Book Review: "Rabbit Moon" by Jennifer Haigh

This was such a powerful and emotional book, one I’ll be thinking about for a long time.

Claire and Aaron’s 22-year-old daughter Lindsey is teaching English in China. When they get a call telling them that Lindsey was hit by a car in Shanghai, they’re both devastated and confused, because as far as they knew, she was working in Beijing.

Lindsey is comatose and her parents come to Shanghai to sit with her and pray that she wakes up. Both Claire and Aaron, who got divorced a few years earlier, want to understand what happened to their daughter. The hit-and-run happened in the early hours of the morning and there were no witnesses.

The book follows the couple in the days following the accident and also traces both the end of their marriage and the erosion of their relationships with Lindsey. We also see Lindsey’s life in China and the secrets she kept from her family, as well as the perspectives of her best friend Johnny and her younger sister Grace, adopted from China as an infant.

This is a book about family, the bond between sisters, and the desire to be loved. It’s also a book about cultural identity, found family, and the things we wished we had said before it was too late.

I’ve read a number of Jennifer Haigh’s books and I’m always dazzled by her talent. I loved the way the disparate elements of this story came together, and I loved how much Haigh’s storytelling drew me in.

Book Review: "Jane and Dan at the End of the World" by Colleen Oakley

“Wanting to believe something is the basis of most successful relationships, she thinks. Wanting to believe that the person you are with is good or decent or that they would never do anything too terribly immoral or heinous like double-dipping a chip at a party or murdering someone. But the truth is, wouldn’t most humans do the terrible thing, given the right circumstances?”

It’s Jane and Dan’s 19th anniversary. While they usually celebrate at Macaroni Grill, this year they’re headed to one of the most exclusive (and expensive) restaurants in California, La Fin du Monde. But Jane isn’t happy. Not with her career as an unsuccessful novelist, not with her teenage children, and not with her marriage. Plus, Dan is cheating on her.

When Jane and Dan sit down for dinner, she tells him she wants a divorce. Before Dan can process this shocking disclosure, the restaurant is stormed by gun-toting activists. Jane can’t believe this is happening, especially when she realizes that everything that unfolds she wrote about in her one failed novel. Could this hostage drama be inspired by her book?

As Jane, Dan, and their fellow hostages deal with the fumbles of their captors, they wonder if they’ll get out of the restaurant alive. What do they really want from taking over the restaurant? How much do the hostages have to worry? And why does everything that Jane and Dan do or say irritate the other?

Given the fact that Jane’s book appears to have been the model for what is unfolding, Jane and Dan try and figure a way out. At the same time, they have to come to terms with how they feel about each other and what they want out of their future. (That is, if they get out alive.)

I thought this was good but I didn’t love it as much as I had hoped I would. The pacing was very uneven—at times it was sedate and at times it was frantic. I wanted more backstory about Jane and Dan, and I wanted to like them more.

Book Review: "Broken Country" by Clare Leslie Hall

I. Loved. This. Book. When I think about what makes a 5-star read for me, it’s a book that utterly captivates me and impacts me emotionally. This is definitely one of those.

Beth and her husband Frank live on his family’s farm. Their love is solid, steady, and has weathered the tragedy of losing their young son in an accident. Life on the farm is hard, satisfying work, and Frank’s younger brother Jimmy helps them.

One day, a dog comes charging onto the farm and goes after some newborn baby lambs. To keep the dog from hurting more of them, Jimmy shoots it. They find shortly thereafter that the dog belonged to a young boy named Leo, who is the son of Beth’s first love, Gabriel, who is now a famous writer.

Seeing Gabriel again awakens feelings that Beth had locked away years ago. When Gabriel asks if Beth will pick Leo up from school each day so he can work on his next book, Beth agrees, although her regular proximity to Gabriel concerns Frank. But Leo reminds Beth of the son they lost, and it’s not long before she feels torn between Frank and Gabriel.

But Gabriel’s fame, coupled with the history he and Beth had, leads to gossip and insinuations. Tensions rise between Beth and Frank, until a tragedy occurs that changes everything.

This was so beautifully written and so compelling. I had seen a number of positive reviews so I hoped I’d enjoy this too, and I absolutely loved it. It’s amazing how one action can instigate ripples that touch so many people.

Book Review: "Hot Air" by Marcy Dermansky

Sometimes books show us that our lives aren’t as bad as they could be. Thanks to Knopf and NetGalley for giving me that perspective along with an advance copy of this book!

Joannie hasn’t been on a date in years; particularly since her divorce, she’s focused all her attention on being a good mother to her young daughter, Lucy. But she agrees to a date with Johnny, the wealthy father of one of Lucy’s classmates. He turns it into a family affair: he invites Lucy to come with Joannie, so she can watch movies with his son.

Johnny is very charming. He has a wonderful home, seems like a great father, and it doesn’t hurt that he’s wealthy. The challenge is, after their first kiss, she realizes that she’s not attracted to him. Sigh.

But then things get a bit out of control. A hot-air balloon carrying a well-dressed couple crashes into Johnny’s pool. Joannie dives in to rescue them, only to realize they look familiar. The man is Jonathan, a very wealthy public figure—and Joanie’s first kiss back at summer camp.

Jonathan reserved the hot air balloon in an effort to woo back his wife, Julia, who has had enough of Jonathan’s public philandering. Their crash landing sets Johnny, Joannie, Julia, and Jonathan on a wild ride, where they’ll each have to figure out what—and whom—they want.

I absolutely loved Marcy Dermansky’s last book, Hurricane Girl. She has a knack for stream-of-consciousness storytelling that worked for this book. This is definitely a cross between satire and social commentary. It won’t be for everyone, but it was a fun read!

Book Review: "This is a Love Story" by Jessica Soffer

This was definitely a book I loved the concept of more than the execution. It’s definitely an emotional read, however, and there is content that could be triggering for some.

Abe and Jane have been together for more than 50 years. They’ve shared a beautiful love story, raised a son, and each experienced great success—Abe as a writer and poet, and Jane as an artist. Life hasn’t always been perfect, and they’ve struggled through the years, but there have been so many memorable moments.

Now, June is dying. Abe is recounting their love story for Jane to ensure she remembers what they’ve shared. He doesn’t just talk about the times when their love was new, fiery, and pure. He also talks about the challenges—Jane being angry when she felt Abe wasn’t concentrating on his art, the lack of connection between Jane and their son, Max, and times when it was easier for them to be apart than together.

One consistent fixture in their lives was Central Park. They went there as young lovers, as parents, and as they aged. They visited together and alone, at times joyous, inspired, sad, or angry.

The book shifts through past and present, and is narrated by Abe, Jane, Max, and a former student of Abe’s. There are also sections “narrated” by Central Park, which serve as a Greek chorus of sorts, reflecting upon how so many lives passed through the Park.

Jessica Soffer’s use of language and images is exceptional. She has a very unique style which worked at times for me but not always. Just as I got used to one character’s narration, someone else would take over. I really wanted to love this, so I’m a bit disappointed, but I’m still glad I read it.

Book Review: "Penitence" by Kristin Koval

I had such FOMO from everyone who got to read this early, so I was excited that Celadon Books and NetGalley gave me an advance copy. This was a fantastic debut novel!

Angie and David Sheehan’s lives are completely upended when a tragic, shocking murder occurs in their home. They turn to Martine, a lawyer in their small town of Lodgepole, Colorado, to defend their family. But Martine is more than just another lawyer in town—she used to be best friends with Angie’s mother and is the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian.

Julian and Angie were part of a tragedy that occurred when they were teenagers, a tragedy which left them feeling sad and guilty nearly every day. It was the strain of this tragedy and the façade they had to keep up that ultimately doomed their relationship. It’s been nearly 15 years since they’ve seen one another.

Now, Julian is a criminal lawyer in NYC, and Martine asks him to come home and help her with the case. Julian’s return unearths emotions, secrets, and regrets long kept hidden, yet his expertise is truly needed.

This is a book about the weight of secrets and guilt, and the ripples these cause for many. It’s also a story about shared tragedy and how we can never truly move beyond it, no matter how hard we try.

Kristin Koval said in her author’s note, “Getting to forgiveness is often hard, but it can also be profound and even beautiful.” This is so skillfully illustrated in this book, which shifts from the late 1990s to the late 2010s. I’ll be thinking about this book for a while.

Book Review: "I'll Come to You" by Rebecca Kauffman

This book is one of those slice-of-life novels that is more character-driven than plot-driven. And much like everyday life, it is made up more of quiet moments than overly dramatic ones.

Spanning the course of one year (1995), I’ll Come to You is the story of a family, connected by blood and marriage. Ellen is recently divorced and doesn’t really understand why her marriage ended. She gets set up on a date—which convinces her she’s not ready for another relationship—but it does spark a friendship.

Meanwhile, Ellen’s son Paul and his wife Corrine are expecting a baby, after a long period of trying to get pregnant. They are understandably nervous about what’s to come and how their lives will change.

Corrine’s mother, Janet, is one of those women who is always finding something to complain about, some instance in which she gets less than others. Her husband Bruce is facing a health crisis that she’s been less than forthcoming about with her children.

Corinne’s brother Rob is a car salesman who is navigating a divorce and watching his twin sons grow up differently than he would have raised them. Rob’s penchant for lying, a habit he’s had since childhood, has eroded his relationships with his family, and one person in particular.

I think Kauffman’s storytelling is excellent. She created a web around which all of these characters revolve, and there’s enough nuance to keep it all interesting. I thought this book had an Anne Tyler-esque feel to it, in that Tyler specializes in creating irascible characters who wind up somewhat endearing.

Book Review: "Here One Moment" by Liane Moriarty

“If free will doesn’t exist, if all your decisions and actions are inevitable, are you still required to apologize for them?”

It seemed like an ordinary flight on an ordinary day. Yes, there were delays, but ultimately, the plane took off and headed for its destination.

Unexpectedly, an older woman stood up and got out of her seat. At first, no one paid her much attention. But then she started telling each passenger something—the cause of their death and the age at which they will die. Some were told they will die many years into the future, yet some were told their deaths will be sooner and, in some cases, more tragic.

Is this some sort of joke, some sort of scam, or does the woman really know of what she speaks? After the flight lands and the passengers go on their way, the woman’s predictions haunt them. Should they change the trajectory of their lives to avoid any possibility of dying the way she predicted? No one knows for sure until the first few deaths occur.

The narrative that follows traces a number of the passengers and how their lives are affected by what they were told. It also focuses on the woman and the story of her life, and how she came to the moments on the plane.

I felt like this book had a lot of potential but was just way too long. I definitely got attached to many of the characters, but the woman’s narrative never grabbed me, and it seemed to take me out of the story. Ultimately though, the book’s message of living in the moment and not having regrets is a good one.

Book Review: "Pick-Up" by Nora Dahlia

Sasha is trying to master the single mother thing, but she’s not been succeeding lately. It seems like she’s one step behind on everything, much to her children’s disappointment. And then there’s this annoyingly handsome father who keeps getting in her way. Why can’t he just go away?

Ethan is trying to do the best he can without running afoul of his ex-wife. He met Sasha when their kids were younger and he felt like they connected, but she doesn’t seem to remember. He doesn’t mean to keep messing things up for Sasha but he seems to have made an enemy of her.

Little by little, the friction between them (well, at least from Sasha) starts to ease, and there’s no denying they’re attracted to one another. But when a job opportunity takes Sasha to a Caribbean island and she discovers that one of her coworkers is—guess who?—they resolve to put their issues behind them and keep it professional.

Of course, the more time they spend together, their professional relationship starts to shift into something else. Ethan is certain what he wants; Sasha certainly wants Ethan but doesn’t know if she wants to disrupt her life and her kids’ lives. But he sure is tempting…

I love stories about adults behaving badly, particularly the foibles of parents. The banter between Sasha and Ethan is really fun, and although her ex-husband is a pretentious douche, their conversations cracked me up too. (“How had I ever wanted to have sex with someone who said ‘love and light’?”)

There’s a third narrator in the book (who, ironically, isn’t mentioned in any synopses) that I found utterly unnecessary, and anytime she popped up, it took me completely out of the story. I know that people like Kaitlin exist but I didn’t feel like she contributed anything to the story.

Book Review: "Rough Pages" by Lev AC Rosen

This series, which began with Lavender House, is so excellent. The three books in the series are historical crime novels and mysteries, but they go so much deeper than that.⁣

⁣ In 1950s San Francisco, Andy is a gay former policeman who works as a PI ever since the discovery of his sexuality led to his being fired. Andy works out of and lives at The Ruby, a queer nightclub. Given that office location, most of his cases involve a queer person who has been wronged in some way.⁣

⁣ He is asked to look into the disappearance of Howard, the co-owner of a bookstore. The store has a secret book service that publishes and mails queer books to its customers, even though mailing them is illegal and dangerous. Howard said he was just about to publish a big bestseller, but then he disappeared, and so did the books.⁣

⁣ While Andy is concerned about the books and Howard being missing, he’s gravely concerned that the list of customers could have fallen into the wrong hands. That could mean blackmail, or worse, with his closest friends (including Elsie, his boss) being at risk.⁣

⁣ As Andy investigates, he crosses paths with his ex-boss, a determined reporter, even the Mob. Can he solve all of the mysteries before harm comes to him or those he cares about?⁣

⁣ This is such a great book, and although you should read the whole series from the beginning, you could read this one first. It’s amazingly ironic to be reading a book about the government’s desire to control what people read and publish on the eve of an election that could determine whether that control could exist again. I hope Rosen will continue this series, because I can’t get enough!⁣

Book Review: "Three Days in June" by Anne Tyler

I will admit that I screamed a little bit when I got the notification from NetGalley that my ARC request for this book was approved. I’ve been reading Anne Tyler’s books for a very long time, and I’m always dazzled by the quiet power of her words. No one can write about irritating or irascible people—and make them endearing—than she can.

Gail’s daughter Debbie is getting married this weekend. But before Gail can get focused on this milestone, she has to contend with some issues at work, with being told she lacks people skills. So she might have quit. Or gotten fired.

Then, Gail’s ex-husband Max arrives, along with a cat that he’s fostering. He was supposed to stay with Debbie, but given that her soon-to-be husband Kenneth is “deathly allergic,” that won’t work. Gail and Max get along fine, so he and the cat stay at her house.

Just before the rehearsal dinner, Debbie confides in her parents a secret about Kenneth. It throws Debbie for a bit of a loop, while at the same time, it causes friction between Gail and Max, stirring up issues long resolved. But they will support their daughter no matter what.

Like many Tyler characters, Gail is easily irked by other people’s foibles. In her case, she feels as if Kenneth’s mother is taking too much of a role in the wedding, her own mother is irritating, and Debbie’s revealing the secret makes her think of things she’d rather not. What does she want from the future? She couldn’t tell you if she tried.

While in general, Tyler’s storytelling is light and unobtrusive, this book packs a bit more of a punch than I expected. I’d love to know what happened to the characters after the book ended.

Thanks so much to Knopf and NetGalley for the advance copy; the book will publish 2/11/2025.

Book Review: "What Does It Feel Like?" by Sophie Kinsella

Eve is at the top of her game. She’s a bestselling author with a handsome husband she met in college, and five children. Her last book was such a huge success that it was adapted into a film, and she and her family got to walk the red carpet during the premiere.

One day, Eve awakens in a hospital bed. Her head hurts and she has no idea how she got there; in fact, her memory is quite fuzzy and she has trouble finding words.

“She keeps searching her head for clues, but comes across great gaps instead. What’s happened to her brain? It feels patchy and incompetent and not like herself at all.”

Eve learns that she had a brain tumor, which required surgery to remove it. She later learns that the tumor was malignant, but she’ll do everything she can to keep it from returning. She has to relearn how to walk, talk, think, even write. But she doesn’t wallow in her diagnosis; she’s determined to fight back.

The story touches on the highlights and lowlights of regaining her health and rebuilding her life. From telling her beloved children about her diagnosis to recognizing all that her husband has gone through since her surgery, Eve realizes how fortunate she is. And she embraces the simple things that bring her joy—a walk with her husband, a good marmalade, buying the dress when you want to.

This is so powerful but it’s shockingly more matter-of-fact than maudlin. The book is told in vignettes marking steps in Eve’s journey. But what makes the book more profound is that this novel is fairly autobiographical: Sophie Kinsella dealt with the same diagnosis and had the same support system. This is a departure from Kinsella’s usually lighthearted books, but her storytelling is impeccable.

Book Review: "Lies He Told Me" by James Patterson and David Ellis

If I have whiplash, I blame James Patterson and David Ellis for packing so many twists into one book! Given the teaming of these two authors, my expectations were fairly high, and this book exceeded them all.

Marcie grew up in the small town of Hemingway Grove, Illinois. She was determined to be somewhere bigger, so she wound up getting a job as a lawyer at a big Chicago firm. But after that lost its appeal, she moved back, met and married David, and they’re raising two children. David also is the owner of a local pub in town.

They have the idyllic small-town life people envy. And then one day while on a hike, they see a car drive off a bridge and plunge into the river. Without thinking, David jumps in to save the driver, and after some tense moments, both are rescued. Video of David’s bravery goes viral, making him an object of attention in town.

But while David is hailed as a hero, both he and Marcie are thrown by a series of odd things that keep happening. While each is relatively innocuous on its own, taken all together, they start to fear for their safety and that of their children.

It seems as if the news of David’s bravery has made him the center of attention for people with a different interest in David. And Marcie can’t help but wonder what David is hiding—but is he the only one with secrets?

I used to be a faithful reader of Patterson’s but as his volume increased, I lost track. Ellis has been a favorite of mine for a while. I really loved this collaboration.

Book Review: "Tell Me Everything" by Elizabeth Strout

What does anyone’s life mean?

Elizabeth Strout’s latest book is another masterpiece of storytelling, and it’s tremendously thought-provoking at the same time. We return to Crosby, Maine, and some of her favorite characters from other novels: Bob Burgess, Lucy Barton, and the irascible Olive Kitteridge.

“People did not care, except for maybe one minute. It was not their fault, most just could not really care past their own experiences.”

Lucy and Bob have become close friends; they go on long walks almost every day, and talk about everything from the superficial to the super-serious. Their feelings for each other intensify the more time they spend together, and each acts as a sounding board, a shoulder to lean on. But Bob is married and Lucy lives with her ex-husband, William. Are either of them the type to blow everything up?

Meanwhile, when a crime occurs in town, Bob swiftly moves to help the accused. The case is far more complicated than meets the eye, full of emotional issues and past trauma. But Bob believes it’s his responsibility to protect his client, which impacts him profoundly.

Olive, now 91, has stories to tell, so she tells them to Lucy. And after a while Lucy shares her own stories with Olive. A friendship blossoms, built around shared untold stories ripe with lessons to be learned.

These characters are flawed, big-hearted, and so memorable. Strout can make you love the prickliest people and be fully invested in their stories. I’ve been a fan of most of her books which explore Amgash and Crosby, and hope we’ll get another chance to visit!

Book Review: "Colored Television" by Danzy Senna

Jane is a writer who has been teaching college while she tries to finish writing her second novel. While it started out modestly, the book has exploded into more than 400 pages of the history of mulatto people in America. She’s taking a one-year sabbatical to finish the book so she can finally get tenure.

Her husband Lenny is an artist and teacher as well, so between the two of them, they’re barely making enough to support raising their two young children. They live a nomadic lifestyle, moving from shared housing to dumpy apartments and sublets from acquaintances. But for the next year they’ll be living in her friend Brett’s mansion while he’s filming in Australia.

“Jane had discovered somewhere along the way that if you did not have money there were benefits to hanging around with people who did.”

When things don’t quite work out with her novel, in a desperate moment, she tries to get a job as a television writer. She winds up working with Hampton Ford, a producer on the rise at a streaming network. He’s determined that they make “the Jackie Robinson of biracial comedies.” And while Lenny feels that she is selling out, she’s happy to finally be working on a project that can gain her the notoriety she longs for. But when an opportunity seems too good to be true, it usually is.

Danzy Senna has created a darkly funny social commentary on racial identity, cultural appropriation, the cult of celebrity, and the fragility of fame. At times I felt this had glimpses of Erasure by Percival Everett, which was adapted into the movie American Fiction. Imagine my surprise when I found out that Senna and Everett are married!

I was really impressed by this book and its messages. While some of it was predictable, I was hooked pretty quickly, and couldn’t put the book down.

Book Review: "This Used To Be Us" by Renee Carlino

After reading this book, I was completely undone. I literally sat on my couch for a few minutes and had to collect myself emotionally. It’s not just that the book was sad in parts, but it was just so beautifully written.

Alex and Dani have been married for 22 years. There once was a time where they were madly in love with one another and couldn’t wait to be together; now, neither can stand the other. Dani thinks Alex is cold and unfeeling, and leaves her to do most of the parenting of their two sons; Alex thinks Dani is a drama queen who likes pointing out all of his faults.

They decide to get divorced, and they rent a nesting apartment where one can stay when the other is at their house with the boys. Of course, Alex realizes how much work it is to raise two children, deal with school, activities, laundry, etc. Dani misses having someone to share things with, and remembers how Alex used to be that person.

As they both start eking out their lives post-divorce, they each individually reflect on their relationship and where they both went wrong. They try to figure out whether to start dating again, and Dani works to resurrect her career as a television writer. Little by little, they come to realize what their love transformed them into, and how much they miss what they had.

“You think love equals happiness?” “No. I think the act of loving does, the skill, the ability in it—practicing and refining it…you know?”

Renee Carlino is an amazing, evocative writer. This is beautiful, emotional, sad, funny, and totally realistic. Love—and marriage—aren’t perfect, and neither are the people in a marriage. I absolutely loved this book.

Book Review: "What Have You Done?" by Shari Lapena

“Nothing ever happens in Fairhill, Vermont. It’s a small town, surrounded by farmland, with the Green Mountains in the distance. Nothing ever happens in sleepy little Fairhill, Vermont. Until it does.”

Early one morning, a man sees a group of turkey vultures swarming around his field. He figures they’ve found a dead animal, but he goes to investigate, and what he finds horrifies him: the naked body of a young woman, mangled by the carrion birds.

Diana Brewer, a popular, pretty, high school senior, was the one murdered. Strangled to death. But for a young woman that everyone says was an angel, well-liked by her peers and teachers alike, who would murder her?

The major crimes investigators quickly dig into the circumstances surrounding Diana’s murder, and find a number of suspects. At the same time, Diana’s mother is dealing with grief and guilt over the fact that she worked at night and left her daughter alone, and her two best friends, Riley and Evan, want to do all they can to help Diana’s mother while dealing with their own shock and sadness.

The net tightens around each of the potential suspects, and the ramifications ripple throughout Fairhill. Secrets are uncovered that might have saved a life, and people are finding it difficult to trust their family and friends.

I thought this was a very compelling mystery, full of twists and red herrings. Shari Lapena knows how to ratchet up the suspense. There’s a bit of a supernatural component that I didn’t necessarily care for (and it seemed kind of incomplete), but this was still a good read.

Book Review: "Five-Star Stranger" by Kat Tang

Our unnamed narrator (whom we come to know only as “Stranger”) works for the Rental Stranger app. You can hire him to be your guest for an event, make someone jealous, serve as wingman or pretend spouse/boyfriend/sibling, or use him for a variety of other purposes. He prides himself on his work and keeping his clients happy. (He wants to keep his five-star rating intact.)

“If I had a motto, this would be it: your happiness is my happiness, my guiding principle, my mission statement.”

Playing so many roles for so many clients leaves him little time to be himself. And that’s fine with him. His life when he is not working (a rarity) is a lonely one, full of guilt and grief, as well as pondering what’s real and fake in his interactions with his clients.

For a number of years, he has had a regular client, Mari, for whom he pretends to be her husband and father to her young daughter. One day a week, he picks the girl, Lily, up from school, helps with her homework, cooks dinner, and lately, puts her to bed before his “wife” comes home. But the charade is getting more and more complicated, as the woman is starting to resent him for how much more Lily likes him rather than her, and Lily is grown up enough to begin asking questions of her "father."

When another client starts to ask questions about his relationship with Mari and Lily, it forces him to evaluate what he derives from his work, and what he wants from his life. He reflects on his unresolved feelings toward his mother, and he wonders whom he really is.

This was a pretty cool concept, but I felt that Stranger was kept at arm’s length from the reader. At times, the story was sparse on details, and just as it started opening up a bit, it ended abruptly. But overall, it was fascinating and thought-provoking.

The book publishes 8/6.

Book Review: "Liars" by Sarah Manguso

“Agreeing to be someone’s wife should be done only if you can’t help yourself, I thought, but of course no one can help herself.”

When Jane meets John, she is an aspiring writer and he is a filmmaker. Jane loves the fact that they’re both artists, that they’re both committed to their craft, and want to achieve success. She definitely is in love with John, but she isn’t entirely sure if she should marry him—there are signs that he is irresponsible with money, not good at following through on his commitments, and is fairly lazy.

But eventually they do marry, and Jane quickly sees that John prioritizes his career and his happiness over hers. There are wonderful moments, however, so she believes that successful marriage is about compromise and occasional sacrifice. She loves John and is tremendously attracted to him.

Eventually, Jane gets pregnant and gives birth to a son. For the most part, John abdicates almost all responsibility for taking care of the baby, and has very little sympathy that Jane is exhausted and unable to write. And at the same time, John’s constant trouble keeping jobs results in their moving back and forth across the country, leaving Jane to do all the work and find child care.

Little by little, John’s constant gaslighting, neglect, and refusal to help Jane leaves her continually angry and at times makes her physically sick. She’d like to leave but doesn’t want to jeopardize her relationship with her son. And then one day, John tells her he wants a divorce, and she learns the extent of his deceit and manipulation.

This was a heavy read, frank and graphic, and written in a stream-of-consciousness style. I wanted to shake Jane to make her see what a monster John was, and at times, this is an emotional journey for Jane. But it’s a very powerful look at a woman’s struggle to survive a bad marriage and motherhood.

Book Review: "The World After Alice" by Lauren Aliza Green

“‘Funny, isn’t it,’ she said, nudging him. ‘How the past can sneak up to tap you on the shoulder when you least expect it.’”

Twelve years ago, Alice, a high school student, killed herself. Her family never really understood why she did it, and her loss has affected each of them in different ways. Now, her younger brother Benji and her best friend Morgan are getting married—a surprise to both families, since they never told anyone they were dating.

The wedding is at a cottage in Maine, and although 12 years have passed since Alice’s suicide, the gathering of family and friends feel her loss palpably. And as with any family gathering, old hurts and arguments are rehashed, secrets are revealed, and love will be celebrated.

Benji’s parents, Nick and Linnie, divorced not long after Alice’s death. Nick, now married to his former mistress, has been hiding the fact that he lost his finance job six months ago. Linnie brings Ezra, a man she has recently begun dating, to the wedding, and Ezra has secrets of his own. And Morgan’s father Peter is hoping to dissuade his daughter from getting married—but for different reasons than you’d imagine.

As Benji and Morgan try to focus on their love for one another and hope to keep the peace, it’s difficult for both of them not to get drawn into the drama. Can the wedding set everyone on the right path?

A slow-burn, character-driven story, the book shifts back and forth in time to various events before and after Alice’s death, and is narrated by several characters. This is beautifully written but the pacing felt very slow at times, and the plot went on tangents that seemed extraneous. But I can’t get enough of family dysfunction!!