Anything with a dress and a pink stripe on the cover must be a bit of fluff, right? I picked up The Pretend Wife expecting a light read and found myself asking the big questions of life and getting unexpected answers.

Gwen Merchant is coasting along in her quiet, stable life until the day she runs into an old boyfriend, Elliot, while ordering ice cream. In a odd turn of events, she ends up agreeing to pretend to be Elliot’s wife in order to please his dying mother. Strangely enough, her husband approves of this decision, even encourages her to help Elliot out. Her time with Elliot and his family forces her to take a second look at everything about her life.

This book has substantial fare, but the language and story line keep it from becoming too heavy.