Book Review: Mrs. Perfect

Jane Porter does it again! Her new novel, Mrs. Perfect, is a sequel—of sorts. In her latest book, Porter returns to Bellevue, the home to Seattle’s software elite. This time, the story shifts to Taylor Young, a woman who has it all—handsome husband, three beautiful daughters, a dream home, and a bottomless bank account.

Yes, this is the same Taylor Young we met in Odd Mom Out, but this time Porter takes us behind the polished image of this Alpha female to reveal the complex motives behind that saccharin smile.

That’s what I love about Porter, her ability to step into someone else’s shoes and take us along with her. This rendition of Taylor Young is not the two dimensional sketch of a stereo-type, but the portrait of a vulnerable woman desperate to keep it all together:

Standing at the bus stop with the other moms, I chat about everything and nothing and it’s comforting. They’re all as frazzled and frustrated as I am. At least, I think, I’m not alone in my mountain of worries. All women seem to worry about being good enough, doing enough, trying enough.

Taylor Young is driven by perfection, yet oblivious to the dangers that could unhinge her Bellevue lifestyle . . . and reputation. As her fairy tale begins to unravel, Taylor must learn to let go of her own preconceived notions and accept the help of her old nemesis, Marta Zinsser.

In Mrs. Perfect, Porter plucks at the taunt string of anxiety deep within the modern female psyche. This is not the first book I’ve read, in which the female lead struggles to maintain a pristine façade over her dark secrets. However, unlike other characters who snap beneath the weight of their own fictions, Taylor Young finds the strength to face her greatest fears. Of course, that’s not to say Taylor doesn’t pay a hefty price for the lessons she has to learn.

In this trip back to Bellevue, Porter reminds women that all actions have consequences, and ignorance is never a solid defense. She also cautions women to be aware and to be ready, because everything changes. Life is not a fairytale and things won’t magically work themselves out. It takes hard work and sacrifice to correct the mistakes we make, and we all make them.

Porter’s characters are real women struggling to discover who they “could” be within the social clamor of who they “should” be. These are women you know, women you despise, women you admire. We are all taking the same journey together, yet managing to isolate ourselves and each other from the shared experience. The true beauty of Mrs. Perfect is the way Porter takes a character you think you know, and alters your perception. Perhaps, there’s someone in your life you should get to know better.