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The Senator's Wife #3
Whistleblower
As Alex's career continues to flourish as a US soccer star, Catharine struggles to keep her world from falling apart. Dealing with the repercussions of a high-profile divorce, while Carlton's campaign marches toward the primary election, her only solace remains in her blossoming relationship with Alex.
But as the stakes get higher, and the pressures of publicity increase, it isn't only their love that is put to the test.
Revenge. Deceit. Betrayal.
Every action has a reaction. And payback is a...
Whistleblower is Book III of The Senator's Wife Series.
But as the stakes get higher, and the pressures of publicity increase, it isn't only their love that is put to the test.
Revenge. Deceit. Betrayal.
Every action has a reaction. And payback is a...
Whistleblower is Book III of The Senator's Wife Series.
490 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 23, 2023
292 people are currently reading
845 people want to read
About the author
Jen Lyon
4 books784 followersJen Lyon is an avid lover of sports, travel, theatre, and the ocean. When she isn’t writing, Jen can be found sailing, browsing the shelves of her local bookstore, cheering ardently at an NWSL soccer match, or training horses at her Southern California horse ranch, where she lives with her wife, Donna, and their dogs and horses.
Follow Jen on IG @jenlyonauthor where she unapologetically spams her page with photos of her corgis, dachshund, horses and obscenely large Maine Coon cats.
Follow Jen on IG @jenlyonauthor where she unapologetically spams her page with photos of her corgis, dachshund, horses and obscenely large Maine Coon cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 319 reviews
April 13, 2024
Update after audiobook listen:
WOW. Phenomenal! Abby Craden absolutely knocked it out of the park - especially with Carlton and the Colonel’s voices. DAMN. And there are so many great moments I can’t describe without giving something away. Jen Lyon chose the perfect narrator for these wonderful books, which have become some of my all-time favorites!
If you haven’t experienced them yet, put them at the top of your reading list. You can’t go wrong in any format. If you enjoy audio, Abby brings the characters to life in a profoundly beautiful way, capturing emotions that will both entertain and move you, firmly embedding them in your heart.
Original review:
While I couldn't wait for the final installment in the Senator's Wife trilogy, now that it's over I'm sad to say goodbye to two characters who really got under my skin - especially Catharine Cleveland. Brilliant, utterly capable and stunningly beautiful, she'd been under the thumb of men for most of her life. A cruel father and an arguably crueler husband, Catharine still managed to grow an incredibly successful shipping business, becoming one of the wealthiest and most well respected businesswomen in the world. Yet she could never be happy. She was biding her time in anticipation of the day when she might be able to enjoy an open, authentic life, but she'd have to crawl through hell to get there.
And then there's Alex Grey, an up-and-coming professional women's soccer player a decade-and-a-half her junior who rescued Catharine from a near-catastrophic boating accident - a fateful day that would alter the course of both of their lives forever. While Alex pursues her dream of making the United States Women's National Team, hers and Catherine's lives become intertwined in a way neither anticipated, and neither can deny.
It's hard to review a third book in a series, because there is always the possibility of folks not having read the first two. But when Jen Lyon burst into the sapphic fiction scene in early 2023 with The Senator's Wife, it was apparent she was incredibly talented. Then the second book in the series Caught Sleeping dropped mid-year and it was solidified - Lyon was no flash in the pan. The book was terrific and built an incredible amount of anticipation for this final volume.
It can't be easy for authors to conclude a series when their main characters are this beloved. Surely it's hard to give them everything we hope for while adequately punishing the evildoers who are so deserving of it. All while maintaining the integrity that made us fall in love with them in the first place. But somehow Lyon manages it. Would I have liked even more pain inflicted on those deserving of it? Yes. But Lyon is a better woman than I. And while these characters are fictional, I haven't been able to shake them since I finished the book.
Lyon has said that she will be writing future books featuring some of the characters in this series. In those, I hope we might get a glimpse of the lives of Catharine and Alex in the future - ones in which they are deliriously happy! They couldn't be more deserving.
WOW. Phenomenal! Abby Craden absolutely knocked it out of the park - especially with Carlton and the Colonel’s voices. DAMN. And there are so many great moments I can’t describe without giving something away. Jen Lyon chose the perfect narrator for these wonderful books, which have become some of my all-time favorites!
If you haven’t experienced them yet, put them at the top of your reading list. You can’t go wrong in any format. If you enjoy audio, Abby brings the characters to life in a profoundly beautiful way, capturing emotions that will both entertain and move you, firmly embedding them in your heart.
Original review:
While I couldn't wait for the final installment in the Senator's Wife trilogy, now that it's over I'm sad to say goodbye to two characters who really got under my skin - especially Catharine Cleveland. Brilliant, utterly capable and stunningly beautiful, she'd been under the thumb of men for most of her life. A cruel father and an arguably crueler husband, Catharine still managed to grow an incredibly successful shipping business, becoming one of the wealthiest and most well respected businesswomen in the world. Yet she could never be happy. She was biding her time in anticipation of the day when she might be able to enjoy an open, authentic life, but she'd have to crawl through hell to get there.
And then there's Alex Grey, an up-and-coming professional women's soccer player a decade-and-a-half her junior who rescued Catharine from a near-catastrophic boating accident - a fateful day that would alter the course of both of their lives forever. While Alex pursues her dream of making the United States Women's National Team, hers and Catherine's lives become intertwined in a way neither anticipated, and neither can deny.
It's hard to review a third book in a series, because there is always the possibility of folks not having read the first two. But when Jen Lyon burst into the sapphic fiction scene in early 2023 with The Senator's Wife, it was apparent she was incredibly talented. Then the second book in the series Caught Sleeping dropped mid-year and it was solidified - Lyon was no flash in the pan. The book was terrific and built an incredible amount of anticipation for this final volume.
It can't be easy for authors to conclude a series when their main characters are this beloved. Surely it's hard to give them everything we hope for while adequately punishing the evildoers who are so deserving of it. All while maintaining the integrity that made us fall in love with them in the first place. But somehow Lyon manages it. Would I have liked even more pain inflicted on those deserving of it? Yes. But Lyon is a better woman than I. And while these characters are fictional, I haven't been able to shake them since I finished the book.
Lyon has said that she will be writing future books featuring some of the characters in this series. In those, I hope we might get a glimpse of the lives of Catharine and Alex in the future - ones in which they are deliriously happy! They couldn't be more deserving.
January 9, 2024
Jen Lyon does not disappoint with her final instalment of the Senator’s Wife trilogy. The books need to be read in order to not only enjoy the writing brilliance of Ms Lyon but to have the best understanding of the story.
Catherine is being bombarded from all sides while trying to divorce her husband and not giving away the bank. Her father is destroying the company she painstakingly built while her husband is running for president. Catherine’s privacy is a thing of the past which allows her to freely be out and open about her relationship with Alex.
Lyon takes her time to finish this story and we are all the better for it. I cannot remember ever giving a trilogy a five star rating for each book. This is an exceptional first effort from a new author and should not be missed.
Catherine is being bombarded from all sides while trying to divorce her husband and not giving away the bank. Her father is destroying the company she painstakingly built while her husband is running for president. Catherine’s privacy is a thing of the past which allows her to freely be out and open about her relationship with Alex.
Lyon takes her time to finish this story and we are all the better for it. I cannot remember ever giving a trilogy a five star rating for each book. This is an exceptional first effort from a new author and should not be missed.
December 26, 2023
Intoxicating. Infuriating. Intense. Incredible.
What a final ride. My emotions went from one extreme to the other and everything in between. The words to write a review aren’t properly wording after finishing it. All I can say is read this series, it’s everything.
What a final ride. My emotions went from one extreme to the other and everything in between. The words to write a review aren’t properly wording after finishing it. All I can say is read this series, it’s everything.
December 27, 2023
5 Stars!!!
Long awaited finale! My stomach was in knots the entire time I was reading and only relaxed at chapter 39 (the LAST chapter!) because of the games AND the characters’ personal lives! I think I’ve developed a cramp after finishing the book.
Jen Lyon wrote every minutia of the story blow by blow and it was like watching a game unfold in my head. It was surreal. It was like I was in the stadium, holding my breath together with the crowd, thus, the cramping afterwards.
Pairing a number of football games in the background while weaving in the nuance of a sociopath’s mind, a high society woman’s woes and an athlete with a gaggle of teammates with different personalities, this book wouldn’t have been easy to assemble and yet here we are, enjoying and savouring the sweet end of an saga.
Long awaited finale! My stomach was in knots the entire time I was reading and only relaxed at chapter 39 (the LAST chapter!) because of the games AND the characters’ personal lives! I think I’ve developed a cramp after finishing the book.
Jen Lyon wrote every minutia of the story blow by blow and it was like watching a game unfold in my head. It was surreal. It was like I was in the stadium, holding my breath together with the crowd, thus, the cramping afterwards.
Pairing a number of football games in the background while weaving in the nuance of a sociopath’s mind, a high society woman’s woes and an athlete with a gaggle of teammates with different personalities, this book wouldn’t have been easy to assemble and yet here we are, enjoying and savouring the sweet end of an saga.
January 13, 2024
At last, the final book of the trilogy and I read so slowly wanting to hold on as long as possible before reaching the end. Once again Jen Lyon excelled. My emotions awakened by a cast of characters that I either love or hate. I hoped villains received just deserts and Catharine and Alex found happiness. The World Cup is over - the celebrations digital memories and Catharine and Alex keep their fleeting meetings close to heart. There are legal battles for Catharine to keep her in the UK and Alex has league games to concentrate on. The waters that lie ahead are anything but calm and I read with trepidation, expecting that Catharine in particular would face head winds.
The author did not disappoint. There is the steady march by Sen. Cleveland towards becoming President. I so wanted his campaign to stumble, smash his sneering face. Then Catharine's father - the public fight to squash her, teach her a lesson, set her up and hold her feet to the fire regardless of damage to the Corporation or the employees. Will his tactics work or will he eventually trip up? That's up to Elle Kirkland, Catharine's no holds barred barrister. Elle joins a wonderful cast of secondary characters in Nathalie, Amelia, Halsey, Sawyer and Clancy that I hope will feature in future books from Lyon.
Jen skillfully blends sailing, soccer and politics, back room dealings, courtroom drama, revenge, angst and love in the storyline which has a delightfully unexpected turn of events towards the plot's fitting end. There is a recognition of love which strengthens through the trilogy to a freedom and release of harbored expectations from their shoulders. In this book I particularly liked the flowers (and their meaning) that Alex gives to Catharine.
Worthy of more than 5 stars. This is a series that I unreservedly recommend by an author comfortable on the main stage. I look forward to future books from her.
The author did not disappoint. There is the steady march by Sen. Cleveland towards becoming President. I so wanted his campaign to stumble, smash his sneering face. Then Catharine's father - the public fight to squash her, teach her a lesson, set her up and hold her feet to the fire regardless of damage to the Corporation or the employees. Will his tactics work or will he eventually trip up? That's up to Elle Kirkland, Catharine's no holds barred barrister. Elle joins a wonderful cast of secondary characters in Nathalie, Amelia, Halsey, Sawyer and Clancy that I hope will feature in future books from Lyon.
Jen skillfully blends sailing, soccer and politics, back room dealings, courtroom drama, revenge, angst and love in the storyline which has a delightfully unexpected turn of events towards the plot's fitting end. There is a recognition of love which strengthens through the trilogy to a freedom and release of harbored expectations from their shoulders. In this book I particularly liked the flowers (and their meaning) that Alex gives to Catharine.
Worthy of more than 5 stars. This is a series that I unreservedly recommend by an author comfortable on the main stage. I look forward to future books from her.
January 4, 2024
One of my all time favorite series comes to an end! Can’t wait to see what this author will bring next :)
December 29, 2023
I could read like five more books of Alex and Catharine
December 25, 2023
I tried really really hard not to binge read this, knowing I would have to say goodbye to these characters at the end. But, like with the other two, I couldn't put it down. Jen Lyon has this particular way of writing that makes it impossible to put her books down. You can feel the love and devotion to every one of these characters.
This book was just...everything I wanted. It had its usual sprinkles of angst but also so much love and some incredibly domestic scenes that made me unbelievably happy. The whole series came full circle and just left me feeling a way I can't even describe.
It was also close to 200 pages longer than the first 2 which was a delightful surprise. Altho I'll take another 500 pages gladly!
This book was just...everything I wanted. It had its usual sprinkles of angst but also so much love and some incredibly domestic scenes that made me unbelievably happy. The whole series came full circle and just left me feeling a way I can't even describe.
It was also close to 200 pages longer than the first 2 which was a delightful surprise. Altho I'll take another 500 pages gladly!
April 12, 2024
And the curtains are finally down… that's it. Catharine and Alex’s story is done, wrapped in a little box with perhaps one or two unfinished business in my mind, more so on Colonel Brooks who seems to get away with ‘murder’….well not literally but if you read book 3 you probably know what I’m talking about. No closure with the Father-daughter issue/dynamic. And still with the fade to black in the intimate scenes. Well, I guess we can’t have everything end nicely and in ways that we want.
Having said that, this was another great, enjoyable read and a wonderful series with plenty of angst in between which kept me on edge.
Having said that, this was another great, enjoyable read and a wonderful series with plenty of angst in between which kept me on edge.
December 28, 2023
I binge read this in one day (and re-read book 1 & 2 right before as I think the series deserve your full attention). A bit sad that this is the final installment as I'd have like to read more about Catharine and Alex and will gladly take another 500 pages.
28Dec23: Re-reading the book (which is not something I often do straight away) because during my 1st read I did skip read some parts as I was nervous about the ending so I wanted to know if the book has a happy ending. Seem like I'm having characters hungover as I'd like to read more about Catharine and Alex life. This shows how talented the author is as I didn't realised I came to care so much about the MCs. The supporting characters, especially Natalie, are also great. Catharine and Alex has now become one of my fav couples. All in all, this series is one of my top read as well as one of my most anticipated series for 2023!
December 30, 2023
5⭐️ Awesome! … just SO d@mn good!! This whole 3-book series is beautifully crafted. I would definitely recommend reading the trilogy in order as the story lines continue to build and twist from beginning to end, but every book is equally great. … no other way to say it just SO d@mn good!!
(can’t wait for hardback editions!)
(can’t wait for hardback editions!)
January 2, 2024
What a beautiful Christmas present to myself this book is! And what a way to start 2024!
This was a wild ride, with twists and turns, all kept together by love. I've kept a spot on my bookshelves right next to books 1&2 to make sure the series is kept together!
If you haven't read the first 2 books of The Senator's Wife series, do so, you won't be disappointed. One of the best series I've read! Should be more than 5 stars!
This was a wild ride, with twists and turns, all kept together by love. I've kept a spot on my bookshelves right next to books 1&2 to make sure the series is kept together!
If you haven't read the first 2 books of The Senator's Wife series, do so, you won't be disappointed. One of the best series I've read! Should be more than 5 stars!
December 27, 2023
Fantastic series
I was patiently awaiting this book to come out. It’s been an extra Christmas present! I reread the first and second book in preparation for this book to be released. Well, actually I listened to the audiobooks. Jen Lyon is definitely one of my go to authors. Anything she writes, I will read.
I love these books. The authors’ vocabulary, the knowledge, the excitement poured into each page, excellent. My cup of tea, all of it. I’m also a more dedicated fan of the NWSL.
I’m sorry to see Alex and Catharine’s story end. I will miss them.
I was patiently awaiting this book to come out. It’s been an extra Christmas present! I reread the first and second book in preparation for this book to be released. Well, actually I listened to the audiobooks. Jen Lyon is definitely one of my go to authors. Anything she writes, I will read.
I love these books. The authors’ vocabulary, the knowledge, the excitement poured into each page, excellent. My cup of tea, all of it. I’m also a more dedicated fan of the NWSL.
I’m sorry to see Alex and Catharine’s story end. I will miss them.
December 26, 2024
It took me a lot of time to finish reading this 3rd book of the series, not because it's not a good read but because the lurking of dark presence of Trump like character even through all the good moments of the book became too much to swallow by the 3rd book and I had to take several breaks.
March 10, 2024
I always feel a little awkward when I rate something much lower than the masses do. This was an okay conclusion to the trilogy, but I felt like it was underwhelming. At times it dragged, hard, and could have been condensed quite a bit.
Otherwise - the writing was great, and I enjoyed the author’s overall writing style. The characters grew quite a bit, but ugh the bad communication will always drive me up a wall. I wish there was a bit more closure with Amelia (I loved her and thought the chemistry they shared was better than Catharine/Alex 😭).
The spice is not spicing. If you read it for spice, this feels more closed door with vague mentions of what’s going on.
Otherwise - the writing was great, and I enjoyed the author’s overall writing style. The characters grew quite a bit, but ugh the bad communication will always drive me up a wall. I wish there was a bit more closure with Amelia (I loved her and thought the chemistry they shared was better than Catharine/Alex 😭).
The spice is not spicing. If you read it for spice, this feels more closed door with vague mentions of what’s going on.
June 3, 2024
DNF. I can't do it. Ugh, I'm so disappointed. I loved the first book.
January 20, 2024
I really enjoyed this third and final book in the Senator’s Wife trilogy. Lyons is very skilled at weaving a great plot and storyline. I’m glad that she wrote it more in depth, so we could get totally into each character and learn more about their thoughts and emotions.
This age gap in this story worked throughout all the ups and downs of their emotions and all the side characters who tried to destroy their relationship and their lives. After 3 books it was good to see the evil dudes get what was coming to them.
I really liked Nathalie and Elle’s characters and constant banter and bickering. So fun to contrast them against the serious problems that Catherine and Alex had to overcome. And I saw in the postscript that Lyons plans to write a book about them!!! 👍
Soccer is Life. And there is a lot of it in this final book of the series. I go to a lot of ⚽️ games and could totally get into all the moments on and off the field.
Keep writing Jen Lyons and I’ll keep reading.
This age gap in this story worked throughout all the ups and downs of their emotions and all the side characters who tried to destroy their relationship and their lives. After 3 books it was good to see the evil dudes get what was coming to them.
I really liked Nathalie and Elle’s characters and constant banter and bickering. So fun to contrast them against the serious problems that Catherine and Alex had to overcome. And I saw in the postscript that Lyons plans to write a book about them!!! 👍
Soccer is Life. And there is a lot of it in this final book of the series. I go to a lot of ⚽️ games and could totally get into all the moments on and off the field.
Keep writing Jen Lyons and I’ll keep reading.
December 25, 2023
What a GREAT 3rd book of the series
Just discovered this series in December. Finished the 2nd book about a week ago and couldn’t wait for this book to come out. I was not disappointed. Loved the returning characters and the new ones too! Kept me guessing as to what would happen. Could not put it down! This is a must read!
Just discovered this series in December. Finished the 2nd book about a week ago and couldn’t wait for this book to come out. I was not disappointed. Loved the returning characters and the new ones too! Kept me guessing as to what would happen. Could not put it down! This is a must read!
May 17, 2024
Trust the author. That's my advice not only for this book but for this entire journey.
While I read the last words of a story I literally consumed in a span of ten days circa, I realize how much I'll miss this world. Not only Alex & Catherine but the whole reality around them, what they lived, what they overcome, what they built, on their own, together and alongside the ones who stood by them.
And that's what makes this story so intense, so irresistible. The fact that it's not just about a romantic relationship, it's about lives, wounds, discovery, mistakes, courage, darkness and light, nightmares and dreams, games and battles, and most of all, it's about wondering if everything is worth facing hell for.
What it really impressed me was to witness, before the blossoming of an epic love, two women freeing themselves from the chains of their pasts. Chains forged as much by others as by themselves. Because for so many times they appear trapped in a loop of the same mistakes, the same reactions, words unspoken, misunderstandings, steps back.
But it's exactly through those labyrinths of hurt, crossed stars, evil beasts and dangerous patterns, that they find themselves and look for each other.
Alex and Catherine are astonishing characters individually. So real, so troubled, so challenging. So different and yet so incredibly similar, at least for the masks they wear.
But together ... Oh they are epically overwhelming together, a bond that takes your breath away, that kind of love worthy of every obstacle, every challenge. And when they are apart, they are impossibly maddening, desperately frustrating, it gives you head&heart-ache, and you start to share their own doubts, because it's hard and it hurts. A few times I had to stop reading because it was too much, too difficult, too heartbreaking.
In the first book, that amazing woman who is Nathalie Comtois compares loving Catherine to Icarus flying too close to the sun. Words so prophetics it gives me chills to remind them now, after everything.
Sometimes I wanted to just yell at the writer "Do you even know what a mess your characters are doing? Can you please stop them?". And that's when the absurd talent of Jen Lyon shows itself. Because a few chapters later, she somehow reads your mind and answers: "Yes, I know.", and she faces exactly all those thoughts unspoken, all those mistakes they made, all the ones they'll probably still make.
What I truly loved about this story is that their characters aren't perfect and they will never be, but they grow up, they chase the best version of themselves and somehow they reach, together, the exit from the labyrinth.
I don't know if I'll soon find another story that will overwhelm me like this one did. I'll surely take my time to re-read some parts of it, to let this ending sink. And then I'll hope to find Alex & Catherine again on my path, to see how far they're gone.
While I read the last words of a story I literally consumed in a span of ten days circa, I realize how much I'll miss this world. Not only Alex & Catherine but the whole reality around them, what they lived, what they overcome, what they built, on their own, together and alongside the ones who stood by them.
And that's what makes this story so intense, so irresistible. The fact that it's not just about a romantic relationship, it's about lives, wounds, discovery, mistakes, courage, darkness and light, nightmares and dreams, games and battles, and most of all, it's about wondering if everything is worth facing hell for.
What it really impressed me was to witness, before the blossoming of an epic love, two women freeing themselves from the chains of their pasts. Chains forged as much by others as by themselves. Because for so many times they appear trapped in a loop of the same mistakes, the same reactions, words unspoken, misunderstandings, steps back.
But it's exactly through those labyrinths of hurt, crossed stars, evil beasts and dangerous patterns, that they find themselves and look for each other.
Alex and Catherine are astonishing characters individually. So real, so troubled, so challenging. So different and yet so incredibly similar, at least for the masks they wear.
But together ... Oh they are epically overwhelming together, a bond that takes your breath away, that kind of love worthy of every obstacle, every challenge. And when they are apart, they are impossibly maddening, desperately frustrating, it gives you head&heart-ache, and you start to share their own doubts, because it's hard and it hurts. A few times I had to stop reading because it was too much, too difficult, too heartbreaking.
In the first book, that amazing woman who is Nathalie Comtois compares loving Catherine to Icarus flying too close to the sun. Words so prophetics it gives me chills to remind them now, after everything.
Sometimes I wanted to just yell at the writer "Do you even know what a mess your characters are doing? Can you please stop them?". And that's when the absurd talent of Jen Lyon shows itself. Because a few chapters later, she somehow reads your mind and answers: "Yes, I know.", and she faces exactly all those thoughts unspoken, all those mistakes they made, all the ones they'll probably still make.
What I truly loved about this story is that their characters aren't perfect and they will never be, but they grow up, they chase the best version of themselves and somehow they reach, together, the exit from the labyrinth.
I don't know if I'll soon find another story that will overwhelm me like this one did. I'll surely take my time to re-read some parts of it, to let this ending sink. And then I'll hope to find Alex & Catherine again on my path, to see how far they're gone.
February 8, 2024
I usually take my time reading books because I need to process them. I couldn’t do that with this one. It kept me so hooked that I kept reading and even sacrificed some sleep (if you know me, you know that’s a big deal)! I thought that after two books of angst, Lyon would cut me some slack, but how naïve I was. This book focuses on Catharine’s battles with her father and her husband (who was clearly inspired by a real US president with orange skin). While Alex was thrown into the storm, Catharine is in the eye of the cyclone. I love her character so much. For a long time, she was a contradictory blend of a strong businesswoman and a submissive woman in her private life. Meeting Alex made her want to earn her freedom. It felt like a mountain she had to climb barehanded in a snowstorm.
Finally, we got to see Catharine and Alex in a relationship, and it’s far from being smooth. They still have a lot of unresolved issues. Finally, Alex womans up and shows support for Catharine, even if she occasionally still shows a lack of maturity. I am still not her biggest fan, but Catharine persists on being happy only with her. The book is rich in plot twists. I won’t spoil anything, but you will never get bored. Just be prepared to feel enraged, frustrated, and other shades of intense emotions.
The ending was satisfying, and it had to be earned. Lyon gave closure for every character, and I thank her for it. I really loved this serie. Lyon used my heart like a pinball ball, making me feel both relieved and exhausted after I finished it. Lyon made one hell of a debut.
Finally, we got to see Catharine and Alex in a relationship, and it’s far from being smooth. They still have a lot of unresolved issues. Finally, Alex womans up and shows support for Catharine, even if she occasionally still shows a lack of maturity. I am still not her biggest fan, but Catharine persists on being happy only with her. The book is rich in plot twists. I won’t spoil anything, but you will never get bored. Just be prepared to feel enraged, frustrated, and other shades of intense emotions.
The ending was satisfying, and it had to be earned. Lyon gave closure for every character, and I thank her for it. I really loved this serie. Lyon used my heart like a pinball ball, making me feel both relieved and exhausted after I finished it. Lyon made one hell of a debut.
August 13, 2024
never let your insipid, officious, esurient cretin husband stop you from meeting your beautiful, thoughtful, brilliant, talented, considerate, witty, clever, sagacious, cheeky, enchanting, captivating, surprising, scintillating wife.
this series absolutely wrecked and saved me in equal measure. thank you, jen — and donna —. thank you.
this series absolutely wrecked and saved me in equal measure. thank you, jen — and donna —. thank you.
March 22, 2025
Easily one of the best series I've ever read. The writing is excellent, the story is so interesting and each part felt necessary, not just thrown in there for the sake of it. Absolutely loved Alex and Catharine together!
December 28, 2023
Whistleblower
Book hangover. Jen Lyon tells a fantastic story that has kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It is angsty, but more with external characters, not the MCs. I appreciated it because of all the angst it took to get the relationship going. I loved the banter and chemistry. This was my favorite of the series. I will definitely be rereading this in the future. Jen Lyon is on my list of new authors to follow.
Book hangover. Jen Lyon tells a fantastic story that has kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It is angsty, but more with external characters, not the MCs. I appreciated it because of all the angst it took to get the relationship going. I loved the banter and chemistry. This was my favorite of the series. I will definitely be rereading this in the future. Jen Lyon is on my list of new authors to follow.
January 26, 2024
Absolutely stunning. A very deserving ending to this outstandingly good series.
January 1, 2024
Well Done
So here we are. I came back to book three after being critical of the first two books in this series and honestly with no certainty that I would return for this third installment. Yet, I am glad I did. One word comes to mind, resplendent. First, I read a good deal of series and I find that the third book is always the most difficult for the author. Things occur in the reverse here and I wonder if perhaps it’s the way that the author Ms. Lyons always intended. I am able to see the full arc of the characters that was missing from books one and two and that may be in part due to my lack of vision admittedly. I am here in this review to give credit where credit is due. This book, this tome; has earned a five star review for being transcendent in the genre. It is what I saw gleaming underneath in the first two books that is well above ground and shining in this piece. The author first solidifies the romance and that was key to me, I am here to root for the main characters you introduced me to, I want them to win. What shouts in this installment though is the nuance, the absolute sensuality that Catherine and Alex display. Here they are rounded, they have come full circle and they fight for their love. I didn’t hold back on how I felt about the character of Alex; in book two especially. Here she loses none of her quiet vulnerability, however it is sharpened with her finding her footing, taking up space, and having agency. I was scared with that hotel scene with the ex who shall remain nameless. For a minute I was close to chucking it, so close, and then there was the pivot I had yearned for. Alex finds her voice. I admit to the reality of a love triangle, miscommunication in relationships, how we can act against our own interests, and get in our way sometimes. I see all of that and it is handled deftly in this book. Ms. Lyons is steadfast here, and that sends her writing into the stratosphere. She stays with the characters, moves them apart while still keeping them together and she does that consistently until the end. The barefoot in the rain scene stands as one of the most romantic and moving I’ve read in a long time, here the characters arrive. The plot-line is driven, I was waiting for recompense from book one for both the father and husband and she delivers. Delivers in such a way that I disagreed with Catherine’s actions, wanted her to take that revenge against her father, get her pound of flesh, she earned it. Yet, her choice is so her, so real that I as the reader acquiesced. This is where the characters have come off the page and stand as real to the reader. In this book I grappled with the decisions; so layered and nuanced they trigger, force the reader to be an active participant. I am a fan of spice and would be remiss to not give Ms. Lyons her due here. She does not write with heavy spice, but elevated sensuality and it works well. Finally, as If the book didn’t already sing, Ms. Lyons introduces a beast of a new character in Elle and I have to say; I would be not mad at an Elle and Natalie spin off. A point of concession on my part: it is never fair to compare authors and while I stand behind my review of books one and two, I recognize that I didn’t need to make a comparison of Ms. Lyons to another author. While I did not immediately run to read this book, it now stands as one of my favorites for the year and I plan to follow Ms. Lyons as a result. When wiring is this rich, this meaningful it only strengthens the genre. Well done.
So here we are. I came back to book three after being critical of the first two books in this series and honestly with no certainty that I would return for this third installment. Yet, I am glad I did. One word comes to mind, resplendent. First, I read a good deal of series and I find that the third book is always the most difficult for the author. Things occur in the reverse here and I wonder if perhaps it’s the way that the author Ms. Lyons always intended. I am able to see the full arc of the characters that was missing from books one and two and that may be in part due to my lack of vision admittedly. I am here in this review to give credit where credit is due. This book, this tome; has earned a five star review for being transcendent in the genre. It is what I saw gleaming underneath in the first two books that is well above ground and shining in this piece. The author first solidifies the romance and that was key to me, I am here to root for the main characters you introduced me to, I want them to win. What shouts in this installment though is the nuance, the absolute sensuality that Catherine and Alex display. Here they are rounded, they have come full circle and they fight for their love. I didn’t hold back on how I felt about the character of Alex; in book two especially. Here she loses none of her quiet vulnerability, however it is sharpened with her finding her footing, taking up space, and having agency. I was scared with that hotel scene with the ex who shall remain nameless. For a minute I was close to chucking it, so close, and then there was the pivot I had yearned for. Alex finds her voice. I admit to the reality of a love triangle, miscommunication in relationships, how we can act against our own interests, and get in our way sometimes. I see all of that and it is handled deftly in this book. Ms. Lyons is steadfast here, and that sends her writing into the stratosphere. She stays with the characters, moves them apart while still keeping them together and she does that consistently until the end. The barefoot in the rain scene stands as one of the most romantic and moving I’ve read in a long time, here the characters arrive. The plot-line is driven, I was waiting for recompense from book one for both the father and husband and she delivers. Delivers in such a way that I disagreed with Catherine’s actions, wanted her to take that revenge against her father, get her pound of flesh, she earned it. Yet, her choice is so her, so real that I as the reader acquiesced. This is where the characters have come off the page and stand as real to the reader. In this book I grappled with the decisions; so layered and nuanced they trigger, force the reader to be an active participant. I am a fan of spice and would be remiss to not give Ms. Lyons her due here. She does not write with heavy spice, but elevated sensuality and it works well. Finally, as If the book didn’t already sing, Ms. Lyons introduces a beast of a new character in Elle and I have to say; I would be not mad at an Elle and Natalie spin off. A point of concession on my part: it is never fair to compare authors and while I stand behind my review of books one and two, I recognize that I didn’t need to make a comparison of Ms. Lyons to another author. While I did not immediately run to read this book, it now stands as one of my favorites for the year and I plan to follow Ms. Lyons as a result. When wiring is this rich, this meaningful it only strengthens the genre. Well done.
December 29, 2023
Jen Lyon’s brilliance is endless. All three wonderful books in this series overflowed with emotions. In this third book, new twists surfaced, creating more tension and drama.
We had Senator Cleveland’s campaign for President, the issues involving the divorce negotiations and the major drama around Catharine’s dealings with her difficult father and the Brooks Corporation. There were significant and disturbing revelations around these men, in addition to viewing their condescending arrogance. I can’t wait for other readers to learn how Catharine was able stand up to them and cut them down to size.
A new character was introduced, Elle Kirkland, Catharine’s new English barrister, a very brilliant but somewhat arrogant and obnoxious woman. Combined with Catharine’s good friend, Nathalie, there was always a lot of entertaining fun, bantering, and, perhaps a new romance?
The story wasn’t all political tension, as it switched back and forth with soccer drama, and the situation became public when Catharine was kissed on national TV after Alex jumped up into the stands to kiss her in celebration after a significant victory! Their story made headlines as the whole world loved them, dubbing them,“Greyland!” Lyon artistically created beautiful moments showing how the couple loved and cared for each other. I think I enjoyed their romance and devotion most of all.
One thing that always amused me was the author’s sassy talk, the colloquialisms and nicknames the players used to trash-talk to each other, all in fun. Jen Lyon’s writing is as beautiful as her vocabulary is impressive!
My congratulations to you, Jen, on this incredible series. Thank you for sharing your gift with words. we can’t wait for more of them!
We had Senator Cleveland’s campaign for President, the issues involving the divorce negotiations and the major drama around Catharine’s dealings with her difficult father and the Brooks Corporation. There were significant and disturbing revelations around these men, in addition to viewing their condescending arrogance. I can’t wait for other readers to learn how Catharine was able stand up to them and cut them down to size.
A new character was introduced, Elle Kirkland, Catharine’s new English barrister, a very brilliant but somewhat arrogant and obnoxious woman. Combined with Catharine’s good friend, Nathalie, there was always a lot of entertaining fun, bantering, and, perhaps a new romance?
The story wasn’t all political tension, as it switched back and forth with soccer drama, and the situation became public when Catharine was kissed on national TV after Alex jumped up into the stands to kiss her in celebration after a significant victory! Their story made headlines as the whole world loved them, dubbing them,“Greyland!” Lyon artistically created beautiful moments showing how the couple loved and cared for each other. I think I enjoyed their romance and devotion most of all.
One thing that always amused me was the author’s sassy talk, the colloquialisms and nicknames the players used to trash-talk to each other, all in fun. Jen Lyon’s writing is as beautiful as her vocabulary is impressive!
My congratulations to you, Jen, on this incredible series. Thank you for sharing your gift with words. we can’t wait for more of them!
January 9, 2024
Great conclusion to the series
I loved this book and the entire series! In the third of the series we continue following Catherine and Alex through their lives and relationship. So many obstacles and such love to help them withstand the storms that disrupt their path.
A well written and developed story that kept me up reading until the wee hours of the morning.
If you enjoy sapphic books with a well developed plot, tension, sports, villains, love then this book is for you!
I loved this book and the entire series! In the third of the series we continue following Catherine and Alex through their lives and relationship. So many obstacles and such love to help them withstand the storms that disrupt their path.
A well written and developed story that kept me up reading until the wee hours of the morning.
If you enjoy sapphic books with a well developed plot, tension, sports, villains, love then this book is for you!
January 12, 2024
This is going to be a long one. I made a conscious decision after reading the first two books, not to do full reviews because there was so much to unpack, and I didn’t want to spoil anything. So, if you haven’t read this series then stop reading after the summary of Whistleblower and go read this phenomenal series.
These books are so many things. I’m in awe of how the author has perfectly woven so many elements together. It is a sports romance, an – age gap, angsty romance. It has a political and business storyline. There are so many side characters that are crucial to the plot and each one gets due care and attention. There are threads of the past that tangle with the present. Yet every minute detail is relevant, every character plays a part, and every action has a consequence. I imagine one of those corkboards you see on crime shows with different colour strings connecting people and actions. It looks a mess but when it's all written down and laid out it makes perfect sense.
The writing is top-shelf alcohol, designer clothing, paying over the odds for Michelin star food worthy.
I read The Senator’s Wife and Caught Sleeping back in March 2023, so I decided to have a refresh before I read Whistleblower. Good god, I forgot just how much these books killed me. This is not a series for the faint-hearted.
The Senator’s Wife is the first book in the series and although anguish-filled it is truly beautiful. It tells the tale of how our two ladies meet, introduces us to a whole cast of side characters, and gives us three villains two of whom you will hate with every fibre of your being, the other you will strongly dislike and want to give him a piece of your mind (not that he will listen). It is brilliant, turbulent, and filled with twists and turns. It finishes with a hopeful ending that will leave you wanting more, no, needing more, because you just must, know how happy Catherine and Alex will be.
Caught Sleeping is book two. I couldn’t wait to start it. I had this hunger for more. Although book one ended hopefully my little old queer romantic heart needed to see the love, and I got it, there is such hope and romance, it’s beautiful, and swoony, until it’s not. Now when I say this book ripped my heart out, shredded it, stomped on it, and left it battered, I’m not even being dramatic! It’s brutal. But so unbelievably clever, stunning, and utterly fabulous. I struggled to breathe for most of it. I shouted, “What are you doing” ,“Why are you doing that”, and “good god” so many times I lost count. Even on the second read when I knew the outcome, I couldn’t help but fear the worst, be angry at Catherine and Alex (well to be fair mainly Alex, we all know I always need the icy-ish, aloof woman to be okay), and at one point I actually thought, just walk away, it’s too much. I was wrong of course; these ladies are meant to be. Again, Caught Sleeping ends with a hopeful ending, and my poor shattered heart was taped back together, however, it was not fully healed. Even knowing that book three was probably going to nearly kill me I craved it.
Whistleblower is the third and final book in this series, and it is everything I hoped it both would and wouldn’t be, it did nearly kill me! There is less anguish than in book two for Catherine and Alex as a couple, although, it is still there. As this is the final instalment of course all the I’s needed dotting and the T’s crossed before it was over. And dotted and crossed they were. No stone was left unturned, everything that conspired through the first two books is thoroughly wrung out to conclusions that took me by surprise. When I thought the story was going one way, it would take an abrupt turn. It is genius Jen Lyon. You kept me so unsettled from start to finish, constantly guessing what characters would do, how they would react, and what the consequences and outcomes would be. Brilliant! And you will all be happy to know that Whistleblower ends with a gorgeous happy ending, that let me breathe a sigh of relief. It mended my battered heart and made it stronger. It is spectacular.
Now for some spoilers as I try to get my thoughts down.
Catherine Cleveland is to be protected at all costs. What this woman has been through, the choices she felt she had to make, and how she survived it all, is testament to how strong she is. Yet she is utterly broken. She was born into money and stature, but as the saying goes money can't buy love and happiness.
Her father never loved her, he is violent, cruel, and controlling. Yet for a short time in her youth, Catherine found a semblance of happiness, she fell in love with a woman, Nathalie, and although they had to hide their feelings from Catherine’s family, she was still as happy as she could be in those moments.
Then her father found out and ruined it all, threatening to leave Catherine with nothing unless she left the family home in England and married an American man she had never met. Terrified of her father's wrath, Catherine obeyed and at age twenty found herself in a foreign country married to a man she would never love. However, she secured her place as CEO of the family shipping company.
For over twenty years, this choice would steer her life down a path that ensured Catherine hid her emotions from the world, put up walls, and did everything she could to survive while also building a business that ensured she is a force to be reckoned with.
Enter Alex Grey. A woman in her mid-twenties who saved her life during a freak accident. From their first meeting, Catherine was drawn to her presence, she saw something in Alex that she simply couldn’t help but explore. This choice set her life on a path she never thought possible, causing her to take a chance and make decisions she thought she would never make.
She is one of the most complex characters out there. You never know how she is going to act or react, not even her now best friend Nathalie has the ability to fully read her. Catherine didn’t sweep me off my feet like most of these aloof characters usually do. She did however work her way into my soul, I hurt for her and with her. I was angry at her and then would melt for her. She is so used to being the only person she can truly rely on that letting down her defence and opening up to Alex takes her years, although Alex does play her part in this.
Alex Grey is about to embark on a chain of events that will alter the path she’s on. Her soccer (that’s football to us Europeans) career is about to elevate to heights she’s dreamed of since a child. Yet, jumping into the sea to save a sailor in trouble will be one decision that will turn life as she knows it upside down, swirl it around, give it an earthshattering shake and change it forever.
In many ways she and Catherine are similar. They are both moulded by events from their early years. Alex was orphaned in her childhood and therefore brought up by her religious aunt and uncle. She is used to toeing the line, being the good girl she is expected to be, and working hard to ensure she can still have the football career she dreamed of while still being the respectful lady that is expected of her. Then Catherine Cleveland makes her question everything.
So much so that Alex rebels against herself. She forces herself into situations and relationships that are neither good nor healthy for anyone involved. She allows herself to be controlled and led because then she doesn’t have to make the hard choices.
Although she falls in love with Catherine, she constantly keeps her at arm’s length, the terror of feeling so much, of her life changing so drastically, is just too much. She goes into flight mode and for a long time, she stays on that path. Never willing to stand and fight. It is a glorious moment when she realises what she has been doing and chooses to fight. Alex leaves casualties while on this path. She doesn’t do it intentionally but do it she does. It’s a testament to who she is that she manages to mend bridges, make things right and find herself in a place where she is strong, brave, and even though it is not her choice, she finds herself able to take on the world (literally).
Catherine and Alex shouldn’t work, and as I said above at one point I wanted them to walk away. On the other hand, they are so perfect for each other, and it is other people and the events they cause that stand in their way.
Those others come in the form of Alex’s ex-boyfriend/best friend. A jealous teammate. Catherine’s vile abusive husband who also happens to be a senator running a campaign for the White House. Her father who is equally as vile, he just happens to have a slightly better moral compass (teeny, tiny, slither).
Of them all the one who takes centre stage and makes me spit venom was Carlton Cleveland (and yes, I left his title off, he doesn’t deserve it). Jen Lyon has created a villain so despicable in every way. There is not even a tiny bit of hope for him. I’m not a violent person but the things I hoped would happen to this man are in normal circumstances unthinkable. His eventual downfall is delicious, kudos to the author for ensuring that he paid for his crimes. It was done in the most perfect way, I didn’t see it coming. Yet it is one of those threads through the books that is tied up in a neat bow.
Speaking of threads. These books have so many of them. Something that you read and dismiss will suddenly make sense. An event, conversation or choice that seems to be there for no real purpose will then come to light and make you go “oh, oh, that’s what that was about”. there is no ‘filler’ in these books. Every detail is there for a reason, and it is fantastic.
Jen Lyon must have done a huge amount of research while writing this series. She certainly knows her football. The matches are described so well, it makes you feel like you’re in the crowd or at some points on the pitch. The team's comradery, rivalry, and sense of family are a huge theme. The team of women Alex has around her all have a personality, a voice, and a place in her life. It's beautiful.
Then there’s the shipping company that Catherine is at the helm of. While you don’t get as many in-depth details as the football. You still get a lot of the inner workings and more importantly, the burden Catherine carries to ensure its success.
There is a presidential campaign happening during it all. Plus, court battles, attorney meetings and so much travel. I know I’ve said it before, but I don’t care, it’s genius.
So, I’m throwing all the stars at this series. Each book is easily five stars but together they deserve a universe of stars. Oh, and The Senators Wife is this author's debut. With a debut that is the first in a series, there is always the worry that the other books won’t deliver. That is not the case here. Every book in this series is phenomenal.
February 11, 2025
Whistleblower kept me on the edge of my seat, anxiously coiled in anticipation. I cheered, nearly cried, and felt so much love and compassion for these characters my heart jumped for joy. It was a wonderful end to The Senator's Wife series and I loved every single minute of it. Just finished it, and will be starting it again when I go to bed tonight. Thank you, Jen Lyon for this incredible experience.
January 7, 2024
a worthy conclusion
This is the third book in the senator’s wife series. So, if you’re reading this then you have probably read the first two and know it’s a great one. I am hesitant about LGBT stories, as they are often saccharine lesfics that are designed to kill a few hours and leave you content with a happy ending. This series is not that. If it didn’t feature a same sex couple it would still be a worthy read. My most overwhelming thought about this book, and the two that came before it, is that I’m going to miss these characters and wish this wasn’t the end of their story.
This is the third book in the senator’s wife series. So, if you’re reading this then you have probably read the first two and know it’s a great one. I am hesitant about LGBT stories, as they are often saccharine lesfics that are designed to kill a few hours and leave you content with a happy ending. This series is not that. If it didn’t feature a same sex couple it would still be a worthy read. My most overwhelming thought about this book, and the two that came before it, is that I’m going to miss these characters and wish this wasn’t the end of their story.
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