Sometimes Mine

by Martha Moody

From the author of the runaway bestseller Best Friends comes an engaging new novel of love, loss, and enduring friendship.

Forty-something Genie Toledo has compensated for the mistakes she's made by throwing herself into her work as a top cardiologist in Columbus, Ohio, and holding everyone-including her college-age daughter-at arms' length. Only Mick Crabbe-the charming, famous, married college basketball coach with whom she's had a decade-long affair-can penetrate her shell. That is, until an unexpected turn of events forces Genie to realize just how dependent she is on him and the other people in her life.

Genres: Fiction, Womens Fiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published June 16, 2009

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this very enjoyable and for myself hit a very personal note. This showed the side of the other woman, the love and companionship she shared with the man she could never have but could never stop loving. They both filled needs for each other that one might never understand unless it has been experienced. This showed the other woman as human and loving rather than an horrible person. In the end she gave the biggest sacrifice...sending him home.... when all she had ever wanted was at her door. I found it a heartbreaking and touching story and an insight to world that does exist but many rarely see or could ever understand.

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC from Penguin Books. I had read "Best Friends" by Martha Moody awhile back, so was happy to read her newest novel. "Sometimes Mine" interested me in the first few pages and I stayed interested the whole way through. I think this is Moody's finest novel yet. I liked having the novel written from the "mistress" perspective. It gave the affair a different angle. There would be pages where I felt sorry for Genie and then others where I was completely frustrated with her and others where I was rooting for her. I loved how the author intertwined the "boyfriend" and his family with Genie and how their lives intersected. I thought her portrayal of the relationships was extremely realistic.

At times I identified with Genie's character..."It hit me that the very thing that kept me going - my own will- was what had brought me down. I'd never enjoyed the moment as it happened, I'd always been preparing for the next thing." Sometimes I feel like I am just trying to get through things in my life so I can move onto the next thing. I need to clear my plate and enjoy what is in front of me more often.

The novel also looks at marriages. Mick's marriage, Genie's divorce, their respective parents' marriages, Genie's daughter's impending marriage..."Maybe that's life, I thought driving home: each generation reacting against the mistakes of the one before it, and no one ever, except by serendipity, getting it right." Isn't that the truth. Aren't we constantly comparing our marriages to our parents' marriage (why can it be like theirs? or the complete opposite...my marriage will never be like theirs!), our siblings marriages, or grandparents marriages, our friends marriages, etc.

I also loved the author's statement..."We didn't kiss enough, I was thinking, and neither of us wanted to stop, because a kiss was always beckoning the future, a kiss held the promise of something more."

I folded down numerous pages to reread again. This was a story that flowed easily for me even thoough the topic can be controversial. I enjoyed the story and liked the hopeful ending left for the character Genie. I would like to think that Genie had a new beginning at the ending of this book.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karen, this is her best so far! The premise of the book, that a cardiologist is satisfied with her relationship with a college basketball coach whom she meets secretly once a week, is a strange basis for such a good book, but there you are! The main character, Genie, is so realistic and well developed that she nearly walked out of the book and into a nearby doctor's office. The description of her doing a cath on her lover's daughter was so well done that I will avoid such a procedure if at all possible! Martha Moody knows about mother's difficulties in relating to children and in balancing work and personal life. She knows about love and forgiveness. I liked Office of Desire and Best Friends, but this one is my favorite. How Moody, a doctor herself, finds time to write, I don't know, but I hope she's working on another novel right now.

PS. I just googled Martha Moody and learned that she retired from medical practice after the publication of her first book.
"Martha Moody was born and raised in Ohio. She graduated from Oberlin College and received her MD from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, where she also completed her residency training in internal medicine. She has been married since 1985 to Dr. Martin Jacobs; they have four teenage sons and live in Dayton, Ohio. Moody was a private practice internist for 15 years. Currently she is retired from private practice and volunteers as medical director at a clinic for the working poor."

[Teresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Got this from Pengiun Books as an Advance Reader's Copy.

This novel is narrated by the other woman in an eleven year affair. I'm sure my view of this book was colored by being married, but I found the narrator hard at times to sympathize with. She was a workaholic with tendencies to the obsessive.

[Rossana Snee · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book was excellently written, it wasn't my favorite story. I'm not crazy about sports and didn't care for all the basketball references. Still, it was a good novel and made me ponder what happens to the "other" person in the relationship that is hidden, for whatever reason.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

really liked this book, offered a totally different perspective on a variety of subjects, held my interest thru-out and really enjoyed it, lots of different perspectives going on and all well blended. i hope she writes more books soon. very well written, open minded, thought provoking.

[Sara Strand · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now this book was recommended by someone's online books-to-read list and I can't remember who's so if it is one of my faithful followers, thank you.

I will admit I had a hard time getting into this book because of a few reasons. Number one, I was determined not to like the main character, Genie Toledo who is a cardiologist who has been the once a week mistress to Mick Crabbe, a married man with children who is a college basketball coach. Number two, I really don't like sports (ok...I'll admit to liking hockey, I like watching Olympics, will watch wrestling occassionally, but that's it. But I would like to go to a real football game some day. But that's it). It's not the sports themselves I think is lame, but the whole thing about people going nuts about it. Like really? A ball in a hoop is your goal in life? That's what you aspire to be? It's just a fucking game, people.

Anyhoodle.

But once I looked passed these things I really liked the book. Genie and Mick's relationship was kind of endearing. You were rooting for them even though you know it would never happen. Mick loved his wife out of loyalty but it wasn't fulfilling to him. Genie loved Mick and having the once a week committment was enough for her. She rearranged her entire life to fit their Thursday evening together. And I don't think either of them understood how they truly felt about each other until Mick was diagnosed with prostate cancer and essentially chose his team over his health. Some people might think that was selfish but I also wonder if taking treatment is selfish. Who's to say you should have any more time on Earth? Maybe it's your time to go. I don't know- that's a hard question to answer. And certainly nobody really knows what they'd do until they were faced with that.

I liked the book because I could really see each main character's point of view. Genie- wanting the companionship of Mick but not everything that a relationship requires. Mick- loyal to his marriage and thinking of his wife and somehow doing right by not divorcing her, but having Genie on the side who gets him. His Thursdays with Genie is maybe how he gets through the rest of the week. And even Mick's wife, Karn, is angry (certainly) but understands that she could never provide Mick with everything he needed as a man.

So really, it almost reminded me of how some people have open marriages, where they are married and have their relationship but also have a person on the side. Now obviously studies show that isn't maybe healthy and doesn't usually work long term, but maybe it does. It begs to ask the question- is it possible to be married, and satisfied in all areas, forever. I don't know. It's hard to say. But in the end, this book was really good. I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it to anyone. Book clubs could really go into great discussions about it.

[Barbara Sissel · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s a very interesting question posed in Martha Moody’s third novel, Sometimes Mine. What happens in mid life if the man you’ve loved for eleven years, the one with whom you have made a quasi-retirement plan, a plan that means you’ll have someone to grow old with, falls seriously ill? And what if you aren’t the wife of this man, but his mistress about whom his wife knows nothing? At least not yet. As you might imagine, these are very fine ingredients for a delicious fiction stew. Especially given Martha Moody’s gift for developing perspective. Genie Toledo is the ‘other woman’, a highly successful, articulate, often wryly funny cardiologist, the divorced single parent of a grown daughter who has maintained an eleven-year affair with an equally successful college basketball coach, Mick Crabb. Genie and Mick meet routinely every Thursday at the same hotel. Some might find it odd, but a weekly date and the nebulous notion of an idyllic future together in later life, after Mick’s kids are grown, are enough for Genie. She’s that good at compartmentalizing and dissociating, that good, as well, at keeping a distance between herself and her emotions and those whom she cares for. Her daughter and best friend, for instance. She’s that good at maintaining control of the circumstances of her life and she believes that she’s relatively content, too, with all that she’s created--until Mick falls ill and then everything, including Genie’s faith in herself and how she has chosen to live her life, goes out the window.

In the aftermath of Mick’s diagnosis, Genie can’t any longer pretend the fantasy world she has constructed will withstand the harsher demand of reality. Not even Genie can avoid the implacability of truth. So what can be made of this new world, when it’s no longer up to you when or even if you meet the one you love? And what of love? Can it be true that it isn’t necessary to schedule it, limit it, confine it? Sometimes Mine is a deeply thoughtful story where everything that occurs isn’t on the surface and endings might not quite tie up into a nice, neat bow.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book served its purpose for me as a "time distractor" while traveling by plane - especially on one with a two-hour delay! Not exactly a high recommendation, huh?! I found most of the characters rather shallow. Each couple mentioned seemed to be mismatched to me. I had a hard time buying into the long relationship between the married basketball coach(Mick) and the divorced cardiologist(Genie). I also found many parts unbelievable - how the affair could last this long without the wife(Karn) knowing; why the coach would take a chance on taking his daughter to his mistress, where the wife would meet her; the "accident" on the bedpost; etc. When the wife and mistress became friends, that was over the top for me. I did not feel that the relationship between the cardiologist and her daughter(Claudia) was very well developed. They just seemed to get together every so often.

At least it was a fast read, and had enough in it to prevent a rating of one star. It did make me think about what this would be like in real life. I felt sorry for all of them - an unhappy marriage for both the coach and his wife; a waste of time for the divorced mom (other than her weekly meeting with him). I thought it would have been a better read, had we not been told about the coach's death in the beginning.

As an aside element, I was annoyed with some of the doctors' methods and philosophy of doing whatever it takes to make more money - that part was way too true and sad!

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore Martha Moody. I read Best Friends right after college and instantly related to it. I felt that way about my college roommate at the time (we were super close, but we were drifting in different directions in our lives.) so I read the whole book in two days. Office of Desire took me a little bit longer to get through, and in my opinion was considerably darker. Sometimes Mine is the most recent book. It had a lot of the darkness that Office of Desire had. Genie is so lonely, and I felt her loneliness. I felt the unraveling of her life. There were certain plot points that echoed some from Office of Desire, which annoyed me at first. For example, Howard's insatiable need to increase profits for the practice, but he was not careful about these decisions. But in the end, these plotlines were necessary for the end of the book. I was torn between loving Karn and hating her, even though she's the wife, not the mistress. And Mick - I did not like him. I think that his personality conveyed in the book was boring. All he talked about was basketball, and in the end that protected him from talking about his cancer.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane, I re-read your review because it's been awhile since you read this book, and I agree with you on all your points! What a strange premise for a book, and it almost sounds like it wouldn't even be about anything, but somehow it's compelling. I hate when I'm supposed to like people who have affairs, but the two main characters were shown with all their flaws, and I never knew if I wanted to root for them or not. I found the secondary stories about Genie's medical practice and her relationship with her daughter also well written, and as you said, right on. The relationship between Genie and Mick's wife Karn got alittle wierd, and I'm not sure how believeable it was for me, maybe I felt that the author could have developed Karn alittle more so I could understand how she'd want to keep in contact with Genie -- because it was told from Genie's point of view, it was all conjecture.

I feel like I could read anything by Martha Moody -- this third book makes me hope there's more coming!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, cardiologist Dr. Genie Toledo tells the tale of her 12 year affair with Mick Crabbe, a well known college basketball coach who also has a wife. They lead very different lives but get together every Thursday evening to not only escape from the pressures of every day life but also to be themselves for those few hours. While Mick only belonged to Genie "sometimes," their relationship changes her life and she begins to take personal and professional risks out of her own comfort zone. The characters were endearing, and I believe they, along with their stories are more realistic than many may think. The story is sad but not tragic and the transformation and growth of the female characters makes for a very enjoyable read.

[Kath · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very realistic story where not everyone lives happily ever after. Genie is a strong willed cardiologist, divorced with grown daughter - for 12 yrs she loves a married man. They see each other once a week for 2 hrs but this seems to be enough for her. Eventually wife finds out, Mickey ends up with cancer and wife and mistress come together at the end to be with Muck in his final hours.
Book was a bit too "literary " for me and rambled in some parts which left me wondering at times, was she referring to past yr, current yr ??? But not bad.

[Beth Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book about a mistress to a semi-famous college basketball coach is extremely compelling. If you're looking for plot, this book is rather weak. If you're interested in character development, there is certainly something there. I was always in anticipation of the subplots gaining more tread, which they never really did.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The last year of a woman doctor's 11 year affair with a married man is the focus of this novel. It has a sad ending (no spoilers here), but I felt the author never told me why these 2 individuals stayed together. The characters seemed only to be drawn on the surface, without much depth.

[Peggy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book to be confusing.The plot was based around an affair between an married college basketball coach and a divorced cardiologist. I found it rather odd how accepting the supporting characters were of their relationship.The college basketball twist was interesting at best.

[Tenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's hard to say that you enjoyed a book about infidelity. That being said, this book did keep my interest but I just wasn't left with a good feeling at the end. In addition, the subject matter of the illness hit a little too close to home for me so I couldn't completely enjoy this book.

[Danette · Rating 5 out of 5]

"If you've ever loved someone you shouldn't, you'll identify with this book. It's a good, quick read about a smart, sensible woman who gets herself involved in a situation to which most of us can relate."

[Coleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

not sure what to think about this book. I liked the Dr. but as a wife I can't stand what she did. Coach needed to be more honest with his wife and work on their relationship not just short change it. The ending was not realistic but this is a work of fiction.

[Aline · Rating 4 out of 5]

About halfway through this story I found myself wondering what the point was, why this clearly intelligent gal was so stuck for all those years. Moody's ending pulled it all together for me..., 'gathering her team' - She got it.

[Lady · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the first book from this author, but I haven't liked her last 2 (including this one). There was way too much sports in this book.

[Jackiew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked her writing style...another book that was an easy read for me and one that I really got into.

[Terri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not worth reading in my opinion. The characters are shallow and hard to identify with. The whole premise is unbelievable to me. Very disappointed in it.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot. While the second half may not have been very realistic, I think it was an unexpected and entertaining twist.

[Elizabeth Schmidt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it - made me think about basketball and extramarital affairs in new ways. :) Plus the author is from Dayton and really a neat person. I'll definitely read more of her books.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bargain book at B&N - very well-written, but just not my kind of book. Much more chick lit than I thought it would be. And I'm kind of confused by the ending...

[Lindsay Murphy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main character is so selfish I couldn't stand her. There was too much sports talk. I stopped reading it.

[Mar · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really weak. Almost didn't bother to finish it.

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story had the potential to go places but didn't. I was really disappointed. Well written but not a good story.

[Mom2jngncna~ Stephannie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story base, hard to keep with at times,