Someone Else’s Shoes (Review)

A new London-set book by one of my fave authors? Sign me up.

The vibe

Book / Jacket / Leggings / Shoes / Cap / Headphones / Bag / Gloves

The review

Nisha and Sam could not be more different. Nisha is the wife of a wealthy American and her and her husband spend months at a time globetrotting around the world — usually residing in their various homes. Sam is an exhausted wife and mother who desperately needs to keep her job despite her new boss being an absolute ass (and thensome). When the two women accidentally swap bags at the gym and are forced to physically walk in each other’s shoes, their lives begin to unravel.

Neither of these women — whether they knew it or not — were in a good spot in their marriages/lives/etc. So this small mix up really sends them in spirals. Nisha married a cruel man, but she never thought he’d direct his viciousness at her. Sam knows in her core she’s good at her job, but there’s only so much she can take when also dealing with a deeply depressed husband at home.

I really loved each of these women’s stories. Told mostly from these two’s perspectives in alternating chapters, each section ended with me needing more! I thought, when I began reading this one, that it was likely a bit too chunky for what seemed like a simple premise. And yes, some things are a bit of a stretch plotwise, but I really enjoyed the light and fun approach to some heavy topics (depression, divorce, workplace harassment).

Without giving anything away, one of my biggest takeaways is MEN SUCK. Kidding. Sort of. But seriously, there’s like A man (one) in this book that passes the the vibe check. Another is ok and can stay. But seriously, every other man is so annoying. I want to give slight leniency to the depressed husband, but then I think about what a woman would do in the same situation and she’d boss up and put her family first. I said it and I meant it. (I realize this particular rant won’t make sense to anyone who hasn’t yet read the book and doesn’t know what I’m talking about, but the TLDR is lookie! This book made me passionate, lol).

This book won’t be for everyone, and it is a little different from Jojo’s other books, but I enjoyed it in the same way I loved The Sweet Spot!