Official Review: This Man's Choices

Stephanie Elizabeth · Post by **Stephanie Elizabeth** » 01 Oct 2019, 11:48

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "This Man's Choices" by Kathleen Whitney Rohr.]

4 out of 4 stars

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“He wanted a family, and she had the keys to the baby maker.”

Wealthy businessman, Royce, is enamored with his soon-to-be-bride and Tamra is head over heels in love—with Royce’s money. Nearing middle age, Royce is beginning to feel the itch to get married and start a family; Tamra is a willing candidate. She is an effervescent young woman who is eager to be a wife and mother—or so Royce is led to believe. Once Tamra begins having children, a new woman emerges. Royce is concerned for her well-being and wonders why his beautiful wife is not embracing her role.

Nichol is a Haitian nurse who has been working for American families as a nanny. When she is hired by Royce to help with the child-rearing, she quickly finds herself in over her head. Royce and Tamra have an opulent home and beautiful children, but any outsider would be able to see the proverbial cracks in the foundation.

Royce is desperate for an explanation regarding his wife’s destructive behavior. Will she ever be the mother that her children deserve?

This Man’s Choices by Kathleen Whitney Rohr is a fictional story that follows Royce and Tamra through several years of marriage. The book is quite lengthy at 471 pages and it is broken into three parts. The author has crafted a detailed portrayal of a family that is in desperate need of saving; they live in abundance but have so little to show for it. This Man’s Choices is written in the third person and mostly follows Royce, but also alternates between secondary characters Tamra and Nichol.

There are many things that I loved about this book, but my favorite was the comprehensive study of the characters. Royce, the male protagonist, grappled with feelings of ambivalence towards Tamra. He wanted to believe in the union of marriage, but he could not ignore the effects that her volatile behavior had on the family. The author was able to thoroughly convey postpartum depression through Tamra’s unwillingness to embrace motherhood.

I admire the author for emphasizing the risks of being an emotionally unavailable parent; the damages are often irreversible. Throughout the book, the children often acted out as a result of feeling unloved. Teddy, the middle child, often felt the sting of her mother’s absence the most and voiced this to her father. She asked, “Daddy, why doesn’t Mommy love me anymore?” Sophie, the eldest, tried to appear unharmed by her mother’s lack of interest in her life. She buried her feelings and put on a brave face for her sisters.

Overall this book had me hooked, and the only thing that I didn’t particularly like was the missing perspective of Royce’s daughters. I think with the addition of their viewpoints, it would have created a greater understanding of how the uneasiness at home affected them separately.

This Man’s Choices was professionally edited, and I did not notice any spelling or grammatical errors. There was an inconsistency in font color on one of the pages, but that is easy to fix. I chose to give the book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars because it held my attention from the start until finish.

I would recommend the book to readers who are looking for an escape from everyday life. While the book delves into the workings of a dysfunctional family—which is commonplace for many of us—it also takes the reader into the lavish world of the most affluent people. The author takes readers on a tour of a 30,000 square foot home complete with luxury cars and a pool house. Readers who enjoy books that examine discord within a family will love This Man’s Choices.

I would not recommend this book to readers that are looking for a fast-paced story; the book relies heavily on detail and character analysis. I would also discourage young readers from choosing This Man’s Choices as it contains profanity that is not suitable for younger audiences.

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This Man's Choices
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mmm17 · Post by **mmm17** » 03 Oct 2019, 07:50

I am not sure this one appeals to me, but your review is excellent. Kudos!

MsH2k · Post by **MsH2k** » 03 Oct 2019, 08:41

I wonder if the wife is manipulative or just having trouble coping. I don’t think I’ll find out - it sounds like an interesting book, but I think I’ll pass. Thank you for a thorough review.

Chrystal Oaks · Post by **Chrystal Oaks** » 03 Oct 2019, 09:37

This sounds like the author explores people's psyche and some of the ramifications after a major event(s). I also like how the book implies that opulence and grandeur isn't always what it seems. I believe I'll be adding this one to my reading list. I enjoyed reading your great review, thanks!

Meg98 · Post by **Meg98** » 03 Oct 2019, 10:01

This sounds like a well-written book and I really like the premise. Your review has intrigued me! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Cheers:)

Stephanie Elizabeth · Post by **Stephanie Elizabeth** » 03 Oct 2019, 11:29

mmm17 wrote: ↑03 Oct 2019, 07:50 I am not sure this one appeals to me, but your review is excellent. Kudos!

Thank you!

Stephanie Elizabeth · Post by **Stephanie Elizabeth** » 03 Oct 2019, 11:30

MsH2k wrote: ↑03 Oct 2019, 08:41 I wonder if the wife is manipulative or just having trouble coping. I don’t think I’ll find out - it sounds like an interesting book, but I think I’ll pass. Thank you for a thorough review.

Thanks for your comment!

Stephanie Elizabeth · Post by **Stephanie Elizabeth** » 03 Oct 2019, 11:30

Chrystal Oaks wrote: ↑03 Oct 2019, 09:37 This sounds like the author explores people's psyche and some of the ramifications after a major event(s). I also like how the book implies that opulence and grandeur isn't always what it seems. I believe I'll be adding this one to my reading list. I enjoyed reading your great review, thanks!

Thanks for your thoughtful comment!

Stephanie Elizabeth · Post by **Stephanie Elizabeth** » 03 Oct 2019, 11:31

Meg98 wrote: ↑03 Oct 2019, 10:01 This sounds like a well-written book and I really like the premise. Your review has intrigued me! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Cheers:)

Thanks!

ValerijaJ · Post by **ValerijaJ** » 03 Oct 2019, 15:19

I just might pick this up if it comes up in my reviews. The plot is a little bit confusing for me - is she in it for the money, so she's not happy with having children, is she forced into having children...? But I guess I will have to find that out on my own.

Thanks for the review!

Rachel Lea · Post by **Rachel Lea** » 03 Oct 2019, 19:23

I love books that focus on character development, but I find stories about dysfunctional families to be emotionally difficult to read. I'm glad you enjoyed this book so much, though! Thanks for your review!

Stephanie Elizabeth · Post by **Stephanie Elizabeth** » 04 Oct 2019, 05:29

ValerijaJ wrote: ↑03 Oct 2019, 15:19 I just might pick this up if it comes up in my reviews. The plot is a little bit confusing for me - is she in it for the money, so she's not happy with having children, is she forced into having children...? But I guess I will have to find that out on my own.
Thanks for the review!

Thanks! There is a lot going on, but it all makes sense in the end.

Stephanie Elizabeth · Post by **Stephanie Elizabeth** » 04 Oct 2019, 05:29

Rachel Lea wrote: ↑03 Oct 2019, 19:23 I love books that focus on character development, but I find stories about dysfunctional families to be emotionally difficult to read. I'm glad you enjoyed this book so much, though! Thanks for your review!

Thank you!

Cecilia_L · Post by **Cecilia_L** » 04 Oct 2019, 12:37

Well-developed characters in dysfunctional families usually lead to an engaging story. Thanks for the recommendation!

Stephanie Elizabeth · Post by **Stephanie Elizabeth** » 04 Oct 2019, 20:48

Cecilia_L wrote: ↑04 Oct 2019, 12:37 Well-developed characters in dysfunctional families usually lead to an engaging story. Thanks for the recommendation!

Thank you!