A Memoir of Marriage and Betrayal, A Beautiful Terrible Thing is a startling reminder that fairy tales aren't real. A master class in suspenseful storytelling, Anthony Evans recounts the lies, betrayals, and infidelity she endured with unrestrained honesty and deft candor. I couldn't turn away. With a dual-timeline narrative structure, we see Evans's romance bud, bloom, and wither simultaneously, making the heartbreak and disbelief even more affecting.