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The Divorce Diet
"Revenge is sweet. Reinventing yourself is even sweeter." --Cathy Lamb
Abigail is sure the only thing standing between her and happiness is the weight she gained along with her beloved new baby. Until she instantly loses 170 pounds of husband.
When Thad declares that "this whole marriage thing" is no longer working, a shell-shocked Abigail takes her infant daughter, Rosie, and moves back to her parents' house. Floundering, she turns to an imaginary guru and best friend, the author of her new weight-loss book. But surviving heartache, finding a job, and staying sane as a suddenly single new mom isn't easy, especially on a diet--sorry, life journey.
Make an inventory of your skills, Abigail's guru instructs. Abigail loves cooking and preparing food--real food, not the fatless, joyless dishes her diet prescribes, or the instant-frozen-artificially flavored fare she finds in her mother's kitchen. So far, following everyone else's rules has led to being broke, lonely, and facing a lifetime of poached eggs, faux mayonnaise, and jobs in chain restaurants. What might happen if Abigail followed her own recipe for a good life instead?. . .
Bitingly funny, wise, and insightful, Ellen Hawley's fresh new novel is an ode to food and self-discovery for any woman who's ever walked away from a relationship--or a diet--to find what true satisfaction is all about.
"Food and love and loss and resilience--and a terrific narrative playfulness--are Hawley's recipe for a slyly entertaining and heartening novel." --Daniel Menaker, author of The Treatment
Abigail is sure the only thing standing between her and happiness is the weight she gained along with her beloved new baby. Until she instantly loses 170 pounds of husband.
When Thad declares that "this whole marriage thing" is no longer working, a shell-shocked Abigail takes her infant daughter, Rosie, and moves back to her parents' house. Floundering, she turns to an imaginary guru and best friend, the author of her new weight-loss book. But surviving heartache, finding a job, and staying sane as a suddenly single new mom isn't easy, especially on a diet--sorry, life journey.
Make an inventory of your skills, Abigail's guru instructs. Abigail loves cooking and preparing food--real food, not the fatless, joyless dishes her diet prescribes, or the instant-frozen-artificially flavored fare she finds in her mother's kitchen. So far, following everyone else's rules has led to being broke, lonely, and facing a lifetime of poached eggs, faux mayonnaise, and jobs in chain restaurants. What might happen if Abigail followed her own recipe for a good life instead?. . .
Bitingly funny, wise, and insightful, Ellen Hawley's fresh new novel is an ode to food and self-discovery for any woman who's ever walked away from a relationship--or a diet--to find what true satisfaction is all about.
"Food and love and loss and resilience--and a terrific narrative playfulness--are Hawley's recipe for a slyly entertaining and heartening novel." --Daniel Menaker, author of The Treatment
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 30, 2014
60 people are currently reading
758 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
August 13, 2016
Abigail did not appeal to me at all. I found her to be too passive and stuck in the present. Given her marital breakup was a surprise, I felt she could have carried herself differently, taking action swiftly, and stop with the victim card. Her personality failed to evoke anything other than irritation. Thad (husband) was equally irritating. I did appreciate her erratic thoughts, her sarcastic humor, and eventually her candor, otherwise she was vanilla requiring some serious spicing up, too pessimistic for my taste, immature to boot.
The narrative demonstrates the heartache of divorce. Despite my dislike of Abigail, it was sad to accompany her on her forced journey into a new life thrusted upon her by her self absorbed husband. Finally, when acceptance washes over her, realizing her husband and marriage wasn’t as fantastic as she thought, coming clean is part of the healing and survival process as Abigail transforms into her own person. The narrative was monotonous and dragged on, the later part of the narrative listing recipes was the highlight, Abigail wore on me tremendously.
The narrative demonstrates the heartache of divorce. Despite my dislike of Abigail, it was sad to accompany her on her forced journey into a new life thrusted upon her by her self absorbed husband. Finally, when acceptance washes over her, realizing her husband and marriage wasn’t as fantastic as she thought, coming clean is part of the healing and survival process as Abigail transforms into her own person. The narrative was monotonous and dragged on, the later part of the narrative listing recipes was the highlight, Abigail wore on me tremendously.
October 23, 2014
I’ve been divorced. Once or twice. OK, twice. Point being, I know a thing or two about the emotional hit you take when the other says, “It’s not you, it’s me.”
I’ve also been on a diet. Once or twice, I’ve needed to shed a couple of pounds. OK, several dozen pounds. Point being, I am familiar with the self-talk one engages in. You know the kind of inner dialogue. You are at the cake plate. “OK, one little slice,” you say. You shave off a sliver. You tell yourself to “Hide that plate from view,” so as to prevent temptation. You hide it so well that before you know it, only half the cake remains and you toss it in the garbage in disgust. Then you give the cake plate a thorough going-over to remove every last gob of icing. Finger-licking good, you tell yourself. You are likely crying. Or scowling. Or both.
No surprise, then, when I tell you how well I can relate to newly single Abigail in Ellen Hawley’s latest novel, The Divorce Diet. Abigail is trying out a new diet and records her intake and exercise in the journal. Sure, she has put on a few extra pounds when she was pregnant with Rosie. Sure, things haven’t been all that hot and heavy in the boudoir with her husband, “It’s-not-you-it’s-me” Thad. Good ol’ Thad. The guy with exquisite timing. The guy who drops a bomb over dinner. “This marriage thing? Yeah, it’s not working for me” It was his birthday dinner. The meal that she lovingly prepared that day. Including dessert. A chocolate cake with real chocolate leaves and raspberry jam and everything! A cake that ended up in the garbage after taking a short flight aimed at his head.
Hawley’s book is a diary of Abigail’s journey from the day she and the cake are dumped. We listen in on dialog between our newly-single mother and her diet guru (the imaginary voice in her head) as she comes to terms with her situation. What will she do for work? Where will she live? Who will babysit Rosie, and wow, doesn’t that waiter have cute buns?
If you already read Ellen’s WordPress blog, Notes from the UK, then you are familiar with her wry, firecracker wit. The Divorce Diet is snappy and sassy. Every page, right up to and including the recipes (Yes! Chocolate Cake AND Chocolate Pie) is chock full of humour.
It’s poignant and heartbreaking too, to witness Abigail as she navigates the passage from marriage to single-motherhood; to watch as she realizes that perhaps life with Thad wasn’t all that and a bag of chips. That it’s time she listen to herself and not to some diet guru. It’s time to define what it is she loves to do. And do it.
I’ve also been on a diet. Once or twice, I’ve needed to shed a couple of pounds. OK, several dozen pounds. Point being, I am familiar with the self-talk one engages in. You know the kind of inner dialogue. You are at the cake plate. “OK, one little slice,” you say. You shave off a sliver. You tell yourself to “Hide that plate from view,” so as to prevent temptation. You hide it so well that before you know it, only half the cake remains and you toss it in the garbage in disgust. Then you give the cake plate a thorough going-over to remove every last gob of icing. Finger-licking good, you tell yourself. You are likely crying. Or scowling. Or both.
No surprise, then, when I tell you how well I can relate to newly single Abigail in Ellen Hawley’s latest novel, The Divorce Diet. Abigail is trying out a new diet and records her intake and exercise in the journal. Sure, she has put on a few extra pounds when she was pregnant with Rosie. Sure, things haven’t been all that hot and heavy in the boudoir with her husband, “It’s-not-you-it’s-me” Thad. Good ol’ Thad. The guy with exquisite timing. The guy who drops a bomb over dinner. “This marriage thing? Yeah, it’s not working for me” It was his birthday dinner. The meal that she lovingly prepared that day. Including dessert. A chocolate cake with real chocolate leaves and raspberry jam and everything! A cake that ended up in the garbage after taking a short flight aimed at his head.
Hawley’s book is a diary of Abigail’s journey from the day she and the cake are dumped. We listen in on dialog between our newly-single mother and her diet guru (the imaginary voice in her head) as she comes to terms with her situation. What will she do for work? Where will she live? Who will babysit Rosie, and wow, doesn’t that waiter have cute buns?
If you already read Ellen’s WordPress blog, Notes from the UK, then you are familiar with her wry, firecracker wit. The Divorce Diet is snappy and sassy. Every page, right up to and including the recipes (Yes! Chocolate Cake AND Chocolate Pie) is chock full of humour.
It’s poignant and heartbreaking too, to witness Abigail as she navigates the passage from marriage to single-motherhood; to watch as she realizes that perhaps life with Thad wasn’t all that and a bag of chips. That it’s time she listen to herself and not to some diet guru. It’s time to define what it is she loves to do. And do it.
July 15, 2015
I tried listening to this on audio because I thought it was going to be a lighthearted book about a sassy overweight woman who gets her life back in order, but it's about a whiny, annoying woman with just a little baby weight on her that counts the calories of every bite she puts in her mouth and talks to an imaginary diet guru. No, seriously.
March 13, 2015
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Abigail's family disintegrates when her husband, Thad, decides that the marriage no longer works. She ends up taking her baby and staying with her parents until she sorts out what she's going to do. Having acknowledged that she's a bit overweight, she resolves to lose some weight using a new diet book that seems to come with an imaginary diet guru. As well as her weight loss she must contemplate getting back into the workforce and dealing with the fact that her husband has moved on with his new girlfriend.
I was really looking forward to a guilty pleasure, fluffy, chick lit read, unfortunately that's not what I got. My biggest problem with the book was the main character, Abigail. For about 95% of the read I found her irritating. She complains about her husband's lifestyle, that he likes the finer things in life, but was happy to go along with it when they were married.
The support she receives from other people after she separates from her husband, is never really appreciated. Del, the babysitter, is used as a sound board for Abigail to complain to and when she finds out that Del's partner is another woman, she brings up that it doesn't matter as long as she's good with the baby, as though being a lesbian is come sort of character flaw. She also thinks of telling her father about Del's sexuality, but only so that she can make him uncomfortable. Really!! Del seems to provide lots of non judgemental advice to Abigail, listening to endless discussion about Thad but hardly ever being asked how she her life is going.
Abigail's parents also seem to be willing to help as much as possible whilst asking for nothing in return but Abigail seems to be ungrateful for the type of support they provide and strops around her parent's house like a teenager.
It takes until around 75% in the book before Abigail starts to get herself together and by then it was difficult to really care how things were going to end for her.
I thought the book was going to be largely around her diet and this invisible guru, but it wasn't really used consistently and the invisible guru just seemed sort of tacked on and not a regular feature of the novel.
The humour in this didn't gel for me either, although I managed to get through the 60% fairly quickly I was glad when it was finished as it was dragging on and getting repetitive.
A quick but disappointing read.
Abigail's family disintegrates when her husband, Thad, decides that the marriage no longer works. She ends up taking her baby and staying with her parents until she sorts out what she's going to do. Having acknowledged that she's a bit overweight, she resolves to lose some weight using a new diet book that seems to come with an imaginary diet guru. As well as her weight loss she must contemplate getting back into the workforce and dealing with the fact that her husband has moved on with his new girlfriend.
I was really looking forward to a guilty pleasure, fluffy, chick lit read, unfortunately that's not what I got. My biggest problem with the book was the main character, Abigail. For about 95% of the read I found her irritating. She complains about her husband's lifestyle, that he likes the finer things in life, but was happy to go along with it when they were married.
The support she receives from other people after she separates from her husband, is never really appreciated. Del, the babysitter, is used as a sound board for Abigail to complain to and when she finds out that Del's partner is another woman, she brings up that it doesn't matter as long as she's good with the baby, as though being a lesbian is come sort of character flaw. She also thinks of telling her father about Del's sexuality, but only so that she can make him uncomfortable. Really!! Del seems to provide lots of non judgemental advice to Abigail, listening to endless discussion about Thad but hardly ever being asked how she her life is going.
Abigail's parents also seem to be willing to help as much as possible whilst asking for nothing in return but Abigail seems to be ungrateful for the type of support they provide and strops around her parent's house like a teenager.
It takes until around 75% in the book before Abigail starts to get herself together and by then it was difficult to really care how things were going to end for her.
I thought the book was going to be largely around her diet and this invisible guru, but it wasn't really used consistently and the invisible guru just seemed sort of tacked on and not a regular feature of the novel.
The humour in this didn't gel for me either, although I managed to get through the 60% fairly quickly I was glad when it was finished as it was dragging on and getting repetitive.
A quick but disappointing read.
July 15, 2015
THE DIVORCE DIET is highly recommended to lighten those post-Christmas extra pounds blues. There is also recipes at the end of the book and even those are very funny. I loved the way Ellen Hawley took me from Abigail's so called perfect marriage into single motherhood and learning so much about herself. Maybe her marriage wasn't all that, as she soon discovers. It was wonderful to watch Abigail grow and become a stronger woman. She was dealt a lousy hand and wonders how her life became what it is. After some time, she must figure out what she wants to do with her life and how she is going to take care of her daughter. You will find yourself cheering her on and wanting to strangle her husband! I'm so excited to have found a new author who knows exactly how to speak to her readers and keep us flipping the pages.
Note: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Note: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 28, 2024
I hate myself for continuing to listen, expecting the story to improve.
March 6, 2015
Bell, Book & Candle | Divorce Diet Review & Giveaway
This was me the entire book..
Pop quiz - You're significant other has told you your marriage together "isn't working for him". Do you:
a) Go to marriage counseling?
b) Throw dishes at him?
c) Plead for him to stay?
d) Take your child and leave, and try to pick up the pieces in your life and move on?
If you chose D, then you have something in common with the lead character, Abigail.
I deeply enjoyed the idea of having two major lifestyle changes happening simultaneously: divorce and dieting. The flow of the storytelling felt natural and the writing of Abigail's POV felt real. To be frank, this entire book felt like a huge disclaimer about marriage: make sure you are hiding away money! Just kidding, people! (kind of, sort of, not really...)
In any other book, someone like Abigail would irritate me immensely. She was too passive, was willing to take back her husband, cried all the time and was way too attached to her daughter. And yet, I still liked her as a character. Mainly because my mother went through a turbulent relationship with my father. She told me that when you love someone, sometimes you miss the signs warning you about their character, and sometimes you'll put up with the things they put you through. So in a way, I understood her actions and feelings.
Still, her husband, Thad, is a complete a**hat for what he did. Men these days! I thought it was hilarious that Abigail expected to remain cordial with Thad while at the same time asking for a divorce. Does anyone know that divorce is war? Because there is always one person who wants it, and one that doesn't. Anyway I'm relieved she managed to find her voice and her own path. It's Ted's loss (he downgraded, that's for sure)!
As aforementioned above, I found it intriguing that her split from Thad caused a downward spiral into depression, thus causing her diet to work. Do you see the pattern? On a side note, make sure all you married ladies (or gents) set aside money just in case of a "rainy day"...you never know what tomorrow will bring.
This was me the entire book..
Pop quiz - You're significant other has told you your marriage together "isn't working for him". Do you:
a) Go to marriage counseling?
b) Throw dishes at him?
c) Plead for him to stay?
d) Take your child and leave, and try to pick up the pieces in your life and move on?
If you chose D, then you have something in common with the lead character, Abigail.
I deeply enjoyed the idea of having two major lifestyle changes happening simultaneously: divorce and dieting. The flow of the storytelling felt natural and the writing of Abigail's POV felt real. To be frank, this entire book felt like a huge disclaimer about marriage: make sure you are hiding away money! Just kidding, people! (kind of, sort of, not really...)
In any other book, someone like Abigail would irritate me immensely. She was too passive, was willing to take back her husband, cried all the time and was way too attached to her daughter. And yet, I still liked her as a character. Mainly because my mother went through a turbulent relationship with my father. She told me that when you love someone, sometimes you miss the signs warning you about their character, and sometimes you'll put up with the things they put you through. So in a way, I understood her actions and feelings.
Still, her husband, Thad, is a complete a**hat for what he did. Men these days! I thought it was hilarious that Abigail expected to remain cordial with Thad while at the same time asking for a divorce. Does anyone know that divorce is war? Because there is always one person who wants it, and one that doesn't. Anyway I'm relieved she managed to find her voice and her own path. It's Ted's loss (he downgraded, that's for sure)!
As aforementioned above, I found it intriguing that her split from Thad caused a downward spiral into depression, thus causing her diet to work. Do you see the pattern? On a side note, make sure all you married ladies (or gents) set aside money just in case of a "rainy day"...you never know what tomorrow will bring.
March 28, 2017
I say, "This book was trite, fluffy nonsense."
I say, "The dialogue is stilted and isn't this the most annoying delivery system?"
I say, "Yes. The author really did write her book this way".
I say, "The dialogue is stilted and isn't this the most annoying delivery system?"
I say, "Yes. The author really did write her book this way".
December 30, 2014
A very special thank you to Kensington and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Divorce Diet by Ellen Hawley is a fiercely honest, hip, and edgy account of one woman’s journey of marriage, and motherhood to—life after divorce, dieting, single motherhood, survival, and search for an inspiring career; A reinvention--embracing life’s messiness, with hilarious wit and humor!
Abigail loves cooking, being a mother, and her husband, Thad—until one day when Thad decides this life is not for him (wife and daughter, not included). She previously left her job (cooking) years prior, to be a stay-at-home mom. Now she finds herself back at home, living with her mom and dad in a crappy room, (she said she would never come back), as she desperately wanted a different life. A better life.
Now she does not even have her own her possessions, she is jobless, no real job skills, no money or a future she can see, and worst of all, she finds herself overweight. And her husband’s new girlfriend is sleeping on her beloved down pillow!
This is not the life she wanted, or signed up for. Where did it all go wrong, and how did she arrive at this point in her life? She has no motivation, nor encouragement to be skinny and handle all of the above stresses at the same time. What if her husband would want her back?
As readers go on this heartbreaking journey with Abigail and baby Rosie (with the help of her imaginary friend and diet guru), she stumbles through her day, sharing with readers, her daily breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and exercise plan tidbits (which does not include a lot of exercise, plenty of animal crackers, pop tarts, and lots and lots of coffee).
As she begins to create her new life, she feels she is fighting a losing battle and sees no way out of this hole; with loser jobs, crappy people, no supportive group, and an uncooperative selfish cheating husband who does not want to pay child support, and to boot has to deal with his new girlfriend thrown in her face.
Until she reaches bottom, and digs down a little further to decide she can create her own life, climb out of this hole without the help of a man, and without dead end boring and uninspiring jobs. She begins to make a list of what she wants to do on her own. She knows how to be sarcastic, funny, write, and cook. So how can she put all these together, make money, and do what she loves best to reinvent herself and enjoy her new freedom with her daughter? After all, was her life really all that grand before? So what has she really lost, and what has she gained?
This was my first book by Ellen Hawley and cannot wait to read more! Think Ellen Lee DeGeneres comedian, wit, humor, sweet revenge, new attitude, The Food Channel, a food column, gourmet cooking, recipes, insights, plus some wise life lessons for a dazzling do-over—Your Life Journey.
If you have ever been on a diet, divorced, and jobless (haven’t we all)….this poignant diary like story, mixed with humor The Divorce Diet is for you—leaving you smiling, inspired, and satisfied.
Judith D. Collins Must Read Books
The Divorce Diet by Ellen Hawley is a fiercely honest, hip, and edgy account of one woman’s journey of marriage, and motherhood to—life after divorce, dieting, single motherhood, survival, and search for an inspiring career; A reinvention--embracing life’s messiness, with hilarious wit and humor!
Abigail loves cooking, being a mother, and her husband, Thad—until one day when Thad decides this life is not for him (wife and daughter, not included). She previously left her job (cooking) years prior, to be a stay-at-home mom. Now she finds herself back at home, living with her mom and dad in a crappy room, (she said she would never come back), as she desperately wanted a different life. A better life.
Now she does not even have her own her possessions, she is jobless, no real job skills, no money or a future she can see, and worst of all, she finds herself overweight. And her husband’s new girlfriend is sleeping on her beloved down pillow!
This is not the life she wanted, or signed up for. Where did it all go wrong, and how did she arrive at this point in her life? She has no motivation, nor encouragement to be skinny and handle all of the above stresses at the same time. What if her husband would want her back?
As readers go on this heartbreaking journey with Abigail and baby Rosie (with the help of her imaginary friend and diet guru), she stumbles through her day, sharing with readers, her daily breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and exercise plan tidbits (which does not include a lot of exercise, plenty of animal crackers, pop tarts, and lots and lots of coffee).
As she begins to create her new life, she feels she is fighting a losing battle and sees no way out of this hole; with loser jobs, crappy people, no supportive group, and an uncooperative selfish cheating husband who does not want to pay child support, and to boot has to deal with his new girlfriend thrown in her face.
Until she reaches bottom, and digs down a little further to decide she can create her own life, climb out of this hole without the help of a man, and without dead end boring and uninspiring jobs. She begins to make a list of what she wants to do on her own. She knows how to be sarcastic, funny, write, and cook. So how can she put all these together, make money, and do what she loves best to reinvent herself and enjoy her new freedom with her daughter? After all, was her life really all that grand before? So what has she really lost, and what has she gained?
This was my first book by Ellen Hawley and cannot wait to read more! Think Ellen Lee DeGeneres comedian, wit, humor, sweet revenge, new attitude, The Food Channel, a food column, gourmet cooking, recipes, insights, plus some wise life lessons for a dazzling do-over—Your Life Journey.
Loved the quote: “I don’t even know what I did wrong, I say. “He’s having an affair,” she says. He’s not that kind of man.” “Does he have a penis?” He does. I admit he does. “Then he’s that kind of man.”
If you have ever been on a diet, divorced, and jobless (haven’t we all)….this poignant diary like story, mixed with humor The Divorce Diet is for you—leaving you smiling, inspired, and satisfied.
Judith D. Collins Must Read Books
December 30, 2014
The Divorce Diet, Ellen Hawley
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Literature/fiction, Women’s Fiction
well, seeing some great reviews I had high hopes for this book but sadly its one of those that proves what I’m always saying – not all novels suit all readers. Though it’s a genre I enjoy and a story that sounded fun I didn’t like it..
Abigail, just had a baby, breastfeeding and still very overweight – Gosh who’s not been there...plenty of us have, and I really felt for her when the Jerk husband Thad decides he’s off. She’s gutted, had no idea anything was wrong. Worse is to follow when she finds out why he left. Distraught she ends up back with her parents. Alongside this tragedy we have some bitingly funny comments from her about her diet versus actual food intake, and the imaginary Guru giving her diet and life advice. Sadly though after the tenth of so time I read it the theme was no longer funny, and by the twentieth is was like flogging a dead horse and I just found it irritating – along with Abigail. It seemed to descend into one long monologue of woe. Her diet wasn’t working, Thad wasn’t paying out, the job search was going badly, and the parents – well they did nothing but try to help, and yet she complained she felt like a teen again. At times she reminded me of an aunt that used to visit when I was a child. everyone was fine til Aunt I--- turned up,but by the time she left after telling us all her aliments and woes we all felt depressed. Abigail seems like that – she’s sucking those around her into her life. She complains Thad was a food snob, but she went along with it, derides his wanting the big house and expensive furniture, but she was happy to live with that, telling herself how much better than her parents life it was. she moans that Thad never listened to her – and she’s right, he didn’t, but she’s doing the same. She never thinks about what her and Rosie being back has done to her parents life, how they feel, never asks them about it, just takes for granted they’ll be there. When she does find a child-minder the woman deserves a medal after each day when she picks up Rosie, when she goes into detail about all that's wrong in her life. Every time, every day...never once does she ask the child-minder what sort of day she’s had.
By halfway through I was bored, the humour had worn thin, and nothing really seemed to happen but it did pick up slowly, though I skim read just to see how it ended. I hadn’t the energy to read properly. She does finally pick her life up, and its quite an interesting voyage of discovery, of how she learns she doesn’t need someone to prop her up, a man to rely on, but the right person can be a real gem, someone to share the good times and the bad, to help work forward in life. Sadly the first half spoiled it for me so its not a book I enjoyed. If there had been less of the fist half and more of the second I would have enjoyed it but then I’m only a reader, not a writer and already this book has found a slew of readers that love it like it is, hence my opening remarks.
Stars: Two, just hit the wrong buttons for me
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Literature/fiction, Women’s Fiction
well, seeing some great reviews I had high hopes for this book but sadly its one of those that proves what I’m always saying – not all novels suit all readers. Though it’s a genre I enjoy and a story that sounded fun I didn’t like it..
Abigail, just had a baby, breastfeeding and still very overweight – Gosh who’s not been there...plenty of us have, and I really felt for her when the Jerk husband Thad decides he’s off. She’s gutted, had no idea anything was wrong. Worse is to follow when she finds out why he left. Distraught she ends up back with her parents. Alongside this tragedy we have some bitingly funny comments from her about her diet versus actual food intake, and the imaginary Guru giving her diet and life advice. Sadly though after the tenth of so time I read it the theme was no longer funny, and by the twentieth is was like flogging a dead horse and I just found it irritating – along with Abigail. It seemed to descend into one long monologue of woe. Her diet wasn’t working, Thad wasn’t paying out, the job search was going badly, and the parents – well they did nothing but try to help, and yet she complained she felt like a teen again. At times she reminded me of an aunt that used to visit when I was a child. everyone was fine til Aunt I--- turned up,but by the time she left after telling us all her aliments and woes we all felt depressed. Abigail seems like that – she’s sucking those around her into her life. She complains Thad was a food snob, but she went along with it, derides his wanting the big house and expensive furniture, but she was happy to live with that, telling herself how much better than her parents life it was. she moans that Thad never listened to her – and she’s right, he didn’t, but she’s doing the same. She never thinks about what her and Rosie being back has done to her parents life, how they feel, never asks them about it, just takes for granted they’ll be there. When she does find a child-minder the woman deserves a medal after each day when she picks up Rosie, when she goes into detail about all that's wrong in her life. Every time, every day...never once does she ask the child-minder what sort of day she’s had.
By halfway through I was bored, the humour had worn thin, and nothing really seemed to happen but it did pick up slowly, though I skim read just to see how it ended. I hadn’t the energy to read properly. She does finally pick her life up, and its quite an interesting voyage of discovery, of how she learns she doesn’t need someone to prop her up, a man to rely on, but the right person can be a real gem, someone to share the good times and the bad, to help work forward in life. Sadly the first half spoiled it for me so its not a book I enjoyed. If there had been less of the fist half and more of the second I would have enjoyed it but then I’m only a reader, not a writer and already this book has found a slew of readers that love it like it is, hence my opening remarks.
Stars: Two, just hit the wrong buttons for me
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers
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June 5, 2023I initially had a lot of empathy for Abigail and her situation. I struggled to read this because the story did not move for me, instead it felt like the character just kept going in circles, no forward progress, no character development. The repetitive references to her cooking, which piles of clothes were dirty and which were clean, the tension with her mother and her doormat approach to Thad's betrayal just began to anger me and lose interest in the story. There were some amusing bits, but not enough to keep me plugged in to this book.
May 15, 2020
Very funny book with emotional intelligence.
The main character Abigail starts as an insecure, shallow person but grows throughout the book. I appreciated how that growth exhibits in relation to her estranged husband, her parents, and others.
Perhaps as much as the first three quarters of the book seemed light comedy, but then the character and therefor the book deepened.
The main character Abigail starts as an insecure, shallow person but grows throughout the book. I appreciated how that growth exhibits in relation to her estranged husband, her parents, and others.
Perhaps as much as the first three quarters of the book seemed light comedy, but then the character and therefor the book deepened.
January 8, 2015
Abigail is on a diet. And then her life falls apart. Coincidence? I think not! Diets never end well...
Ok, perhaps it wasn't the diet that caused all of her problems... Abigail's asshole husband, Thad (her words, not mine!), played a large part in the demise of her upper-middle-class dream world, when he decided that marriage wasn't for him. It would seem that he preferred the carefree flings of a single man, above the responsibilities of a husband and a new father. So, Abigail finds herself living with her parents and lying on job applications to hide her serious lack of any job experience. A lover of food, caught in the struggle between enjoying her passion and living the 'natural' diet life that her weight loss book insists will change her life, Abigail fights the good fight - but ends up where most of us do, sneaking chocolate cake out of the laundry hamper.
This book follows Abigail as she tries to rebuild her life, and discover who she really is and wants to be. At the beginning of the book, all she really knows is that her beautiful daughter Rosie is the centre of her universe. Throughout, she talks to the guru from her diet book, who insists that her life will be perfect if only she can follow the books advice.
As someone who has been on a perpetual diet since age seventeen, coupled with appetite suppressants, gym regimens and metabolism boosters (thanks PCOS, you're not making it easy for me!), I know all too well the voice of the diet guru. It's the voice in my head that tells me that I shouldn't be buttering my bread - or eating bread at all. It's the voice that says I don't need a sugar in my bitter coffee, and reminds me not to eat grapes, because they used to fatten up my great-grandmother every summer. It's also a voice that I regularly ignore, against my better judgement, which comes with a sharp reprimand from the guru and a side of guilt. Every time Abigail laments the use of fake butter, questions the validity of refried beans, and scoffs at the notion of a healthy 'beanadilla' for lunch, I understood her perfectly.
As well as empathising with her battle with the diet guru (and inevitable realisation that she's better off loving herself for who she is), I was rooting for Abigail to overcome her lack of confidence and figure out how to turn her talents and passions into a career. Isn't that what we're all looking for, really?
It took a little while to get used to the somewhat fragmented style of writing, as Abigail banters with the voice in her head, but it was so relatable that I overcame the initial clunkiness to realise that the writing style closely resembled my own thinking - and that of women all over the world, I'm sure. It was the overall message of the book that really appealed to me. That diets (even when lauded as a 'lifestyle', not a diet) aren't sustainable - or fun, that women need to love themselves as they are, that everyone else should love them as they are too - and that if they don't, they're not worth having around. This is the eternal struggle of my life. I liked the kinship I felt for Abigail, and it positively impacted how I saw the book. Perhaps if you've never felt the need to diet, or never dated/married a scumbag, you may not enjoy it as much as I did, but I definitely recommend it!
Ok, perhaps it wasn't the diet that caused all of her problems... Abigail's asshole husband, Thad (her words, not mine!), played a large part in the demise of her upper-middle-class dream world, when he decided that marriage wasn't for him. It would seem that he preferred the carefree flings of a single man, above the responsibilities of a husband and a new father. So, Abigail finds herself living with her parents and lying on job applications to hide her serious lack of any job experience. A lover of food, caught in the struggle between enjoying her passion and living the 'natural' diet life that her weight loss book insists will change her life, Abigail fights the good fight - but ends up where most of us do, sneaking chocolate cake out of the laundry hamper.
This book follows Abigail as she tries to rebuild her life, and discover who she really is and wants to be. At the beginning of the book, all she really knows is that her beautiful daughter Rosie is the centre of her universe. Throughout, she talks to the guru from her diet book, who insists that her life will be perfect if only she can follow the books advice.
As someone who has been on a perpetual diet since age seventeen, coupled with appetite suppressants, gym regimens and metabolism boosters (thanks PCOS, you're not making it easy for me!), I know all too well the voice of the diet guru. It's the voice in my head that tells me that I shouldn't be buttering my bread - or eating bread at all. It's the voice that says I don't need a sugar in my bitter coffee, and reminds me not to eat grapes, because they used to fatten up my great-grandmother every summer. It's also a voice that I regularly ignore, against my better judgement, which comes with a sharp reprimand from the guru and a side of guilt. Every time Abigail laments the use of fake butter, questions the validity of refried beans, and scoffs at the notion of a healthy 'beanadilla' for lunch, I understood her perfectly.
As well as empathising with her battle with the diet guru (and inevitable realisation that she's better off loving herself for who she is), I was rooting for Abigail to overcome her lack of confidence and figure out how to turn her talents and passions into a career. Isn't that what we're all looking for, really?
It took a little while to get used to the somewhat fragmented style of writing, as Abigail banters with the voice in her head, but it was so relatable that I overcame the initial clunkiness to realise that the writing style closely resembled my own thinking - and that of women all over the world, I'm sure. It was the overall message of the book that really appealed to me. That diets (even when lauded as a 'lifestyle', not a diet) aren't sustainable - or fun, that women need to love themselves as they are, that everyone else should love them as they are too - and that if they don't, they're not worth having around. This is the eternal struggle of my life. I liked the kinship I felt for Abigail, and it positively impacted how I saw the book. Perhaps if you've never felt the need to diet, or never dated/married a scumbag, you may not enjoy it as much as I did, but I definitely recommend it!
December 30, 2014
Twenty five year old Abigail has a comfortable life, she is happily wed to her very own Prince Charming and is the adoring mother of their 7 month old daughter, Rosie. Sure she is still carrying a few extra pregnancy pounds, but the new diet she has started will take care of those. On the eve of her husband's birthday she creates an exquisite meal and waits patiently for him to come home from work. Thad is nearly an hour late and as he picks desultory at the dinner she lovingly prepared, she gently asks him what's wrong.
"It's not you", he says."Really. It's me."
The Divorce Diet by Ellen Hawley is a story about one woman's journey to reclaim and reinvent herself in the wake of her divorce. Thad has decided that 'this whole marriage thing' doesn't work for him and Abigail suddenly finds herself homeless, jobless, and near penniless. Forced to move back in with her parents, Abigail is barely keeping it together and to distract herself, focuses her attention on losing those last few pounds with the help of the Natural Weight Loss Plan Book and her imaginary diet guru's advice. She is fiercely clinging to the idea that Thad has simply made a mistake and will change his mind within weeks, if not days, until the moment she discovers him in their bed with somebody else. Devastated anew, Abigail wallows in a messy pile of laundry, bickers with her guru, and orders the Food Network to be added to her parent's cable before finding the energy to face the future.
I have to admit I found the diary-like narrative a bit repetitive as Abigail stumbles through her days amassing half eaten pop tarts and piles of laundry. I can imagine though that her behaviour would not be unusual after being dealt such a crushing blow to one's self image and esteem, and I found Abigail to be a very sympathetic character. I cheered her on as she slowly began to pull herself together, one small step at a time until she is able to stand proudly, and happily, on her own.
With biting humour and genuine compassion, Ellen Hawley has created a protagonist that should resonate with readers who have ever found themselves in a similar situation, and perhaps inspire those who are in the midst of their post divorce/break up journey.
January 10, 2015
Thank you to Kensington and Netgalley for giving me access to a free advance copy of this book. If half stars were allowed, I would give give this book 3 1/2 stars. I don't usually read "chick lit" but every now and then I am happy to read a lighter cleverly written book.The Divorce Diet fits the bill. Abigail who has recently had a baby and worries about her weight and is obsessed with cooking is sent packing by her immature self-centred husband, and moves back in with her parents. What happens after is somewhat predictable and I won't give away any spoilers. But I enjoyed reading the Divorce Diet because it is cleverly written. The narrative is meant to be Abigail's diet diary, but it quickly drifts into a series of comments and observations -- some funny and clever -- about Abigail's life as she looks for work, deals with her ex and struggles with her inner conflicting voices. Although not the centre of the story, one of my favourite parts of the book was Abigail's ongoing struggle to not revert to teenage peevishness when dealing with her parents. My main complaint is that because it's told in the form of a diary, it does get a bit repetitive. But otherwise if you're in the mood for something light, easy and at times quite funny, The Divorce Diet should do the trick.
September 3, 2015
*Complimentary copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*
This book is about Abigail, a 30 something year old woman, married to Thad and mother of Rosie. She’s unemployed and spends her days cooking and looking after her baby girl. You can guess what’s going to happen from the title. She gets divorced and all of a sudden things change. She needs to get a job and make it on her own.
What I liked most was how passionate Abigail is about food and cooking all sorts of concoctions. Certain scenes made me feel really hungry. And the beginning of the book was really funny with the diet book sort of talking to Abigail.
I made the mistake of reading this book right after I read Bridget Jones’s Diary. I know it’s not right to compare books but I simply couldn’t help it.The diet book and food moments reminded me of Bridget a lot.
Rating - 3 stars.
This doesn't mean I didn't like the book. It had great moments and writing but it didn't particularly stand out for me. Another major thing was the fact that I couldn't relate to the characters (am probably too young for it at 21).
This book is about Abigail, a 30 something year old woman, married to Thad and mother of Rosie. She’s unemployed and spends her days cooking and looking after her baby girl. You can guess what’s going to happen from the title. She gets divorced and all of a sudden things change. She needs to get a job and make it on her own.
What I liked most was how passionate Abigail is about food and cooking all sorts of concoctions. Certain scenes made me feel really hungry. And the beginning of the book was really funny with the diet book sort of talking to Abigail.
I made the mistake of reading this book right after I read Bridget Jones’s Diary. I know it’s not right to compare books but I simply couldn’t help it.The diet book and food moments reminded me of Bridget a lot.
Rating - 3 stars.
This doesn't mean I didn't like the book. It had great moments and writing but it didn't particularly stand out for me. Another major thing was the fact that I couldn't relate to the characters (am probably too young for it at 21).
April 2, 2015
Not my kind of book. The Divorce Diet reinforces all the stereotypes strangling women today. The necessity of the perfect family, the hot husband, the thin body, the perfect life - these are all illustrated as hetero-normative standards that the main character strives to attain - and even the "lessons" she learns still pertain to achieving these. What about body-positive ideals and finding satisfaction through her own career instead of being "forced" back into the work force? Abigail is a whiny, self-victimizing, shallow character whose voice throughout the book is very hard to listen to. The treatment of the lesbian babysitter's sexuality as a dubious abnormality is very patronizing and discriminatory.
I generally think I'm pretty easy-going when it comes to fiction - there is a time and a place for chick-lit, I can appreciate that - but this was the worst kind of stereotypical, gender-oppressive 20th century genre writing. This is not an uplifting story of a woman finding her way back after a failed relationship, it is a depressing exercise in frustration.
I generally think I'm pretty easy-going when it comes to fiction - there is a time and a place for chick-lit, I can appreciate that - but this was the worst kind of stereotypical, gender-oppressive 20th century genre writing. This is not an uplifting story of a woman finding her way back after a failed relationship, it is a depressing exercise in frustration.
January 30, 2015
Library Request. Oh my god!!!!!!! This was the worst of all worst reads I've actually put myself through because of my OCD about finishing what I start to read.......ahggggg, this was the most banal of stories and I the narrator omg please put me out of my misery........I have blocking capabilities on my phone, I wish I can block this author from every sharing my reading time again.....this book actually had a publisher I'm speechless.........For all those who are looking for something to read, have some self respect and pass of this travesty they called a book.
March 8, 2018
Our heroine is 25... if the audiobook narrator isn’t at least a decade and a half older, I’ll eat my hat. How’s that for a diet? The jokes fall flat, as there is a disconnect between the story of a young woman in crisis and the voice of a stern anchorwoman. Plus, they begun to fall on deaf ears, so oft repeated with minor deviations. This lady seemed to have The Same Day every DAY.
Also, I’m sad that she has such a poor diet while breastfeeding. Maybe that’s why she keeps saying her baby “melts into” her every damn time she picks her up.
In the end, I just couldn’t finish it... the writer’s formula of starting groupings of sentences with “I say” or “I think” was teeth-grittingly irritating, though I’m sure would have been much less so without that NARRATOR. I sunk a lot of time and patience into this failed venture, though, and I’m counting this one as “read”.
Also, I’m sad that she has such a poor diet while breastfeeding. Maybe that’s why she keeps saying her baby “melts into” her every damn time she picks her up.
In the end, I just couldn’t finish it... the writer’s formula of starting groupings of sentences with “I say” or “I think” was teeth-grittingly irritating, though I’m sure would have been much less so without that NARRATOR. I sunk a lot of time and patience into this failed venture, though, and I’m counting this one as “read”.
August 9, 2017
I didn't like the writing style of this book. Here's why, while I love single narrator books, I didn't like that there were so many one sided conversations and very little dialogue from other characters. I'm sure it was an intentional way to honor that Abigail (the main character) was going through a self-discovery/transformation phase in the midst of a divorce. However, I really enjoyed the story itself. Once I got over the writing style, I enjoyed the ups and downs of the story. The character was truly confused by her feelings which is exactly what happens when your going through a divorce. I recommend, but the writing style is an acquired taste.
August 9, 2017
I was not impressed with this book and it was hard for me to relate to the main character (even though I have been divorced myself). It wasn't until she started to cook for the old man towards the end that I finally felt like she was getting a backbone. If I were in the main character's shoes and my husband wanted to be with another woman, I would have to walk away from the situation. Even though he came back around after his girlfriend didn't want him anymore, I would have left too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 15, 2019
This is an honest and bitter account of what goes through a woman's mind and how her world crumbles - but not really - after her husband leaves her for another woman. It's telling about the world we live in. I liked the descriptions of her state of mind that speak of a survivalist, without shying away from hard subjects in a cynical fashion. This is also the first audiobook I ever listened to and I liked the delivery.
February 24, 2019
Real life
This book lets you into real life! Its sad funny and real. From living through a divorce to raising a child almost alone to cooking a good meal. Starting from baby to adult cooking all about love!! I really enjoyed this book, took me back to a few times as I went through. You will love it and it will help heal!##
This book lets you into real life! Its sad funny and real. From living through a divorce to raising a child almost alone to cooking a good meal. Starting from baby to adult cooking all about love!! I really enjoyed this book, took me back to a few times as I went through. You will love it and it will help heal!##
March 21, 2024
The last chapter was the best part of the book. Mildly entertaining, enough to keep me going, but the writing style wasn’t my favorite. A little hard to follow, and the character just seemed so immature for so long. The “guru” could’ve been completely left out of the book, imho. The end of the book redeemed it and I upgraded from the 2 stars I was planning to give it.
March 11, 2019
Divorce is not funny, but the author's writing has the reader laughing and angry at the same time. A couple seperate. The wife needs to lose a few pounds and there's where the fun begins. The diet comes with a voice that speaks at the most interesting times. There's a surprise ending.
December 28, 2019
Great book
I loved this book. It made me feel like I was Abigail. I felt every emotion as we went through her story. I highly recommend this book especially to women going through or who have gone through divorce.
I loved this book. It made me feel like I was Abigail. I felt every emotion as we went through her story. I highly recommend this book especially to women going through or who have gone through divorce.
October 24, 2021
4 Stars
4 stars for The Divorce Diet. What happens to a woman when her husband decides he doesn't want to do marriage anymore. Can she support herself and daughter when she doesn't have any real job training? How can she pull her life together and make it all work?
4 stars for The Divorce Diet. What happens to a woman when her husband decides he doesn't want to do marriage anymore. Can she support herself and daughter when she doesn't have any real job training? How can she pull her life together and make it all work?
July 27, 2017
I say: argh! Stop whining already! I kind of enjoyed recognising the divorce situations at first, but the forced jokes are terrible. DNF
September 24, 2017
A light hearted book
A nice story about overcoming divorce and being on your own. It puts a pep in your step if you're going through something tough.
A nice story about overcoming divorce and being on your own. It puts a pep in your step if you're going through something tough.
December 21, 2017
In my head, the voice of this book was a version of Bridget Jones. I wanted to shake her for acting like a silly woman.
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