Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
An engaging, heart wrenching read that echo's with many partners, stay at home parents, mid-life crisis, career minded, go getters and all the inbetweeners.
Merit is exhausted, beat down, depressed, and eager for a way out. After two kids, a long and "happy" marriage and a failed stint at being a professional artist, Merit takes a job with an up and coming Architectural firm under a vivacious boss, Jane.
While navigating this new working, corporate world, Merit and Jane strike up a friendship that consumes their every waking moment between work, lunches, dinners, weekend texts and emails, these two are two peas in a pod. Like a fly on a wall, we witness some wickedly funny dialogue and conversations that had my chuckling, snorting and smiling.
But in addition to this, we get a very raw and pure look at Merits spiraling emotions, grappling with every day "working mom" life and how her new friend makes her feel like she's genuinely missing out on something.
An astounding read with a powerful and jaw dropping ending.
Special thanks to #netgally, #putnambooks, and #laurenmcbrayer
Merit is exhausted, beat down, depressed, and eager for a way out. After two kids, a long and "happy" marriage and a failed stint at being a professional artist, Merit takes a job with an up and coming Architectural firm under a vivacious boss, Jane.
While navigating this new working, corporate world, Merit and Jane strike up a friendship that consumes their every waking moment between work, lunches, dinners, weekend texts and emails, these two are two peas in a pod. Like a fly on a wall, we witness some wickedly funny dialogue and conversations that had my chuckling, snorting and smiling.
But in addition to this, we get a very raw and pure look at Merits spiraling emotions, grappling with every day "working mom" life and how her new friend makes her feel like she's genuinely missing out on something.
An astounding read with a powerful and jaw dropping ending.
Special thanks to #netgally, #putnambooks, and #laurenmcbrayer
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
medium-paced
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Death of parent
I had a hard time with this book. I can understand the struggles with marriage, two kids and being a working mother, especially when the MC feels her husband isn’t supportive or emotionally connected to their relationship. The part I grappled with whether the MC felt the things she did about her lover *because* of her current state or because the lover kind of… tricked her into it??? I just wasn’t sure if the MC was trying to fill the void of her absent-minded husband. It did feel genuine at parts and at other parts it just felt so forced or too much. I did really like the author’s writing; it was intense and deeply moving and at times, felt thriller-like.
challenging
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Merit is a mom of two who is desperate to return to work after taking time to pursue her art, failing to make much money, and feeling remarkably bored by her life as a stay-at-home mom. She is immediately and intensely intrigued by Jane, the elegant, intimidating, creative architect who hires her. Quickly, their productive working relationship develops into a deep friendship and maybe something more.
Truthfully, I hated all the characters in this book. Merit was so incredibly selfish with absolutely no remorse or even awareness of how her actions affected other people she supposedly loved. Cory, her husband, was an utter doormat, and I wasn’t sure whether I was supposed to like him or not. He had plenty of sweet moments, and he and Merit seemed to have wonderful chemistry even two decades into their relationship with a healthy sex life despite a disappointing lack of communication and teamwork. Frankly, he was just bland, which made it much easier to mostly forget about him during Merit’s electric scenes with Jane. Indeed, if it weren’t for the distressingly casual approach to infidelity, I may have enjoyed the developments in Merit and Jane’s relationship, valuing the representation of middle-aged female protagonists with dreams, goals, desires, and talents. Instead, I was mostly disturbed by Jane’s brand of grooming and Merit’s utter disregard for the family she built, especially when the narration seemed to pity her for her confusion and indecision. Nevertheless, I was drawn to the story, and the book was well-written, with something of a dry, callous tone that kept me turning the pages even as I cringed.
Truthfully, I hated all the characters in this book. Merit was so incredibly selfish with absolutely no remorse or even awareness of how her actions affected other people she supposedly loved. Cory, her husband, was an utter doormat, and I wasn’t sure whether I was supposed to like him or not. He had plenty of sweet moments, and he and Merit seemed to have wonderful chemistry even two decades into their relationship with a healthy sex life despite a disappointing lack of communication and teamwork. Frankly, he was just bland, which made it much easier to mostly forget about him during Merit’s electric scenes with Jane. Indeed, if it weren’t for the distressingly casual approach to infidelity, I may have enjoyed the developments in Merit and Jane’s relationship, valuing the representation of middle-aged female protagonists with dreams, goals, desires, and talents. Instead, I was mostly disturbed by Jane’s brand of grooming and Merit’s utter disregard for the family she built, especially when the narration seemed to pity her for her confusion and indecision. Nevertheless, I was drawn to the story, and the book was well-written, with something of a dry, callous tone that kept me turning the pages even as I cringed.
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed this read so much and flew through it in two sittings (a rarity with three small children!). It tells the story of a 30-something mother going through a sort of mid-life slump - nothing too bad really, just general 'is this all my life is?' malaise. She decides to re-enter the workforce after several years away and takes a job at an architecture firm with a boss who seems to be the epitome of pulled-together, glamourous, smart - everything our main character feels she is not. But instead of going the awful boss-lady route, McBrayer draws the reader into this powerful female friendship that boosts both women. And then she keeps going exploring what could be a new relationship altogether for both women.
Just loved every second of this and can't wait to see what else comes from this most excellent writer.
Just loved every second of this and can't wait to see what else comes from this most excellent writer.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes