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The Book Club by Mary Alice Monroe — book cover

The Book Club

by Mary Alice Monroe
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Overview

On the surface, it is a monthly book club. But for five women, it is something more precious — a chance to share their hopes and fears and triumphs.

Eve — husband's sudden death has turned her world upside down, cheating her of every security she had planned on

Annie — a brilliant attorney at forty-three she has decided to have a baby, but all the determination in the world can't change the cold reality in nature

Doris — forced to acknowledge her dying marriage, she finds the ultimate freedom in her husband's betrayal.

Gabriella — the "perfect" wife, mother and friend, who offers support to everyone but is afraid to ask for it herself

Midge — an artist who has always lived her life against the grain; but suddenly she's feeling like a stranger to the very people who should know her best

They are women in transition, and as they embrace the challenge of change, they will hold fast to the true magic of the book club — friendship.

About the Author, Mary Alice Monroe

Mary Alice Monroe is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author whose novels include Swimming Lessons, Sweetgrass, Skyward, and The Beach House, as well as the award-winning children's book Turtle Summer. An active conservationist, she lives in the lowcountry of South Carolina. Visit www.maryalicemonroe.com.

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Editorials

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.

Book Details

Published
May 1, 2003
Publisher
Mira Books
Pages
368
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9781551667218

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