"Covet" by Tracey Garvis Graves

COVET - Tracey Garvis Graves (released August 17, 2013)

Neither the title or the cover would have made me pick up this book on my own.  Reading the synopsis, did peak my interest a little though because it made it sound like it could be a romance novel - but I was wrong.

Covet is about a woman, Claire, in her late 30s who feels like her relationship with her husband, Chris, is strained because he went through depression when he was laid off, and now he is super busy with his new job, which takes him away from the family because of travel.  But Claire gets pulled over by a cop, Daniel, during a traffic stop, then runs into him again at a Fourth of July parade, and from there, their interests in each other are piqued.

Now maybe I'm not the right audience for this his book because I'm not married and I don't know what it's like to feel the strain and disconnect from your partner, but this book just frustrated me.  The entire time I just kept thinking - Just TALK to your husband!  Why is that concept so hard??  Claire lives this really nice life where she's a freelance graphic designer who works from home.  She gets to spend time with her kids after school, and her friends during the day, who are also stay at home moms in her neighborhood.  Graves tries to create conflict to the story by giving Claire an alcoholic friend, a friend whose husband had a gambling problem, and a friend whose spouse is cheating on her.  I couldn't keep the friends straight and remember who had what problem, nor did I care.  As for Claire's relationship with Daniel - it just felt like a giant tease.  Are they going to cross the line and commit adultery or not?  I was reading the book still thinking - maybe it is a romance novel, I just have to wait...  But it's not!!  I feel like the story didn't go anywhere.  The marriage was in trouble, Claire sought out the hot cop for company, flirting occurred, and then the marriage between Claire and Chris is fixed while Daniel is left out in the cold because Claire is a giant tease.  I kept feeling like SOMETHING was going to happen, but nothing ever did.  I had to force myself to keep reading, because I kept thinking - It will pick up any minute... any minute now...  But no.

Final say:  Pass on this book.  Unless you're a unhappily married woman who is thinking about finding comfort in another man's arms, don't bother.