From the Iowa Writer's Workshop graduate comes a suspense thriller complete with hot topics like abortion and infidelity . . . but really it's not as "soap opera" sounding as that just made it seem.

Brundage's writing is very in tune and is like a shortcut into the minds of normal people.

The marriage of Ted and Elinor Mackey, a podiatrist-lawyer couple in their early-40s living in Northern California, is pushed to the brink when Elinor learns that Ted is having an affair with his trainer, Gina Ellison. Infertility problems have caused years of emotional turmoil. And Gina's no bimbo: she has a loving but difficult relationship with Ted, complicated further by her young son, Toby, and his immediate attachment to Ted as a stable father figure. When Elinor confronts Ted and Gina, Ted quickly ends the affair; neither is sure if infidelity or infertility should end their marriage. During their separation, Elinor takes a sabbatical from her law firm and casually dates Noah Orch, a hunky but dull arborist. Ted resumes his relationship with Gina. As he realizes that his connection to her is stronger than he thought, all concerned have decisions to make.

This book left me with confused feelings about all involved. I certainly had a hard time choosing sides.

Started: January 3, 2007
Finished: January 7, 2007

Lolly Winston is a wonderful story teller. After reading Good Grief, I decided to find other books by this author. She truly makes the story come alive and provokes the reader to feel an array of emotions for all the characters in the book. I found myself choking up during certain points in the story. I would recommend this novel to anyone who likes to read tear jerker stories. I would also recommend Good Grief which sticks to Winston's pattern of examining the nature of human life, and how it is affected by things that are out of our control.

Son was killed previously in a boating accident. Father is a psychoanalyst who is estranged from his twin brother who is a long distance swimmer. Relationship with wife is strained since son died.

An absorbing tale of three suburban couples and their failed marriages. There's Sarah, who was a bisexual feminist in college but has now married Richard, 20 years her senior, to escape a dead-end job; Todd, a handsome, stay-at-home dad who can't bring himself to care about repeatedly failing the bar exam; and Larry, a former cop who retired at 33 after mistakenly killing a 13-year-old boy. All of their lives collide with unexpected consequences the summer a convicted child molester moves into the neighborhood. Sarah and Todd have an extended affair, and Larry becomes obsessed with harassing the sex offender, while Richard turns into a devoted member of the online "Slutty Kay" fan club. Absorbing and the movie, which follows he book almost exactly, is as well.

Loved the movie - loved the book

I usually avoid reading anything Oprah pushes for her bookclub, but so many people recommended this book, so I gave it a try. I'm glad I did, it was an amazing book. Beautiful writing, and a story that unraveled in so many ways.

Great read, I would highly recommend.

After his death, a pilot's wife discoveres his secret life and sets out to discover who her husband really was. Anita Shreve is one of my favorite authors.

I was interested in this book b/c part of it is set in Ireland where I currently live. Shreve never fails in telling a compelling story. This is another book that uses the same house over different time periods.