Book Review: Open Your Eyes | Paula Daly

A compulsively-good, twisty thriller that will make you consider the nightmare a life can become following a single moment!!! This is my first Paula Daly and I had a blast reading Open Your Eyes! I actually wish I could start this review with the last line of the book, because it was THAT GOOD! But of course, the last line would spoil some things about the story so I won’t post it here. But if you’ve read Open Your Eyes by Paula Daly or when you do, savor that last line! I’m still thinking about it days later!

About the Book

Jane Campbell avoids confrontation at any costs. Given the choice, she’ll always let her husband, Leon–a bestselling crime writer–take the lead, while she focuses on her two precious young children and her job as a creative writing teacher. After she receives another rejection for her novel, Leon urges Jane to put her hobby to rest. And why shouldn’t she, when through Jane’s rose-tinted glasses, they appear to have the perfect house and the perfect life?

But then Leon is brutally attacked in their driveway while their children wait quietly in the car, and suddenly, their perfect life becomes the stuff of nightmares. Who would commit such a hateful offense in broad daylight? With her husband in a coma, Jane must open her eyes to the problems in her life, as well as the secrets that have been kept from her. Although she might not like what she sees, if she’s committed to discovering who hurt her husband–and why–Jane must take matters into her own hands.

Reflection

Well, I completely loved this book! Let’s start with the main drama of the book—Leon’s injury! In the few minutes that Jane went inside to grab things for their trip, Leon is attacked in a horrifying way and it leaves permanent damage. Even beyond the coma, Jane has to go through the experience of living with someone who had a traumatic brain injury. And this injury has completely changed Leon. He has memory issues and personality changes that would be so difficult to live with!

I have a colleague who was married to someone who suffered a traumatic brain injury and it was so awful. His personality completely changed, and eventually it was no longer safe for her or her children to be around him. And the saddest part is, it is not his fault. So you want to stay and do the right thing. Brain injuries can truly change a person’s personality. They may be angrier, suffer from poor decision-making. Of course, I won’t say how it plays out in this book. You’ll have to read and see! Often as the swelling reduces, many of their new issues will lessen. Will Leon be so lucky??

And then we have the mystery itself! Aside from the changes to Leon, what was he not telling Jane before the accident? She’s stuck with questions and no answers. As Jane investigates, more troubling information will come to light, and she’s left alone unable to talk to Leon about it. I loved Jane and her storyline. I though Paula Daly handled the realities of this change to Jane’s life in such an authentic way.

And then we have a delightful storyline about writers. Not only are Jane and Leon writers, but they have friends and other colleagues who enter the plot. I was fascinated by the dynamics between Leon—a successful writer—and Jane—a still unpublished writer. Each has their own hang ups! For Leon, how will he know he can deliver book after book? And for Jane, how will she know when to keep trying to catch her break? And then we have the whole cast of writers in between. This storyline sang to my writer’s soul! It is a real treat, and I think many readers and writers will relate to the issues presented in the book.

And then we are back to that ending. Loved it!!! It was so perfect!!! I can’t wait for readers to get to the closing line, and reflect back on the book. I’m still processing it days later!

Many thanks to the team at Grove Press for my copy of this book to review.