RUBY'S REVENGE

In Gallagher’s novel, a lively tale of revenge ensues after a mild-mannered television producer discovers her husband’s infidelity.

Ruby Bixler thought her marriage to Brad Diamond, a handsome local news anchor, was picture-perfect. They had a beautiful home and were planning to start trying to have kids soon. All that is thrown into disarray when Ruby learns that Brad has been cheating on her with his 25-year-old assistant, Natasha Tabak.Ruby’s first instinct is to forgive him—an option encouraged by her overbearing mother, who fears that her daughter won't be able to find another man. However, Ruby is bolstered by her best friend, Dottie, whose personality is the complete opposite of her own; whenever Ruby shrinks away from difficulty, Dottie encourages her to stand up for herself and remember her self-worth. When Ruby is finally pushed past her breaking point, she embarks on a series of revenge schemes for herself and a few others in her life, with Dottie by her side. Her first act of vengeance is spur-of-the-moment, but it has a ripple effect that continues to play out in entertaining ways throughout the book. Other payback schemes are quirky, clever, and amusing, and they’ll keep readers engaged as they follow Ruby’s emotional journey. Although many characters come off as somewhat underdeveloped, the author does an effective job of quickly telegraphing what each new player brings to the narrative. Discussions of romance and sex tend to rely on cliches and are often awkward rather than intimate or evocative: “he was caught paralyzed like a moth in Natasha’s sticky perfumed web.” Still, the brisk pacing will keep readers’ attention, and Ruby’s growth from a timid doormat to a confident woman is satisfying, with themes that are reminiscent of Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (2017) and Sayaka Murata’s Convenience Store Woman (2016).

A lighthearted romp with a diverting message of empowerment.