Other People’s Houses

Available: April 3, 2018

Thank you to NetGalley.com for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was so excited to receive this ARC – I raced over to Amazon.com to make sure I canceled my pre-order. Abbi Waxman’s debut, The Garden of Small Beginnings, was my pick for THE summer read of 2017; I knew her sophomore effort would be amazing.

I wasn’t disappointed. It is a completely different novel that her first – completely different characters (but kudos on the cameos!), different subject matter, almost different everything. Was I expecting a novel that touched my soul and made me cry? I will be completely honest – yes. But then, I was also pleased to hear that Ms. Waxman has a number of different voices in her head (yes, that can be a good thing) and is going to be more than a one trick/one type of book author.

What I loved: I saw myself in Frances…the 20+ year marriage, the teenager, the fights, the settling… and I saw someone else who was okay with not every day being ABSOLUTELY AMAZING WITH THE BEST SEX EVER like everyone else boasts on social media.. and that made me love this all the more.

What I didn’t love: If only it had less Anne & Charlie and way more with the two other supporting families, Bill and his wife and Sarah and her wife. I found Anne to be a cold character who expected everything to work out just because she said she was sorry. I would have preferred more chapters about Bill and what he was facing or the classic argument of adding another baby to the family.

What I learned: You need to do what works for you.

Overall Grade: B+