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The Marriage Bed
A freak accident comes on the heels of a startling revelation—laying bare the foundation of a marriage, and a husband is left to grapple with the aftermath.
A poetry professor at a small college in Asheville, NC, Asa Flowers, comes home one stormy evening to find his wife Betsy inexplicably distraught. As the evening goes on, the couple end up in a heated argument that sends Asa to sleep out in their garage apartment for the first time in twenty-five years of marriage. The next morning, he wakes to blue sky and an altered world.
Unfolding over a few tense weeks and told from multiple points of view, this novel explores how a tragedy can assume as many shapes as the people it touches. Asa finds himself reckoning with torn feelings about his marriage and confusion about how to proceed in his complicated relationships with his adult children. As he gradually absorbs revelations—so much he didn't know or understand during his long marriage—he finds himself drawn uneasily toward a new world, one in which he must shed much of his old identity if he is to survive, and more important, rededicate himself to being a father.
A poetry professor at a small college in Asheville, NC, Asa Flowers, comes home one stormy evening to find his wife Betsy inexplicably distraught. As the evening goes on, the couple end up in a heated argument that sends Asa to sleep out in their garage apartment for the first time in twenty-five years of marriage. The next morning, he wakes to blue sky and an altered world.
Unfolding over a few tense weeks and told from multiple points of view, this novel explores how a tragedy can assume as many shapes as the people it touches. Asa finds himself reckoning with torn feelings about his marriage and confusion about how to proceed in his complicated relationships with his adult children. As he gradually absorbs revelations—so much he didn't know or understand during his long marriage—he finds himself drawn uneasily toward a new world, one in which he must shed much of his old identity if he is to survive, and more important, rededicate himself to being a father.
- GenresContemporary
304 pages, Hardcover
Published March 24, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 12, 2026
The author tells us, in his comments, that the central theme in his writing is what it means to be a family. This novel gives us a glimpse into all the messiness and love of one family in the days following the sudden death of the mother and wife.
March 29, 2026
I received this book as an ARC from the publisher in return for an honest review.
As I made my way through this book, I found myself lost in a story that felt oddly familiar after being married for three decades. The story of Asa and Betsy, their marital struggles, dealing with their children, and personality clashes seemed all too accurate. Then the emotions and grief they are all left to navigate as a family after life intervenes feels so deeply uncomfortable but necessary. The development of forgiving and profound honesty had me examining my own marriage, which I at times take for granted. Having gripped me from all sides, this book was a heart wrenching read that will stay with me for a long time.
As I made my way through this book, I found myself lost in a story that felt oddly familiar after being married for three decades. The story of Asa and Betsy, their marital struggles, dealing with their children, and personality clashes seemed all too accurate. Then the emotions and grief they are all left to navigate as a family after life intervenes feels so deeply uncomfortable but necessary. The development of forgiving and profound honesty had me examining my own marriage, which I at times take for granted. Having gripped me from all sides, this book was a heart wrenching read that will stay with me for a long time.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I won a copy of this one in a goodreads giveaway. It was...okay. The pacing dragged the entire time I was reading it, and I really couldn't bring myself to give a shit about Asa, especially considering that he did the typical male thing of foisting all the emotional labor on the women in his life. I hoped for some kind of redemption for him at the end, but nope - he started a disappointment and he remained a disappointment until the end. I won't be keeping this one. It's a realistic look at much of the bullshit women put up with, and for a male author that's rather surprising, but the male main character? Trash.
April 3, 2026
With this new novel, Hays firmly plants himself in the company of Elizabeth Strout and Anne Tyler — an empathic and closely attended tale of love and family ties across the decades. He’s a master at the genre and should be just as much of a household name as Strout and Tyler. Plus, he’s writing about the mountains of North Carolina. You can’t ask for much more than that. Highly recommend. And I’m very finicky about my literary fiction.
May 8, 2026
This is my favorite from Tommy Hays yet. I couldn't put it down. As usual, his characters seem like people you know, their poignant stories told with compassion and realism. In The Marriage Bed, he weaves multiple voices telling the story of one horrible week, with decades-old flashbacks uncovering the delicate difficulties of the present moment. Highly recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
An up-close look at grief when your feelings are too complicated and confused. I felt these characters' struggles.
April 19, 2026
A Great Read on Family
I found this an easy read that i wanted to keep picking up to see how the characters continued to develop.
I found this an easy read that i wanted to keep picking up to see how the characters continued to develop.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews