Author: Julie Metz
Genre: Memoir
About: (book blurb) Julie Metz’s life changes forever on one ordinary January afternoon when her husband, Henry, collapses on the kitchen floor and dies in her arms. Suddenly, this mother of a six-year-old is the young widow in a bucolic small town. And this is only the beginning. Seven months after Henry’s death, just when Julie thinks she is emerging from the worst of it, comes the rest of it: Henry had hidden another life from her.
Thoughts: Perfection is the story Julie Metz tells of finding out her recently deceased husband was a habitual cheater most of the time she knew him. He was a master of manipulation. At one point Julie says she ignored red flags in his behavior that should have warned her. He was often critical of her and at times downright mean.
The story of their marriage and his cheating unfolds through Julie’s memories as well as emails found on his computer after his death and subsequent phone conversations with some of the other women. I was amazed that the women were willing to talk to Julie about their relationship with her husband. What results is a story that I found disturbing and depressing.
I understand that Julie Metz needed to know what made her husband strive for his idea of perfection or whatever it was he was searching for. I admire that she was able to survive such a nightmare of betrayal and move forward with her life. I wish her all the best.
Source: Voice
Why I Chose: BookSparks PR invited me to participate in the blog tour.
Recommend? It was a tough read for me but ultimately Julie Metz proves that one can experience incredible betrayal and then move forward. Her inner strength is inspirational.
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About Julie Metz
Julie Metz is a graphic designer, artist and freelance writer whose essays have appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Hemispheres, Glamour, and more. Julie received a MacDowell Fellowship in 2008 where she completed work on Perfection and began work on a novel. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.
You can read more about Perfection on the Website and the Facebook page.
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GIVEAWAY CLOSED
Voice is offering one copy of Perfection
to give away to a reader (US or Canada)
Click here to fill out the form.
Bookfan 
This would be really hard for me to read I think. Unfortunately, I’ve been there done that, (ancient history) but to find out after his death and grieving and everything. Man, that has got to hurt!
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Nicola, I agree, it had to be devastating.
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This sounds like it would be a tough read but the author sounds like an amazing woman to endure all that she has gone through. It sounds like the ultimate betrayal, losing your husband and then finding out he had another secret life while raising a young child.
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Bonnie, it left me hoping to read (down the road) about the next chapters of her life.
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The older I get, the more astounded I am in the ways people hurt one another. There are so many sick people out there. I can’t imagine what Julie has gone through, and I hope writing about it was cathartic and healing.
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Beth, that was my thought too – hoping it would be cathartic to write about it all.
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That does sound like a sad story. It does seem like people who cheat like that are emotionally abusive, which is heartbreaking enough. No need to enter me – I have the book.
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I read this last year and found it hard to put down. I think of her often and wonder how she’s doing – would love to read more of her writing.
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This does sound like a hard book to read but one I wouldn’t mind reading at some point.
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It sounds sad and very emotional. Perhaps not for me at this moment
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wow. that sounds like a tough book to read. no need to enter me for this giveaway either. i don’t think i can handle something so emotional and heartbreaking right now.
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I had a copy of this one but I just couldn’t find time to get to it so I gave it away…sounds like a great read and one to learn from!!
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I think that trusting her husband all during their marriage and then find this away would put me in deep shock for a very long time. I really would love to read this book to see what path she took towards healing. I am so very glad that she wrote this book so people going through this know that they are not alone.
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
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I agree with you, Carol.
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I loved your description of the book and am so sad that the giveaway is with restrictions!!!
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I just heard about this book and had the same hesitance as you, Mary. I know it’s a bid ridiculous of me, but sometimes depressing memoirs are so hard for me to read even if they are beautifully written because I know the events happened — and sometimes, like Beth, it’s just hard to live with the reality that everyone isn’t as nice as I hope they are and want them to be. Sounds like the author has been through a lot. I hope she is healing 🙂
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Rebecca, the more I read the comments here I think this would be a good selection for a book club. It’s not an easy read but it would generate some great conversation, don’t you think? I also hope she and her daughter are healing.
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I think you’re right, Mary. What a lively discussion this book would generate 🙂
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