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The Other Woman
Newly engaged, Ellie is thrilled to be accepted into the loving Cooper clan—which seems like the perfect family she never had—until she begins to realize that Dan’s mom, Linda, is a little too involved. Dan and Linda talk on the phone every day. Twice a day. As Dan and Ellie’s intimate civil wedding ceremony gets transformed into a black-tie affair, Ellie begins to wonder if it’s possible to marry the man without marrying his mother.
As troubles mount, Ellie turns to her friends—glamorous Lisa, who always looks like she’s just stepped off a runway, and wonderfully frazzled Trish—and tries to rediscover the independence she once had, and the man she still loves. But it seems that having a child and saving a marriage means growing up in ways she’d never imagined . . .
A warm, witty, and wise look at mothers-in-law and what they teach us about ourselves, The Other Woman is sure to please Jane Green’s growing legion of fans.
As troubles mount, Ellie turns to her friends—glamorous Lisa, who always looks like she’s just stepped off a runway, and wonderfully frazzled Trish—and tries to rediscover the independence she once had, and the man she still loves. But it seems that having a child and saving a marriage means growing up in ways she’d never imagined . . .
A warm, witty, and wise look at mothers-in-law and what they teach us about ourselves, The Other Woman is sure to please Jane Green’s growing legion of fans.
389 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
310 people are currently reading
17294 people want to read
About the author
Jane Green
95 books8,731 followersJane Green's twenty first novel, Sister Stardust, is out April 5th 2022.
She is the author of eighteen previous New York Times Bestselling novels, and known as one of the world's leading authors in women's fiction, with over ten million books in print, and translations in over 25 languages.
Previous novels have included The Beach House, Second Chance, Jemima J, and Tempting Fate.
She joined the ABC News team to write their first enhanced digital book— about the history of Royal marriages, then joined ABC News as a live correspondent covering Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton.
A former journalist in the UK, she has had her own radio show on BBC Radio London, and is a regular contributor on radio and TV, including as well as regularly appearing on television shows including Good Morning America, The Martha Stewart show, and The Today Show.
Together with writing books and blogs, she contributes to various publications, both online and print, including anthologies and novellas, and features for The Huffington Post, The Sunday Times, Cosmopolitan and Self. She has taught at writers conferences, and does regular keynote speaking, and has a weekly column in The Lady magazine, England’s longest running weekly magazine.
A graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York, Green is bringing out her first cookbook: Good Taste , with Berkley in October 2016.
She is a storyteller for The Moth radio hour on NPR,
and lives in Westport, Connecticut with her husband and their blended family. When she is not writing, cooking, gardening, filling her house with friends and herding chickens, she is usually thanking the Lord for caffeine-filled energy drinks.
Jane's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jane-Gr...
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
She is the author of eighteen previous New York Times Bestselling novels, and known as one of the world's leading authors in women's fiction, with over ten million books in print, and translations in over 25 languages.
Previous novels have included The Beach House, Second Chance, Jemima J, and Tempting Fate.
She joined the ABC News team to write their first enhanced digital book— about the history of Royal marriages, then joined ABC News as a live correspondent covering Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton.
A former journalist in the UK, she has had her own radio show on BBC Radio London, and is a regular contributor on radio and TV, including as well as regularly appearing on television shows including Good Morning America, The Martha Stewart show, and The Today Show.
Together with writing books and blogs, she contributes to various publications, both online and print, including anthologies and novellas, and features for The Huffington Post, The Sunday Times, Cosmopolitan and Self. She has taught at writers conferences, and does regular keynote speaking, and has a weekly column in The Lady magazine, England’s longest running weekly magazine.
A graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York, Green is bringing out her first cookbook: Good Taste , with Berkley in October 2016.
She is a storyteller for The Moth radio hour on NPR,
and lives in Westport, Connecticut with her husband and their blended family. When she is not writing, cooking, gardening, filling her house with friends and herding chickens, she is usually thanking the Lord for caffeine-filled energy drinks.
Jane's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jane-Gr...
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 859 reviews
October 24, 2008
I thought this would be a light, easy, fun read. Instead, depressing and a little annoying.
The gist of the story is that Ellie marries Dan knowing that his mother is a control freak and that her son is still connected by the apron strings. Ellie and Dan have a child and the mother-in-law interferes in every aspect of their lives to the point of causing an accident with said grandchild. Ellie and Dan separate. Ellie learns a lot about life.
Ellie is whiny. There were way too many times that she should have stood up for herself and she just withered under her mother-in-law's scrutiny all the while expecting her husband to stand up for her. And he should have--but she should have stood up for herself in the beginning.
This presented a very negative view of marriage and life to me even though it ended happily (if you can call it that). I have always thought of Jane Green as a chick lit author but this one just made me want to slit my wrists and wasn't remotely funny, light, or an easy read. I can only say that I kept listening hoping against hope that it would get better.
The gist of the story is that Ellie marries Dan knowing that his mother is a control freak and that her son is still connected by the apron strings. Ellie and Dan have a child and the mother-in-law interferes in every aspect of their lives to the point of causing an accident with said grandchild. Ellie and Dan separate. Ellie learns a lot about life.
Ellie is whiny. There were way too many times that she should have stood up for herself and she just withered under her mother-in-law's scrutiny all the while expecting her husband to stand up for her. And he should have--but she should have stood up for herself in the beginning.
This presented a very negative view of marriage and life to me even though it ended happily (if you can call it that). I have always thought of Jane Green as a chick lit author but this one just made me want to slit my wrists and wasn't remotely funny, light, or an easy read. I can only say that I kept listening hoping against hope that it would get better.
October 4, 2022
I love a Jane Green book, especially when I'm on a sunbed and want something easy to read that just flows.
This book did not disappoint and is worthy of 5 stars.
This book did not disappoint and is worthy of 5 stars.
July 31, 2018
EXCERPT: 'Dan and Ellie. Ellie and Dan. Mrs Dan Cooper. Mrs Ellie Cooper. Ellie Cooper.' I trill the words out, thrilling at how unfamiliar they sound, how they will be true in just over a month, how I got to have a fairy-tale ending after all. . .
And, as I'm tapping the coffee grounds into the spoon to start making the coffee, I find myself thinking about spending the rest of my life with only one person.
I should feel scared. Apprehensive at the very least. But all I feel is pure, unadulterated joy.
Any doubts I may have about this wedding, about getting married, about spending the rest of my life with Dan have nothing whatsoever to do with Dan.
And everything to do with his mother.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Newly engaged, Ellie is thrilled to be accepted into the loving Cooper clan—which seems like the perfect family she never had—until she begins to realize that Dan’s mom, Linda, is a little too involved. Dan and Linda talk on the phone every day. Twice a day. As Dan and Ellie’s intimate civil wedding ceremony gets transformed into a black-tie affair, Ellie begins to wonder if it’s possible to marry the man without marrying his mother.
As troubles mount, Ellie turns to her friends—glamorous Lisa, who always looks like she’s just stepped off a runway, and wonderfully frazzled Trish—and tries to rediscover the independence she once had, and the man she still loves. But it seems that having a child and saving a marriage means growing up in ways she’d never imagined . . .
MY THOUGHTS: I love Jane Green's books, and The Other Woman is no exception. Green writes in a way that has you tumbling into the book (rather like Alice down the rabbit hole), and becoming part of it all.
Green is very perceptive about relationships - family relationships, friendships, whatever - she just always seems to hit the nail on the head. She has written an captivating tale of the changing family dynamics with the introduction of a new person into the family unit. The jostling for positions, the need for give and take, the expectations, the disappointments, the settling into the new relationships are all dealt with by Green in her usual warm and insightful style.
Remember the old adage 'be careful what you wish for, you may get it'? Green has used this to great effect in The Other Woman.
There is a lot to be learned from The Other Woman. It should be required reading for all brides-to-be and mothers-in-law to be.
Thank you Jane Green for yet another wonderful read. 😍😍😍😍
THE AUTHOR: Jane Green's eighteenth novel, Falling, is soon to be released with Berkley/Penguin; she is the author of sixteen previous New York Times Bestselling novels, and known as one of the world's leading authors in women's fiction, with over ten million books in print, and translations in over 25 languages.
Previous novels have included The Beach House, Second Chance, Jemima J, and Tempting Fate.
She joined the ABC News team to write their first enhanced digital book— about the history of Royal marriages, then joined ABC News as a live correspondent covering Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton.
A former journalist in the UK, she has had her own radio show on BBC Radio London, and is a regular contributor on radio and TV, including as well as regularly appearing on television shows including Good Morning America, The Martha Stewart show, and The Today Show.
Together with writing books and blogs, she contributes to various publications, both online and print, including anthologies and novellas, and features for The Huffington Post, The Sunday Times, Cosmopolitan and Self. She has taught at writers conferences, and does regular keynote speaking, and has a weekly column in The Lady magazine, England’s longest running weekly magazine.
A graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York, Green is bringing out her first cookbook: Good Taste , with Berkley in October 2016.
She is a storyteller for The Moth radio hour on NPR,
and lives in Westport, Connecticut with her husband and their blended family. When she is not writing, cooking, gardening, filling her house with friends and herding chickens, she is usually thanking the Lord for caffeine-filled energy drinks.
A cancer survivor, she continues to raise awareness for Malignant Melanoma, Hashimoto's Disease, and Lyme Disease.
DISCLOSURE: I own my own copy of The Other Woman by Jane Green.
All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
And, as I'm tapping the coffee grounds into the spoon to start making the coffee, I find myself thinking about spending the rest of my life with only one person.
I should feel scared. Apprehensive at the very least. But all I feel is pure, unadulterated joy.
Any doubts I may have about this wedding, about getting married, about spending the rest of my life with Dan have nothing whatsoever to do with Dan.
And everything to do with his mother.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Newly engaged, Ellie is thrilled to be accepted into the loving Cooper clan—which seems like the perfect family she never had—until she begins to realize that Dan’s mom, Linda, is a little too involved. Dan and Linda talk on the phone every day. Twice a day. As Dan and Ellie’s intimate civil wedding ceremony gets transformed into a black-tie affair, Ellie begins to wonder if it’s possible to marry the man without marrying his mother.
As troubles mount, Ellie turns to her friends—glamorous Lisa, who always looks like she’s just stepped off a runway, and wonderfully frazzled Trish—and tries to rediscover the independence she once had, and the man she still loves. But it seems that having a child and saving a marriage means growing up in ways she’d never imagined . . .
MY THOUGHTS: I love Jane Green's books, and The Other Woman is no exception. Green writes in a way that has you tumbling into the book (rather like Alice down the rabbit hole), and becoming part of it all.
Green is very perceptive about relationships - family relationships, friendships, whatever - she just always seems to hit the nail on the head. She has written an captivating tale of the changing family dynamics with the introduction of a new person into the family unit. The jostling for positions, the need for give and take, the expectations, the disappointments, the settling into the new relationships are all dealt with by Green in her usual warm and insightful style.
Remember the old adage 'be careful what you wish for, you may get it'? Green has used this to great effect in The Other Woman.
There is a lot to be learned from The Other Woman. It should be required reading for all brides-to-be and mothers-in-law to be.
Thank you Jane Green for yet another wonderful read. 😍😍😍😍
THE AUTHOR: Jane Green's eighteenth novel, Falling, is soon to be released with Berkley/Penguin; she is the author of sixteen previous New York Times Bestselling novels, and known as one of the world's leading authors in women's fiction, with over ten million books in print, and translations in over 25 languages.
Previous novels have included The Beach House, Second Chance, Jemima J, and Tempting Fate.
She joined the ABC News team to write their first enhanced digital book— about the history of Royal marriages, then joined ABC News as a live correspondent covering Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton.
A former journalist in the UK, she has had her own radio show on BBC Radio London, and is a regular contributor on radio and TV, including as well as regularly appearing on television shows including Good Morning America, The Martha Stewart show, and The Today Show.
Together with writing books and blogs, she contributes to various publications, both online and print, including anthologies and novellas, and features for The Huffington Post, The Sunday Times, Cosmopolitan and Self. She has taught at writers conferences, and does regular keynote speaking, and has a weekly column in The Lady magazine, England’s longest running weekly magazine.
A graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York, Green is bringing out her first cookbook: Good Taste , with Berkley in October 2016.
She is a storyteller for The Moth radio hour on NPR,
and lives in Westport, Connecticut with her husband and their blended family. When she is not writing, cooking, gardening, filling her house with friends and herding chickens, she is usually thanking the Lord for caffeine-filled energy drinks.
A cancer survivor, she continues to raise awareness for Malignant Melanoma, Hashimoto's Disease, and Lyme Disease.
DISCLOSURE: I own my own copy of The Other Woman by Jane Green.
All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
January 24, 2025
Two stars which could easily be only one, as nothing nice or memorable happens.
Quite on the contrary, the main character, Ellie Cooper, born Black, is a serious contender for "Miss Stupidity Cow" contest. She's selfish, egotist, absurd, lazy (do you hear something about her domestic abilities?) she consider that she deserves everything, even to cheat on her husband. OK, she didn't, but the only reason for her failure is the big black hole in her head...
Quite on the contrary, the main character, Ellie Cooper, born Black, is a serious contender for "Miss Stupidity Cow" contest. She's selfish, egotist, absurd, lazy (do you hear something about her domestic abilities?) she consider that she deserves everything, even to cheat on her husband. OK, she didn't, but the only reason for her failure is the big black hole in her head...
June 11, 2008
Ellie Black believes she has found the perfect man for her in Dan Cooper, and is thrilled when he asks her to marry him. She is relieved that his family seems to like her, and believes that she is finally going to feel a part of a loving family. Things start to go awry when Dan's mother completely takes over wedding preparations, leaving Ellie to feel like a spectator at her own wedding. After the wedding, Dan's mother's manipulations begin to really bother Ellie, and she doesn't feel like Dan is supportive enough about her feelings on this. True resentment sets in when Ellie and Dan have a baby, and the problems with his mother seem to overwhelm all aspects of their lives. Ellie and Dan have to figure out if what they have is worth trying to save.
I had a hard time getting interested in this book, but at the beginning I found both the characters of Ellie and Dan to be likeable. There were points where I felt like Dan's mom was way out of line in her behavior, but most of the time, I felt like the things she did were not really unusual. Ellie's own mom dying when Ellie was thirteen didn't give her experience in how to deal with an overbearing relative, making her even more sensitive to the things her mother-in-law did. I felt that Ellie was very inconsistent in the way she felt about and dealt with her mother-in-law. Toward the middle of the novel, I felt that Ellie came across as very selfish and dislikeable. She became unreasonable in her feelings about her mother-in-law, and berated Dan constantly about things his mother did and said. Earlier in the book, I thought there were times when Dan probably should have stepped in and supported Ellie, but I began to feel very sorry for him and to think that Ellie treated him very badly. I saw Dan as mostly confused and caught in the middle between an unreasonable wife and an overbearing mother. Toward the end of the book, Ellie seems to begin to grow up and to be less selfish. By the end of the book, she had redeemed herself for me. I really did not enjoy much of this book, and planned to give it a 2 most of the way through, but I really liked the last seventy-five or so pages and would rate that part a 4.
I had a hard time getting interested in this book, but at the beginning I found both the characters of Ellie and Dan to be likeable. There were points where I felt like Dan's mom was way out of line in her behavior, but most of the time, I felt like the things she did were not really unusual. Ellie's own mom dying when Ellie was thirteen didn't give her experience in how to deal with an overbearing relative, making her even more sensitive to the things her mother-in-law did. I felt that Ellie was very inconsistent in the way she felt about and dealt with her mother-in-law. Toward the middle of the novel, I felt that Ellie came across as very selfish and dislikeable. She became unreasonable in her feelings about her mother-in-law, and berated Dan constantly about things his mother did and said. Earlier in the book, I thought there were times when Dan probably should have stepped in and supported Ellie, but I began to feel very sorry for him and to think that Ellie treated him very badly. I saw Dan as mostly confused and caught in the middle between an unreasonable wife and an overbearing mother. Toward the end of the book, Ellie seems to begin to grow up and to be less selfish. By the end of the book, she had redeemed herself for me. I really did not enjoy much of this book, and planned to give it a 2 most of the way through, but I really liked the last seventy-five or so pages and would rate that part a 4.
October 4, 2015
I only picked up this book because we were banned from using the internet at work and it was a very slow week. This has to be one of the most depressing, frustrating, banal and predictable books I've ever read. Ellie is whiney and much more like her mother in law than she thinks. Dan is a pushover mama's-boy. Dan's mother is controlling. There you have it. The plot practically writes itself. This could have been any family in any country. Many women have overbearing mothers-in-law, but they learn to deal with them. Perhaps Ellie was a little too indipendent and unwilling to make the adjustments necessary to become part of a family. Overall, a forgettable book that makes me frustrated all over again for having read it when I am accidentally reminded of it.
June 29, 2025
Actually rating 3.5 stars
This book was one of those that are very hard to rate; the first half had me laughing with tears at some scenes but it also made me like the take on the relationship between Dan and Ellie, that until Ellie goes a little crazy in my opinion. Prepare yourself for spoilers and rant because this book had a lot of issues that I did not like at all:
So Ellie and Dan are about to get married and Ellie growing without a mother finds herself overwhelming to how her mother in low takes her under her wing and receive her with open arms prepared to adopt her. Yes Linda was overstepping some borders but the main problem was Ellie. I agreed with her that Dan should have stepped and try to protect his wife but Ellie was very hateful towards Linda that I kinda felt sorry for Dan;
I know that this type of issues in a marriage bring tension and very ugly fights as I see in my parents marriage BUT Ellie could have managed much better the tension if she tried harder, being more tolerant and be more humble because believe me there are more evil mother in laws then Linda.
Another issue I had with this book was that I did not understand why she broke up with her husband, I mean I understood that they were some tensions but she just gave up and again I felt sorry for Dan because the poor guy did not expected at all.
Ellie was a horrible wife also because right after they engaged she started thinking that she will miss to date other men and sleep with them. I mean seriously girl then why do you marry him? And to see how superficial she is, just before Tom had the accident she literally flirted at a party with Charlie just because she had a fight with her husband !🤦♀️ oh and then after the accident she didn't even blamed herself even once, everyone was guilty but not her who was flirting with another guy when her child had the accident. It gets worse after her and Dan decide to separate in an attempt to get revenge on her husband because SHE THOUGHT HE WAS DATING A COLLEGUE, Ellie decide to have a fling with who? You guessed Charlie !!!
I think the author did not want to describe her as a Mary Sue slut but the way she just flirted with Charlie but then felt guilty but in the end invited him over was tasteful. Not to mention that she is a shitty friend by gossiping about Lisa with Trish just because she was beautiful and confident meanwhile Ellie was just jealous .
The 3 stars are for making me laugh, trying to present us a reality when the husband is still attached to his mother but the last half and the way Ellie infuriated me to no ends made my rating like that. The first half is a solid 4.5 stars!
This book was one of those that are very hard to rate; the first half had me laughing with tears at some scenes but it also made me like the take on the relationship between Dan and Ellie, that until Ellie goes a little crazy in my opinion. Prepare yourself for spoilers and rant because this book had a lot of issues that I did not like at all:
So Ellie and Dan are about to get married and Ellie growing without a mother finds herself overwhelming to how her mother in low takes her under her wing and receive her with open arms prepared to adopt her. Yes Linda was overstepping some borders but the main problem was Ellie. I agreed with her that Dan should have stepped and try to protect his wife but Ellie was very hateful towards Linda that I kinda felt sorry for Dan;
I know that this type of issues in a marriage bring tension and very ugly fights as I see in my parents marriage BUT Ellie could have managed much better the tension if she tried harder, being more tolerant and be more humble because believe me there are more evil mother in laws then Linda.
Another issue I had with this book was that I did not understand why she broke up with her husband, I mean I understood that they were some tensions but she just gave up and again I felt sorry for Dan because the poor guy did not expected at all.
Ellie was a horrible wife also because right after they engaged she started thinking that she will miss to date other men and sleep with them. I mean seriously girl then why do you marry him? And to see how superficial she is, just before Tom had the accident she literally flirted at a party with Charlie just because she had a fight with her husband !🤦♀️ oh and then after the accident she didn't even blamed herself even once, everyone was guilty but not her who was flirting with another guy when her child had the accident. It gets worse after her and Dan decide to separate in an attempt to get revenge on her husband because SHE THOUGHT HE WAS DATING A COLLEGUE, Ellie decide to have a fling with who? You guessed Charlie !!!
I think the author did not want to describe her as a Mary Sue slut but the way she just flirted with Charlie but then felt guilty but in the end invited him over was tasteful. Not to mention that she is a shitty friend by gossiping about Lisa with Trish just because she was beautiful and confident meanwhile Ellie was just jealous .
The 3 stars are for making me laugh, trying to present us a reality when the husband is still attached to his mother but the last half and the way Ellie infuriated me to no ends made my rating like that. The first half is a solid 4.5 stars!
May 30, 2011
I have to say I am a fan of most of Jane Green books. There have only been two in which I cannot say I was impressed. I brought The Other Woman by Jane Green and took it away with me for the weekend to read and I have to say I couldn't put it down, I was very impressed and thoroughly enjoyed this book. I will tell you a little about the plot and what I liked and disliked about this book.
*******PLOT********
This book is told from the main character, Ellie's point of view. Ellie has had quite a isolated childhood as her mother died when she was very young and her father didn't quite know how to be there for Ellie.
Ellie meets her husband Dan who is everything she wanted in a man. When their relationship becomes serious it is that time we all dread...... Time to meet the in-laws!!!
When Ellie meets Dans mother Linda she is made to feel very welcome and Linda tries very hard to make Ellie feel like part of their close knit family. Ellie loves the feeling of being a part of the family and is pleased to have a mother figure in her life.
Things start to go wrong when they decide to get married, and Linda decides to take over with the wedding plans, and Linda calls Dan every single day, talk about needing to cut the apron strings!!
Ellie falls pregnant and when she is in labour things go from bad to worse when Linda holds the baby before Ellie. Ellie is so angry with Linda who always has to be in control and this anger grows in more events which occur during the book which puts a strain on Ellie and Dans marriage.
******What I Liked ******
I could not put this book down. I was very shocked as I got into the book and found that the Other woman was in fact Dans mum!! I was expecting this whole affair based plot so this made a surprising change. Each of the characters were described very well giving enough information to get an image in your mind of each character. Ellie is described as such a loveable character and I could relate well with her. I have a lot of the same problems with my partner and in-laws so whilst reading this book I felt like parts of it was describing episodes of my life!! Right up until the end of the book I felt like the story could take any number of turns I did not feel the book is in anyway predictable.
******What I didn't like*****
I can only think of one thing for what I didn't like about this book and that is the ending. I got hooked on this book but when it was coming to the end it felt like it was rushed. With such an enjoyable story line I think the ending was a big let down for the book.
****Overall****
I would give this book an 8 out of ten. It was an enjoyable read but lacked a good ending. I feel it is one of Jane Greens best books and would recommend this to any chic-lit lovers!
*******PLOT********
This book is told from the main character, Ellie's point of view. Ellie has had quite a isolated childhood as her mother died when she was very young and her father didn't quite know how to be there for Ellie.
Ellie meets her husband Dan who is everything she wanted in a man. When their relationship becomes serious it is that time we all dread...... Time to meet the in-laws!!!
When Ellie meets Dans mother Linda she is made to feel very welcome and Linda tries very hard to make Ellie feel like part of their close knit family. Ellie loves the feeling of being a part of the family and is pleased to have a mother figure in her life.
Things start to go wrong when they decide to get married, and Linda decides to take over with the wedding plans, and Linda calls Dan every single day, talk about needing to cut the apron strings!!
Ellie falls pregnant and when she is in labour things go from bad to worse when Linda holds the baby before Ellie. Ellie is so angry with Linda who always has to be in control and this anger grows in more events which occur during the book which puts a strain on Ellie and Dans marriage.
******What I Liked ******
I could not put this book down. I was very shocked as I got into the book and found that the Other woman was in fact Dans mum!! I was expecting this whole affair based plot so this made a surprising change. Each of the characters were described very well giving enough information to get an image in your mind of each character. Ellie is described as such a loveable character and I could relate well with her. I have a lot of the same problems with my partner and in-laws so whilst reading this book I felt like parts of it was describing episodes of my life!! Right up until the end of the book I felt like the story could take any number of turns I did not feel the book is in anyway predictable.
******What I didn't like*****
I can only think of one thing for what I didn't like about this book and that is the ending. I got hooked on this book but when it was coming to the end it felt like it was rushed. With such an enjoyable story line I think the ending was a big let down for the book.
****Overall****
I would give this book an 8 out of ten. It was an enjoyable read but lacked a good ending. I feel it is one of Jane Greens best books and would recommend this to any chic-lit lovers!
September 6, 2017
This is not my favorite Jane Green book. But, it was OK. Very good the beginnings then a little dull half way through the book.
Ellie Black meets Dan Cooper they fall in love an marry. Ellie's mother was an alcoholic and dies when she was a child. Ellie always want to be part of a close knit family so she is thrilled when she meets the Cooper clan. She soon finds Dan's mother controlling and manipulative, Dan's father hen picked. Dan's mother Linda Cooper just takes over the wedding like it's hers then after they are married tries to take over their life. Dan is caught in the middle of the two women he loves most in the world. Ellie considers her mother-in-law the other woman.
Ellie Black meets Dan Cooper they fall in love an marry. Ellie's mother was an alcoholic and dies when she was a child. Ellie always want to be part of a close knit family so she is thrilled when she meets the Cooper clan. She soon finds Dan's mother controlling and manipulative, Dan's father hen picked. Dan's mother Linda Cooper just takes over the wedding like it's hers then after they are married tries to take over their life. Dan is caught in the middle of the two women he loves most in the world. Ellie considers her mother-in-law the other woman.
January 22, 2009
Tedious, predictable story of a British woman, motherless, who deals with an overbearing mother-in-law. Presented as light, humorous chick lit, but isn't funny or entertaining at all.
May 23, 2012
**WARNING, SPOILERS BELOW**
This was my first Jane Green book, and this is the first of many more to come! I absolutely adored this book and the storyline behind it! I related to some of the characters and I really liked Ellie. I sympathized with her a lot especially when she had to deal with her emotions regarding Linda her mother in law. Although I felt Ellie was over reacting at times towards Linda, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. She had some sadness in her life and in looking for love and acceptance in Dan’s (her husband) family, she got more than she bargained for. I don’t think Linda was too bad except when she had that accident with Tom. How horrific! I can not even imagine being Tom’s mom at that moment!
The storyline really flowed perfectly in this book. The author has a very strong ability to make this all come together in a delightful read. It was a very fast and easy read because of her ability to make it all mesh together so well. I really enjoyed that this story was pretty much about life and the ups and downs and trials and tribulations that comes with it. It had a little bit of every emotion. I found myself feeling Joy for Ellie when she became a mom and yet also sadness for her when she separated from Dan. I recommend this to all women! It is a cute summer read or an all year around read J (But for some reason just feels like Spring or Summer read to me) A+!
This was my first Jane Green book, and this is the first of many more to come! I absolutely adored this book and the storyline behind it! I related to some of the characters and I really liked Ellie. I sympathized with her a lot especially when she had to deal with her emotions regarding Linda her mother in law. Although I felt Ellie was over reacting at times towards Linda, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. She had some sadness in her life and in looking for love and acceptance in Dan’s (her husband) family, she got more than she bargained for. I don’t think Linda was too bad except when she had that accident with Tom. How horrific! I can not even imagine being Tom’s mom at that moment!
The storyline really flowed perfectly in this book. The author has a very strong ability to make this all come together in a delightful read. It was a very fast and easy read because of her ability to make it all mesh together so well. I really enjoyed that this story was pretty much about life and the ups and downs and trials and tribulations that comes with it. It had a little bit of every emotion. I found myself feeling Joy for Ellie when she became a mom and yet also sadness for her when she separated from Dan. I recommend this to all women! It is a cute summer read or an all year around read J (But for some reason just feels like Spring or Summer read to me) A+!
July 22, 2009
Read a couple of the reviews and some were quite negative. Most thought it was too depressing. Jane Green did a fantastic job of capturing the essence of marriage. She kept it real.
Every day is not going to be rosy. And you're not going to always like your mother-in-law. Green took us from the beginning of the relationship, to the middle and end. You really began to wonder if this couple will make it. It's hard to be in a relationship with a man who is a "mamas boy."
I've never heard of Jane Green before this and i will definitely pick up other novels by her.
Every day is not going to be rosy. And you're not going to always like your mother-in-law. Green took us from the beginning of the relationship, to the middle and end. You really began to wonder if this couple will make it. It's hard to be in a relationship with a man who is a "mamas boy."
I've never heard of Jane Green before this and i will definitely pick up other novels by her.
June 27, 2022
The title The Other Woman only hints at what the story is really about. Ellie hopes to marry Dan and bam! Have an instant close family. She gets a very devoted mother/son bond that she is in no way equipped to navigate. Self centerness makes a marriage pretty difficult to keep. The story moved along fairly well. It was a bit off putting to follow along on stupid unkind antics and selfish thinking. I'm glad I hung on because things do turn out better. Ellie and Dan certainly took the long way around to happiness.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2022
Not my favorite Jane Green but I also realize this one is 13 years old! The story of a marriage without social media and smartphones but rather a mother-in-law who doesn’t know how to leave well enough alone.
October 2, 2023
why would I waste my time like this. It felt like i was reading the confession of some random mom on reddit or facebook
read-partially
February 7, 2011Re: _The Other Woman_ by Jane Green
The word for this book is "banal". By that I mean it had no depth. It was what I call "house-wifey". The writing style did nothing to redeem the boring plot which boiled down to an over-bearing mother-in-law.
I agreed with Anna's GR review of this book at:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
It was in Anna's review that I came across the word "banal" and said to myself that it was a perfect name for one of my GR book shelves. So I created that shelf to include among My Books.
At first I was drawn into the mother-in-law problem, but after a while it became boring and ridiculous. The story bogged down into boring domestic details which I try to escape from when I read. The story was too shallow; it lacked depth; there was nothing thought-provoking about it.
I did enjoy reading another book by Jane Green, The Beach House. It had a much more interesting plot, even though I'd still call it chick-lit, which I'm usually wary of. My review of that book can be found at:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I'm not sure if I will try another book by Jane Green. I guess they all can't be winners!
PS-I won't rate this book with any stars because I didn't finish it.
The word for this book is "banal". By that I mean it had no depth. It was what I call "house-wifey". The writing style did nothing to redeem the boring plot which boiled down to an over-bearing mother-in-law.
I agreed with Anna's GR review of this book at:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
It was in Anna's review that I came across the word "banal" and said to myself that it was a perfect name for one of my GR book shelves. So I created that shelf to include among My Books.
At first I was drawn into the mother-in-law problem, but after a while it became boring and ridiculous. The story bogged down into boring domestic details which I try to escape from when I read. The story was too shallow; it lacked depth; there was nothing thought-provoking about it.
I did enjoy reading another book by Jane Green, The Beach House. It had a much more interesting plot, even though I'd still call it chick-lit, which I'm usually wary of. My review of that book can be found at:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I'm not sure if I will try another book by Jane Green. I guess they all can't be winners!
PS-I won't rate this book with any stars because I didn't finish it.
August 17, 2011
Jane Green's books are so captivating, you find yourself bringing your current read with you everywhere...just in case you get a few minutes to check back in with the heroine of the story. "The Other Woman" is no exception, especially for those of us who have struggled with the adjustment of entering our husband's family and dealing with a new set of rules and, often, conflicting personalities. This thoughtful, heart-rending tale will allow you to step back and consider what is truly important in life and how you can work to achieve the lifestyle you want in the family you are creating with your spouse. It sheds some much-needed light on sensitive topics, including the many things that can come between a husband and wife - and what to do when that happens. I highly recommend this one!
December 15, 2008
Irrational behavior stresses me out. Consequently, this book totally stressed me out in the middle. Don't worry, though. By the end everyone had stopped acting like idiots. Despite the stress of the middle, I really enjoyed this book. Jane Green is a favorite author of mine - and this didn't disappoint!
February 2, 2008
Yep. I'm still on a major Jane Green kick. This one was great and I blew through it. Next, I want to get my hands on her latest, "Swapping Lives."
January 17, 2009
Not one of her best. Too much moaning about the mother in law for me and the husband was a bit wimpy - Jane usually writes such strong, gorgeous men
May 7, 2023
This book is a big NO for me.
Three reasons:
1. It creates the illusion that it is about the relationship between the wife and the mother-in-law. It is not. It is about the relationship between an entitled, whining 30-something years old woman and her husband who is an excellent case of a mama's boy. Right in the middle there is a quite annoying mother-in-law. And that's about it, honestly. The mother-in-law is in the book title but her role is really minor.
2. There is some completely unnecessary mother shaming in the book. Completely unnecessary. It served no purpose at all. Had it somehow affected the plot and we would have had a completely different conversation. But it didn't. The protagonist literally criticized the way her best friend is raising her son but she actually does it to us, THE READERS. It is clearly judgement that is not part of the plot. Her friend never finds out about the protagonist's opinions and every time it comes up (approx. 3 times) it is followed by what a perfect mother the protagonist is. I mean, GIVE ME A BREAK!
3. The protagonist is presented as a prior party-hard young girl, enjoying alcohol and drugs who somehow turned into a completely conservative career woman. Not relatable at all.
Three reasons:
1. It creates the illusion that it is about the relationship between the wife and the mother-in-law. It is not. It is about the relationship between an entitled, whining 30-something years old woman and her husband who is an excellent case of a mama's boy. Right in the middle there is a quite annoying mother-in-law. And that's about it, honestly. The mother-in-law is in the book title but her role is really minor.
2. There is some completely unnecessary mother shaming in the book. Completely unnecessary. It served no purpose at all. Had it somehow affected the plot and we would have had a completely different conversation. But it didn't. The protagonist literally criticized the way her best friend is raising her son but she actually does it to us, THE READERS. It is clearly judgement that is not part of the plot. Her friend never finds out about the protagonist's opinions and every time it comes up (approx. 3 times) it is followed by what a perfect mother the protagonist is. I mean, GIVE ME A BREAK!
3. The protagonist is presented as a prior party-hard young girl, enjoying alcohol and drugs who somehow turned into a completely conservative career woman. Not relatable at all.
December 16, 2023
Book is way too long and frustrating.
Not quite the fun read one expects.
Not quite the fun read one expects.
December 13, 2021
Oh! the beauty of falling in love with the perfect soul-mate. The hard part is to keep the fire going as life goes on. Whoever tells you marriage is a 50/50 deal is dreaming. You have to learn how to play the game for marriage to survive. This is a great book to read on those raining days.
November 6, 2013
The fact that the cover of this book is pink AND sparkly, should have had me running a mile. But after reading a few heavy books, I wanted something fluffy and light. It actually took me by surprise as it wasn't the run of the mill chic-lit and had a definate darker side.
Eliie has the perfect boyfriend and can't wait to become part of his family. After losing her mother when she was young, she embraces her mother-in-law with all her heart. But Linda isn't very good with boundaries and is constantly interfereing. When Ellie'd wedding becomes a nightmare, she isn't sure she can ever forgive LInda, but once she gets pregnant, things start to get really bad. Tradegy strikes while on a big family holiday and soon Ellie's life is turned updside down.
I really enjoyed the humour, as well as the tension. I've seen the same sitaution developing in my own family and with friends, so you instantly feel for both Ellie and Linda, although I honestly don't think Dan helped at all! Well written and reasonably fast-paced - I raced through the novel and, even though you knew the happy ending was coming, still enjoyed it. Well worth reading.
Eliie has the perfect boyfriend and can't wait to become part of his family. After losing her mother when she was young, she embraces her mother-in-law with all her heart. But Linda isn't very good with boundaries and is constantly interfereing. When Ellie'd wedding becomes a nightmare, she isn't sure she can ever forgive LInda, but once she gets pregnant, things start to get really bad. Tradegy strikes while on a big family holiday and soon Ellie's life is turned updside down.
I really enjoyed the humour, as well as the tension. I've seen the same sitaution developing in my own family and with friends, so you instantly feel for both Ellie and Linda, although I honestly don't think Dan helped at all! Well written and reasonably fast-paced - I raced through the novel and, even though you knew the happy ending was coming, still enjoyed it. Well worth reading.
June 18, 2015
"So damn readable!" - this was critical acclaim for one of Jane Green's other books, but it is very true! The storyline here was pretty standard: girl meets boy, they fall in love, get married, have a child, all surrounded by her girl friends and an overpowering mother-in-law, then they start having issues. Nothing new really! But it was narrated by Ellie, the 'girl' in this story, and written in such a way that she directly addresses the reader, and makes the story leap out of the book! I really enjoyed it, it was funny at times, it made me very emotional at times, but all in all I actually found it very uplifting! It is no small feat to read a book of this size in one night, but the fact that I am still awake after midnight to write this review shows how utterly unputdownable this book was! Would definitely go to Jane Green in the future if I am looking for an easy-to-read chick flick!
July 22, 2010
I liked this book. It wasn't meant to be funny and uplifting. It was meant to show that relationships aren't perfect but if you can find a way to work through them its worth it. Jane Green wrote it in a way that made me feel Ellie's pain/anger. Its easy to say that if it were me I would have stood up to Linda but you never really know until you are in that situation. I'm fortunate to have a wonderful mother-in-law but there have been times when I've bit my tongue where I normally wouldn't have just to keep peace in the family. I think the story is realistic and troubling at times but also entertaining at just the right moments. It shows you that you are going to have some thunderstorms in life but if you can wait them out there can be a pretty magnificant rainbow in the end.
December 15, 2013
Expecting a super cliche this turned out to be pretty good. An unexpected perspective, different from the conventional dramatic thinking when it comes to the in-laws, this was actually fun and warm and fuzzy and made you realize that it takes two hands to clap.
One of those weekend reads which make you smile and realize that everything is going to be okay and life is actually not always filled with hardships.
I enjoy how Jane Green writes with honesty, how not everyone falls perfectly into the perfect relationship, how people always tend to remain the same without trying to improve themselves.
Even though Ellie being too judgmental about everyone and then feeling guilty all the time annoyed me it still was a good read.
One of those weekend reads which make you smile and realize that everything is going to be okay and life is actually not always filled with hardships.
I enjoy how Jane Green writes with honesty, how not everyone falls perfectly into the perfect relationship, how people always tend to remain the same without trying to improve themselves.
Even though Ellie being too judgmental about everyone and then feeling guilty all the time annoyed me it still was a good read.
August 14, 2009
I love the way Jane Green really gets you into the characters lives. You feel like they are one of your close friends and you really feel for them when something goes wrong in their life. This was one of those books that while I was reading it I just kept telling myself 'it's ok I'll just read a little more and then go to bed' then the next time i looked at the clock it was 2 a.m. and I still didn't want to put the book down.
February 3, 2016
Ellie’s mother died when she was 13 and she was raised as an only child by her father. All her life she wished she was part of a big happy family. When she meets Dan and his family, she falls head over heals for them all. She finally has a sister and the mother she always wanted. As time progresses, Ellie begins to feel that her mother-in-law is ‘the other woman’ in her marriage. She has to learn how to work with her mother-in-law or risk turmoil in her relationship with Dan. Very good book!
May 5, 2007
I enjoyed the story of a stereotypical daughter and mother-in-law as a lot of it rang very true for me. I found the story to be quite funny at some times and also feeling quite frustrated for the primary character.
But I did not enjoy the ending, it was too contrived and felt like an ending of convenience and not one that required a lot of forethought and consideration.
But I did not enjoy the ending, it was too contrived and felt like an ending of convenience and not one that required a lot of forethought and consideration.
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