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The New Me
Harriet is floundering. She's in her early forties, her kids have gone to college, her marriage feels empty, her cable TV cooking show has lost its sense of inspiration, and she longs to leave the West Coast for New York. Then one day she meets Lydia, a gorgeous woman in her late twenties. Lydia reminds her so much of herself a decade or so past, and her husband, who hardly likes anything, likes Lydia as well. It slowly dawns on Harriet that Lydia could be the answer to everything that's ailing her. All she needs to do is turn Lydia into "the new me."Reminiscent of the work of Susan Isaacs and Nora Ephron, THE NEW ME is a witty, poignant, perceptive, and beautifully written novel about change and the price of becoming who you want to be.
221 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 14, 2014
4 people are currently reading
573 people want to read
About the author
Mary Marcus
36 books35 followersVery Briefly….
I was born and raised in Louisiana, but left for New York after graduating from Tulane. I worked very hard to get rid of my southern accent, and now I wish I hadn’t. For many years, I worked in the advertising and fashion industries for Neiman Marcus, Vogue, Lancome, Faberge and San Rio Toys where I worked on the Hello Kitty Brand. My short fiction has appeared in North Atlantic Review, Fiction, Jewish Women’s Literary Journal and others.
My husband, Joel Goodman and I live in Los Angeles and East Hampton, New York. We have a grown son, Amos Goodman.
Why I Write
Reading a book has always seemed to me to be the greatest magic trick. You hold an inanimate object in your hands, you look down and wham, you’re transported into an entirely different reality. You encounter people you know instantly and go to places you’ve never been before. Deep reading is a relationship of complete trust when it’s really working.
To say my best friends are books may be an exaggeration–but my favorite books are like best friends: they make me laugh, they entertain me, we have fun together, I find out appalling things, wonderful things and I’m continually moved.
I never get sick of them (and books never get sick of me) unlike my human friends. Books are also very low maintenance (unlike people) requiring no more than a nice shelf and a little dusting once in a while. And of course, books don’t have anything else to do other than hang out with me (unlike my flesh and blood friends and family who have such busy schedules).
I have an electronic reader now that I like, but am just a little afraid of, that stores thousands of books and that seems to me to be both slightly sinful as well as gluttonous but in the nicest possible way. When I get in bed with my electronic reader and it lights up the dark, I feel like a teenager with a flashlight.
All my close friends are so called creative types; consequently no one really except strangers or half acquaintances ever ask me why I became a writer. I was thinking about it this morning why writing has always seemed to me to be the only thing to do (other than painting or pot throwing or drawing, though I can’t do any of those) and that’s because writing is the only form of power I really trust. And doesn’t involve telling other people what to do. Which I never seem able to do with any kind of authority or enthusiasm.
Fahrenheit 451 is the scariest book that has ever been written.
I’d be insane or dead if it weren’t for books.
I was born and raised in Louisiana, but left for New York after graduating from Tulane. I worked very hard to get rid of my southern accent, and now I wish I hadn’t. For many years, I worked in the advertising and fashion industries for Neiman Marcus, Vogue, Lancome, Faberge and San Rio Toys where I worked on the Hello Kitty Brand. My short fiction has appeared in North Atlantic Review, Fiction, Jewish Women’s Literary Journal and others.
My husband, Joel Goodman and I live in Los Angeles and East Hampton, New York. We have a grown son, Amos Goodman.
Why I Write
Reading a book has always seemed to me to be the greatest magic trick. You hold an inanimate object in your hands, you look down and wham, you’re transported into an entirely different reality. You encounter people you know instantly and go to places you’ve never been before. Deep reading is a relationship of complete trust when it’s really working.
To say my best friends are books may be an exaggeration–but my favorite books are like best friends: they make me laugh, they entertain me, we have fun together, I find out appalling things, wonderful things and I’m continually moved.
I never get sick of them (and books never get sick of me) unlike my human friends. Books are also very low maintenance (unlike people) requiring no more than a nice shelf and a little dusting once in a while. And of course, books don’t have anything else to do other than hang out with me (unlike my flesh and blood friends and family who have such busy schedules).
I have an electronic reader now that I like, but am just a little afraid of, that stores thousands of books and that seems to me to be both slightly sinful as well as gluttonous but in the nicest possible way. When I get in bed with my electronic reader and it lights up the dark, I feel like a teenager with a flashlight.
All my close friends are so called creative types; consequently no one really except strangers or half acquaintances ever ask me why I became a writer. I was thinking about it this morning why writing has always seemed to me to be the only thing to do (other than painting or pot throwing or drawing, though I can’t do any of those) and that’s because writing is the only form of power I really trust. And doesn’t involve telling other people what to do. Which I never seem able to do with any kind of authority or enthusiasm.
Fahrenheit 451 is the scariest book that has ever been written.
I’d be insane or dead if it weren’t for books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
September 1, 2016
Now if I were a vindictive kinda person, I might give this book a low-down dirty dog rating. See, I just received it in the mail yesterday afternoon, (thanks to a Goodreads giveaway win) and since I'd just finished reading another book, I had absolutely no intention of starting this one yet. None at all. Well, you know how it goes. Just as I was about to go to bed, I picked this sneaky little book up and figured I'd read a quickie page or two just to get a feel for it before I hit the sack. Yeah, right. I got a REAL good feel for it; I "felt" ... and read... the whole darned thing before I went to bed. I know, my choice, but doggone it, at my age, I need all the beauty sleep I can get...
Anyhow, as you can tell, I liked this book. Very much. The story is certainly a unique and enjoyable one, but my favorite thing about this book is the author's style of writing. It's very natural and smooth-flowing, and has the ability to suck the reader in like a best gal pal telling a tale around the kitchen table over a glass of wine.
And what a tale it is. Any woman who has ever suppressed the urge to whop her beloved husband silly with a bed pillow will be able to relate to Harriet's ambivalence about her marriage. And trust me, her husband Jules more than deserves a good pillow-whopping. But no, that's not Harriet's style. She's more of a primal-scream-in-the-shower kinda gal.
When their twin sons head off to college, the empty nest makes their empty marriage even more noticeable. To Harriet, anyway. Jules is too self-absorbed to notice anything. That is, until Harriet brings the young lovely lithe Lydia home.... and moves her into their son's room. Her, he definitely notices.
Is Harriet offering the young lovely lithe Lydia to her husband as a... replacement? Sorry. You'll have to read the book to find out for yourself. (But you might wanta start reading before midnight.)
Anyhow, as you can tell, I liked this book. Very much. The story is certainly a unique and enjoyable one, but my favorite thing about this book is the author's style of writing. It's very natural and smooth-flowing, and has the ability to suck the reader in like a best gal pal telling a tale around the kitchen table over a glass of wine.
And what a tale it is. Any woman who has ever suppressed the urge to whop her beloved husband silly with a bed pillow will be able to relate to Harriet's ambivalence about her marriage. And trust me, her husband Jules more than deserves a good pillow-whopping. But no, that's not Harriet's style. She's more of a primal-scream-in-the-shower kinda gal.
When their twin sons head off to college, the empty nest makes their empty marriage even more noticeable. To Harriet, anyway. Jules is too self-absorbed to notice anything. That is, until Harriet brings the young lovely lithe Lydia home.... and moves her into their son's room. Her, he definitely notices.
Is Harriet offering the young lovely lithe Lydia to her husband as a... replacement? Sorry. You'll have to read the book to find out for yourself. (But you might wanta start reading before midnight.)
April 2, 2014
Harriet has reached her forties. She's been married for twenty years. Her television cooking show is slipping in the ratings and her twin sons have just left for college when she meets Lydia, a younger, newer version of herself. The two become fast friends and when Lydia needs a place to live, Harriet offers her son's old room. By her own admission, she pretty much serves her husband up "on a silver platter" only to question whether this might have been what she wanted all along. I found this to be a unique and refreshing twist. Mary Marcus' debut novel is a very enjoyable, highly entertaining read that is filled with witty, introspective humor and astute observations on aging, marriage, and parenthood. She has been compared to Nora Ephron and I would have to agree. You will be laughing out loud with this one.
April 6, 2014
The New Me is a touching, hypnotic, and skillfully executed tale of tradeoffs, love, desire, and the all important caveat to be wary of what you may seek. The novel is effective on many levels and while it will surely delight the causal reader seeking escapism, it also resonates on a far deeper -- and sinister -- plane.
March 1, 2015
The New Me by Mary Marcus is very different from the author’s other book, Lavina. Lavina is historical fiction and this book is contemporary black comedy.
I read The New Me during a month long cold. The pacing is fast but I was too sick to enjoy it as much as I would have liked. The story struck close to home, a woman in her forties not that excited about her career, in an unhappy marriage. Jules, her husband was not a good pick. He was self-centered, immature, not that honest, a scrooge except with himself and rarely spent time with the children. He was also a demanding germaphobe but that is OK with me as long as you can get the germaphobe to do the cleaning!
Harriet is stuck in a bad marriage and just seems to wear a sign, “Walk all over me, if you want”. Harriet meets a younger version of herself but with dark black hair and more up top. Lydia is also from New York and recently moved to California. It was difficult for me to believe that Lydia could not find an apartment. My memory tells me that there are actually a lot of choices. It all depends on what you want to give up. But Harriet invites Lydia to move in one of her twin boy’s room. Both of them are away from college.
There are sparks of humor sprinkled here and there but mostly, I wanted to bop some sense into Harriet. I wanted to tell her to throw away that sign, get rid of Jules and forget about Lydia. But this is not my book! This book makes you think how wrong Harriet was. She did change her life but it was a strange change. Was she really looking for a replacement for herself for her husband or what was she thinking?
When the humor was strong, I wanted more. I felt the humor dial could have been turned up some.
I received this Advance Reading Copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and feelings in this review are completely my own.
I read The New Me during a month long cold. The pacing is fast but I was too sick to enjoy it as much as I would have liked. The story struck close to home, a woman in her forties not that excited about her career, in an unhappy marriage. Jules, her husband was not a good pick. He was self-centered, immature, not that honest, a scrooge except with himself and rarely spent time with the children. He was also a demanding germaphobe but that is OK with me as long as you can get the germaphobe to do the cleaning!
Harriet is stuck in a bad marriage and just seems to wear a sign, “Walk all over me, if you want”. Harriet meets a younger version of herself but with dark black hair and more up top. Lydia is also from New York and recently moved to California. It was difficult for me to believe that Lydia could not find an apartment. My memory tells me that there are actually a lot of choices. It all depends on what you want to give up. But Harriet invites Lydia to move in one of her twin boy’s room. Both of them are away from college.
There are sparks of humor sprinkled here and there but mostly, I wanted to bop some sense into Harriet. I wanted to tell her to throw away that sign, get rid of Jules and forget about Lydia. But this is not my book! This book makes you think how wrong Harriet was. She did change her life but it was a strange change. Was she really looking for a replacement for herself for her husband or what was she thinking?
When the humor was strong, I wanted more. I felt the humor dial could have been turned up some.
I received this Advance Reading Copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and feelings in this review are completely my own.
March 29, 2014
I was quickly drawn into the story and into the lives of the characters I read the book in one sitting all the way through. The characters were all well written and believable – so believable in fact that I thoroughly disliked the husband who I thought was quite self-absorbed and immature from his wife and what she went through in there relationship was so selfless, I understood how subconsciously she did what she did to herself and their lives.
There was quite a few characters I would have liked to engage with more for instants the twins had some interesting insights into the family dynamics that I felt the heroine had blinders on from the very start of the married life I would have liked her to realize that more and more, however I felt she finally did in the end. In the end I felt the old adage "careful what you wish for" was so true in this case. I enjoyed this book.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher The Story Plant for the digital copy for my honest review.
There was quite a few characters I would have liked to engage with more for instants the twins had some interesting insights into the family dynamics that I felt the heroine had blinders on from the very start of the married life I would have liked her to realize that more and more, however I felt she finally did in the end. In the end I felt the old adage "careful what you wish for" was so true in this case. I enjoyed this book.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher The Story Plant for the digital copy for my honest review.
October 26, 2014
I would have liked to give this four stars, I really would; I found the story itself rather engaging, and loads of sentences and paragraphs in this short little book are quotable and apropos in my little life. But. Yes, you sensed the 'but' coming; The punctuation drove me ape: commas missing or inserted in completely inappropriate fashion. Perhaps Mary's speaking/writing style or dialect is just that dissimilar to mine, but I found myself having to re-read entire passages multiple times, unfortunately not because they spoke to me, but because the pauses didn't make sense to my brain. Maybe this calls my reading comprehension into question, or maybe the editor proofreading, but this fault succeeded in subtracting a star from my rating.
(I will add more to this review later, I just wanted to get that point down before I forgot it.)
(I will add more to this review later, I just wanted to get that point down before I forgot it.)
April 6, 2014
This was one of those books I couldn't help but stay up and finish! Harriet, and her quest to reinvent herself, transcends age and gender and speaks to our common struggles as individuals. Hilarious, poignant, and fun. A must read!
July 28, 2014
I received The New Me in a goodreads giveaway. I could not put the book down, I read it in a day. I had to know what was going to happen with Harriet, Jules & Lydia. I'm also a foodie so all the talk about food & cooking was a plus!
October 22, 2015
I did not like this book at all. I could not identify with the character, she is so whiny and naive but not in a way that you feel sorry for her. I thought it would be an empowering book, completely the opposite.
June 19, 2014
A realistic look at the life of a middle age woman, after just sending her two sons off to college, innocently trying to re-invent her life with disastrous results.
June 27, 2022
A totally delicious summer read, unlike Nora Ephron, there is no rage or resentment that we've come to expect from a woman scorned; Ms. Marcus effortlessly navigates a terrain that has been explored by so many writes, but not quite in such a funny and sympathetic way, Ms. Marcus' voice is so gentle and compassionate, I laughed and cried, I read it all in one sitting, on an overseas flight. When I finished I exclaimed WOW, wait a minute, what has just happened here??? The writer proves that there is more than
one way to handle betrayal. Enjoy!!!!! self publishing
one way to handle betrayal. Enjoy!!!!! self publishing
June 1, 2017
Mary Marcus offers up a different take on a typical scenario, one so many readers have lived through: once her fledglings have left the nest, a middle-aged woman is unsure she wants to stay with her not-so-nice husband. What Harriet does, though, is unexpected--even to herself. I found Harriet's ambivalence so relatable, and Marcus's writing style humorous and human and wonderful. A good, quick read that will make you nod in understanding, if not in agreement.
April 21, 2019
I accidentally borrowed the wrong ‘The New Me’ from the library but thought I’d give it a shot anyway. Woof.
November 13, 2024
This e-book has been in My Digital Library since October 2, 2015.
I liked the book so I gave it the three stars.
I liked the book so I gave it the three stars.
March 8, 2017
A quick and easy read. I enjoyed the story but it left me wanting more. I hoped that the relationship between Harriet and Lydia would be explored more.
August 10, 2016
*ARC copy provided courtesy of NetGalley*
- - -
Star Rating: 2.5 stars
I think the best way to sum up this book that it's a snapshot of one woman's life from the moment that her twin sons leave home to go to college, to a couple months down the line from there.
From the book's synopsis, I was hoping most of the book would explore how the main character, Harriet, manages to turn her life around in a positive direction after meeting Lydia but instead it mostly discussed the past (from her perspective today, complete with present-day commentary), leading up to how everything generally goes from bad to worse, and the present everyday aspects of her life. There is little element of mystery and unpredictability since the whole story weaves past and present in a way that when discussing the past, you already know from the beginning what happened in the present.
We learn about Harriet's resentment towards her husband (he is the clear bad guy of this book right from the start); we learn about her relationship with her children; we get an insight into her childhood and into her healthy-cooking career (complete with a few foodie tips), and we get to hear a lot of Harriet's opinions and thoughts on a bunch of everyday things from attitudes about money to attitudes about yoga and the holidays.
One thing that bugged me was that much of the writing came across as quite negative: laced with moaning, self-pity, regret and guilt. Some light-hearted fun and comic relief would have been welcome. Unfortunately, aside from one or two little passages that brought a fleeting smile to my face, most of the humor didn't tickle my funny bone, but of course humor is an individual thing and even if it wasn't for me, other people may still enjoy Marcus's sense of humor.
An observation I had as I read "The New Me", is that I found myself thinking that it reads a little bit like a diary or a therapy session (where you are the listening therapist), recounting the highlights - or more often than not, the lowlights - of Harriet's life. The writing is so honest and realistic that I found myself wondering how much of the story was autobiographical and how much was fictitious.
Overall did I enjoy this book? In the way that a fly on the wall may enjoy an inside perspective into someone's unedited private life during difficult times, in all its glory. The bit I enjoyed the most was the end which had a glimmer of positivity and hope, though overall I'm afraid for me the story wasn't exactly to my taste. I prefer stories to be more exciting, unpredictable (twists and turns!), inspiring, creative, original, positive, romantic, humorous and generally more feel-good.
- - -
Star Rating: 2.5 stars
I think the best way to sum up this book that it's a snapshot of one woman's life from the moment that her twin sons leave home to go to college, to a couple months down the line from there.
From the book's synopsis, I was hoping most of the book would explore how the main character, Harriet, manages to turn her life around in a positive direction after meeting Lydia but instead it mostly discussed the past (from her perspective today, complete with present-day commentary), leading up to how everything generally goes from bad to worse, and the present everyday aspects of her life. There is little element of mystery and unpredictability since the whole story weaves past and present in a way that when discussing the past, you already know from the beginning what happened in the present.
We learn about Harriet's resentment towards her husband (he is the clear bad guy of this book right from the start); we learn about her relationship with her children; we get an insight into her childhood and into her healthy-cooking career (complete with a few foodie tips), and we get to hear a lot of Harriet's opinions and thoughts on a bunch of everyday things from attitudes about money to attitudes about yoga and the holidays.
One thing that bugged me was that much of the writing came across as quite negative: laced with moaning, self-pity, regret and guilt. Some light-hearted fun and comic relief would have been welcome. Unfortunately, aside from one or two little passages that brought a fleeting smile to my face, most of the humor didn't tickle my funny bone, but of course humor is an individual thing and even if it wasn't for me, other people may still enjoy Marcus's sense of humor.
An observation I had as I read "The New Me", is that I found myself thinking that it reads a little bit like a diary or a therapy session (where you are the listening therapist), recounting the highlights - or more often than not, the lowlights - of Harriet's life. The writing is so honest and realistic that I found myself wondering how much of the story was autobiographical and how much was fictitious.
Overall did I enjoy this book? In the way that a fly on the wall may enjoy an inside perspective into someone's unedited private life during difficult times, in all its glory. The bit I enjoyed the most was the end which had a glimmer of positivity and hope, though overall I'm afraid for me the story wasn't exactly to my taste. I prefer stories to be more exciting, unpredictable (twists and turns!), inspiring, creative, original, positive, romantic, humorous and generally more feel-good.
July 10, 2014
*SPOILER ALERT*
So.....I absolutely fell in LOVE with this book. Harriet is a middle aged, health freak, chef who married into money, but does not ask for a dime of her husbands money....She has her own cooking show, and she designed "microwave" meals for the wealthy..... Her husband is a big director/producer who is a workaholic (but uses it as an excuse to be away from the "family" life)....She has raised her twin boys on her own, and is very proud of her accomplishments....However, her marriage is failing, and she seems to be looking for something "more" out of life...
She meets a young, beautiful girl named Lydia whos has fallen on some hard times, and Harriet invites her to stay with them until she can get on her feet....Deep down, Harriet KNOWS what will happen, but she seems to think that it might be the blessing in disquise that she needs....However, it actually backfires on her, and once she sees the "man" her husband has become, she desperately wants him back....but, at this point, it is too late because Lydia is hiding a pregnancy.....
There is SOOOO much I want to talk about...... Harriet is a WONDERFUL woman, who never gets the credit she deserves........ I would like to think that after moving back to New York, she calls up Chandan Kumar, and begins to see him......I would hope that he would be the complete opposide of Jules, and that he spoils Harriet rotten.....She has always wanted to travel the world, so maybe he takes her on trips around the world....... Then, maybe one of the twins has a "parent" day at college, and both Jules and Harriet attend, and Jules sees just how beautiful Harriet is, and how she is "glowing" with life....and he begs her to come home......That the new "family" is not what he was wanting......and he realizes just how much Harriet cared and loved him.....But THIS TIME, he is the one that is too late..... Harriet is happier than ever...... At least, that is what I invision happening.......
I am looking forward to reading another novel by Mary Marcus......she is very easy to understand, she writes in a down to earth sense, where I can put myself into Harriet's shoes, and I can relate to everything going on......
I kinda "knew" what was going to happen after the first few chapters, but Mary still kept me on edge, and there was a little bit of doubt in my mind about a few things...... It kept me intrigued and on edge....
This was a wonderful read, and I would definetly recommend it......
So.....I absolutely fell in LOVE with this book. Harriet is a middle aged, health freak, chef who married into money, but does not ask for a dime of her husbands money....She has her own cooking show, and she designed "microwave" meals for the wealthy..... Her husband is a big director/producer who is a workaholic (but uses it as an excuse to be away from the "family" life)....She has raised her twin boys on her own, and is very proud of her accomplishments....However, her marriage is failing, and she seems to be looking for something "more" out of life...
She meets a young, beautiful girl named Lydia whos has fallen on some hard times, and Harriet invites her to stay with them until she can get on her feet....Deep down, Harriet KNOWS what will happen, but she seems to think that it might be the blessing in disquise that she needs....However, it actually backfires on her, and once she sees the "man" her husband has become, she desperately wants him back....but, at this point, it is too late because Lydia is hiding a pregnancy.....
There is SOOOO much I want to talk about...... Harriet is a WONDERFUL woman, who never gets the credit she deserves........ I would like to think that after moving back to New York, she calls up Chandan Kumar, and begins to see him......I would hope that he would be the complete opposide of Jules, and that he spoils Harriet rotten.....She has always wanted to travel the world, so maybe he takes her on trips around the world....... Then, maybe one of the twins has a "parent" day at college, and both Jules and Harriet attend, and Jules sees just how beautiful Harriet is, and how she is "glowing" with life....and he begs her to come home......That the new "family" is not what he was wanting......and he realizes just how much Harriet cared and loved him.....But THIS TIME, he is the one that is too late..... Harriet is happier than ever...... At least, that is what I invision happening.......
I am looking forward to reading another novel by Mary Marcus......she is very easy to understand, she writes in a down to earth sense, where I can put myself into Harriet's shoes, and I can relate to everything going on......
I kinda "knew" what was going to happen after the first few chapters, but Mary still kept me on edge, and there was a little bit of doubt in my mind about a few things...... It kept me intrigued and on edge....
This was a wonderful read, and I would definetly recommend it......
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2014
I loved the premise of this book, and that carried me through the first part of this quick read. But ultimately, I never felt like Lydia was "the new me" -- if that hadn't been in the description of the book, I would have completely missed it. While I understand that sometimes we "know" things we don't admit to ourselves, The main character's attempt to both take credit for the events and insist she didn't know they were happening didn't make any sense. And most of the book was the main character musing on those two topics.
I couldn't escape the feeling that the author was presenting a different character than I was reading. I really really wanted to like her, but her healthy cooking focus sounded more like control issues and nitpicky behavior that would annoy me if I knew her, and less like the the true love of food that I have gotten from other literary characters. What should have been a charming subplot about their adorable dog instead came across as insipid and cloying. It is like each reaction I had was the one intended, but one click off.
I don't know. My initial reaction of being captivated by the first part of the book was supplanted by sadness that the characters turned out to be annoying and vapid.
I couldn't escape the feeling that the author was presenting a different character than I was reading. I really really wanted to like her, but her healthy cooking focus sounded more like control issues and nitpicky behavior that would annoy me if I knew her, and less like the the true love of food that I have gotten from other literary characters. What should have been a charming subplot about their adorable dog instead came across as insipid and cloying. It is like each reaction I had was the one intended, but one click off.
I don't know. My initial reaction of being captivated by the first part of the book was supplanted by sadness that the characters turned out to be annoying and vapid.
January 20, 2018
I have a really bad habit of taking every Free Friday book on my Nook so I figured it was time I read one. I knew nothing about The New Me going into it. While it was short it was actually a fun read.
Everything started out with a bang, the end was the first chapter in a way yet I did not mind that. It was fun to see the end result and have the transformation revealed that led up to the end. While I am not sure it would work for every type of book it fit The New Me well.
Harriet was a bit blind it seemed, everyone around her seemed to know what was going on with her marriage and majorly immature husband except her. I got the impression Harriet knew subconsciously what was going on but decided it was easier to ignore everything until it blew up.
While I enjoyed The New Me it is not a genre I really want to actively pursue. The writing was smooth and flowed well so it was not a chore to read it in any part.
Everything started out with a bang, the end was the first chapter in a way yet I did not mind that. It was fun to see the end result and have the transformation revealed that led up to the end. While I am not sure it would work for every type of book it fit The New Me well.
Harriet was a bit blind it seemed, everyone around her seemed to know what was going on with her marriage and majorly immature husband except her. I got the impression Harriet knew subconsciously what was going on but decided it was easier to ignore everything until it blew up.
While I enjoyed The New Me it is not a genre I really want to actively pursue. The writing was smooth and flowed well so it was not a chore to read it in any part.
August 11, 2014
The New Me is one of those books that you just hate to put aside. A humorous story about a 40 something woman who is definitely feeling the empty nest syndrome. Two sons have gone off to college and Harriet is left with a tv cooking show that she is less than enthusiastic about and a distant narcissistic husband. Harriet befriends Lydia, a young woman who is Harriet feels will enrich her life. Enrich it she does but not in the way that Harriet had hoped.
This is a story about mid life crisis in both wife and husband, love, betrayal and ambition told in a honest and humorous way. A fast paced read that will have you cheering Harriet on as she finally finds what she is seeking. A delightful and insightful read! I highly recommend it!
This is a story about mid life crisis in both wife and husband, love, betrayal and ambition told in a honest and humorous way. A fast paced read that will have you cheering Harriet on as she finally finds what she is seeking. A delightful and insightful read! I highly recommend it!
March 4, 2016
Here are the good things about this book: 1) it was short, 2) it was not the worst thing I ever read, 3) I did finish it, to see if anything would actually happen.
The story was basically one woman's written account of her 20/20 hindsight of the dissolution of her marriage, and her part in it. No one seemed likable, and the narrator was only marginally interesting. I kept thinking something would make the story better. Nothing did, except being finished with it.
Sadly, it's probably somewhat true to life, in that many people seem to have a hard time recognizing when things are actually over.
The story was basically one woman's written account of her 20/20 hindsight of the dissolution of her marriage, and her part in it. No one seemed likable, and the narrator was only marginally interesting. I kept thinking something would make the story better. Nothing did, except being finished with it.
Sadly, it's probably somewhat true to life, in that many people seem to have a hard time recognizing when things are actually over.
June 13, 2016
Free Nook ebook from Barnes & Noble. I read it some months ago, forgot about it and read it again. About half-way through I started recognizing parts from the first reading. I would be curious how reviews by persons who have been divorced compare with reviews by married or never married readers. I belong in the one divorce, many years ago group.
For me the book read like an essay on how a marriage between unequal partners might break up. There were some interesting segments on food preparation by the vegetarian main character, but most of the book seemed a dispassionate unfolding of events. As for the "new me," I didn't see a crisis and major change in the character.
For me the book read like an essay on how a marriage between unequal partners might break up. There were some interesting segments on food preparation by the vegetarian main character, but most of the book seemed a dispassionate unfolding of events. As for the "new me," I didn't see a crisis and major change in the character.
January 17, 2015
Sad and honest at once.
A poingnant look back on the life she left after 20 years of marriage and the kids gone to college. She reflects back on how whe ended up inviting a younger woman into her (and her husband's) life, basically presenting him with "a new me". This honest, introspective look at her life is refreshing, and I enjoyed this perspective.
This is a good read, at a slow and even pace, not filled with action, anxiety, rage or grief. Just an honest look back at how she got there, and how each person played a role.
A poingnant look back on the life she left after 20 years of marriage and the kids gone to college. She reflects back on how whe ended up inviting a younger woman into her (and her husband's) life, basically presenting him with "a new me". This honest, introspective look at her life is refreshing, and I enjoyed this perspective.
This is a good read, at a slow and even pace, not filled with action, anxiety, rage or grief. Just an honest look back at how she got there, and how each person played a role.
July 8, 2014
Mary Marcus, author of The New Me, delivers one of the most realistic books I have read in a long time.
A believable look at the life of a middle-aged woman simply trying to reinvent her life with catastrophic results.
The novel goes beyond age and gender and speaks of our everyday conflicts as individuals. A novel about change and the price of becoming who you want to be.
I recommend this witty and touching story.
A believable look at the life of a middle-aged woman simply trying to reinvent her life with catastrophic results.
The novel goes beyond age and gender and speaks of our everyday conflicts as individuals. A novel about change and the price of becoming who you want to be.
I recommend this witty and touching story.
July 21, 2014
Harriet is floundering as her husband Jules is less and less attentive and her twin sons are heading off to college. Enter Lydia, a younger version of herself. Does Harriet create her replacement, or is she fooled by Jules and Lydia? Friends betray in this compelling novel in which Harriet looks back on what happened in her marriage and life.
Full disclosure: I received this book as a Shelf Awareness giveaway...thanks to the author, but this is my honest review.
Full disclosure: I received this book as a Shelf Awareness giveaway...thanks to the author, but this is my honest review.
September 1, 2014
I liked it! The New Me had a good story line and was fun to read. I liked the main character- I could relate to her even though I personally don't understand how someone could so easily invite a person they just met into their life & home. Great writing style. I'll look for more books by this author. Write on Mary!!
November 11, 2015
"Harriet is floundering. She's in her early forties, her kids have gone to college, her marriage feels empty, her cable TV cooking show has lost its sense of inspiration, and she longs to leave the West Coast for New York." This whole book floundered! It seemed that a high school kid wrote it. AGH!
April 10, 2014
Absolutely worth picking up if you have the chance. An illuminating story that resonates despite its seemingly narrow scope. Harriet's well rounded development is a welcome change from many of today's one dimensional characters. Highly recommended!
October 8, 2014
This book was "okay," more like 2.5 stars. For a quick read, it took me about a week because I was determined not to abandon it. Although I could empathize with main character over watching her marriage dissolve, I didn't really care for her much.
November 18, 2014
Thoroughly enjoyed Mary Marcus's voice and her protagonist, Harriet. Big personal issues, a light touch, and humor combine in this story of Harriet's marriage and somewhat haphazard quest to redefine her life in the face of her newly empty nest. Highly recommended!
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