The Book Club

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Monroe's (Girl in the Mirror) new novel opens as five friends, all members of a monthly book club, face turning points in their lives. Eve's husband dies suddenly, shattering her comfortable lifestyle, while Midge's mother makes an unannounced and unwelcomed reappearance. Annie finally feels ready to have a child, only to find her health and her marriage in jeopardy. Gabriella strains to make ends meet after her husband is laid off; Doris slides into depression as she tries to deny signs of her husband's infidelity. Sometimes close to and sometimes at odds with each other, the friends struggle to face harsh realities and, in the process, gain new independence. The actual book club of the title plays an oddly small role in this celebration of friendship and growth--the books the club reads are mentioned only briefly and often seem irrelevant to the women's struggles. Still, Monroe offers up believable characters in a well-crafted story. (Sept.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

Outwardly linked by their monthly book club meetings, five diverse women in suburban Chicago come to realize that they share more than just the books they read as they struggle with a number of life-changing issues and discover the true meaning and power of friendship. Death, infidelity, infertility, and changing mother-daughter roles are only some of the problems addressed in this well-designed book, which skillfully weaves the individual story threads into a warm, unified whole that will appeal to readers who enjoy multifaceted relationship novels with strong women protagonists. While it is more women's fiction than pure romance, this still has a strong enough love interest to satisfy even the most demanding romance reader. Monroe (Girl in the Mirror) lives in River Forest, IL. Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.