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A Woman's Place
Everything Claire Raphael has she's earned. On her own. The hard way. She built her part-time business up from nothing and made it successful through her imagination, creativity, and hard work. She has two great children and Dennis, a husband she loves completely. Then, one evening, when Claire returns from a difficult business trip, Dennis hands her divorce papers along with a court order to vacate their house. Claire is devastated. She had no idea her marriage was on the brink of disaster, that Dennis had been planning this ambush for weeks, if not months, or that her hectic but happy life was about to come crashing down around her. Claire doesn't know where to turn or whom to trust. But in a few short weeks she learns what so many women have had to discover—that when the going gets tough, a woman's as tough as she needs to be.
405 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 29, 2008
369 people are currently reading
1190 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Delinsky
307 books4,356 followersI was born and raised in suburban Boston. My mother’s death, when I was eight, was the defining event of a childhood that was otherwise ordinary. I took piano lessons and flute lessons. I took ballroom dancing lessons. I went to summer camp through my fifteenth year (in Maine, which explains the setting of so many of my stories), then spent my sixteenth summer learning to type and to drive (two skills that have served me better than all of my other high school courses combined). I earned a B.A. in Psychology at Tufts University and an M.A. in Sociology at Boston College. The motivation behind the M.A. was sheer greed. My husband was just starting law school. We needed the money.
Following graduate school, I worked as a researcher with the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and as a photographer and reporter for the Belmont Herald. I did the newspaper work after my first son was born. Since I was heavily into taking pictures of him, I worked for the paper to support that habit. Initially, I wrote only in a secondary capacity, to provide copy for the pictures I took. In time, I realized that I was better at writing than photography. I used both skills doing volunteer work for hospital groups, and have served on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and on the MGH’s Women’s Cancer Advisory Board.
I became an actual writer by fluke. My twins were four when, by chance, I happened on a newspaper article profiling three female writers. Intrigued, I spent three months researching, plotting, and writing my own book - and it sold.
My niche? I write about the emotional crises that we face in our lives. Readers identify with my characters. They know them. They are them. I'm an everyday woman writing about everyday people facing not-so-everyday challenges.
My novels are character-driven studies of marriage, parenthood, sibling rivalry, and friendship, and I’ve been blessed in having readers who buy them eagerly enough to put them on the major bestseller lists. One of my latest, Sweet Salt Air, came out in 2013. Blueprints, my second novel with St. Martin’s Press, became my 22nd New York Times bestselling novel soon after its release in June 2015. Making Up, my work in progress, will be published in 2018.
2018? Yikes. I didn’t think I’d live that long. I thought I’d die of breast cancer back in the 1900's, like my mom. But I didn’t. I was diagnosed nearly twenty years ago, had surgery and treatment, and here I am, stronger than ever and loving having authored yet another book, this one the non-fiction Uplift: Secrets From the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors. First published in 2001, Uplift is a handbook of practical tips and upbeat anecdotes that I compiled with the help of 350 breast cancer survivors, their families and friends. These survivors just ... blew me away! They gave me the book that I wish I’d had way back when I was diagnosed. There is no medical information here, nothing frightening, simply practical advice from friends who’ve had breast cancer. The 10th Anniversary Volume of Uplift is now in print. And the money I’ve made on the book? Every cent has gone to my charitable foundation, which funds an ongoing research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Connect with me on Facebook: facebook.com/bdelinsky
Look for my photos on Instagram: instagram.com/barbaradelinsky
Following graduate school, I worked as a researcher with the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and as a photographer and reporter for the Belmont Herald. I did the newspaper work after my first son was born. Since I was heavily into taking pictures of him, I worked for the paper to support that habit. Initially, I wrote only in a secondary capacity, to provide copy for the pictures I took. In time, I realized that I was better at writing than photography. I used both skills doing volunteer work for hospital groups, and have served on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and on the MGH’s Women’s Cancer Advisory Board.
I became an actual writer by fluke. My twins were four when, by chance, I happened on a newspaper article profiling three female writers. Intrigued, I spent three months researching, plotting, and writing my own book - and it sold.
My niche? I write about the emotional crises that we face in our lives. Readers identify with my characters. They know them. They are them. I'm an everyday woman writing about everyday people facing not-so-everyday challenges.
My novels are character-driven studies of marriage, parenthood, sibling rivalry, and friendship, and I’ve been blessed in having readers who buy them eagerly enough to put them on the major bestseller lists. One of my latest, Sweet Salt Air, came out in 2013. Blueprints, my second novel with St. Martin’s Press, became my 22nd New York Times bestselling novel soon after its release in June 2015. Making Up, my work in progress, will be published in 2018.
2018? Yikes. I didn’t think I’d live that long. I thought I’d die of breast cancer back in the 1900's, like my mom. But I didn’t. I was diagnosed nearly twenty years ago, had surgery and treatment, and here I am, stronger than ever and loving having authored yet another book, this one the non-fiction Uplift: Secrets From the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors. First published in 2001, Uplift is a handbook of practical tips and upbeat anecdotes that I compiled with the help of 350 breast cancer survivors, their families and friends. These survivors just ... blew me away! They gave me the book that I wish I’d had way back when I was diagnosed. There is no medical information here, nothing frightening, simply practical advice from friends who’ve had breast cancer. The 10th Anniversary Volume of Uplift is now in print. And the money I’ve made on the book? Every cent has gone to my charitable foundation, which funds an ongoing research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Connect with me on Facebook: facebook.com/bdelinsky
Look for my photos on Instagram: instagram.com/barbaradelinsky
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
January 12, 2017
3.5
Delinsky is a go to author for me when I do not need to think....but just read to escape into someone else's story and forget about the worry and stresses of my life. She is what I think of as an easy, comfort read.
This one had a good strong woman who's perfect life crashes down around her. Drama ensues and all is resolved happily in the end. A good book to get me back into the wonderful habit of books...I have been away too long.
Delinsky is a go to author for me when I do not need to think....but just read to escape into someone else's story and forget about the worry and stresses of my life. She is what I think of as an easy, comfort read.
This one had a good strong woman who's perfect life crashes down around her. Drama ensues and all is resolved happily in the end. A good book to get me back into the wonderful habit of books...I have been away too long.
August 6, 2018
Was in the mood for some romance, this one didn't work for that really (probably because I didn't like the guy who was slated as the romantic lead) and this book's flow really took a long time to get going. It didn't help that I think that there were some loose threads in the end that just made me shake my head. I loved Delinsky's "The Summer I Dared", "Suddenly", and "Coast Road." This one just didn't sing for me as well as those books did.
"A Woman's Place" has Claire Raphael floored when her long time husband Dennis surprises her with a request for divorce and demand she leave their home. Claire doesn't understand why Dennis is all of a sudden saying they haven't had a marriage in a while, he's also saying what a bad mother she is to their two kids. Though Claire is a successful though busy businesswoman, she thought she was juggling everything wonderfully. When the courts and a court ordered doctor tell Claire that the choices she has made in her life is wrong, she wonders what her future is going to hold.
I liked Claire. I just wish she had been more of a fighter and I hated that she needed to rely on her best friend and business partner Brody so much. The fact that Dennis and the courts accuse Claire of having an affair with Brody, I have to wonder why in the world she would even contemplate starting a relationship with him. There doesn't seem much to recommend Brody (IMHO) he doesn't listen to what Claire says (her real concerns of losing her kids) and thinks that everything is going to work out okay. I thought it was interesting how this book shows how a woman is punished for being great at her job. Her husband resents her, her sister does too (slightly) and I just wish we had seen Claire at her job and actually showing why she was good at it.
Dennis is just a jerk. There is a slight change to the character in the middle and end of the book, but that didn't work for me at all.
There are some characters that are so over the top and don't feel realistic due to how in the world would they have not lost their licenses or been censored (the judge and court ordered doctor). I hate that some of these people don't get in trouble for what they did and said though.
Some of the book feels quite dated. There also seems to be some call-out regarding abortion that I can't believe would be allowed to be used in a court case. Also several men in this book paint Claire as unnatural for having a career. This book was first published in 1997 and that definitely doesn't feel like something that would be a thing back thing. I don't know. Maybe it's so normal for me to see women in the work place and the fact my own mother, grandmother, and aunts worked it didn't hit me as it being strange.
I wish I had liked the romance, it just felt too paint by numbers. Maybe if we had Claire opening up to someone new it would have worked better for me.
The book ends on a happy note that I wonder at based on what comes before.
"A Woman's Place" has Claire Raphael floored when her long time husband Dennis surprises her with a request for divorce and demand she leave their home. Claire doesn't understand why Dennis is all of a sudden saying they haven't had a marriage in a while, he's also saying what a bad mother she is to their two kids. Though Claire is a successful though busy businesswoman, she thought she was juggling everything wonderfully. When the courts and a court ordered doctor tell Claire that the choices she has made in her life is wrong, she wonders what her future is going to hold.
I liked Claire. I just wish she had been more of a fighter and I hated that she needed to rely on her best friend and business partner Brody so much. The fact that Dennis and the courts accuse Claire of having an affair with Brody, I have to wonder why in the world she would even contemplate starting a relationship with him. There doesn't seem much to recommend Brody (IMHO) he doesn't listen to what Claire says (her real concerns of losing her kids) and thinks that everything is going to work out okay. I thought it was interesting how this book shows how a woman is punished for being great at her job. Her husband resents her, her sister does too (slightly) and I just wish we had seen Claire at her job and actually showing why she was good at it.
Dennis is just a jerk. There is a slight change to the character in the middle and end of the book, but that didn't work for me at all.
There are some characters that are so over the top and don't feel realistic due to how in the world would they have not lost their licenses or been censored (the judge and court ordered doctor). I hate that some of these people don't get in trouble for what they did and said though.
Some of the book feels quite dated. There also seems to be some call-out regarding abortion that I can't believe would be allowed to be used in a court case. Also several men in this book paint Claire as unnatural for having a career. This book was first published in 1997 and that definitely doesn't feel like something that would be a thing back thing. I don't know. Maybe it's so normal for me to see women in the work place and the fact my own mother, grandmother, and aunts worked it didn't hit me as it being strange.
I wish I had liked the romance, it just felt too paint by numbers. Maybe if we had Claire opening up to someone new it would have worked better for me.
The book ends on a happy note that I wonder at based on what comes before.
April 3, 2015
Poor woman... I really don't want to be in her shoes NEVER
Indeed, now it scares me the idea that this can happen to me because this can happen to any woman.
Exactly.
This story is about a successful and committed-to-her-children woman, Claire, who one evening returns from a difficult business trip and her husband hands her divorce papers along with a court order to vacate their house.
Yes, she has to leave her house and leave her children because he has custody of her children. Mind-blowing.
This is a story about a mother who doesn't give updespite THAT SON OF A BIT** called Dennis.
---------------
El juez y el psicólogo eran unos machistas de mier**. Que ganas de dar cachetadas a dos manos, me sacaron de quicio.
Indeed, now it scares me the idea that this can happen to me because this can happen to any woman.
Exactly.
This story is about a successful and committed-to-her-children woman, Claire, who one evening returns from a difficult business trip and her husband hands her divorce papers along with a court order to vacate their house.
Yes, she has to leave her house and leave her children because he has custody of her children. Mind-blowing.
This is a story about a mother who doesn't give up
---------------
El juez y el psicólogo eran unos machistas de mier**. Que ganas de dar cachetadas a dos manos, me sacaron de quicio.
February 19, 2012
Again, it was ok - I think the relationship between the protagonist and her husband was real; I sometimes think that finding another partner so quickly is not as real - I would sometimes like the main character to deal with the breakup and be ok with being without a partner. It just seems so convenient to suddenly have another man in her life so soon.
April 10, 2009
Now this was a "good" read!! Arrgh, I was so, so ticked at Dennis, the husband!!
"Everything Claire Raphael has she's earned. On her own. The hard way. She built her part-time business up from nothing and made it successful through her imagination, creativity, and hard work. She has two great children and Dennis, a husband she loves completely. Then, one evening, when Claire returns from a difficult business trip, Dennis hands her divorce papers along with a court order to vacate their house. And he's taking custody of the children. Claire is devastated. She had no idea her marriage was on the brink of disaster, that Dennis had been planning this ambush for weeks, if not months, or that her hectic but happy life was about to come crumbling down around her. Claire doesn't know where to turn or whom to trust. But in a few short weeks she learns what so many women have had to discover, that when the going gets tough, a woman's as tough as she needs to be."
"Everything Claire Raphael has she's earned. On her own. The hard way. She built her part-time business up from nothing and made it successful through her imagination, creativity, and hard work. She has two great children and Dennis, a husband she loves completely. Then, one evening, when Claire returns from a difficult business trip, Dennis hands her divorce papers along with a court order to vacate their house. And he's taking custody of the children. Claire is devastated. She had no idea her marriage was on the brink of disaster, that Dennis had been planning this ambush for weeks, if not months, or that her hectic but happy life was about to come crumbling down around her. Claire doesn't know where to turn or whom to trust. But in a few short weeks she learns what so many women have had to discover, that when the going gets tough, a woman's as tough as she needs to be."
March 26, 2009
The book brought me to a place of pure surprise. I never thought that a woman who tried to have it all and seemed sucessful at it could lead to such a good read. Claire Raphael worked hard as a wife, mother and business woman, and had it all turned around in a moment. The moment her husband served her divorce papers with an order to vacate their home and a summons to see the judge the following week. I was like no he didn't. I enjoyed how Claire came to examine her life, her husband and her role as a parent...the story raised issues of can you do it all, or will you fall short. If you do what are your priorities, and can any one person meet the challenges facing woman and men to do it all and do it well. Highly recommend this read it was just that good.
September 20, 2010
Imagine that you own your own business, have an almost perfect husband, two wonderful kids, a nice home and you go away for two weeks to visit your dying mother and extend your time away on a business trip. THEN you come home to find your husband, Dennis, handing you divorce papers, a court order to vacate your home, and that he has custody of your children. You had no clue that he was planning to ambush you. What do you do? I found this to be a well written story with descriptive insights on what Claire was feeling and what she did after this situation. A good read.
July 12, 2012
I read this as my marriage was falling apart, I remember reading it in bed with my then husband next to me thinking I'd have to kill him if he ever tried to take my kids...it never came to that, but ever since reading this I've wanted to live in a lighthouse.
January 26, 2024
This was a great read, this author tells such good stories with all the true emotions and leaves you wanting more …
January 27, 2023
Finally...this book is one of the reasons I continue to read books by Barbara Delinsky. Her books have always been touch and go with me yet I refuse to give up on her. This story infuriates the average, hardworking mom/career woman. (With common sense) When a book can piss you off then it's a good one. It means you feel what the characters are going through and you're passionate in what you believe in. The back of the book asks this question: What price must a woman pay for success? Well, read this book and find out...
January 27, 2009
This book was a little depressing. It's about a woman that comes home from a business trip and is served divorce papers from her husband and while she was gone, he arranged to have full custody of her children. The book is about her fight through a corrupt court system to win her children back. I was looking for a "light" read after my last few books, but it was depressing to know that some parents have this battle when divorcing. Not a light read!
March 21, 2011
This book starting out making me angry, so angry that I didn't know if I was going to be able to finish it. This was in the first quarter of the book. I decided to give it a little longer, and was glad that I did. The writing wasn't the problem, I just didn't enjoy reading about how horrible the main characterw as being treated. Good book, but not a light, mindless read. The book was thought provoking, and drew me in.
February 17, 2014
This book actually is what made me start reading out of high school, I found the main charcater so inspiring, I haven't been able to find this book anywhere!!!! She made me proud to be a woman, and at the time when I was 17 I found her to be an amazing woman, she is inspiring!
August 26, 2018
This was a disturbing story. As one reviewer commented, it is reminiscent of Kramer vs. Kramer. Who knew so many things can go wrong when you are living your life and trying to be the best person you can be? The view presented of the legal system and the court system are harsh or are they realistic? There was far more depth in this story than I expected. It’s worth a read.
August 21, 2019
This novel REALLY made me mad. It was about a woman who was victimized by the judicial system. The injustices kept piling up in this male-dominated world. I almost put it down, but I ended up persevering to the end. Another great what would you do story from this author.
November 11, 2024
This is a real life story if you are going through divorce with child custody involved.
February 20, 2017
Claire Raphael is a woman who has everything - two great children and a husband who she adores; a thriving part-time business and a hectic yet extremely happy life. She has built her wicker furniture business from the ground up - basically from nothing - and made that business successful through her own imagination, creativity and hard work. In fact, everything that Claire has, she has legitimately earned. On her own; through benefit of her hard work and, as such, thoroughly well-deserved.
Then, one evening, Claire returns from a particularly difficult business trip and is utterly blindsided. Dennis - her seemingly loving husband - hands her divorce papers along with an order to vacate their house; effective immediately. He also wants sole custody of the children. He tells Claire that this is all for the best.
Claire is devastated by Dennis' actions. She had always believed that even though they may have had their issues, the marriage was still strong. She had absolutely no inkling that her marriage was so close to the brink of disaster; nor any clue that Dennis could possibly be so devious. He was obviously planning this ambush for weeks, if not months - Claire is certain of her suspicions.
She has no idea just how quickly her happy but hectic life will change; how fast everything she has worked so hard for will come crumbling down around her. Claire doesn't know what to do; where to turn or who to trust. Yet, over the next few weeks, Claire will discover something about herself: when everything she values is threatened, a woman is as tough as she needs to be.
First of all, let me say that this was a reread for me from approximately ten to fifteen years ago. I absolutely loved this book back then; I always enjoy reading stories about strong women dealing with difficult situations. Although I still enjoyed reading this book very much, I must admit that I didn't find it quite as good as the first time around.
I can't really put my finger on what was different about the story, but I did notice that the plot seemed slightly forced or stilted; at least in my opinion. I would still give this book an A!
Then, one evening, Claire returns from a particularly difficult business trip and is utterly blindsided. Dennis - her seemingly loving husband - hands her divorce papers along with an order to vacate their house; effective immediately. He also wants sole custody of the children. He tells Claire that this is all for the best.
Claire is devastated by Dennis' actions. She had always believed that even though they may have had their issues, the marriage was still strong. She had absolutely no inkling that her marriage was so close to the brink of disaster; nor any clue that Dennis could possibly be so devious. He was obviously planning this ambush for weeks, if not months - Claire is certain of her suspicions.
She has no idea just how quickly her happy but hectic life will change; how fast everything she has worked so hard for will come crumbling down around her. Claire doesn't know what to do; where to turn or who to trust. Yet, over the next few weeks, Claire will discover something about herself: when everything she values is threatened, a woman is as tough as she needs to be.
First of all, let me say that this was a reread for me from approximately ten to fifteen years ago. I absolutely loved this book back then; I always enjoy reading stories about strong women dealing with difficult situations. Although I still enjoyed reading this book very much, I must admit that I didn't find it quite as good as the first time around.
I can't really put my finger on what was different about the story, but I did notice that the plot seemed slightly forced or stilted; at least in my opinion. I would still give this book an A!
June 7, 2009
This is a story about Claire, who has worked very hard to build her own business into a very successful one, while raising two children, and loving her husband, even through his failing business dealings. While on a business trip, she walks into the front door, soon to be served divorce papers, an order to vacate the house, and her husband wants sole custody of the kids. Totally a shock!
He had done his "homework" and had gathered lots of (circumstantial) evidence against her, (lies) why she wasn't a good mother, to gain all he wanted from her---money, house and kids. The courts go along with it all. Her husband even made it hard on her to travel to visit her own mother who was on her deathbed, forcing her to choose between being a good mother and a good daughter. The guy is a total jerk!
Through it all, though, she becomes a much stronger, tougher person.
This book was scary to me, another reminder that you just never know another person completely, or what can happen the next minute...a wake-up call. I was completely drawn into her life and situations. He was so resentful of her and all she had, that his resentment turned to hate and he wanted to take it all away from her.
Couple of quotes:
"Funny thing, a woman's guilt. We blame ourselves when things go wrong, far more than we praise ourselves when things go right, and when we do the latter, someone calls us arrogant, which discourages further praise and encourages further blame, which suits men just fine.
It wasn't fair at all."
"Some said that love and hate were two extremes of the same emotion. I didn't know about that. I did know that what I felt for Dennis in my anger was stronger than most anything I had felt for him before. If that meant what I thought it did, the overall shape of my marriage had been pretty sad, and if 'that' was true, what was sad was my blind adherence to it."
He had done his "homework" and had gathered lots of (circumstantial) evidence against her, (lies) why she wasn't a good mother, to gain all he wanted from her---money, house and kids. The courts go along with it all. Her husband even made it hard on her to travel to visit her own mother who was on her deathbed, forcing her to choose between being a good mother and a good daughter. The guy is a total jerk!
Through it all, though, she becomes a much stronger, tougher person.
This book was scary to me, another reminder that you just never know another person completely, or what can happen the next minute...a wake-up call. I was completely drawn into her life and situations. He was so resentful of her and all she had, that his resentment turned to hate and he wanted to take it all away from her.
Couple of quotes:
"Funny thing, a woman's guilt. We blame ourselves when things go wrong, far more than we praise ourselves when things go right, and when we do the latter, someone calls us arrogant, which discourages further praise and encourages further blame, which suits men just fine.
It wasn't fair at all."
"Some said that love and hate were two extremes of the same emotion. I didn't know about that. I did know that what I felt for Dennis in my anger was stronger than most anything I had felt for him before. If that meant what I thought it did, the overall shape of my marriage had been pretty sad, and if 'that' was true, what was sad was my blind adherence to it."
April 27, 2013
Surprisingly good for a genre I'm not used to reading ("chick" lit? romance? not sure how to categorize it) but Delinsky seems to have written a good many trade paperbacks. This story revolves around a strong woman (Claire) who was wronged by her cheating spouse, Dennis. He serves her divorce papers and takes custody of their two beautiful, perfect children and makes her vacate their home after she has returned from a business trip. Of course SHE is the family breadwinner, and CEO of Wickerwise, her rattan furniture company built from scratch. Clair is blindsided, thinks her marriage has been strong and feels unbelieveably wronged by this action (or so we readers believe). She works to regain her life as a mother while maintaining her business and visits to her ill mother's bedside (more guilt!). Comforting her is Brody, her sexy business partner, whom she has conveniently held at bay, although their attraction to each other had been mutual for years, even when he was first in business with Dennis. Their romance begins conveniently AFTER Dennis accuses her of an affair with Brody (another reason she's an "unfit mother" as the unlikely complaint against her states). Add in a dying mother, a vagabond, unmoored sister, a biased guardian ad litem, and you know what Claire's up against. You also know that she will prevail (with the help of another strong woman--her attorney) over this travesty of justice she has been served. Claire and Brody ride off into the sunset with their new blended family. Rah rah! I was rooting for her all along.
August 21, 2024
I have to admit that the title caught my eye. Then seeing, the list of books that the author had written, I decided why not.
This was an easy read and very enjoyable. I connected with the main character, Claire, right away. How do we as women balance our
careers, marriages, children, well-being and not be perceived as neglecting one or more those areas? Does the system support us or is it holding us back to an outdated stereotype?
Clare finds that the system ignoring the truth and facts because of its bias of her being a successful mother and business woman when her husband files for divorce and is granted custody of their children until the court can decide if she's "fit to care for her children".
While Clare's home life is crumbling apart, her mother, Connie, is terminal ill. Her other daughter, Rona, has been seeing to her, but their relationship is strained as is the sister's relationship with each other.
Even though the book reads easy, I can see that the author used her background in sociology to tie the characters together and interweave them.
This was an easy read and very enjoyable. I connected with the main character, Claire, right away. How do we as women balance our
careers, marriages, children, well-being and not be perceived as neglecting one or more those areas? Does the system support us or is it holding us back to an outdated stereotype?
Clare finds that the system ignoring the truth and facts because of its bias of her being a successful mother and business woman when her husband files for divorce and is granted custody of their children until the court can decide if she's "fit to care for her children".
While Clare's home life is crumbling apart, her mother, Connie, is terminal ill. Her other daughter, Rona, has been seeing to her, but their relationship is strained as is the sister's relationship with each other.
Even though the book reads easy, I can see that the author used her background in sociology to tie the characters together and interweave them.
August 14, 2009
A good book, Barara Delinsky's books usually are, but very maddening. A woman returns home from visiting her dying mother only to find a court order demanding that she vacate her home and her husband had been granted temporary custody, oh yeah, and he wants alimony. Of course the case ends up in front of an old, bitter judge who is anti-career-woman (hope that makes sense) and a social worker who is only interested in her husband's side of the story. Every little mistake she may have made as a mother was brought up as proof that she couldn't run a business and have a family as well.
It ends well but I keep thinking of a sentence that was on the back flap of the book. "The day when women had the advantage in divorce proceedings is gone, and a double standard has taken hold, whereby a former do-nothing dad is extolled for spending three hours a day with his children and a former full-time mom is vilified for spending only six hours a day with them."
It ends well but I keep thinking of a sentence that was on the back flap of the book. "The day when women had the advantage in divorce proceedings is gone, and a double standard has taken hold, whereby a former do-nothing dad is extolled for spending three hours a day with his children and a former full-time mom is vilified for spending only six hours a day with them."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2010
Quick read and a bit unsettling. Tells of a successful woman, who seemingly has combined motherhood, marriage and business.. When she returns from visiting her terminally ill mother in another state, she is served with a court order that gives full custody of her children to her husband and evicts her from her home. As she fights the unthinkable, she finds strength and resources within herself that she didn't know she had. Things don't make sense as she and her newly hired lawyer fight an uphill battle to restore her children to her.
It helps that money is not an issue and she can afford to buy another home (yes, a lighthouse). If the court system described in the book exists in real life, it is scary. Ultimately she uncovers the crux of the problem and can then fight it.
It helps that money is not an issue and she can afford to buy another home (yes, a lighthouse). If the court system described in the book exists in real life, it is scary. Ultimately she uncovers the crux of the problem and can then fight it.
May 23, 2009
While it was enjoyable enough to read, I found A Woman's Place to be more like a Lifetime movie with a big theme laid on with a trowel and cardboard characters that drove me nuts.
To be fair, this was written in the 1990s so the scenario of a successful woman being victimized by a prejudicial court system to strip her of custodial rights to her children could certainly have been relevant. I just felt that the author was highly manipulative and heavy-handed in her characterizations. After awhile it got repetitive. I really didn't care and I should have.
To be fair, this was written in the 1990s so the scenario of a successful woman being victimized by a prejudicial court system to strip her of custodial rights to her children could certainly have been relevant. I just felt that the author was highly manipulative and heavy-handed in her characterizations. After awhile it got repetitive. I really didn't care and I should have.
July 20, 2012
The story of a woman to suddenly finds herself in the middle of a divorce proceeding and child custody battle that she never saw coming. Despite the fact that she's always tried to be the best wife and mother possible, all the cards seem stacked against her. In the midst of all of this turmoil she's also dealing with her dying mother and a successful but demanding business.
This would make a great Lifetime movie and it made for a fairly good read. Nothing too unexpected but entertaining enough for the genre.
This would make a great Lifetime movie and it made for a fairly good read. Nothing too unexpected but entertaining enough for the genre.
September 30, 2014
I loved this book! At first I struggled with the emotional side of it. Here was a woman, who was having her kids taken away from her by her husband for no apparent reason. The mum in me said 'this is not right', and I really didn't think I could perservere, but I am so very glad I did. Clare gathers her emotions and a lawyer and fights back & it's at this point that you need to keep reading to find out how it's all going to end. I sat & read this book over two days & at every opportunity I could. Fantastic!
March 13, 2016
Great story and well written by Delinsky. A woman who is successful comes home from a business trip to what she thought was a good marriage that produced two children to find that her husband hands her a court order to leave emmediately without the children and he was divorcing her! She had no idea that was his intentions and was devastated but he called the police to force her to leave. The story advances with frustrations and hopelessness and a strugle continues so that she may have her children again.
October 14, 2017
Better than average chicklit because it is well-written, has interesting characters and interesting plot twists. That said, a great deal of it defies reality. Case in point is the main character having to find someplace to live after she is evicted from her house and she manages to buy a place, completely furnish it and add numerous decorative touches, all in a matter of maybe a week. yeah sure. And probably a number of the timelines are an overall weakness, but if you can suspend reality, it's a pleasant enough read, quick and engaging, nice and fluffy.
February 17, 2017
I feel as if I have been through an emotional wringer right along with Claire. I found myself feeling the panicked helplessness of the threat of losing all that mattered to me through no fault of my own. In the 47 years of my marriage and many of those as a working mother---I loved the image of looking for pearls and adding them to my long string.
May 5, 2017
Another great book by Barbara Delinsky!
This author writes about believable life situations and human interactions in a way that keeps the reader's attention all the way through.
This book evoked strong emotions for me; I was so angry with Dennis, the main character's husband.
Love the idea of living in a lighthouse, what a cool space that would be!
This author writes about believable life situations and human interactions in a way that keeps the reader's attention all the way through.
This book evoked strong emotions for me; I was so angry with Dennis, the main character's husband.
Love the idea of living in a lighthouse, what a cool space that would be!
March 25, 2017
Great read!
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