Summary:
Amber Patterson is fed up. She’s tired of being a nobody: a plain, invisible woman who blends into the background. She deserves more—a life of money and power like the one blond-haired, blue-eyed goddess Daphne Parrish takes for granted.
To everyone in the exclusive town of Bishops Harbor, Connecticut, Daphne—a socialite and philanthropist—and her real-estate mogul husband, Jackson, are a couple straight out of a fairy tale.
Amber’s envy could eat her alive . . . if she didn’t have a plan. Amber uses Daphne’s compassion and caring to insinuate herself into the family’s life—the first step in a meticulous scheme to undermine her. Before long, Amber is Daphne’s closest confidante, traveling to Europe with the Parrishes and their lovely young daughters, and growing closer to Jackson. But a skeleton from her past may undermine everything that Amber has worked towards, and if it is discovered, her well-laid plan may fall to pieces.
My Rating:
The Last Mrs. Parrish Spoilers:
Amber Patterson is a woman from a poor background who becomes obsessed with the idea of marrying into a wealthy family. She sets her sights on Jackson Parrish, a successful businessman married to Daphne Parrish, a beautiful and elegant socialite. Amber befriends Daphne under false pretenses and insinuates herself into the Parrish family’s inner circle. Amber pretends to also have a sister with cystic fibrosis to get close to Daphne. Daphne gets her a job at Jackson’s company.
Over time, Amber’s friendship with Daphne deepens, and she begins to manipulate the situation to her advantage. She takes advantage of Daphne’s vulnerability and insecurities, convincing her to confide in her about her past and secrets. Amber also convinces Daphne to sponsor her charity events, which serve as a cover for her true intentions.
As Amber’s relationship with Jackson becomes closer, she becomes more ruthless in her pursuit of him. She goes to great lengths to drive a wedge between Jackson and Daphne, and even manages to get Jackson to confess that he is unhappy in his marriage.
It is revealed that Amber has been using an assumed name, and that she has a history of manipulating men and sabotaging relationships. She is exposed by Daphne, who has been aware of her true intentions for some time and has been secretly gathering evidence against her.
Daphne figured out that Amber was a con artist and used her as a way to get away from abusive Jackson. She secretly facilitated their affair and got what she wanted when Amber got pregnant. Jackson left Daphne for Amber and their baby boy. Daphne repaired her relationship with her mother and moved her girls to California. When she outed Amber’s past to Jackson, he turned abusive towards Amber too. For her final revenge, Daphne got Jackson arrested for tax fraud.
Some spoiler thoughts: I didn’t love that the book implied that Amber deserved to be abused. Sure she was a conniving, narcissistic asshole, but I don’t think she deserved abuse. This must be why Amber’s character was so boring, entitled, and lacking in depth: so that the reader agrees that she has gotten what she deserved. It didn’t really sit right with me.
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Check out my other reviews of Liv Constantine’s books here.
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