The Solitude of Passion

by Addison Moore

[Cocktails and Books]

2.5 Stars

In THE SOLITUDE OF PASSION, Lee Townsend finds herself smack dab in the middle of an ugly love triangle between the husband she thought she lost (Mitch) and the husband who picked her up and put her first (Max). It's a story about fighting for what you believe in and love and hoping, in the end, you come out a winner.

The premise of the story drew me in, and I'll admit, so did the cover. The story started out well, Lee thinks her husband Mitch has died in China and over the course of several years, falls in love with their high school friend, Max. A few years into their relationship, Mitch returns from the dead and is determined to get his family back. Lee was stuck between a rock and a hard place trying to figure out where her loyalties lied. And for a while, I could sympathize with her and couldn't image the choice she was being forced to make. But then the story started going down a path I didn't like. Lee was stringing both guys along, making promises to one that she choose him while sleeping with the other. It started to feel icky and my logical self started demanding that Lee make a choice, NOW. And if she couldn't make the choice, then one of the guys needed to realize that he was really second best in her eyes and move on. But none of that ever happened. Lee never really made a choice, fate and circumstances took care of that for her.

That's not say that Mitch and Max don't hold any blame with Lee's inability to make a decision. They both pushed her, believed her when she made promises and forgave her when she gave in and ended up in bed with the other. I think if one of them had truly gotten pissed at her and forced her to really decide, even if it meant walking away from both of them, it would have made a world of difference. And don't get me started on the kids.
I know that not every book is for every person. Others have loved this book, but for me it was one that started off well, but ended with me not liking the characters, especially Lee.