Review: Have you heard about Karen? : A Novel

Have you heard about Karen? : A Novel by Karin Aharon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Have You Heard about Karen?" by Karin Aharon tells the parallel stories of three women living in the same suburban neighborhood. Tara, Karen, and Rylie are casual friends but not close confidantes, and from the outside looking in, it's easy to assume that they are each living their best life. There is a lot more going on in each of the women's lives than it seems, however; marriage and family conflicts, health concerns, work and financial stresses, and more are hidden beneath the seemingly perfect surface. As more secrets about Tara, Karen, and Rylie are revealed, readers are reminded that we never really know what happens behind closed doors, and showing compassion to our neighbors is always a good idea because we don't know the struggles they might be facing.

All three women were mostly likeable and sympathetic, but I found myself empathizing with Karen the most because I've had similar health challenges that were difficult to diagnose. I especially liked that the women ended up becoming true friends in the end, having gotten to know and understand each other a bit better. I also appreciated that not all of their problems were magically fixed by the end of the story because it felt realistic to me; life is messy and our problems don't usually get tied up into neat little bows.

Overall, "Have You Heard about Karen?" was a quick but entertaining read, and I would recommend it for all fans of contemporary women's fiction. I would read more of this author's work in the future.

*Review copy provided by the author via Hidden Gems Books. All opinions expressed are my own.

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