Although this is the follow on book from Those Children are Ours, it was absolutely not necessary to have read that book (though I recommend you do as its simply a great book). In Once and Future Wife, we have Jennie who is still trying to make up for the past and still carries around the guilt of deserting her daughters and her husband Thomas. At that time her world was so much different and her head and heart seeming as though they belonged to someone else. But, Jennie has finally got her life turned around with a great job and the tentative journey of reconciliation with her children yielding some positive results. However, this is soon turned upside down when once again she is thrown into her ex husband's world following the death of his new wife, leaving him to raise a new born child. However rightly so, Thomas has his doubts about Jennie and isn't sure he wants her in the life of his children after the devastation she left behind all those years ago.

This book explores the fragility of life and how sometimes the future that we had planned can suddenly look so different. The over riding theme for me was forgiveness and the book explored this in depth. Despite mental illnesses featuring heavily in Jennie's life it was not always easy for those around her to fully understand the things that influenced her previous behaviour. I loved reading about Jennie's journey of self discovery and her own struggle with self forgiveness. I also enjoyed seeing things from the perspective of Thomas. His hurt from the things Jennie put him through when she left him to raise their children on his own all those years ago is still raw but he is battling through his doubts and fears that continue to plague him. Understandably he is confused and fearful of what the future holds in store for him. Left alone to once again be a single parent, Thomas is weary and angry. Will he allow Jennie into his life and heart again? There are plenty of others on the sidelines wanting to be a part of his life so Jennie faces some competition. Thomas isn't the only one in the family putting up barriers to Jennie becoming a part of their lives so she faces yet another stuggle. Another great read from David Burnett.