Covet by Tracey Garvis Graves

Covet

by Tracey Garvis Graves

Tracey Garvis Graves, the New York Times bestselling author of On the Island, returns.

What if the life you wanted, and the woman you fell in love with, belonged to someone else?

Chris and Claire Canton's marriage is on life support. Downsized during the recession and out of work for a year, Chris copes by retreating to a dark place where no one can reach him, not even Claire. When he's offered a position that will keep him away from home four nights a week, he dismisses Claire's concern that time apart could be the one thing their fragile union can't weather. Their suburban life may look idyllic on the outside, but Claire has never felt so disconnected from Chris, or so lonely.

Local police officer Daniel Rush used to have it all, but now he goes home to an empty house every night. He pulls Claire over during a routine traffic stop, and they run into each other again at the 4th of July parade. When Claire is hired to do some graphic design work for the police department, her friendship with Daniel grows, and soon they're spending hours together.

Claire loves the way Daniel makes her feel, and the way his face lights up when she walks into the room. Daniel knows that Claire's marital status means their relationship will never be anything other than platonic. But it doesn't take long before Claire and Daniel are in way over their heads, and skating close to the line that Claire has sworn she'll never cross.

Reviewed by Leah on

4 of 5 stars

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Last year, Tracey Garvis Graves’ novel On The Island rocketed up my list of favourite novels, ever. It wasn’t a novel I expected to like; I thought a relationship between a teacher and her student was weird, but I frigging loved it so much. It sort of had that effect on everyone who read it and it was a massive bestseller, blowing people away left, right and centre. So it’s fair to say when I was approved for her second novel Covet I nearly died of excitement.

Covet is like the When Harry Met Sally of books, it asks the lifelong question of whether men and women can be just friends. (I think they can, but it depends on the circumstances, and it most certainly wasn’t true in this instance.) Claire Canton is happily married, until her husband Chris loses his job and it all falls apart. Once he gets back onto the career ladder, Claire can’t help but feel lonely as her husband spends 90 per cent of his time on the road. So when she meets officer Daniel Rush, she finds herself growing closer to him, but they both tell themselves it’s just a friendship, until it turns into something more.

When I started reading Covet I wasn’t sure who I was meant to be rooting for – did Garvis Graves want me to root for Claire and Chris’s marriage or was I meant to be spellbound by Daniel Rush? The more I read, the more I became captivated by Claire and Daniel’s friendship, the more I pulled in their direction. In my heart of hearts I always felt as if it was a long shot, but I’m always rooting for the love that can never be and I couldn’t understand Claire’s desire to stand by Chris, who I found cold and distant. But, that’s because I have no idea about marriage, about how you’re meant to stay when the going gets tough, and not just run because things are hard. One day I’ll see and appreciate that part of the novel, but for now, I was firmly Team Daniel.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed Covet, no, I’ll be honest it wasn’t as good as On The Island – I think it would be super hard to ever write a book like that again, but Covet was amazing in itself. I was torn for so long over what I wanted to happen and even though it didn’t always go in the direction I wanted it to, I still thought it was a seriously well written novel, with some pretty stellar characters, particularly Daniel Rush. This is a real thinker of a book, and it definitely has stayed with me since I finish it, it’s a really great 2nd novel from Tracey, and I look forward to book 3!

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 27 June, 2013: Finished reading
  • 27 June, 2013: Reviewed