Review of Whatever It Takes by L. Maretta

Synopsis: Gavin Fitzgerald is the perfect husband. His wife, Emma, was always able to brag to her friends about how caring, loving, helpful, and successful he was. Having been married five years, they have just put the finishing touches on their dream home and are ready to start a family. Everything seems ideal until one day Gavin confesses to Emma that he was unfaithful, turning their entire relationship from perfect to a total disaster. 

Suddenly Emma's carefully controlled world is chaotic and her future uncertain as she struggles to determine if she is able to forgive Gavin or have the strength to move on.

5 Emotional Stars

Review: This book begins with Gavin admitting to Emma that he cheated on her while on a recent business trip. They have been happily married for several years, and while Emma seems a little too focused on everyone else thinking that they have the perfect life, they really do seem to be in a good place in many ways. I really enjoyed this book, and I gave it five stars because it seemed so realistic and...possible. 

Gavin comes from a large family, and even though his father died while he was young, he has always worked hard to be the man that he thought his dad would want him to be, as well as to support his mother. His mother died a year prior to this cheating confession, so, as the book unfolds, you see that Gavin has been drifting a little, emotionally, without even realizing it. Emma, on the other hand, had a dad that walked out on her, her sister and her mother, when she was young. Her mother then seemed to spiral into a depression, and this lack of control in her life has impacted Emma in many ways in her present, as she struggles in many areas of her life to maintain control. Gavin's confession takes away that control. 

Gavin and Emma must figure out if their marriage is as perfect as they thought it was, and if they can push past this betrayal. The book moves back and forth from the present back to the past when Gavin and Emma first began to date. You get to see how they have grown together, as well as, through Gavin's perspective, what might have led to his infidelity. I really enjoyed this book and seeing a married couple go through something that seems like it really could happen - and the reasoning behind it seems like it could really happen. So, you cry, along with Emma and Gavin, you feel a little bit scared and nauseous at times, emotionally, and you root for them as they fight for what they want - each other. 

Jessica