Another enjoyable read by this author. Loosely based on the Madoff scandal. Delves into the family dynamics of the creator of the Ponzi scheme. ( )

I found this book very intriguing despite the fact that the title made me think it would be a boring story about Wall Street. The husband is a narcissist whose pride gets him into serious legal trouble. The wife sticks by his side even though her children encourage her to ditch him. Money and power are the name of the game. ( )

I was not sure what to expect with a Ponzi Wall Street money scheme story. This is not my normal reading material, usually, I would pass on it but since Randy Susan Meyers wrote the book and I am a fan of hers I gave it a try and love it. I was in a reading funk and it got me right out of it. I devoured each page, couldn’t stop reading and felt connected to the characters. I needed Phoebe to stand up for herself and do what was right for her. The children were a small part of the story but I love that they were strong, smart, and willing to protect themselves. I wanted Jake to realize he messed up and admit it.

Randy Susan Meyers takes the young love of two 15-year-olds and shows how it can grow stronger as they marry, have kids, and grow old together. Phoebe and Jake wanted it all from a young age. They wanted true love, successful careers, amazing kids, and a life together. While they got it all there was also secrets, darkness, and trouble in their relationship.

This is a love story, the story of a man wanting to have it all and share it all with his family. But it is also a look at the trouble that money can cause. Once Jake got a taste of money he just wanted more and more. He was always thinking he’d catch up, have enough, be happy enough but it just never happen and he got caught. Jake was portrayed as a guy who didn’t start out to be shady, he wanted to be successful and provide for his family and then it just snowballed on him. Yet, he never admitted he was wrong. He never accepted that he messed up and because of that he never let his wife go. He expected her to stand by him and to go down with him.

Phoebe was wonderful. She stood by her man, took the brunt of the world outside of prison, and stayed strong. I want to believe that was love but I really think it was because she didn’t know who she was without Jake. She was always Jake’s girlfriend or Jake’s wife. She didn’t know how to be Phoebe. I enjoyed seeing her becoming strong, becoming self-sufficient and figuring out how to be without the man who gave her everything.

The Wall Street Widow is a story about money, greed, love, betrayal and so much more. I loved the entire story from beginning to end. Pick up your copy immediately. ( )

Phoebe meets Jake when she is fifteen years old. Her parents wildly disapprove of the relationship because Jake is older than Phoebe, they want Phoebe to make a life of her own before marrying, and at the end of the day her mother just doesn't like Jake. Nothing will stop the two from being together and soon they are married. Jake wants to prove to the world that he is better than his parents failures and aims high in the brokerage arena. He starts out small with Phoebe's uncle, but his dreams will not be shoved aside. Jake will stop at nothing to have fame and an endless supply of money.

The Pierce's have everything. Phoebe is the doting wife, willing to stand by Jake's side and do whatever it takes to help him achieve his dreams. She has attended endless evenings out, solicited for clients to join Jake's side business known as The Club, raised two perfect children, and kept a physique any woman would be jealous of, all to ensure Jakes happiness. Jake has created a financial dynasty and Phoebe trusts him endlessly. That trust is rock solid until the market starts to crash and suddenly Jake's web of lies and deceit is coming undone. It comes out that for years Jake has been running a Ponzi scheme, taking money from those who have invested with him and ultimately losing everything. The world begins to obsess over The Pierce family and suddenly their lives are centerstage in the media. How did Phoebe's life come to this and now that Jake is locked away in Prison, what will she do?

THE WIDOW OF WALL STREET is a glance into the lives of the Pierce family, who stood by the patriarch, Jake, as he took the world by storm with his financial success by running a Ponzi scheme unbeknownst to those around him. I absolutely loved the beginning of this book. I loved getting to know fifteen year old Phoebe and watching her grow up, be surprised by the world, and then create her own plan to get what she wanted. The story started to get a bit boring for me in the middle as the Pierce's lives played out. I enjoyed the parts where Jake reminded me a bit of Don Draper in his wily ways, but the story of Phoebe's life and Jake's ambition didn't hold my attention. Of course, I was immediately sucked back in when things went south for the Pierce's. I don't think that my feelings of boredom are any reflection on the book itself, but stem solely from the fact that I typically read thrillers, so my mind is always looking for that high when reading. What Meyers' has created in THE WIDOW OF WALL STREET is a fascinating look in to a family come undone and how they face the dark truths of their past and present to create a life that feels whole again. This book certainly packs the drama and I wouldn't hesitate recommending it to fans of literary fiction.

A special thank you to GetRedPR and Atria Books for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. ( )

Wow, wow, wow!!!

I absolutely loved this book!

Phoebe was practically a widow when she married Jake, the man she had been attached to since the tender age of 15. It was always about him. Everything. He was never home and even when he was home, he was only physically there.

Phoebe seemed to be just the eye candy that Jake needed to attract his "investors". Allowing her to attend events when it benefited him only.

How in the heck did Jake get away with all this and for over a decade? What an arse he turned out to be. He was a horrible dad, as well.

I was mesmerized by this book. The building of Phoebe and Jake's lives together, the construction of Jake's investing empire and the catastrophic failure of his pipe dream.

I wanted so many times to slap some sense into Phoebe, especially at the end of the book. So many times I screamed "why" at her. Of course, she didn't hear me. Ha!!

All of my emotions were riled by this magnificent story.

I sped right through this book neglecting everything else around me, except, of course, the beautiful day happening right outside my opened garage door.

An excellent read that should definitely be on everyone's TBR pile.

I have been wanting to read this book since before it came out last year. Alas, it was not to happen. Until I signed up to win a copy of the book from the author a few weeks ago. I was psyched when I won. I was really psyched to discover when I received the book that it was a hardcover and signed by the author!!! Double Psych!!!!

Thanks to the author, (many, many thanks) for providing me with a free signed hard cover!! As I said, I review all books I read and I was delighted to do so for this book. ( )