Stones

by Marilyn Baron

When Julie Paver’s husband Matt moves his business to Atlanta, she is forced to leave behind her thriving jewelry boutique, Stones. The move threatens their twenty-five-year marriage, because now if Matt isn’t out of town negotiating a merger, he’s spending late hours on overseas phone calls with his sexy-sounding second-in-command.

Feeling neglected and unloved, Julie seeks closure by reconnecting with her first love, Manny, when he pursues her with his Internet innuendos. Manny is unaware he’s the father of Julie’s son, and Julie contemplates revealing the secret to him on the eve of their son’s wedding. But would such a walk down memory lane be worth the cost?

Julie and Manny finally meet at her oceanfront condo — in the midst of a hurricane — and elements collide to create the perfect storm in a coming-of-middle-age crisis.

350 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 16, 2014

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really spoke to me because so many times I have to laugh or else I'll cry. Stones is a humorous women's fiction about an extremely touchy situation. Julie, who is 50, is tempted into reuniting with her first love Manny--but this isn't any ordinary first love. The families on both sides had pushed for this relationship since the two were youngsters. The author does an amazing job of drawing out Julie's complex feelings through three different sections of the book. The first part details the lead-up to the meeting with Manny. The second dives deep into their past. The third brings the story to a close with many surprise revelations about Julie and the hardships in her life which she strives to keep hidden. With such emotionally charged subject matter, the touches of humor were all the more poignant and endearing--if Julie couldn't laugh, she would have certainly cried.

But to say that the book is just about revisiting a first love is to leave out another important facet of the story--the power of friendship and how not trusting in its strength can lead to pain.

Overall, this was a compelling, masterfully written book. The heroine's nickname, Jewels, takes on special significance. A close read is much rewarded!

[Diane Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The grass is always greener... That should be the tagline for this book. Julie’s marriage has gotten stale. She wonders (almost obsesses on) what might have been if she’d married Manny instead of Matt. Ms. Baron draws in the reader with superbly drawn characters. I could readily identify with Julie’s dismay and anger over having to move because of her husband’s job. As the story progresses and I saw Manny, I wanted to shake Julie so she would see what a jerk he is.

Will she or won’t she betray her husband is the question. Ms. Baron drops clues like breadcrumbs about how Julie got to this point. With each new chapter, the reader is hit with surprises. Sometimes the hits are gentle, like with a nerf ball; a few feel like being hit with a baseball.

Full disclosure here. I’m a fan of Marilyn Baron’s books. I’ve laughed out loud (Murder at the Outlet Mall & Significant Others) and was creeped out (in a good way) by her Psychic Crystal mysteries. Stones is now my favorite.

[Jan Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stones by Marilyn Baron is like a multifaceted gem. Many angles to this book, but I especially loved the clarity of Julie's feeling in the end. She goes from feeling lost and unloved to knowing she is loved and found contentment. The author wrote some vivid imagery in this book, and realistic feelings of many women. I also enjoyed the fact, that this story spans decades. The most memorable scene for me was when Julie recognized what she had in front of her and let the past go. Lili Dubuque was a joy to listen to. She conveyed the feelings and characters perfectly.

[Susan Coryell · Rating 5 out of 5]

STONES by Marilyn Baron is a humorous look at life and love, family and friends through the eyes of 50-year-old Julie Goldsmith, who compares her birthday milestone to a "...giant Hoover, sucking all the happiness and energy out in steady, soul-severing whooshes." She is determined to find closure with Manny Geller, her first love. At odds with her husband Matt, Julie agrees to meet Manny in Florida, knowing he has an ulterior motive for the meeting himself: sex.
Since Matt's job has moved the family from Julie's beloved Miami to Atlanta, she keeps up with her best friend, Mackie, via email. Julie says Mackie is like toilet paper, "...the kind of friend who sticks to the bitter end." Both women know Julie's planned rendezvous with Manny could be a huge mistake.
Leading up to the literal hurricane awaiting Julie's link-up with Manny, the author flashes back to college days and Julie's unintended pregnancy resulting from a frat weekend where both Manny and Matt are present. As the men face Julie's father late in the pregnancy, Sid Goldsmith tells Julie: "Life is more than a pleasure trip. You ARE going to marry one of these boys if I have to shoot them both."
Beneath Baron's light touch lie serious undertones about commitment, making STONES a compelling read--a sparkling gem with deep facets, for sure.

[The Book Breeze · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is reminiscent of a Tyler Perry movie in the way it handles a touchy subject with humor, drama and insight. Marriage is tough while the characters may not be reflected in the best light their humanity comes shinning through.

Tightly written, sharply paced Baron’s story of friendship and marriage can be appreciated by anyone who has ever looked back at their life and wondered “what if?”

[Alicia Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stones is a humorous and emotional look at a woman who just turned fifty and is in an unhappy marriage. The steps she takes to search for happiness and answers lead into an interesting journey with an exciting outcome. I love the friendship Julie has with Mackie, and how the two women are always there for one another. A wonderful read!