Deconstructed by Liz Talley

Narrated by Christina Delaine and Mikhaila Aaseng

Standalone Women’s Fiction with Romance

Deconstructed by Liz Talley was fun and not really what I expected, and I must admit, it took me a while to get past the thick southern drawl of one of the narrators. The story, however, was enough to make me get over the accent enough to really enjoy it. The fact that both the book and audiobook were free in Kindle Unlimited helped too.

Cricket is content with her life. She is married to a banker, has a teenage daughter, and a popular antique and vintage clothing store. But when she overhears two customers whispering about her husband screwing her daughter’s tennis coach, she enlists her new employee and soon-to-be-best-friend Ruby, to help her catch him in the act.

Ruby comes from a very different background than high-society Cricket. She’s tattooed, pierced, from a family of criminals, and just got back from serving 2 years in prison for someone else’s crime that she wouldn’t snitch on. Despite the different backgrounds and ages of the women, I loved watching their friendship develop.

“Yeah, falling out of love was like cleaning a window you didn’t know was dirty. Suddenly things were so clear.”

I enjoyed watching Cricket start over and begin a life of her own, separate from her husband, and I liked the woman she turned into. I had hoped there would be more about the fashion part of the story, but I did like Ruby’s take on designer dresses, and I really loved Ruby as a character.

Likes:

There were some really funny moments.
I enjoyed watching the friendship grow.
Witty dialogue.
Just enough romance.
We kind of got two stories in one.

Dislikes:

Moved a little slow at times.
Wish there was more about the clothes, considering the cover.

The Narration:

Being from New York and FL, the overblown southern accent almost caused me to DNF several times but I’m glad I stuck it out. I liked the Ruby voice.

The Down & Dirty:

Deconstructed by Liz Talley is a nice fun break between angstier books. I finished it last week and despite the unique storyline I’m already having difficulty remembering much of it, so it may not really stick with you. But don’t let that stop you. If you’re looking for an easy, fun and unique read, Deconstructed may be great for you.