Smart Women

by Judy Blume

Two thirtysomethings try to find their way through the complications of post-marriage love in this beloved novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Judy Blume. Margo and B.B. are each divorced, and each is trying to reinvent her life in Colorado—while their respective teenage daughters look on with a mixture of humor and horror. But even smart women sometimes have a lot to learn—and they will, when B.B.’s ex-husband moves in next door to Margo...Includes a New Introduction by the Author

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance, Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Audiobook, Adult

311 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 1, 2011

About the author

Judy Blume spent her childhood in Elizabeth, New Jersey, making up stories inside her head. She has spent her adult years in many places doing the same thing, only now she writes her stories down on paper. Adults as well as children will recognize such Blume titles as: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret; Blubber; Just as Long as We're Together; and the five book series about the irrepressible Fudge. She has also written three novels for adults, Summer Sisters; Smart Women; and Wifey, all of them New York Times bestsellers. More than 80 million copies of her books have been sold, and her work has been translated into thirty-one languages. She receives thousands of letters a year from readers of all ages who share their feelings and concerns with her.
Judy received a B.S. in education from New York University in 1961, which named her a Distinguished Alumna in 1996, the same year the American Library Association honored her with the Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Achievement. Other recognitions include the Library of Congress Living Legends Award and the 2004 National Book Foundation's Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.
She is the founder and trustee of The Kids Fund, a charitable and educational foundation. She serves on the boards of the Author's Guild; the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators; the Key West Literary Seminar; and the National Coalition Against Censorship.
Judy is a longtime advocate of intellectual freedom. Finding herself at the center of an organized book banning campaign in the 1980's she began to reach out to other writers, as well as teachers and librarians, who were under fire. Since then, she has worked tirelessly with the National Coalition Against Censorship to protect the freedom to read. She is the editor of Places I Never Meant To Be, Original Stories by Censored Writers.
Judy has completed a series of four chapter books -- The Pain & the Great One -- illustrated by New Yorker cartoonist James Stevenson. She has co-written and produced a film adaptation of her book Tiger Eyes, and is currently writing a new novel.
Judy and her husband George Cooper live on islands up and down the east coast. They have three grown children and one grandchild.

Reviews

[Maia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this in one go on a plane and, while its light, airy feel--a mix of very 80s melodrama and romance--was soothing when cooped up with complete strangers for 10 hours, it was also very annoying and trying. The main reason: I didn't really like any of the characters.

Like nearly every other woman who grew up in the late 70s or 80s, I'd read plenty Judy Blume teen fiction as a tween & teen, and mostly I enjoyed them, though I never counted them as 'literature'. Still, her realistic characters and situations spoke to me and I found many of her books compelling, even addictive. And yet, like many essentially children's writer, Bloom never really makes the transition to adult fiction very well or even convincing. Ages ago I read 'Wify' and, while decidedly stronger and better than 'Smart Women', both the characters and the situations left me a bit annoyed, just as now.

'Smart Women' is a very early 80s story, pre 'Working Girl' or 'Fatal Attraction' and still immersed in the post 60s battles that gave way to the Women's Movement, albeit already with an inkling of the 'costs' said movement also brought to many of the women of that generation--mainly, those born in the mid to late 30s and early to mid 40s. Basically, these are women who have cut themselves off from the priorities their mothers saw as fundamental, who took their college education more seriously (not just to meet Eligible Men) and who, finding themselves in stifling marriages (who often married the Wrong Man) embark on careers and a path of self-discovery, a search for the self that to modern, post-feminist women may at times seem rather similar to the search that control the lives of teens and not adults. So these are women managing their lives and yet being anything but 'smart.' That's the point of the title, and the storyline.

We've two adult leads, Margo and B.B (a.k.a Francine) and two girl teens, their daughters, Michelle (17) and Sara (13) respectively. Margo is a NY Jew who married a successful dentist because, why not? Until she could stand neither him nor the marriage and, as an architect, took herself off to Boulder, CO, to 'find herself', along the way entering and exiting several mostly pointless love and sexual affairs--all very late 70s, early 80s. God, but sometimes these women seem sooooo stupid!! :) Margo is supposed to be an optimist but simply comes off as naive and childish, so obsessed with feeling good and having her fun that she seems oblivious to her job as role model and protector of her kids. She certainly seems oblivious to Michelle's very obvious adolescent angst--while Michelle herself comes off as a pain, simple as that. Worse, though, is what comes off as Margo's complete inability to understand the depth of tragedy behind B.B.'s much stronger story: B.B. lost her son when he was 10 in a car accident produced, if by accident, by her then husband Andrew, now, for no logical reason, lover to Margo.

B.B. herself is, fictionwise, a stronger character because there is at list a logic to her story and her personality. She was brought up to be beautiful, perfect and in control of men to counteract her philandering Irish father and reassure her mother, who it turns out later had actually been having an affair with her own sister's husband! B.B. marries Andrew, a man who seems more in awe of her beauty than in touch with her inner self, and loses it completely when her son dies in Andrew's car crash.

Still, if you'd like a Lifetime soap opera, this is it!

[Bren fall in love with the sea. · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When you’re without problems,” Clare said, “you’re dead.”
― Judy Blume, Smart Women


My favorite of all her books.

I do not know what it is about Smart Women but I liked it even more then Summer Sisters. Something about how accurately Blume gets at family life just got me. She also does atmosphere better then almost anyone.

Smart women makes you want to hug your family, friends, summertime, and it also makes you want to read it again. I love realistic fiction and this story never fails to get me even after reading it about two dozen time s..LOL.

I love all her books but this is my favorite.

The way it depicts families is tender and lovely. I connected very much to many of the females in this book.

I adored Margo. I felt for Francine.

Some characters were utterly hysterical. Eric , the f#### machine is one of them!

Is it true that some of Blume's books are banned in certain red states?

It makes me ill to think about.

Smart women is that rare book that anyone can enjoy because it's so relatable. Among my top books ever.

[Casey O'neill · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not about any smart women. It was about stupid women and their stupid mistakes. The main character is pitiful and we're supposed to feel sorry for her since she's all on her own and going through a divorce but I just couldn't go there. She made stupid decision which let to obvious consequences and a no-big-surprise-there divorce. Loved Judy Blume's books as a kid and I'll continue to read them to my children. She should have stuck to the kid books too. This one made me want to tear my hair out and take the women out for a stiff drink and a stern talking to. Uggh! She made this poor girl out to be a victim. It was terribly disheartening. Still, the writing was decent (for chick lit) and it was a quick read. I was at least able to get through it.

[Madi J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although none of the women in this book ever actually prove to be very smart, they are normal, real women with great stories and personalities. I love this book, just like all Judy Blume books. Everything feels so honest and real. I love the many voices and points of view of all the characters and how they all tangle together. Great book.

[Roro · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh! I used to LOVE Judy Blume as a kid, and somewhat into my adult hood! I remember reading "Are you there, God, It's me Margaret?" Which was such a pivotal book in my youth. And reading "Wifey" in high school, where my friends and I underlined and dog-earring the pages of a tattered paperback with "the good stuff" printed on it. So, naturally, all these years later, I thought I would love to read the only book I hadn't read by my once-favorite author. One written many years ago, but would fulfill my "I've read every book by this author" card. Well, apparently my tastes have changed. This book was mediocre, at best. It was very robotic, predictable, and blah! Margo, the lead character was not very likable and loved her hot tub more than her ingrate children. BB, the other main character, was written as a psycho ex wife who had no depth. Somebody with no personality and a very insubstantial and dull personality. The sex scenes portrayed in the book were almost embarrassing. And not in the way I enjoyed-embarassing. They were forced and unnecessary. I put myself on a wait list almost a year ago, just about to give up hope, but became super excited when it finally came in. But the fact I HATED the 80's, with it's Jazzercize, shoulder pads, and feathered hair, this book just brought back all the horrible memories ... I should have known better. I really hoped to find a little hidden gem in this book, but truthfully it wasn't. These woman in the book (the teens, as well) were not smart, as the title proclaims! They were all simplistic, shallow and very vanilla. The men were arrogant and selfish. No character was easy to like. I really wanted more from this book. I suppose Soooo many other authors ive read since Judy Blume's Hay-Day have since taken her place in my life. She was a pioneer in her day, I admit, but like all pioneers, they are gone...and probably put away on a shelf to forever collect dust and never to be opened again.

[Romi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh Judy Blume. Seriously? What happened to the author I LOVED as a kid. To the energy and enthusiasm? This was just dreadful. I got to page 200 and then said to myself - why am I continuing to read this? It's about women my age who are all divorced and struggling and starting over. But it's written with so many stereotypes and so little energy. Blech.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is maybe the fifteenth time I've read this book since I was a teenager, and certainly the first time since I've been older than the "smart women" of the title, both of whom turn 40 in the year of the events of the book. Though it represents a very specific moment in the "first generation" of divorced women--raised in the 50's, married in the 60's, divorced in the 70's--there is still so much that transcends its era and remains funny and poignant and often reflective of adult fears like losing one's grip entirely under the weight of life's challenges and sorrows. As in so many of JB's books, there are themes of love and loss, the dangers of being too self-controlled or not self-controlled enough, and the exhilaration of letting yourself fall in love after a lifetime of being told you're impulsive or reckless. Compared to Wifey, this is optimistic and mindful. Margo and BB take control of their lives, rather than being buffeted and belittled by their spouses and social expectations. I can also see Margo's daughter Michelle's teenaged struggles much more clearly now than I could when I read it at her age, when I didn't have a teenager myself. I found myself laughing and choking up at completely different parts of the book than I did when I read it previously, and BB's struggles with her mental health were much more alarming and apparent earlier in the book than they had been before. It re-reads so well! Really glad I revisited this, especially now.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

great grown up judy blume read. reminiscent of adolscent judy blume reads. if you liked her as a teen, you'll love her more as an adult.

[Shari · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m not sure why I even finished this book. I found it in a pile of old books to donate. Not one person in this book was likable. And none of them were smart. 🤦‍♀️

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn't love the drama of a Judy Blume book? This was a different POV take on a lot of characters. The main was Margo, who after a divorce moved from NYC to Bolder, Colorado. She had 2 kids Michelle and Stuart. Her ex Freddy, a dentist, is remarried and in typical form plays the kids against her. I enjoyed the different POV and how what actually comes out of your mouth is rarely what you feel. I think A lot of Margo's behavior was more than honest. I think a lot of divorced woman hide their sex lives, boyfriends and tend to behave for the benefit of the kids. So, what I appreciated about Margo was that she was out for herself in a lot of ways.

In addition to Margo there were her two friends, BB who was so troubled and Clare who was a real best friend. B.B. and Margot are casual friends, her daughter Sara was at the other end of BB's abuse. She was so manic and nobody saw it except Sara and she was too young to understand. BB and her ex had a son Bobby who was killed in a tragic car accident while Andrew drove him and two friends home from a baseball game. The fact that BB kept this a secret was really her downfall. She has feelings that were sealed up for years. Clare had a daughter "Puffin" what kind of a name is that? She was very successful and her ex Robin comes back. The two were never divorced. The cutest thing was when Puffin hooked up with Stu, Margo's son. Then they had a lot to deal with and that is a reveal and spoiler too!

When BB asks Margo to help get her husband the rental next door for the summer, Margo helps. she and Andrew resist each other, I think Margo resisted more, eventually they get together. I know Margo promised herself she was going to be serious and resisted him for that reason.



Tons of drama and overall I thought it was a solid 4* book. People who wrote and reviewed made comments about the time and it takes place in the 80's. I really didn't see that many references and where some saw this as a negative I saw it as a non issue.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahh Judy Blume...she's the reason I started recreational reading as a kid and why my 13 year old daughter does today. I purchased this book thinking it was another teen book, but it's not. The book is in 4 voices: 2 adults: BB and Margo and 2 teens: Michelle and Sara. It's a story of love the second time around and the tumultuous relationship between mother and teenage daughter. It places my current challenges w/ my daughter into a broader spectrum and gives me insight on her perspective as well. What a nice surprise for me on a book that I thought I was buying for my daughter.

[Terri Fangman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Smart Women is an ironic title as the women in this book definitely don’t act smart. Jumping into bed with men upon meeting them, lacking loyalty to their girl friends, taking their roles as mothers as an afterthought- not “smart” in my book. The characters were mildly interesting, their relationships were disturbing. If you choose to read this book I suggest using it as a drinking game - drink every time you read the word “lover” (ugh, shutter) or the term “making love”. I promise you will be drunk within minutes and remain so throughout this whole book.

[Adrienne Cobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A different love story

Judy Blume was my favorite author as a child and I still love her work! "Smart Women" is a different kind of love story about 3 women who have been married and divorced and how their lives change as they grow. It is full of twists and turns and will keep you going till the end.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book would lead to a good discussion for book club!!! Lots of personality.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a really long time since I've read a book by Judy Blume. I've also read very few of her adult books. This was nice. It felt nostalgic, in the writing style and the characters and the setting. There was something comforting about it. I also thought that all of the characters (the adults, at least) were awful people, especially when it came to parenting, but I like reading about awful people, so it was fun.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

How wonderful that the same Judy Blume who helped us make sense of adolescence is there to provide adulthood insight as well! I adored this book; it was exactly what I needed to read at this moment in my life. In telling the somewhat complicated love story between Margo and Andrew, Blume describes the internal and external repercussions as their two families combine under one roof. While this could be written off as a simple romance novel, the story covered a surprising amount of ground: in fact, one of the most compelling aspects of the book was its exploration of pressures and responsibilities women bear from their careers, children, parents, and society--and their sometimes tragic effects. The women in the story are not always likeable or even sympathetic, but they are always realistic and believable. Finally, to add true Judy Blume authenticity, a girl even gets her first period. I look forward to reading more of Blume's adult novels.

[Ngozi O. Nwosu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book for the complexity of the characters. I've seen a few reviews complaining the women in the book are not smart. Personally, I disagree. They are all smart in their own way but they have very real human weaknesses. Ultimately, those weaknesses either get them into trouble or when exploited, lead them something new and positive.

I particularly enjoyed the POV of the daughters and son in this story. Stuart, Michelle and Sarah have very definite opinions about their parents' behavior and choices. How they express those opinions is interesting and very unique to each child. It is very clear how those choices impact the kids' behavior and relationships both in the home and with outsiders. It is also sadly evident that the children are all looking for something they feel they are not getting at home.

All told, I enjoyed this book for the story. It was layered and the characters made sense to me. While I might not have made their choices, I understand why they made them. Because of that, I can respect what happens next.

[Shauna · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first Judy Blume book written for adults! While spontaneously updating Goodreads with all the Judy Blume books I'd read in my youth, I saw that I'd read fourteen in total, and figured I'd give the adult ones a try now that I'm, you know, an adult. This was an easy read, and it brought me back to reading Judy Blume books in childhood, as the writing style hadn't changed (when I was young I remember most noticing her plentiful use of ellipses in dialogue, and the way she often referred to items solely by their brand).

As for the book itself, the story and characters were interesting but not particularly compelling. So, just okay. I don't doubt its ability to resonate more strongly with others, but really I was just happy for the Judy Blume nostalgia.

[Lorrie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Books I DNF automatically get a 1-star rating.

So when this book popped into my available books list from the library, I couldn't help put it on hold simply because it was written by Judy Blume. I grew up reading her books (well, during the very short period of time I was reading kids books). But I just couldn't get through this book. All I'm really going to say about this book is ignore the title... there isn't one single example of a smart woman to be found. They were all compete morons, completely unlikable, and deserving of a kick in the face instead of sympathy. I just don't have time for drivel like this, even if it is from an author I loved once upon a time.

[Lori · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a huge fan of her work for kids, I was very disappointed with this. Her characters were often unlikable in a 2-dimensional way, especially the adults. But even her teenagers were generally unimpressive. Only the youngest, a 12-year-old, had any believable depth. I do NOT recommend this book at all.

That said, I did read an excerpt from another of her adult books, Wifey, and that immediately had more potential in just the few pages I read. If you're going to check out one of her adult books, start there I think.

[Chanele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Judy Blume has a special way about her writing that is so readable. She also captures humans, particularly women, in a way that is real. Even if you can't personally relate to their situations, Blume characters always have something about them with which you can understand. There may be no author out there today that just captures the complexity of being female. While this was not my favorite of her books, I enjoyed it quite a lot.

[alli · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was okay. i didn't really feel invested in the characters or the storyline, i found andrew and margo's relationship boring at best and grating otherwise; maybe that was the point. the whole thing was just not that interesting, which is surprising because i loved Judy Blume as a kid. it was a pretty easy read so i plowed through it, but at no point was i really dying to know what was going to happen.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Blume tackles blended families often... this time from an adult perspective. As a new stepmother to two boys... this topic resonates with me. Blume's straightforward style is a always a pleasure, but this time I could have used a little more in depth look at most characters. Overall, a fun summer read.

[Sara Riley Piotrowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had not heard of this book and saw it on a list of "books women should read." Originally published in 1983. be sure to read Judy Blume's forward from 2005. I quickly became invested in the lives Margo and B.B. Quick, addicting read.

[Catbytheseareads ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this a long time ago and fell in love with Judy Blumes books, way before goodreads and other places to review. Wish I could remember all of her books that I read but this one stuck with me as a classic good read of hers.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book...good ending...every experience you could imagine a mother, teenager and ex-wife could might go through.

[Tara Prinsep · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't get into this book. I tried and gotten through 12 chapters and said enough. I loved Judy Blume as a kid/teen, but her adult books aren't that great.

[Jean Leisses · Rating 1 out of 5]

Definitely not my favorite Judy Blume. I know it was written in the 80s - but so very outdated...and I didn't identify with any of the characters.

[Allie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely prefer the children's books more...

[When in doubt, go to the library. · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first time I’ve struggled to finish a Judy.