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A review by aoifesbookshelf
Wild Card by Maggie Gates
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
Erica & Steve
I really went back-and-forth over what to rate this book. There were some points where this was five stars - a gut wrenching and beautifully written story - and other moments where I wasn’t sure if this book was for me.
This is not a light and fluffy read. This is an emotional book that made me cry several times. It is a story about love, second chances, grief, and healing.
Steve lost his wife Heather to cancer nine months ago, during the opening chapters of Poker Face. They were high school sweethearts who met aged eight and were married for nine years. Steve is still struggling with his grief and navigating a world without his wife.
Erica’s fiancé Dominic was killed in a hit-and-run where Erica was also injured. He died at the scene while Erica was transported to hospital - where she meets Steve for the first time. Alone and grieving, Erica is a little lost in her new reality. She and Don had just moved to the area and were staying in a hotel while they viewed properties. She ends up renting Maddie’s old houseboat - which is docked on Steve’s land. Steve sees a lot of himself in Erica and starts to look out for her. He can be gruff at times ultimately his intentions are good.
Erica and Steve work through their grief both alone and together. There are some emotional conversations and difficult moments between them and their friends/family. Grief isn’t linear or structured, nor does it follow a set schedule. Both Erica and Steve struggle to deal with their feelings for one another while still loving their late partners.
Overall, I liked the story. I’m not sure I’d use the word enjoy because I cried. A lot.
However. I did have two pretty big critique/issue, both of which relate to Dom’s passing. First, Dom’s death was very much secondary to Heather’s. I felt like we rarely got to see Erica grieve particularly in comparison to Steve. She was a supporting character in his story. Second, I also hated how early the Poker Club began scheming to get Erica and Steve together. They were very aware of Steve’s grief and struggles. They focused on his opportunity to find happiness again while ignoring the fact Erica had lost her partner less than a month ago. That just didn’t really sit right with me.
I really went back-and-forth over what to rate this book. There were some points where this was five stars - a gut wrenching and beautifully written story - and other moments where I wasn’t sure if this book was for me.
This is not a light and fluffy read. This is an emotional book that made me cry several times. It is a story about love, second chances, grief, and healing.
Steve lost his wife Heather to cancer nine months ago, during the opening chapters of Poker Face. They were high school sweethearts who met aged eight and were married for nine years. Steve is still struggling with his grief and navigating a world without his wife.
Erica’s fiancé Dominic was killed in a hit-and-run where Erica was also injured. He died at the scene while Erica was transported to hospital - where she meets Steve for the first time. Alone and grieving, Erica is a little lost in her new reality. She and Don had just moved to the area and were staying in a hotel while they viewed properties. She ends up renting Maddie’s old houseboat - which is docked on Steve’s land. Steve sees a lot of himself in Erica and starts to look out for her. He can be gruff at times ultimately his intentions are good.
Erica and Steve work through their grief both alone and together. There are some emotional conversations and difficult moments between them and their friends/family. Grief isn’t linear or structured, nor does it follow a set schedule. Both Erica and Steve struggle to deal with their feelings for one another while still loving their late partners.
Overall, I liked the story. I’m not sure I’d use the word enjoy because I cried. A lot.
However. I did have two pretty big critique/issue, both of which relate to Dom’s passing. First, Dom’s death was very much secondary to Heather’s. I felt like we rarely got to see Erica grieve particularly in comparison to Steve. She was a supporting character in his story. Second, I also hated how early the Poker Club began scheming to get Erica and Steve together. They were very aware of Steve’s grief and struggles. They focused on his opportunity to find happiness again while ignoring the fact Erica had lost her partner less than a month ago. That just didn’t really sit right with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief