Almost 5 stars...but the ending was too nicely done! A somewhat realistic look at a woman's midlife crisis and the ugly aftermath. ( )

The word that comes to mind is "belabored". Gabby, the main character of the book was having some sort of mid-life crisis and totally disregarded the happiness and well-being of her family to cultivate an illicit relationship that strokes her ego and satisfies her appetite for sex w a hot young surf dude/millionaire. The reader is forced to live inside her whiney, weak, vain, petty little head where she repeatedly ruminates about how everything affects her. Woe is me. She is the queen of self-indulgence.

On a side note, I listened to this on audiobook, read by the author and she was a slow reader and it seemed to add to the "belabored" aspect of the book. Several times I said out loud…"yes, we get it already…move on with the story!" Turns out there wasn't much of a story. I do not recommend it. ( )

Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Usually cheating as a plot point and I are not friends. I made an exception for this one based on the author and I'm actually glad that I did. Gabby feels off. She's getting older, her children don't respond to her the way they once did and she can't help but compare herself to her "friends" who are all perfect and amazing while she herself is not. Who can't relate to that? Her affair starts so simply and even with the life altering consequences, I thought that Jane Green did a great job of allowing each character to explore what the transgression meant to themselves, their relationships and was pleased with how it all turned out. I still don't like cheating as a plot point but in this one, it was well executed and processed the way (at least in my opinion) it should have been. Kudos to you Jane Green. Kudos to you. ( )

A nice escape. ( )

I was disappointed after hearing friends rave over this book. The main character was pathetic, annoying and selfish... so needy it was embarrassing. Parts of the plot were ridiculous. After Elliot grew a backbone and left the selfish Gabby the book got a little better. My favorite plot twist is that Claire, the ex-best friend sets up Elliot with Gabby's nemisis the "perfect" yet plastic Trish.. and they hit it off.
This book helped me come to the realization that I must just say "no" to chick- lit. Pushers not welcome!
Sadly, I believe this pathetic character is the embodiment of some shallow people I know. Unfortunately she only finds meaning in life by being desired by a man or being pregnant or mother to an infant. (None of the women are self- actualized in the book except the much maligned Natasha, who is a great feminist character!)
Oh, so I have revealed my true identity... a feminist who is insulted that this book is so popular among forty- somethings.
Ugh. At least Natasha is finally appreciated for the wonderfully strong person she is.
That was the happy ending.
That is the only reason it got 2 stars instead of 1.
( )