Results May Vary: A Novel

by Bethany Chase

From Bethany Chase—whom bestselling author Emily Giffin calls “a great new voice in fiction”—comes a wise and delightfully relatable novel about a woman’s journey to rebuild her life, and her heart, after a stunning betrayal.
 
Can you ever really know the person you love?
 
She never saw it coming. Without even a shiver of suspicion to warn her, art curator Caroline Hammond discovers that her husband is having an affair with a man—a revelation that forces her to question their entire history together, from their early days as high school sweethearts through their ten years as a happily married couple. In her now upside-down world, Caroline begins envisioning her life without the relationship that has defined it: the loneliness of being an “I” instead of a “we”; the rekindled yet tenuous closeness with her younger sister; and the unexpected—and potentially disastrous—attraction she can’t get off her mind. Caroline always thought she knew her own love story, but as her husband’s other secrets emerge, she must decide whether that story’s ending will mean forgiving the man she’s loved for half her life, or facing her future without him.
 
Compassionate and uplifting, Results May Vary is a bittersweet celebration of the heart’s ability to turn unexpected troubles into extraordinary strength.
 
Praise for Results May Vary

“Chase has written an incredibly charming novel about shifting from being completed by a man to becoming a whole woman. Witnessing Caro’s growth is a pleasure.”—Library Journal
 
“Bethany Chase writes with a realism of expression that allows readers to empathize and appreciate the characters’ personalities and frustrations. The push and pull written into interpersonal dynamics between characters feels true to life, and is best seen in Caroline’s relationship with her sister. The surprises keep readers alert and the tempo of the novel holds their attention until the very last page.”—RT Book Reviews

“This latest novel from Chase will appeal to anyone who has ever looked up to realize they define themselves by those surrounding them. Caroline’s exploration of self-discovery is a familiar one, yet Chase has a way with phrasing and a thoughtful approach that pushes this one notch above the others. . . . A good fit for fans of Emily Giffin and Kristin Hannah.”—Booklist

“An altogether addictive read . . . Chase creates characters a reader can truly care about [in] a novel that doles out both laughter and tears.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Results May Vary is an openhearted and sweetly rendered story of lost love and found strength.”—Melissa DeCarlo, author of The Art of Crash Landing

“Relatable, engaging, and ultimately uplifting, as it explores the secrets hidden beneath the surface of a marriage that seems enviable . . . You'll root for Caroline as she struggles through heartbreak toward an unexpected new future.”—Sarah Pekkanen, author of The Perfect Neighbors

• ISBN10: 0804179441
• ISBN13: 9780804179447
• Publish Date: 9 August 2016
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Random House USA Inc
• Imprint: Ballantine Books Inc.
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 352
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780804179447

Reviews

[girlinthepages]

Perhaps I'm biased because I began my 2018 Hawaiian vacation with Results May Vary, but I immensely enjoyed my first Bethany Chase novel! Lauren had encouraged me to read it, stating that her books are like Taylor Jenkins Reid "light" (whom I love), and I'm finding myself more and more in the mood for adult fiction lately, so I figured, why not? I quickly devoured most of the book on the plane ride to Honolulu and promptly finished the rest on the beach, because I could not put down the story of Caroline and Adam.

First and foremost, I found this story relateable in so many ways. While I luckily have not been cheated on, I have been with my significant other since high school, and Chase was able to pick up on the nuances of knowing someone for so long and so deeply so well. There's a comfort there, an incredulous mindset when you even THINK of marrying or being with someone that you've only known a few years (ha! How well can you actually know them? I think to myself...) It's like being part of a very, very selective club- and then she blows that up when shocking revelations about Caroline and Adam's marriage comes to life. It's all very well done and complex and definitely not black and white and it's the messy beach read I wanted to lose myself in while on vacation.

I also loved Caroline as a protagonist. She's pretty Type A and responsible and loves living out in the suburbs/country as opposed to the city and relentlessly pursues her career (raising my hand over here because I strongly identify with that). However she's not cold or unreachable and her emotions volleyed back and forth throughout the story which was realistic and comforting- to know that there's multiple sides to consider and stages to go through when a marriage falls apart. I also loved that her relationship with her sister and male best friend were also given huge importance in a story that primarily revolves around marriage. It made the story feel extremely well rounded.

I was also intrigued by the way this book explored sexuality without pigeonholing the characters and how they defined themselves and who they were attracted to. Yes, Caroline's husband had an affair with a man and bitter and cruel thoughts often cross her mind, especially in the beginning. However, over the course of the story, Caroline works through trying to understand Adam's sexuality, and realistically struggles with it at times, while still striving to ultimately be understanding. Adam, on the other hand, is not portrayed as the stereotypical husband who is closeted and never really loved his wife- on the contrary, it's emphasized that his feelings for Caroline were genuine, and really drives home the idea that attraction doesn't have to be tied or limited to one gender.

Overall: I flew through Results May Vary and Bethany Chase has become a quick favorite among adult contemporary authors for me. The story was engaging and while I wish it had been longer, honestly, I liked the unexpected resolution at the end.This review was originally posted on Girl in the Pages

[whisperingchapters]

This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.


Caroline and Adam have lived a happy married life. Everything is going great, until it's not. Caroline finds out that her husband is having an affair with a man. This completely shakes her to the core. She feels like she doesn't know the guy she married. She's very conflicted on making the marriage work or moving on.

Caroline has been in a relationship since she was 17-years-old to the same guy. She was never able to mature on her own and focus on herself. Even though she's very heartbroken over the affair, she takes this is an opportunity to learn about herself. I was worried that Caroline would be portrayed as a weak woman, but she wasn't at all! She was beyond sad, which is very understandable, but she didn't let this bring her down. The strength that Caroline possesses made me cheer for her so much. She picked herself back up and continued with her life. She tries to make her marriage work, but when she finds out even more shattering secrets that Adam had kept from her, she realizes her marriage can't be saved.  Does she stay in her house to cry? Not at all! She moves on with the help of her sister and her best friend.

I couldn't like Adam. His words would be so perfect. He would be a full on romantic, but I couldn't swallow it. It was almost as if he was trying way too hard, and he kind of was. I didn't like how he treated Caroline. He was kind of manipulative, but it was hard to notice when everything he would say would be "nice". Also, he would believe that Caroline owed him to try to fix their marriage. This got a rise out of me like you wouldn't believe. I was so glad that Caroline made the decision to move on from him, and find love for herself. 

Caroline's relationship with her sister is one that I absolutely adored. Ruby and Caroline are so loyal to each other, despite the age difference. I loved how present Ruby was in the story and how she was there for Caroline through everything. Their love was so palpable. They weren't just sisters; they were best friends.

The author did a beautiful job in wrapping up this story. I wasn't sure in which direction the author would take Caroline's story, but the blinders fell somewhere along the way and I was able to enjoy it!

Results May Vary takes us on an emotional journey of a woman finding herself. It's a story filled with heartbreak, a beautiful sister bond, and ultimately finding love and having hope amidst adversity.

I received a finished copy from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review.
This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.