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mandy_pandy's review
5.0
This isn't the typical book that I would read. I was so nervous to read this that I had to put this down a couple times after starting. Truthfully, I don't do well with angst. This book is about a married woman and a married man who become friends. Neither of them have a perfect marriage but they are good people. Neither of them are cheaters. This was hard to read at times, not because of the writing, but because I felt so many emotions for these characters. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more by this author. Her writing was kind of magical and just pulls you in.
frogy927's review
1.0
This book is exactly as described. And I really should have read the description better before I jumped at the chance to get a review copy because unhappily married suburbanites are not my thing in the best of circumstances, and there's nothing in this book that sold them to me.
In fact, because I was so disinterested in the main couple, other things I might let slide in a book I was more engaged in, drove me up a wall in this one.
Early on in the book, Maryanne goes on and on about how she's not like other girls. There's no combination of interests and personality traits where that's anything but internalized misogyny. But it feels particularly insidious when Maryanne's main interests are drawing, baking and motherhood, which are all overwhelmingly female coded.
I have no idea how old the main characters are. They live in suburban NJ off the Path train, and Maryanne is the first of her friends to have kids. People in the NY area tend to have kids later than elsewhere in the country. The house is expensive and you have to work long enough to be able to afford it. Maybe Maryanne is 26 at the youngest?
I think the first good friend from my college class to have a kid was 29. Of course, I knew a handful of people a couple of years older or acquaintances who weren't in the NYC area who had kids before that. Maryanne really doesn't know any other woman who's had a kid that she can talk to about being pregnant? Daniel is the only one? Really? That's not sad and creepy at all.
Also, if we've just decided Maryanne is 26, she's had the internet since elementary school. It's weird and anachronistic that the first time she ever uses IM is to talk to Daniel because she can't be without him.
They played 'Never have I ever' wrong, and it was embarrassing.
Finally, Maryanne and Daniel don't do anything in the book. I kept waiting for them to grow up and deal with their problems, namely their marriages to other people. There were plenty of reasons to end those marriages: wanting different things, not being in love, rape, being cheated on by their spouse, sexual incompatibility, the list goes on and on. And yet they both plod along in these loveless, miserable marriages until a deus ex machina comes along and takes care of it for them. People don't have to earn their happiness in real life, but in a book, I want the characters to deserve the happy endings they get; I want to see them trying and struggling and desperately clawing their way there so I can cheer for them at the finish line.
In fact, because I was so disinterested in the main couple, other things I might let slide in a book I was more engaged in, drove me up a wall in this one.
Early on in the book, Maryanne goes on and on about how she's not like other girls. There's no combination of interests and personality traits where that's anything but internalized misogyny. But it feels particularly insidious when Maryanne's main interests are drawing, baking and motherhood, which are all overwhelmingly female coded.
I have no idea how old the main characters are. They live in suburban NJ off the Path train, and Maryanne is the first of her friends to have kids. People in the NY area tend to have kids later than elsewhere in the country. The house is expensive and you have to work long enough to be able to afford it. Maybe Maryanne is 26 at the youngest?
I think the first good friend from my college class to have a kid was 29. Of course, I knew a handful of people a couple of years older or acquaintances who weren't in the NYC area who had kids before that. Maryanne really doesn't know any other woman who's had a kid that she can talk to about being pregnant? Daniel is the only one? Really? That's not sad and creepy at all.
Also, if we've just decided Maryanne is 26, she's had the internet since elementary school. It's weird and anachronistic that the first time she ever uses IM is to talk to Daniel because she can't be without him.
They played 'Never have I ever' wrong, and it was embarrassing.
Finally, Maryanne and Daniel don't do anything in the book. I kept waiting for them to grow up and deal with their problems, namely their marriages to other people. There were plenty of reasons to end those marriages: wanting different things, not being in love, rape, being cheated on by their spouse, sexual incompatibility, the list goes on and on. And yet they both plod along in these loveless, miserable marriages until a deus ex machina comes along and takes care of it for them. People don't have to earn their happiness in real life, but in a book, I want the characters to deserve the happy endings they get; I want to see them trying and struggling and desperately clawing their way there so I can cheer for them at the finish line.
booklovinmamas's review
5.0
Full Review posted on Book Lovin' Mamas
I had such a hard time putting down this book because I wanted to find out what would happen next to Daniel and Marienne.
I was so mad on what Frank was doing to Marienne when the truth came out at the end, and I was happy with what finally happened at the ending.
I definitely cannot wait to read the next installment to Daniel and Marienne’s story now, and I look forward to reading other books from Karen Stivali as well.
This book may make you mad on the significant others of Daniel and Marienne, but you’ll want to know if Daniel and Marienne eventually get their happily ever after, especially with what they ordeal in this book.
I recommend this book to contemporary romance readers out there.
You’ll fall in love with Daniel’s sweet British ways and also fall in love Marienne’s character as well. Just a warning, this book may make you hungry for cakes, cookies, etc. Marienne’s character bakes and cooks a lot, and she had me wanting to bake after I finished this book. =)
I had such a hard time putting down this book because I wanted to find out what would happen next to Daniel and Marienne.
I was so mad on what Frank was doing to Marienne when the truth came out at the end, and I was happy with what finally happened at the ending.
I definitely cannot wait to read the next installment to Daniel and Marienne’s story now, and I look forward to reading other books from Karen Stivali as well.
This book may make you mad on the significant others of Daniel and Marienne, but you’ll want to know if Daniel and Marienne eventually get their happily ever after, especially with what they ordeal in this book.
I recommend this book to contemporary romance readers out there.
You’ll fall in love with Daniel’s sweet British ways and also fall in love Marienne’s character as well. Just a warning, this book may make you hungry for cakes, cookies, etc. Marienne’s character bakes and cooks a lot, and she had me wanting to bake after I finished this book. =)
franjessca's review
5.0
Full Review posted on Book Lovin' Mamas
I had such a hard time putting down this book because I wanted to find out what would happen next to Daniel and Marienne.
I was so mad on what Frank was doing to Marienne when the truth came out at the end, and I was happy with what finally happened at the ending.
I definitely cannot wait to read the next installment to Daniel and Marienne’s story now, and I look forward to reading other books from Karen Stivali as well.
This book may make you mad on the significant others of Daniel and Marienne, but you’ll want to know if Daniel and Marienne eventually get their happily ever after, especially with what they ordeal in this book.
I recommend this book to contemporary romance readers out there.
You’ll fall in love with Daniel’s sweet British ways and also fall in love Marienne’s character as well. Just a warning, this book may make you hungry for cakes, cookies, etc. Marienne’s character bakes and cooks a lot, and she had me wanting to bake after I finished this book. =)
I had such a hard time putting down this book because I wanted to find out what would happen next to Daniel and Marienne.
I was so mad on what Frank was doing to Marienne when the truth came out at the end, and I was happy with what finally happened at the ending.
I definitely cannot wait to read the next installment to Daniel and Marienne’s story now, and I look forward to reading other books from Karen Stivali as well.
This book may make you mad on the significant others of Daniel and Marienne, but you’ll want to know if Daniel and Marienne eventually get their happily ever after, especially with what they ordeal in this book.
I recommend this book to contemporary romance readers out there.
You’ll fall in love with Daniel’s sweet British ways and also fall in love Marienne’s character as well. Just a warning, this book may make you hungry for cakes, cookies, etc. Marienne’s character bakes and cooks a lot, and she had me wanting to bake after I finished this book. =)
calila's review
2.0
*A copy of this book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review.*
So this turns out super ranty, proceed at your own risk.
Full Rant behind the spoiler tag:
This was not a book for me. While it was well written, I couldn't find a thing to like about the main characters I was supposed to be sympathetic to. Both main characters are married to other people for a lot of the story, but there is no physical cheating on their' parts, I know that's bothersome to some people so I want to be clear about that up front. But there is a massively inappropriate emotional affair. Marienne is supposed to be this "nice caring woman" but for me she was just weak willed and preferred to act as if everything just happened to her as if she didn't make her own choices. I felt for her at times in spite of that but mostly I just wanted to tell her to grow up and take stand if she was so unhappy. Daniel is the quintessential "Nice Guy", you know the guy who is supportive and understanding because you "aren't like other women", because you know most women are manipulative whores and bitches. Also find it quite disgusting that apparently his wife not wanting children is enough to make him think that he's never found anyone less attractive. Which leads me to talk about their spouses, who were by no means great people, but they weren't as bad as I'm clearly supposed to find them judging by how the characters think of them. Frank, Marienne's husband, was the worst of the duo. He rapes her on their wedding night, though I don't know if I only feel that way because we, the readers, are in her head for that. I think it's gray because I don't know she was clear that she wasn't in the right mind frame, which I know some people will have an issue with. But I also don't know that he would've cared. I think their marriage wasn't that bad, but that she didn't love him and he didn't really love her. It just seemed like they get married because it was expected and she found him "safe", after her horrible ex who stalked her and threatened to kill himself. Frank really just was curt and not that interested in Marienne's problems. Marienne also had a horribly toxic mother, to just really nail the "She's so alone and victimized" thread. Now to Daniel's wife Justine, she really got the short end of the stick and I'm so happy they divorced so she's free of Daniel's self. She's a business woman whose work is her priority so STRIKE ONE. Second, she likes sex! She has toys! She has even slept with someone whose name she didn't remember years later....the HORROR. STRIKE TWO. The third strike? She is honest about the fact that she doesn't want children, and that the idea baffles her. WHAT A BITCH. Doesn't she know you can't be a woman without wanting to spawn? That it's her duty? Those are her big "sins". That's it. That's what make it's totally okay that Daniel involves himself with Marienne, because honestly what could Justine expect when she has this PARAGON OF REAL Womanhood growing round with child next door where Daniel can see!
TLDR: *sigh* I just couldn't get past my negative reaction to the main characters self pity and smug sanctimoniousness to like them. I found everyone pretty unsympathetic and unrootable. However I am aware that a lot of people probably won't be bugged by the same things that personally bug me. I also don't typically have an issue with cheating or affairs, physical or emotional, if I can understand and root for them anyway. That doesn't happen in this book.
So this turns out super ranty, proceed at your own risk.
Full Rant behind the spoiler tag:
TLDR: *sigh* I just couldn't get past my negative reaction to the main characters self pity and smug sanctimoniousness to like them. I found everyone pretty unsympathetic and unrootable. However I am aware that a lot of people probably won't be bugged by the same things that personally bug me. I also don't typically have an issue with cheating or affairs, physical or emotional, if I can understand and root for them anyway. That doesn't happen in this book.
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