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The Odd Couple
This edition has substantial changes compared with the first edition.
Morrisey Hawthorne and her four-year-old son, Gareth, have a pretty good life. Then one day they meet Charlene Sudsbury, who is trying to move on from the suicide of her son, JP, three years before. Gareth is nearly the mirror image of JP, and Charlene connects instantly with him. Not quite so with Morrisey, who can't escape fast enough after Charlene shows her a picture of JP. Charlene is convinced Morrisey is hiding something and sets out in search of the truth.
Despite the circumstances, the two women form an unusual bond and end up with a lot more than they bargained for. But when an old friend of JP's resurfaces, he challenges the fragile trust Morrisey and Charlene have been building.
Can these two women overcome the obstacles that separate them from the happiness they seek?
Morrisey Hawthorne and her four-year-old son, Gareth, have a pretty good life. Then one day they meet Charlene Sudsbury, who is trying to move on from the suicide of her son, JP, three years before. Gareth is nearly the mirror image of JP, and Charlene connects instantly with him. Not quite so with Morrisey, who can't escape fast enough after Charlene shows her a picture of JP. Charlene is convinced Morrisey is hiding something and sets out in search of the truth.
Despite the circumstances, the two women form an unusual bond and end up with a lot more than they bargained for. But when an old friend of JP's resurfaces, he challenges the fragile trust Morrisey and Charlene have been building.
Can these two women overcome the obstacles that separate them from the happiness they seek?
146 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2008
2 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Q. Kelly
47 books74 followersI live in Virginia, where I am a writer and an editor. I also have a master's degree in deaf education. In my free time, I hike and savor frappuccinos.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 26, 2017
Crikey, this was intense! This is not an easy subject matter in the least and then Q. Kelly throws a big ol' dollop of cluster f*ck right into the middle of it. And just when you think that's it, she flings some more. After the first few chapters, her writing quickly puts your stomach in knots and then with each page twists that knot a little more, a little more. Argh. Shake it off, shake it off.
I don't want to give the plot away because there's some beauty into going into this without a preconception. I'll do my best to convey my impression while keeping spoilers out.
Big flashing neon warning, "Danger Will Robinson!"...there's a sexual assault trigger all through the book. "The Odd Couple", despite sharing a name with the classic comedy play, has no comedic element whatsoever and is a heavy read.
That said, what an interesting plot concept. The narrative is certainly engaging and a page turner. I can't imagine one would ever be bored by this read. The story is told from the perspectives of Morrisey and Charlene, two very strong women that Q. Kelly does a great job of sinking us deep into their psyches. This story wouldn't have been nearly as good if her characters weren't written as well as they were. The author doesn't pull any punches and this would be considered a gritty read.
There's a lot of darkness in the book with grief, despair, sadness, loss...but there's hope and love, too. The author mixes in a good dose of taboo along with a bittersweet romance.
I'll just leave it at that. At the moment I rate this highly and give it about 4.4 stars. Really well done.
I don't want to give the plot away because there's some beauty into going into this without a preconception. I'll do my best to convey my impression while keeping spoilers out.
Big flashing neon warning, "Danger Will Robinson!"...there's a sexual assault trigger all through the book. "The Odd Couple", despite sharing a name with the classic comedy play, has no comedic element whatsoever and is a heavy read.
That said, what an interesting plot concept. The narrative is certainly engaging and a page turner. I can't imagine one would ever be bored by this read. The story is told from the perspectives of Morrisey and Charlene, two very strong women that Q. Kelly does a great job of sinking us deep into their psyches. This story wouldn't have been nearly as good if her characters weren't written as well as they were. The author doesn't pull any punches and this would be considered a gritty read.
There's a lot of darkness in the book with grief, despair, sadness, loss...but there's hope and love, too. The author mixes in a good dose of taboo along with a bittersweet romance.
I'll just leave it at that. At the moment I rate this highly and give it about 4.4 stars. Really well done.
November 12, 2018
This book was great, really.... I could not put it down once I started..... The ending came to soon though:(
November 9, 2016
So after reading the author's All in the Family, I went and read this. Wtf, self. With all that's happening in the real world, I need better resolutions than what were given in this book. Reading this makes me want to take matters into my own hands. I really really went ballistic with how things were handled and not, or not yet. Grr. I need to overdose myself with vanilla now.
October 26, 2016
Wow... It had shaken me and made some serious whirlpools in my stomach... This book is different from the vast majority of romances out there. I even dare to say that the romance is quieted and shadowed with the inner thoughts and feelings of sorrow, sadness, anger, guilt, hurt, logical and well expected awkwardness between Morrisey and Charlene...
Quite captivating story by Q. Kelly. It surely found the way not only to me hands and eyes, but to my heart as well.
Quite captivating story by Q. Kelly. It surely found the way not only to me hands and eyes, but to my heart as well.
February 14, 2016
Unique!
I've never read a book that is similar. It was a little bit strange but I really appreciated this unique storyline. The issues are tough. I can not explain why I like this book I just did. I'm glad that I have read it.
I've never read a book that is similar. It was a little bit strange but I really appreciated this unique storyline. The issues are tough. I can not explain why I like this book I just did. I'm glad that I have read it.
October 16, 2011
I do not typically read lesbian fiction but was lent this book by a friend. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It is not to heavy on romantic scenes making it acceptable for open minded readers of all genres. The Odd Couple is a great casual read. It is a suspenseful, page turner. I stayed up quite a bit past my bed time to continue reading. I did wish for a bit more at the end of the story, a little more closure. I hate being left with questions but I guess that is the sign of a good cliffhanger. The plot has many great twists and turns. Some may find the plot or oddness of the couple a bit implausible, I enjoyed the freshness and uniqueness of the plot, a new way of a couple meeting and connecting. Great summer read.
January 29, 2012
Comments 2nd edition
The 2nd edition of this book was free for a few days on Amazon as an ebook, so I grabbed it, as the author had said she had made substantial changes to the book in the process of self-publishing it.
It had been a long time since I had read the original published version, so I cannot say what exactly was changed. But it didn't speak to me at all this time. It felt very disjointed. Some of the dialog really bugged me, it was very stilted. Very odd experience.
Changed stars from 4 to 2.
The 2nd edition of this book was free for a few days on Amazon as an ebook, so I grabbed it, as the author had said she had made substantial changes to the book in the process of self-publishing it.
It had been a long time since I had read the original published version, so I cannot say what exactly was changed. But it didn't speak to me at all this time. It felt very disjointed. Some of the dialog really bugged me, it was very stilted. Very odd experience.
Changed stars from 4 to 2.
November 22, 2008
Imagine your son commits suicide! Then you have this weird sense of deja vu and you think you see him again! And somehow you know that the boy is part of you, like you can feel a connection towards him. Then eventually feelings start to develope between the two. The book is fantastic read with a little of heartache in it...
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September 24, 2018I don't know what this book was to the point where I can't even rate it… Like… Whoa. I think I recommend NOT reading it compared to reading it.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews