How Hard Can it Be? Allison Pearson

How Hard Can it Be? - Allison Pearson

She read

Release date: June 5, 2018

An amusing, poignant story of the life of Kate Reddy a woman of the sandwich generation trying to balance the needs of her family and aging parents while negotiating the perils of menopause and the difficulties of reentering the workforce.  Allison Pearson is spot on with her observations of the indignities facing the middle aged woman as she “gracefully” ages.  She also is in tune with the perils facing teenagers today in a world that stresses social media.  

I really enjoyed this book, although the ending was perhaps a bit too perfect!

Lying in Wait - Liz Nugent

Lying in Wait - Liz Nugent

She read

Release date: June 12, 2018

Pathology thy name is Lydia.

You know from the beginning “who done it”; the story, told from various points of view, reveals the effects of a criminal act on family members and friends of both the criminals and the victim; the denouement is somewhat unexpected.

Many of the characters are unlikable and the story annoyed me,  but I couldn’t put it down. The author is deft in taking the voices of the various characters and she weaves quite a tale. 

When Life gives you Lululemons - Lauren Weisberger

When Life gives you Lululemons - Lauren Weisberger

She read

What a fun read!

The continuing story of Emily (The Devil Wears Prada) after leaving Runway and Miranda Priestly (although spoiler alert: Miranda does make some brief appearances) finds Emily married and living in LA.  With her new business starting to fall apart, she visits her friend, Miriam, in Greenwich, Ct. and steps in to help former supermodel Karolina who has been arrested on trumped up DUI charges and whose politically ambitious husband has dumped her.

Emily is initiated into Greenwich society with all its first world problems.  Maintaining her caustic, witty self, she becomes close with Miriam and Karolina and even closer with her husband, Miles.  

A humorous jaunt, this is a quick read that makes a great escape from the literary world of psychological thrillers. 

Love and Ruin - Paula McLain

Love and Ruin -Paula McLain

He and She read

By the author of The Paris Wife, this is the fictional account of the relationship between Martha Gellhorn and Ernest Hemingway.  It took a while for me to get into this book, but once I did, I enjoyed it.  I thought the chapters focusing on Gellhorn’s experiences as a war correspondent were more engrossing than the relationship between these two writers.  But, perhaps that is because that is when Gellhorn, at least as portrayed by McLain, was the most self actualized.  

The 17th Suspect - James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

The 17th Suspect - James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

She read

The latest in the Women’s Murder Club series; the only James Patterson books I continue to read as I enjoy the four main characters.  This one is a quick read (one afternoon).