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American Housewife
For a beloved television star in 1950s America, image and reality clash in an insightful novel about fame, marriage, and secrets by the international bestselling author of The Light After the War.
New York City, 1950. Dreams come true for radio personality Maggie Lane when she gets her big break in the exciting new world of television. The Maggie Lane Baking Show is on the air.
All she has to do is act like the ideal housewife, create sumptuous desserts, charm the show’s sponsors, and sign a morality clause to ensure that her girl-next-door image remains untarnished. Although newlywed Maggie has never baked so much as a cookie, and knows even less about maintaining a home, keeping up appearances is a necessary ingredient for success. Easy. She has a supportive husband and a legion of fans who can’t wait to know her better and better, week after week.
That’s what she’s afraid of. Off camera, cracks are showing in her marriage, an old lover makes an unexpected return, and there are secrets from the past that could ruin everything Maggie has worked for. With every dream on the line, Maggie wonders if she can still have it all when the truth about what it really means to be an American housewife comes to light.
New York City, 1950. Dreams come true for radio personality Maggie Lane when she gets her big break in the exciting new world of television. The Maggie Lane Baking Show is on the air.
All she has to do is act like the ideal housewife, create sumptuous desserts, charm the show’s sponsors, and sign a morality clause to ensure that her girl-next-door image remains untarnished. Although newlywed Maggie has never baked so much as a cookie, and knows even less about maintaining a home, keeping up appearances is a necessary ingredient for success. Easy. She has a supportive husband and a legion of fans who can’t wait to know her better and better, week after week.
That’s what she’s afraid of. Off camera, cracks are showing in her marriage, an old lover makes an unexpected return, and there are secrets from the past that could ruin everything Maggie has worked for. With every dream on the line, Maggie wonders if she can still have it all when the truth about what it really means to be an American housewife comes to light.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 11, 2025
4347 people are currently reading
12038 people want to read
About the author
Anita Abriel
6 books452 followersAnita Abriel was born in Sydney, Australia. She received a BA in English Literature with a minor in Creative Writing from Bard College. She lives in California with her family and is the author of The Light After the War which was inspired by her mother’s story of survival during WWII.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 684 reviews
April 7, 2025
EXCERPT: Maggie let out her breath. It really was happening. She was going to be the star of her own baking show.
"There are a few more papers to sign." Tommy was going through his briefcase. He handed her a paper. "A noncompete, and the morality clause."
Maggie held the paper. "A morality clause?"
"They're very common. I'm surprised you didn't sign one at CBS," Tommy said. "It's particularly important for the show. Maggie Lane is going to be America's girl next door. There can't be any skeletons in our star's past."
The paper shook under her fingers. Her stomach dropped, and a feeling of foreboding overwhelmed her. Tommy and Teddy were both looking at her expectantly.
ABOUT 'AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE': New York City, 1950. Dreams come true for radio personality Maggie Lane when she gets her big break in the exciting new world of television. The Maggie Lane Baking Show is on the air.
All she has to do is act like the ideal housewife, create sumptuous desserts, charm the show’s sponsors, and sign a morality clause to ensure that her girl-next-door image remains untarnished. Although newlywed Maggie has never baked so much as a cookie, and knows even less about maintaining a home, keeping up appearances is a necessary ingredient for success. Easy. She has a supportive husband and a legion of fans who can’t wait to know her better and better, week after week.
That’s what she’s afraid of. Off camera, cracks are showing in her marriage, an old lover makes an unexpected return, and there are secrets from the past that could ruin everything Maggie has worked for. With every dream on the line, Maggie wonders if she can still have it all when the truth about what it really means to be an American housewife comes to light.
MY THOUGHTS: MC Maggie Lane has an interesting backstory which is filtered into the narrative in the form of flashbacks/memories. But it's one that, unfortunately, may prove to be her undoing should it come to light.
But Maggie is not the only one with secrets - new husband Teddy has a few of his own, secrets that keep him awake at night, secrets that give him nightmares.
I found it easy to relate to Maggie, to empathise with her. She's a likeable character with more than a little steel in her backbone and a generous heart. I could easily see why she took the path she did earlier in her life. In today's setting, no one would blink an eye at her personal history, but things were very different in the 1950s, the decade I was born.
I love a good moral dilemma, and there are several within the pages of American Housewife. There's a blackmail attempt, a groom left standing at the altar, a young woman in love trying to hide her family roots, and a very real threat to Maggie's marriage.
While there is not a lot of emotional depth to American Housewife, it was a pleasant, quick and easy read that kept me engaged from beginning to end.
⭐⭐⭐.7
#AmericanHousewife #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: Anita Abriel was born in Sydney, Australia. She received a BA in English Literature with a minor in Creative Writing from Bard College. She lives in California with her family and is the author of The Light After the War which was inspired by her mother’s story of survival during WWII.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of American Housewife for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
"There are a few more papers to sign." Tommy was going through his briefcase. He handed her a paper. "A noncompete, and the morality clause."
Maggie held the paper. "A morality clause?"
"They're very common. I'm surprised you didn't sign one at CBS," Tommy said. "It's particularly important for the show. Maggie Lane is going to be America's girl next door. There can't be any skeletons in our star's past."
The paper shook under her fingers. Her stomach dropped, and a feeling of foreboding overwhelmed her. Tommy and Teddy were both looking at her expectantly.
ABOUT 'AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE': New York City, 1950. Dreams come true for radio personality Maggie Lane when she gets her big break in the exciting new world of television. The Maggie Lane Baking Show is on the air.
All she has to do is act like the ideal housewife, create sumptuous desserts, charm the show’s sponsors, and sign a morality clause to ensure that her girl-next-door image remains untarnished. Although newlywed Maggie has never baked so much as a cookie, and knows even less about maintaining a home, keeping up appearances is a necessary ingredient for success. Easy. She has a supportive husband and a legion of fans who can’t wait to know her better and better, week after week.
That’s what she’s afraid of. Off camera, cracks are showing in her marriage, an old lover makes an unexpected return, and there are secrets from the past that could ruin everything Maggie has worked for. With every dream on the line, Maggie wonders if she can still have it all when the truth about what it really means to be an American housewife comes to light.
MY THOUGHTS: MC Maggie Lane has an interesting backstory which is filtered into the narrative in the form of flashbacks/memories. But it's one that, unfortunately, may prove to be her undoing should it come to light.
But Maggie is not the only one with secrets - new husband Teddy has a few of his own, secrets that keep him awake at night, secrets that give him nightmares.
I found it easy to relate to Maggie, to empathise with her. She's a likeable character with more than a little steel in her backbone and a generous heart. I could easily see why she took the path she did earlier in her life. In today's setting, no one would blink an eye at her personal history, but things were very different in the 1950s, the decade I was born.
I love a good moral dilemma, and there are several within the pages of American Housewife. There's a blackmail attempt, a groom left standing at the altar, a young woman in love trying to hide her family roots, and a very real threat to Maggie's marriage.
While there is not a lot of emotional depth to American Housewife, it was a pleasant, quick and easy read that kept me engaged from beginning to end.
⭐⭐⭐.7
#AmericanHousewife #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: Anita Abriel was born in Sydney, Australia. She received a BA in English Literature with a minor in Creative Writing from Bard College. She lives in California with her family and is the author of The Light After the War which was inspired by her mother’s story of survival during WWII.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of American Housewife for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
March 10, 2025
The writing fell so flat to me but I stuck through it because I was interested in the storyline and then I was disappointed by the way it all wrapped up.
March 25, 2025
Maggie Lane is a country girl living in New York City in the early 1950’s and she works on radio and is offered a new job promoting the Deluxe Baking Companies range of packet cake mixes and on The Maggie Lane Baking Television Show. Maggie has to act like the average American housewife, whip of yummy treats with everyone watching and sign a contract that will end her money worries and it has a morality code.
Maggie has just married Teddy Buckley, he thinks she should grab the opportunity and supports her and despite the fact she can’t cook or bake. Maggie’s show is a huge success, this causes tension at home and the couple have things they haven’t shared about their pasts and Maggie’s worried she will lose her job and husband if the truth comes out.
I received a copy of American Housewife from Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. The idea behind the story was to highlight the changes happening in America at the time, television was a new form of entertainment and advertising platform, anything that made life easier for a housewife was a great idea and would sell and women’s roles were changing.
From reading previous novels by Anita Abriel I had high hopes for American Housewife however it fell short of my expectations, the dialog didn’t flow smoothly, it jumped all over the place and I wasn’t a fan of Maggie’s character and the only positive thing she did was lookout and care for her friend Dolly.
I suggest to reading this book for yourself and making up your own mind and three stars from me.
Maggie has just married Teddy Buckley, he thinks she should grab the opportunity and supports her and despite the fact she can’t cook or bake. Maggie’s show is a huge success, this causes tension at home and the couple have things they haven’t shared about their pasts and Maggie’s worried she will lose her job and husband if the truth comes out.
I received a copy of American Housewife from Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. The idea behind the story was to highlight the changes happening in America at the time, television was a new form of entertainment and advertising platform, anything that made life easier for a housewife was a great idea and would sell and women’s roles were changing.
From reading previous novels by Anita Abriel I had high hopes for American Housewife however it fell short of my expectations, the dialog didn’t flow smoothly, it jumped all over the place and I wasn’t a fan of Maggie’s character and the only positive thing she did was lookout and care for her friend Dolly.
I suggest to reading this book for yourself and making up your own mind and three stars from me.
March 6, 2025
After reading I have 3 questions
1) did she tell anyone about Jake or Charles?
2) who did she work for?
3) did Teddy have bad war memories?
Somehow these weren't brought up every couple paragraphs, so I don't know the answers...
1) did she tell anyone about Jake or Charles?
2) who did she work for?
3) did Teddy have bad war memories?
Somehow these weren't brought up every couple paragraphs, so I don't know the answers...
March 17, 2025
It was 1950 in New York and Maggie Lane had just been given her own television show. The Maggie Lane Baking Show would be in the rooms of those who could afford a television set, while Maggie herself knew she'd have to "fake it till she made it". Maggie was newly married to Teddy, and he supported her in her endeavours while having his own career. Maggie was soon extremely popular, receiving mail from viewers on a constant basis. But things were shaky in the background, behind the scenes. Her best friend in the industry was popping pills; Teddy obviously had secrets from his years of reporting on the front lines, and Maggie herself hadn't told anyone of her own past. What would happen when the cracks began to show?
American Housewife by Aussie author Anita Abriel was unfortunately very bland with the story all over the place. I have always really enjoyed Anita Abriel's writing but this one was not up to her usual standard. There were many unlikeable characters and hardly any at all to like. I'll still check out the author's next though...
With thanks to NetGalley & Lake Union Publishing for my digital ARC to read and review.
American Housewife by Aussie author Anita Abriel was unfortunately very bland with the story all over the place. I have always really enjoyed Anita Abriel's writing but this one was not up to her usual standard. There were many unlikeable characters and hardly any at all to like. I'll still check out the author's next though...
With thanks to NetGalley & Lake Union Publishing for my digital ARC to read and review.
October 3, 2024
A Netgalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
I need to preface this review with a couple of things: one, this book is a good read if you like lighter historical fiction pieces. Two, there definitely is an audience for American Housewife but unfortunately, I believe I fall outside of that demographic. Ultimately, I rated American Housewife 2.5/5 stars, but wish Abriel all the best on release day.
However, this would not be an honest review if I didn't explain my problems with this narrative. For starters, all of the underlying narrative arcs feel incredibly disjointed. Even once they all tie together, it unfortunately falls short - I think this is largely due to the incredibly low stakes of this piece. Maggie is given everything on a silver platter. Any genuine struggles she goes through as a protagonist are short-lived and resolved without consequence. At no point did I feel worried for Maggie, because the conflicts are set up in a way that suggests she'll come out entirely unscathed - which she does. The primary antagonist of American Housewife is unfortunately a walking stereotype of failing the Bechdel test, incredibly undynamic, and only emerged in the last ~40% of the book. The entire conflict of the book is tied up and resolved in a singular conversation between Maggie and her husband in the last ten minutes of the book, leaving an unsatisfying aftertaste.
While I can definitely see why people of more relaxed, straightforward narratives will appreciate Abriel's writing, the dialogue and scenes felt quite blocky and interrupted the reading experience for me. American Housewife fell short of my expectations, but I can understand and respect the angle it is written from. If you want a historical fiction that is more cozy and low stakes, I would full-heartedly recommend this book.
I need to preface this review with a couple of things: one, this book is a good read if you like lighter historical fiction pieces. Two, there definitely is an audience for American Housewife but unfortunately, I believe I fall outside of that demographic. Ultimately, I rated American Housewife 2.5/5 stars, but wish Abriel all the best on release day.
However, this would not be an honest review if I didn't explain my problems with this narrative. For starters, all of the underlying narrative arcs feel incredibly disjointed. Even once they all tie together, it unfortunately falls short - I think this is largely due to the incredibly low stakes of this piece. Maggie is given everything on a silver platter. Any genuine struggles she goes through as a protagonist are short-lived and resolved without consequence. At no point did I feel worried for Maggie, because the conflicts are set up in a way that suggests she'll come out entirely unscathed - which she does. The primary antagonist of American Housewife is unfortunately a walking stereotype of failing the Bechdel test, incredibly undynamic, and only emerged in the last ~40% of the book. The entire conflict of the book is tied up and resolved in a singular conversation between Maggie and her husband in the last ten minutes of the book, leaving an unsatisfying aftertaste.
While I can definitely see why people of more relaxed, straightforward narratives will appreciate Abriel's writing, the dialogue and scenes felt quite blocky and interrupted the reading experience for me. American Housewife fell short of my expectations, but I can understand and respect the angle it is written from. If you want a historical fiction that is more cozy and low stakes, I would full-heartedly recommend this book.
April 27, 2025
New York City, 1950. Radio personality Maggie Lane gets her big break in the exciting new world of television -The Maggie Lane Baking Show is on the air. All she has to do is act like the ideal housewife, create sumptuous desserts, charm the show’s sponsors, and sign a morality clause to ensure that her girl-next-door image remains untarnished. With every dream on the line, Maggie wonders if she can still have it all.
In the recent past I've read a few novels about strong career-minded women in the 50s. Some books were better than others but the stories always make me glad I wasn't a working woman in those days. At the beginning of this one I was worried it was going to turn into another Lessons in Chemistry which I didn't enjoy but it took a different path and was a mostly pleasant and entertaining story. The story follows Maggie and her shaky marriage in the present and her troubled past, told through the use of flashbacks. It's much more than a piece of fluff and I really cared about what happened to Maggie and her friends. I'd rate this at 3.5 stars rounded up because it's well written in spite of some repetition. Love the cute cover too.
My thanks to Lake Union Publishing, via Netgalley, for providing access to this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
In the recent past I've read a few novels about strong career-minded women in the 50s. Some books were better than others but the stories always make me glad I wasn't a working woman in those days. At the beginning of this one I was worried it was going to turn into another Lessons in Chemistry which I didn't enjoy but it took a different path and was a mostly pleasant and entertaining story. The story follows Maggie and her shaky marriage in the present and her troubled past, told through the use of flashbacks. It's much more than a piece of fluff and I really cared about what happened to Maggie and her friends. I'd rate this at 3.5 stars rounded up because it's well written in spite of some repetition. Love the cute cover too.
My thanks to Lake Union Publishing, via Netgalley, for providing access to this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
September 30, 2024
I was lucky enough to receive this book as an e-ARC from the publisher.
I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read and I read it over the course of a few hours.
Despite the book being set in the 1940s/50s, the storyline is all too familiar in 2024. Can a woman have it all? What impact does a career have on a woman’s personal life? Should women give up their careers to have a family? Is it a problem if a woman earns more than her husband? These are all central questions in this book.
I enjoyed the flashback elements to explain Maggie’s backstory and I thought they were executed well, not too much to distract from the main storyline but enough to really understand the character and the choices she made.
I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read and I read it over the course of a few hours.
Despite the book being set in the 1940s/50s, the storyline is all too familiar in 2024. Can a woman have it all? What impact does a career have on a woman’s personal life? Should women give up their careers to have a family? Is it a problem if a woman earns more than her husband? These are all central questions in this book.
I enjoyed the flashback elements to explain Maggie’s backstory and I thought they were executed well, not too much to distract from the main storyline but enough to really understand the character and the choices she made.
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November 30, 2025
☆ ── three point five stars 💌
Before I begin the review, I want to express a very heartfelt appreciation to NetGalley, the publisher, and Anita Abriel for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! I was very fortunate to have had read this book when I did, and while I find it extremely lovely it certainly had its flaws.
Set in the backdrops of Post-World War era, it follows radio personality, turned big shot baking television show host, Maggie Lane, and the chaos that ensues when she's thrust into the world of daytime television. While she continues to grow her career and public persona, things at home with her doting boyfriend —now husband— Teddy take a steep dive, when he refuses to discuss his time in the army and what is causing his night sweats, and daily disappearances. Maggie is sure he's hiding something, but he's not the only one, and she's afraid what will happen to them if he finds out what she has hidden in her closet.
Writing wise, I was pretty entertained, and I particularly loved the switch in timelines, between the present and when Maggie had originally moved to the city. It was done very seamlessly and it became somewhat predictable when the timelines would switch, but it was still very enjoyable. All the characters were so interesting and being able to flesh out distinctive characters in less than 300 pages, especially for modern books is amazing. I loved Maggie, Dolly, Alan and even Teddy, despite his flaws. The side stories involving Maggie's listeners and the Dolly-Allan plotline were so entertaining.
Maggie is very smart, hardworking and deserves everything she has. She isn't perfect and makes mistakes, but that's what makes her likeable. Her genuine concern and love for everyone around her, especially Teddy is heartwarming. Teddy, despite being closed off and his frequent mean streaks, also clearly loved and cared for Maggie. He just never expressed himself properly. The main conflict was resolved in one chapter and it was a simple conversation. Truthfully, that's all it takes sometimes, but I wished there was more. Maggie's secret was made to be bigger than it actually was, so that was kind of disappointing, but I would definitely still recommend this to anyone who's looking for a quick easy, sometimes heartwarming read.
Before I begin the review, I want to express a very heartfelt appreciation to NetGalley, the publisher, and Anita Abriel for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! I was very fortunate to have had read this book when I did, and while I find it extremely lovely it certainly had its flaws.
Set in the backdrops of Post-World War era, it follows radio personality, turned big shot baking television show host, Maggie Lane, and the chaos that ensues when she's thrust into the world of daytime television. While she continues to grow her career and public persona, things at home with her doting boyfriend —now husband— Teddy take a steep dive, when he refuses to discuss his time in the army and what is causing his night sweats, and daily disappearances. Maggie is sure he's hiding something, but he's not the only one, and she's afraid what will happen to them if he finds out what she has hidden in her closet.
Writing wise, I was pretty entertained, and I particularly loved the switch in timelines, between the present and when Maggie had originally moved to the city. It was done very seamlessly and it became somewhat predictable when the timelines would switch, but it was still very enjoyable. All the characters were so interesting and being able to flesh out distinctive characters in less than 300 pages, especially for modern books is amazing. I loved Maggie, Dolly, Alan and even Teddy, despite his flaws. The side stories involving Maggie's listeners and the Dolly-Allan plotline were so entertaining.
Maggie is very smart, hardworking and deserves everything she has. She isn't perfect and makes mistakes, but that's what makes her likeable. Her genuine concern and love for everyone around her, especially Teddy is heartwarming. Teddy, despite being closed off and his frequent mean streaks, also clearly loved and cared for Maggie. He just never expressed himself properly. The main conflict was resolved in one chapter and it was a simple conversation. Truthfully, that's all it takes sometimes, but I wished there was more. Maggie's secret was made to be bigger than it actually was, so that was kind of disappointing, but I would definitely still recommend this to anyone who's looking for a quick easy, sometimes heartwarming read.
March 19, 2025
So much potential. So poorly executed. We start with a woman who does a radio show for a baking product company that suddenly finds herself the star of a TV show based on the same. The issue, she’s not married and she can’t cook. She literally just reads the recipes from the box and gushes about how great it is. So how do we solve these issues? We get married the day after she’s offered the show, and somehow magically learn how to cook without prep or practice.
And then there is the issue of her ‘past.’ Can’t let anyone know about her past. Can’t let anyone find out she was in love with a soldier, and left another man at the altar because he lied to her and she was in love with the soldier. Meanwhile, current husband is acting like an absolute child and won’t talk to her about his past. But she’ll deal with that tomorrow, or later, or never because she doesn’t want to upset him.
Aside from that, the writing seemed clunky and the ending was wrapped up just a little too quickly and neatly. This is another book to add to the ‘I want my time back’ pile.
And then there is the issue of her ‘past.’ Can’t let anyone know about her past. Can’t let anyone find out she was in love with a soldier, and left another man at the altar because he lied to her and she was in love with the soldier. Meanwhile, current husband is acting like an absolute child and won’t talk to her about his past. But she’ll deal with that tomorrow, or later, or never because she doesn’t want to upset him.
Aside from that, the writing seemed clunky and the ending was wrapped up just a little too quickly and neatly. This is another book to add to the ‘I want my time back’ pile.
September 27, 2024
Its the 1950's and Maggie is your All-American girl, newly married and living a comfortable life as the host of Maggie Lane Baking Show. They love living in New York City, but as her fame overshadows her husband things get strained. They clearly love each other, but can they hold onto their marriage and keep their dreams alive?
They both have something in their past which they have not shared with each other, and when the truth finally comes out it will either bring them together or tear them apart.
I loved this book and the era. Thank you for the gifted e-ARC
They both have something in their past which they have not shared with each other, and when the truth finally comes out it will either bring them together or tear them apart.
I loved this book and the era. Thank you for the gifted e-ARC
December 7, 2024
This one had a lot of potential. It started off strong but as it continued, I found myself struggling with it more and more.
My first issue was that the writing and dialogue felt very clunky and at times, characters seemed to contradict themselves from the beginning of a paragraph to the end (but it did not feel like an intentional writing choice). I appreciated that the author tried to tackle pretty big subjects (PTSD, anti-Semitism, addiction and abuse of prescription medication, body image, etc.) but, maybe because of how short the book was, the story did not have the depth necessary for such topics. Most things were tied up with a very simple bow by the end, which felt unrealistic. Even the main conflict of the story was handled very quickly and with an HEA that didn’t feel particularly realistic either.
Maggie herself also frustrated me. She allowed so much to just happen to her. I was unsure why she was lauded the way she was, which felt like an issue with her characterization. Though I wanted to pull for her, I just found myself annoyed more and more.
This is also a very personal thing, but I had an issue with how awful so many of the women were to one another. Though there were times where it was acknowledged that women should support one another, there are quite a few catty comments and unnecessary competition that left a bad taste in my mouth.
Again, I think this one had so much potential, and so many of the things that Maggie dealt with as a career woman unfortunately remain relevant, but the execution lacked quite a bit.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My first issue was that the writing and dialogue felt very clunky and at times, characters seemed to contradict themselves from the beginning of a paragraph to the end (but it did not feel like an intentional writing choice). I appreciated that the author tried to tackle pretty big subjects (PTSD, anti-Semitism, addiction and abuse of prescription medication, body image, etc.) but, maybe because of how short the book was, the story did not have the depth necessary for such topics. Most things were tied up with a very simple bow by the end, which felt unrealistic. Even the main conflict of the story was handled very quickly and with an HEA that didn’t feel particularly realistic either.
Maggie herself also frustrated me. She allowed so much to just happen to her. I was unsure why she was lauded the way she was, which felt like an issue with her characterization. Though I wanted to pull for her, I just found myself annoyed more and more.
This is also a very personal thing, but I had an issue with how awful so many of the women were to one another. Though there were times where it was acknowledged that women should support one another, there are quite a few catty comments and unnecessary competition that left a bad taste in my mouth.
Again, I think this one had so much potential, and so many of the things that Maggie dealt with as a career woman unfortunately remain relevant, but the execution lacked quite a bit.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 14, 2025
I received this book for free from Good Reads and feel like it was a bad deal. This is one of the worst books I have read in a long time. The plot was boring, the characters were one-dimensional and the author kept repeating herself over and over. I also found spelling and grammar errors. Not worth reading.
March 16, 2025
I had a really hard time finishing this one. Many times, I even found it insulting. This felt a bit like a MAGA manifesto on how to be a "good, little wifey". On the surface, it is an exploration of women and marriage. The problems with this book were plentiful. The writing felt like it was either written by someone with limited skills and limited exposure to real women, or perhaps by AI. The characters were full of stereotypes and lacked depth. Every single storyline revolved around how the women related to men- their relationship with the men in their lives, how to avoid conflict with the men in their lives, how to improve their marriages to the men in their lives. Any discussion about friendships between the women still came back to how their lives related to men. Sure, many of the women had jobs, but all of the descriptions of those careers came back to how their male partners felt about those jobs and how, if those women were successful, they might keep their success from harming the masculinity of their men. Come on. Give both men and women more credit than that. The women were only a reflection of the men and had no depth of their own. Even the "big mystery" of the main character ended up being so banal that it made me sad to have wasted my time discovering it. Lots of drama about absolutely nothing.
April 6, 2025
2.4 stars (Kindle First Reads). I haven't read anything else by this author, so her writing + stories may be different from this one, but I struggled to get through this book. Maybe my expectation was it would be like "Lessons in Chemistry" with a strong female protagonist who had to fight her way into her chosen field (in the same era as this story)...even a tragic love story. What I read was flat, insipid, + just plain boring. I never connected with any of the characters. It was more like reading an extended version of an op-ed...female protagonist falls into success, marries, struggles against social norms of a Traditional Wife role + her new fame secrets held by both spouses that seem superficial, yet tears them apart. A "trophy" husband disgruntled because even though he supported his wife's career, he's bitter because his fragile ego can't handle not being the breadwinner + is perceived merely as arm candy.
The other part that bothered me was the awards ceremony where Eleanor Roosevelt, Miss USA, + our protagonist are all honored for their influence + support of women worldwide...+ chum Eleanor gives our protagonist marriage advice in the end. Honestly, I need to read more about E Roosevelt, but I can't imagine her giving advice to a TV personality about marriage.
The other part that bothered me was the awards ceremony where Eleanor Roosevelt, Miss USA, + our protagonist are all honored for their influence + support of women worldwide...+ chum Eleanor gives our protagonist marriage advice in the end. Honestly, I need to read more about E Roosevelt, but I can't imagine her giving advice to a TV personality about marriage.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2025
Sorry, I got hung up on erroneous details of the late 1940's and early 1950's, the time period of this novel. Such as when the main character watched a tapping of The Lone Ranger TV show in New York City. Come on, there was no such thing as video tape in 1950 and the Lone Ranger was filmed on the west coast to enable "western" scenes. Inaccuracies coupled with a weak plot made for a lackluster read.
March 28, 2025
The writing was bland and pedestrian (all tell, no show) with stilted dialogue. The one-dimensional characters were underdeveloped and completely unlikeable. I even caught two grammatical errors and a plot inconsistency, which I usually miss.
The weirdest part for me was that while lots of stuff happened and there were secrets and mystery, there was no tension, and I wasn't remotely invested in what happens.
The weirdest part for me was that while lots of stuff happened and there were secrets and mystery, there was no tension, and I wasn't remotely invested in what happens.
May 4, 2025
American Housewife sounded promising, but in the end, it just wasn't my favorite.
I loved the premise of our main character Maggie getting her own baking show, where she would play America's girl-next-door and help other women to be the perfect housewife, as expected in the 1950s. I was intrigued by the fact that she'd never learned how to cook and she had just married her husband, Teddy. I thought this plus her secret past would add some tension to the story and maybe jeopardize her place in television. However, these things didn't play as big a role as I thought they would. Sure, Maggie's past was discussed A LOT, but everything worked out so conveniently for her. It seems like all her character development happened in events in her life that took place before the book.
The writing was a classic case of telling rather than showing, as well as repetitive. I did not need to hear about how much Maggie adores sex 500 times. I didn't need to hear that Teddy has night sweats and she has no idea why 500 times.
The 2 stars are for my girl Dolly Meyers 💘💝💖💗💓💞💕.
Not sure how much more I can say about this one. The premise was interesting, but the execution wasn't my favorite.
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Content: no language, several short sex scenes. Most are either closed-door or fade to black, though there are a couple easily skippable open-door scenes that aren't super detailed. One character is implied to have an ED and takes pills to lose weight. One character has trauma from the war.
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Spoilery rant incoming.
If Teddy and Maggie hadn't been married I would've wanted her to end up with Jake. Maybe I'm just insecure but some of Maggie's thought process when it came to her marriage was reminding me of how I tried to reassure myself when I was dating my ex that things would work out. Like no. Denial is a river.
Anyway...CHARLES GREY. That man. Is one of the most INFURIATING characters I have ever read about. He is just words on paper and yet...I can't. I despise him.
I thought he was just gonna be a sweet good Samaritan guy who helped Maggie recover from getting hit by a car BUT NO. THERE HAD TO BE MORE. He just HAD to be in love with her. Ew. And then LYING TO HER ABOUT JAKE AND KEEPING LETTERS FROM HER??? DISGUSTING. He was ALIVE AND WELL BUT SHE BELIEVED HE WAS DEAD. I'm actually so annoyed. What a soggy potato chip.
I loved the premise of our main character Maggie getting her own baking show, where she would play America's girl-next-door and help other women to be the perfect housewife, as expected in the 1950s. I was intrigued by the fact that she'd never learned how to cook and she had just married her husband, Teddy. I thought this plus her secret past would add some tension to the story and maybe jeopardize her place in television. However, these things didn't play as big a role as I thought they would. Sure, Maggie's past was discussed A LOT, but everything worked out so conveniently for her. It seems like all her character development happened in events in her life that took place before the book.
The writing was a classic case of telling rather than showing, as well as repetitive. I did not need to hear about how much Maggie adores sex 500 times. I didn't need to hear that Teddy has night sweats and she has no idea why 500 times.
The 2 stars are for my girl Dolly Meyers 💘💝💖💗💓💞💕.
Not sure how much more I can say about this one. The premise was interesting, but the execution wasn't my favorite.
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Content: no language, several short sex scenes. Most are either closed-door or fade to black, though there are a couple easily skippable open-door scenes that aren't super detailed. One character is implied to have an ED and takes pills to lose weight. One character has trauma from the war.
------------------------------------
Spoilery rant incoming.
If Teddy and Maggie hadn't been married I would've wanted her to end up with Jake. Maybe I'm just insecure but some of Maggie's thought process when it came to her marriage was reminding me of how I tried to reassure myself when I was dating my ex that things would work out. Like no. Denial is a river.
Anyway...CHARLES GREY. That man. Is one of the most INFURIATING characters I have ever read about. He is just words on paper and yet...I can't. I despise him.
I thought he was just gonna be a sweet good Samaritan guy who helped Maggie recover from getting hit by a car BUT NO. THERE HAD TO BE MORE. He just HAD to be in love with her. Ew. And then LYING TO HER ABOUT JAKE AND KEEPING LETTERS FROM HER??? DISGUSTING. He was ALIVE AND WELL BUT SHE BELIEVED HE WAS DEAD. I'm actually so annoyed. What a soggy potato chip.
April 14, 2025
This book was a solid 3 stars for me until the last 20%. The rest of my review is hidden due to spoilers.
2 stars. I don’t regret reading it, because it was just a few hours of fluff, but I’m not going to point anyone in its direction.
2 stars. I don’t regret reading it, because it was just a few hours of fluff, but I’m not going to point anyone in its direction.
March 16, 2025
Written simply and without nuance, the poor writing took me out of the story on more than one occasion. The descriptions of what each character was wearing felt so “in your face” 1950’s that it felt like the author was worried that if she didn’t explicitly describe something from the 50’s, the reader might forget. Poor writing, simple storyline, boring book.
March 17, 2025
Not my cup of tea
All very simplistic, no real substance and all very predictable - no sooner had some crisis occurred then it was solved in the next paragraph - nice descriptions of the decor and fashions of the era but no real storyline - I'm sure there is an audience for this but it's not me I'm afraid.
All very simplistic, no real substance and all very predictable - no sooner had some crisis occurred then it was solved in the next paragraph - nice descriptions of the decor and fashions of the era but no real storyline - I'm sure there is an audience for this but it's not me I'm afraid.
March 17, 2025
Disappointed
I was interested as it was compared to Lessons in Chemistry. The only things they had in common were the time period and the fact that the two women both had cooking shows. The characters were shallow in this book and Maggie was always scared… of her friends pill addiction, her husband’s smoking, telling the truth about her ‘past’, etc… her insecurities were annoying and many opportunities to expand and go deeper into the characters. It had potential, and could have used a much better editor.
I was interested as it was compared to Lessons in Chemistry. The only things they had in common were the time period and the fact that the two women both had cooking shows. The characters were shallow in this book and Maggie was always scared… of her friends pill addiction, her husband’s smoking, telling the truth about her ‘past’, etc… her insecurities were annoying and many opportunities to expand and go deeper into the characters. It had potential, and could have used a much better editor.
July 6, 2025
3.5 stars. This book had an interesting premise-a young woman, Maggie, is the host of a baking show in the early 50s and also gives advice to her viewers in each episode. Much of the story centered around her romantic relationships and eventual marriage to Teddy. Unfortunately it stayed rather surface level and never gave me the depth of character development I wanted. There was also a build-up of secrets and scandal that didn’t really pay off. It was entertaining enough but not a favorite. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy to review.
March 12, 2025
I chose to read this book because of the time period and the New York setting. I love the 1950s-60s era. I thought the premise was interesting. But………
It was easy to get into the story. But, it quickly fell flat. The writing was very basic, the characters seemed shallow, the plot seemed like an outline of a future book……everything was skimmed over. Few details were given. The main character (Maggie) went from a stand-in for radio commercials to a hugely successful television host of a cooking show featuring boxed cake mixes. It seemed like in happened in one chapter. I found it unbelievable that this level of success could be achieved from a cooking show using cake mixes.
The book did touch on a few serious points: body image, eating disorders, anti-semitism, PTSD, drugs. But, again, all these topics (except PTSD) seemed like they were only mentioned in passing.
Redeeming features:
1. I enjoyed the description of the clothing styles of the era.
2. I enjoyed the fact female was portrayed as a successful tv host. It was far from the norm in the early 1950s.
3. Part of Maggie's TV hostess job was to answer write-in questions from the TV audience. For the most part, her answers were thought out very well and positive.
4. Maggie went to a Gala wearing L'Air du Temps perfume. It was my late mother's favourite fragrance. (The fragrance has been reformulated over the years and is not the same as it was.)
While this was not a perfect fit for me, it is a quick and entertaining read. I think it would have been a perfect beach or airplane read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
It was easy to get into the story. But, it quickly fell flat. The writing was very basic, the characters seemed shallow, the plot seemed like an outline of a future book……everything was skimmed over. Few details were given. The main character (Maggie) went from a stand-in for radio commercials to a hugely successful television host of a cooking show featuring boxed cake mixes. It seemed like in happened in one chapter. I found it unbelievable that this level of success could be achieved from a cooking show using cake mixes.
The book did touch on a few serious points: body image, eating disorders, anti-semitism, PTSD, drugs. But, again, all these topics (except PTSD) seemed like they were only mentioned in passing.
Redeeming features:
1. I enjoyed the description of the clothing styles of the era.
2. I enjoyed the fact female was portrayed as a successful tv host. It was far from the norm in the early 1950s.
3. Part of Maggie's TV hostess job was to answer write-in questions from the TV audience. For the most part, her answers were thought out very well and positive.
4. Maggie went to a Gala wearing L'Air du Temps perfume. It was my late mother's favourite fragrance. (The fragrance has been reformulated over the years and is not the same as it was.)
While this was not a perfect fit for me, it is a quick and entertaining read. I think it would have been a perfect beach or airplane read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
October 6, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review.
I love it when a book just reels me in from the very first sentence, it’s so rare too. “There was no point in trying to explain her feelings, Teddy wouldn’t understand. How could he? He might be in love with her and want her to be happy, but he was a man.”
This was great, I love a kind of cozy, light novel set in the 1950s. The descriptions were immersive, so I did enjoy the whole book despite feeling it was quite slow, and repetitive at points. As well as slightly anticlimactic at the end, felt like we waited for the whole book and everything was resolved so easily. This could appeal to other readers I’m sure, but I felt a little disappointed. Still a good book, though.
I love it when a book just reels me in from the very first sentence, it’s so rare too. “There was no point in trying to explain her feelings, Teddy wouldn’t understand. How could he? He might be in love with her and want her to be happy, but he was a man.”
This was great, I love a kind of cozy, light novel set in the 1950s. The descriptions were immersive, so I did enjoy the whole book despite feeling it was quite slow, and repetitive at points. As well as slightly anticlimactic at the end, felt like we waited for the whole book and everything was resolved so easily. This could appeal to other readers I’m sure, but I felt a little disappointed. Still a good book, though.
December 9, 2024
3.5 stars
I enjoyed this sweet, cozy read set in 1950s New York. It was very readable, just a bit slow for my tastes given the low stakes and the dreaded lack of communication trope
The main characters felt a little bland as well. The letters between Maggie and her audience were actually my favourite parts of the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read an eARC copy of this book.
I enjoyed this sweet, cozy read set in 1950s New York. It was very readable, just a bit slow for my tastes given the low stakes and the dreaded lack of communication trope
The main characters felt a little bland as well. The letters between Maggie and her audience were actually my favourite parts of the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read an eARC copy of this book.
April 19, 2025
This was 3 stars right up until the last 10%, when it crash landed rapidly with a set of totally implausible events. It needed another 50-100 pages. Felt like the cliff notes version of a real book ending. Too bad.
April 11, 2025
Holy Repetitive Mess, Batman
This book could have been 100 pages long and had the same effect. Also, gives me strong Lessons in Chemistry vibes
This book could have been 100 pages long and had the same effect. Also, gives me strong Lessons in Chemistry vibes
April 13, 2025
Wow I really should've made this a DNF but I l thought there was potential with the hook. It ended up going NOWHERE. It was all fluff.
May 19, 2025
Very repetitive and not particularly well written. In 2 months, I’ll forget that this book exists 🤷🏻♀️
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