Waite describes how one shocking revelation of infidelity led to the discovery that her devoted husband, the father of her newborn daughter, was not the person she believed him to be - and that he might, in fact, be a psychopath (her own diagnosis, admittedly). With raw honesty, Waite fearlessly recounts the grief it caused her. At first her narration is understated, but as the story progresses, it becomes a downright intimate experience. Her voice breaks when she talks about the most painful parts of her ordeal and rises with the hint of a smile as she recounts the early days of her relationship and later, when she begins to triumph on her own. This can’t have been an easy story to put to paper, let alone read aloud, but Waite did an excellent job with both tasks. —Sam, Audible Editor
Publisher's Summary
A woman discovers her marriage is built on an illusion in this harrowing and ultimately inspiring memoir.
“Be forewarned: You won’t sleep until you finish the last page.” (Caroline Leavitt, author of Cruel Beautiful World)
One night. One email. Two realities.
Before: Jen Waite has met the partner of her dreams. A handsome, loving man who becomes part of her family, evolving into her husband, her best friend, and the father of her infant daughter.
After: A disturbing email sparks suspicion, leading to an investigation of who this man really is and what was really happening in their marriage.
In alternating Before and After chapters, Waite obsessively analyzes her relationship, trying to find a single moment form the past five years that isn't part of the long con of lies and manipulation. Instead, she finds more lies, infidelity, and betrayal than she could have imagined.
With the pacing and twists of a psychological thriller, A Beautiful, Terrible Thing looks at how a fairy tale can become a nightmare and what happens when “it could never happen to me” actually does.
Critic Reviews
“Waite has a knack for showing the ways that cognitive dissonance can chart pathways in the mind that cause emotional confusion to obscure rational thought.” (Meghan Daum, New York Times Book Review)
“[Waite's] memoir is a great source of strength.” (Hello Giggles)
“Heartbreaking and riveting.” (Bustle)
"Like Big Little Lies, A Beautiful Terrible Thing is a startling reminder that fairy tales aren't real. A master class in suspenseful storytelling, Jen Waite recounts the lies, betrayals, and infidelity she endured with unrestrained honesty and deft candor. I couldn't turn away." (Jillian Lauren, New York Times best-selling author of Some Girls: My Life in a Harem and Everything You Ever Wanted)
More from the same
Author
Narrator
What listeners say about A Beautiful, Terrible Thing
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 05-05-2020
Incredible. Could not put it down.
Wow! This is the first book I have not been able to put down. I finished it in less than 2 days. The way Jen writes and tells her story is very intriguing. (By the way she has an amazing memory). Down to the last detail. The way the story goes back and forth you’ll not be able to stop listening either.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jessica
- 04-01-2018
It resonates beautifully
For anyone who has ever been through deceit, an affair, their husband leaving them at the most vulnerable of times - this book will resonate. Jen beautifully verbalises the unexplainable emotions and demystifies the “feeling crazy” factor ..... you know when you know someone is lying to you but you have no proof and end up walking away feeling like maybe you are just going crazy.... but you know you aren’t crazy.
I strong recommend for anyone who has been through/is going through a divorce where your partners behaviour just doesn’t seem to add up.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kindle Customer
- 08-11-2021
eh
The narrator seemed quite stop-start, almost robotic which I found a little frustrating. The story took a long time to get going too.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 19-07-2021
Beautifully written & narrated
This book got my interest from the get go. It was painful to hear what Jen had to go through but so very interesting what she discovered about her husband. And I do love a good ending!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Leis
- 13-03-2021
Misdiagnosed
This woman’s husband was a jerk, but there is nothing in her description to indicate that he was a sociopath. If most women who are exposed to sociopaths in relationships had the authors experience, they’d consider themselves lucky.
Instead, this is a tale of two immature people who were not ready for an adult relationship. The author self diagnoses her ex in a pop psychology reduction of an actual personality disorder.
You’ll read far more harrowing accounts on reddit.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 10-03-2021
A must-read for victims of sociopaths
This book was incredibly therapeutic for me and would be for anyone who has been the victim of narcissistic abuse, gaslighting, or the trauma that occurs as a result of engaging with a sociopath. It helps you revisit your past experiences and heal your trauma through an objective lense, psycho-analysing the manipulation Jen experienced and cross-referencing it with your own. It is raw, vulnerable and insightful; her story deserves to be heard!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lee
- 22-08-2020
A complex story told beautifully
I loved this book- Such a complex situation told with the right amount of detail.
The narration was great, i felt the mood shift between the chapters, and the story was truly interesting.
-
Overall
- Anonymous User
- 15-03-2020
lovely writing sharing a scary story ..
we must leave our absurd notions of love and romance behind...its makes us too vulnerable...not that it is her fault.that he is a walking personality disorder...
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- MaryPat
- 29-08-2017
There are people out there waiting for her...
I'm so surprised that people are being so incredibly hard on this author. She's a non-celebrity, first time author writing a memoir. What did you expect?
In a way I'm relieved that more people do not relate to the story, perhaps there just aren't that many people who have experienced anything remotely close to this, or haven't admitted experiencing it. But why all the nasty comments? Why the name calling? What are you saying? She should have seen it coming? Or... that her parents are successful so she deserved it? I was a middle class girl with 6 siblings who was a nurse in an inner city hospital when I got swept away by a "Marco" and Let me tell you it ain't easy ! I'm over here THIRTY FIVE years later still living with the aftermath.
I appreciate Jen's story and her courage in telling it. It truly helps. And if there is an element of revenge, good for her he deserves it.
There were times when I wanted to scream at her to knock it off and move on but, she is Jen and I am not and we are all wired differently. One thing I know for sure, panic attacks are paralyzing and debilitating and she certainly got that across to the reader.
Yes, she played amateur psychiatrist but don't kid yourself we all do it,and would it have been more credible had she gone to the library and read an actual book as opposed to using the internet? She also backed it up with professional opinion. Many many mental health opinions are formulated from hearsay.
The books I LOVE and give 5 stars to are The Grapes of Wrath and The Century Trilogy. These amateur non-celebrity memoirs are in a class of their own and this one is pretty close to the top. A good story, a real heartbreaking life event that we can ALL learn something from and hopefully pass down to our daughters and sons.
If Jen were standing here in front of me I would say "good job and thank you for your courage and honesty". I would wish her luck and tell her I hope she finds love and I would tell her I hope she does go on to become a licensed therapist because there are hurting people out there waiting for her.
43 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Phoebe
- 31-07-2017
Good, but...
I enjoyed A Beautiful, Terrible Thing, but I was expecting more. Jen told an insightful story of marriage and betrayal, an important story for survivors of abuse & their loved ones. As a survivor of domestic violence, I appreciated that Jen handled her story without being overly salacious. The memoir was real, raw, and inspiring. That said, as a listener, I was almost expecting more... a plot twist of some sort that we never quite got. Not wishing that Jen had been forced to survive a more painful time, but I do wish the book was more accurately marketed - as a tale of survival. Instead the book is sold almost as a thriller. Jen's narration was good, you could hear the rawness of her emotions many times throughout her reading, though it is clear that she was a professional actress and at times her voice was a bit rehearsed sounding. Overall, the narration improved the book and gave you a sense of connection to the author and her story. I would recommend this book to any person who has seen a loved one unravel and is looking to feel a sense of connection.
16 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- P. Thomson.
- 05-08-2017
Struggled to finish.
A very sad recollection of a tragic marriage, where she had the guts to walk away from. The writing is unfortunately mediocre and bland, for ex. The overuse of the petname ' babe, baby ' is annoying and tedious. The narration is unprofessional . l will not recommend this book
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- jeannie mcnichols
- 27-07-2017
First half held my interest, then I got bored
First off... the author is not the greatest narrator. She's not terrible, but there were many, many times where she sounded like a junior high school student reading aloud in class. N
The first half of the book was quite interesting. I listen to audiobooks on my drive to work, and I found myself eagerly looking forward to my time in the car to hear what came next.
Unfortunately, I felt the story really fizzled. I won't give the plot away... but from the introduction, I was expecting something really horrific. Not to make light of what happened .. it truly was awful. But the way the events were built up at the beginning.., I found myself thinking "that's it?" And I know this sounds callous... but the way she describes her reactions to the events, I couldn't help thinking "buck up girl! Yes... your husband is an a$$, but you still have a heck of a lot going for you! You have a place to go, supportive parents, someone to help you, etc". Again, I don't mean to make light of the situation, but her reactions were just so over the top. I've known people and read about others who had it much much worse and handled it without melting down like she did. Ultimately, I couldn't listen to the last 1.5 hours because I was just so annoyed with the author.
31 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- GCS18
- 11-11-2017
Can’t believe how good this was
I had sort of moderate hopes, was looking for something absorbing and man, this was beyond moving. I identified DEEPLY with the author and I’m glad she narrated it herself. Usually I prefer “professionals”...her wound is still raw and you can hear it in her voice. I felt her conflicted emotions in my gut. I just can’t get enough of her story and even though she doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to the people who screwed up her life, I applaud her. Because it was just that f-cking horrible. Warning it might be a little triggering for women who have suffered from a cheating partner.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- MyPublicName
- 03-08-2017
Feels like a really long Facebook post
This book spends far too much time on the minutia of details like "omg is he cheating?" Uh, it doesn't matter! Especially after that fact while writing the book. The first correlation between the other woman and his actions was proof enough anyway. And, she's called "the Croatian"?? Come on. I regret my purchase and only listened to the end because I was hoping we would be told more about all the warning signs she missed along the way.
19 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- CJM
- 13-08-2017
Pathetic
I have listened to hundreds, maybe a thousand Audible books and this is my first and only review and its inspired by this pathetic book.
It's about a pretty, rich, and I'm sure a Facebook perfect woman who cheats on her boyfriend with her future husband and then is "devastated" when her husband cheats on her when she is pregnant. She then goes on to try and make the case he is a sociopath. She finds a dime store therapist and some articles on Google (shocking) that just confirm her bias.... she is clearly perfect and no one would ever cheat on her. She has a tremendous support network from her obviously well to do parents.....thank god because no way she could face a problem on her own.
The sad thing the author doesn't realize, as she denigrates her ex in an obvious attempt to get even, is that she forgets she has a daughter with him who not only shares his DNA but hopefully will grow up and love her father.....good luck explaining your neurotic nature and disdain for her father. Divorce is a dirty nasty thing. I'd sue her for defamation if I was her ex....
if you just read the above review, don't waste your time on the book.
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- River Holmes-miller
- 22-07-2017
Privileged princess meets self-absorbed man
Would you try another book from Jen Waite and/or Jen Waite?
No. Beyond feeling very wronged by her husband, the author appears to have very little personal insight into human nature, psychology, motherhood, or anything else. She presents her experience with her husband in alternating "Before" and "After" chapters, a device that could have been interesting, had the "Before" chapters held any insight at all into her husband's real character. Instead, they read like the saccharine journal entries one might expect from a 20-something in love...hours and hours about a love story that feels superficial and pretty, but seems entirely lacking in substance.
Would you ever listen to anything by Jen Waite again?
No. If this is the most interesting thing that has ever happened to her, I can't imagine what else I need to hear.
What do you think the narrator could have done better?
She does not sound like a grown mother and grown woman, but more like a college girl who alternates between being in love and having a bone to pick with her disappointing husband. It's a cadence issue (imagine an happy/angry sorority girl and you will have it about right).
What character would you cut from A Beautiful, Terrible Thing?
I would cut the baby our of the story simply because she deserves so much more than a mother who bemoans how her husband is missing out on his own child, when she herself is too self-absorbed to do more than keep the kid clothed and fed.
Any additional comments?
After a few minutes Googling "sociopath" this woman comes to the erroneous conclusion that her husband is one. Sorry, but lying to one's wife about an affair does not make a person a sociopath. Had the author discovered he had lied about EVERY SINGLE THING in his life -- for example, had she found out he had four other families, had spent time in jail, and was not actually from Argentina, she might have made her case. But husbands can lie right to your face and do it for years and not be a sociopath. There was no pattern of deceit or antisocial behavior, beyond trying to cover an affair. Frankly, the publishers should have caught the error in the author's thinking and spared us all from her amateur psychobabble.
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- DFW
- 28-07-2017
It Started Out Good
This book started out with a bang and then the author turned pathetic. I know, I know, it's horrible how some women are treated but there is a time to let go and get on with it. It almost seems like we lose track of who is the sociopath in this book. Get on with it, girl. Let him go. Quit trying to change him or fix him and get on with your life.
This author turned from a sleuth into a whiny, pathetic excuse for a scorned women. Is this book a revenge book?
Oh, and I really don't need to know every single time she nursed her baby. TMI!!!
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Rebecca
- 27-07-2017
Un-put-downable.
This is a deeply personal account of an idealistic young wife's discovery that the man she married, the father of her newborn daughter, the co-creator of a life she deeply loved, didn't exist. She had been completely taken in by a very charming man with absolutely no shame, and no remorse. A man willing to destroy anyone in his way.
Written and narrated by the woman who lived it. So emotionally charged I listened to it non-stop in one day.
7 people found this helpful
20 Best Fantasy Audiobooks
This genre is so full of talent, it can be difficult to know what to listen to next — so look no further than this list to get you started.



20 Best Nonfiction Audiobooks
From the entire history of humanity to astrophysics, to our gut and mental health, dig into this list and learn something new.



Best Australian Podcasts on Audible
Audible Original Podcasts are free for Audible members. Check out this list of home-grown content, from binge-worthy true crime to self-help.


