Susan Reinhardt

"A woman is an indomitably unbreakable creature who can endure mountains of burdens until losing her balance at the top."
Eighty-four seconds can change your life. Or destroy it. Josie Nickels is an Emmy-winning news anchor, poised to rise through the ranks of television journalism. But on a bitter March evening on live TV, the pressures and secrets burbling behind closed doors of her ridiculous Victorian mansion explode. And the overwhelmed journalist spills family secrets like a Baptist at altar call. The aftermath costs her much more than a career. It robs her of a beloved son-a preppy, educated millennial trapped in a deadly world of addiction. Desperate for a new start and a way to save her son, Josie packs up her pride, her young daughter, and accepts a new job slinging cosmetics at a department store make-up counter with other disgraced celebs. In the gorgeous mountains of Asheville N.C., known for hippies, healings, and Subarus, Josie is faced with a choice: Take a chance of bold, out-of-the-ordinary treatment plan for her son. Or lose him forever.
Josie is starting over in a new town with a job she is overqualified for after having a breakdown on air and a stint in rehab for her alcohol addiction. Josie's sole focus seems to be on helping her son to get clean. Josie is estranged from her son and ex-husband who have both blocked her, but reach out to her when they want money. She is working a job she hates, with a woman who makes her life miserable, while raising her 3 year old daughter. Her sole goal throughout the book is to try and convince her son to get treatment while fighting with her ex and working on herself.
Josie has some character development throughout the book, she realizes she has to be a better mother for both her children, and works on fixing herself. I think Josie's self growth and her love for her children was a marvelous story line. I wasn't really a fan of the romance or the secondary stories with her mother and her coworker Pauline. The book has a sort of dark sense of humor at times and it addresses some heavy topics. I liked that the book provides a hopeful message for those who love someone struggling with addiction.
I struggled to connect with Josie and some of the other characters and was put off by some of the plot points, which it felt like changed the tone of the story. Also, it was more about Josie accepting herself and the reality that she couldn't save her son if he didn't want help, than it was about him getting treatment. Overall, it was a heartfelt book that provides a hopeful view of addiction. With moments of humor scattered throughout to keep the book from becoming too intense.… (mehr)

3.5 stars
To be quite honest… I am still not sure what I think of this book. I have many conflicted feelings on this book, which is why I rated it 3.5 stars.
When I first read the synopsis of this book, I was intrigued. I knew it wasn’t going to be your typical romance or your typical woman scorned, trying to get her life back kind of story. I didn’t really know what to expect, to be honest.
This book has a different kind of sense of humor. Some of it, I obviously got. I chuckled in many places. There were places where I thought I maybe was supposed to laugh, but I wasn’t quite sure. I think, for me, some of the translation was lost somewhere. The quirkiness of the characters alone is a plus for this book.
The book as a whole, I am just not sure about. I think there was just too much back story and repeating of the characters’ personalities for me. There were times where the author droned on about things Dee remembered that just seemed insignificant to me. I found myself wanting to skip through some parts. Then there were other parts where I just chuckled and shook my head. I think the author wanted us to get a better feel for the unorthodoxy of the characters, but spent too much time on it throughout the story. It took away from it. I would have rather had a little more “drama” or detail of the present to keep me going.
Overall, this isn’t a bad book. It just wasn’t what I would expect considering the plot of the book. Many have seemed to like this book. I didn’t necessarily dislike the book, it just isn’t at the top of my list of must-read books. It is a light read, which is a big plus. Sometimes you just don’t want a “heavy” read. It can be refreshing to read something a little lighter than the norm.… (mehr)

Reinhardt has been called a “Southern Erma Bombeck.” I certainly see that comparison. This collection of essays touches on all areas of the life of the modern Southern woman – wife, mother, working woman.

I was particularly entertained by the stories about her mother – especially the chapter that dealt with her mother’s obsession with planning her own funeral (down to laying out her funeral outfit on the pool table before embarking on a plane trip, complete with a professional studio head shot photo sticking out the neck of her blouse). I could also empathize with the challenges of living with “Tidy Stu” – a husband who is a clean freak who abhors clutter his wife’s collectibles. I was less enthusiastic about the chapters that focused on the author’s “mature breasts” after two children and the resultant decision to have plastic surgery.

Like most such collections they are probably best enjoyed read one or two at a time and spaced over several weeks or even months. Reading them as a book, I grew bored.
… (mehr)