The Golden Couple

The Golden Couple
By: Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
"Wealthy Washington suburbanites Marissa and Matthew Bishop seem to have it all—until Marissa is unfaithful. Beneath their veneer of perfection is a relationship riven by work and a lack of intimacy. She wants to repair things for the sake of their eight-year-old son and because she loves her husband. Enter Avery Chambers.
Avery is a therapist who lost her professional license. Still, it doesn’t stop her from counseling those in crisis, though they have to adhere to her unorthodox methods. And the Bishops are desperate.
When they glide through Avery’s door and Marissa reveals her infidelity, all three are set on a collision course. Because the biggest secrets in the room are still hidden, and it’s no longer simply a marriage that’s in danger."

The Perfect Pairing

Right off the bat we're introduced to Avery Chambers, the unconventional therapist, with a penchant for tequila.

"I send a quick text to the man I'm seeing later tonight: 8:30 works.  Do you have any limes? I set my phone to silent mode, then tuck the bottle of expensive tequila a client brought me earlier today into my tote bag.  Therapists aren't supposed to accept gifts from clients.  But I'm not one to follow the rules." ~ Avery Chambers

If tequila is not your thing then how about a glass of the Argentinean Malbec that made several appearances in The Golden Couple?

"I'll get that." He scoops it up.  I made sure to buy a case of your new favorite." Matthew picks up the bottle and begins to slowly turn it around to display the label.  She doesn't need to see it; she already knows it is the same wine Skip brought over." ~ Marissa Bishop

To accompany the drinks, we have two options.  One that could not be simpler and one that requires a bit more dedication.

"A bowl of mixed nuts is on the island, next to a half-full bottle of Malbec and a red, white, and blue plastic rocket.  Matthew pours a generous amount of the ruby-colored wine into a balloon glass and hands it to me."

I told you it was simple! I just popped open a can of mixed nuts for my pairing, but if you want to keep the menu going give the Napoleon pastry a try.  I have used this Lemon Cream Fillo Napoleon recipe from the Food Network in the past.  It is a bit time consuming, but it sure looks impressive!

"He sits next to her and reaches for the napoleon, offering her the first bite.  She takes a small taste, then he brings the pastry to his mouth and takes a more generous one.  'Delicious,' he says. 'You know, these always remind me of our trip to Paris.'" ~Matthew Bishop

I want to emphasize that I did not make this delectable-looking pastry.  I wanted you to have the option because it did appear in the book at a very sweet moment between Marissa and Matthew, but it really is a time consuming dessert that I was not in the mood to tackle!  Don't guilt yourself if you'd rather track one down in a bakery or skip it all together!

The Review

The Golden Couple: ★★★★☆

This is the first book I've read by this dynamic duo, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, and I'm hooked.  I can't believe there are people out there that thought this story was predictable. Every time I thought I had things figured out, the rug was pulled out from under me!  Every red herring they threw out, I gobbled up.  I was so suspicious of so many characters and I flew through the book desperate to put it all together.

The same thing that made it thrilling also took a toll.  There was just a bit too much going on for me.  For instance, I think I could go without the entire "big pharma" side plot.  I would happily trade it for way more detail about Avery's unorthodox therapy methods!