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Goddess of Suburbia
Suburbia meets scandal in this hopeful and honest portrayal of that moment in every woman’s life when it's time to make a change, even if that means risking losing it all. Goddess of Suburbia by Stephanie Kepke is a must-read for women looking to reconnect with their passions, and live authentically. When pillar of the community and PTA mom, Max, allowed her husband, Nick, to record a sex video of them on his cell phone, she thought of it as simply a way to keep Nick interested and entertained during his frequent business trips. But suddenly, Max is trending everywhere—her video lighting up the blogosphere and Twitter, thanks to the fact that she’s a genuine, imperfect woman. Now the paparazzi are chronicling her every move; her daughter wants to disown her; and her marriage has completely fallen apart. Just as things can't get any more chaotic, Max's college boyfriend, Ben, shows up two decades after he broke her heart. Now Max must learn to stop going through the motions of her life on auto-pilot and start living authentically, or risk forever being a suburban lemming running towards the cliff of old age.
218 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 10, 2015
12 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Kepke
10 books34 followersStephanie Kepke lives in New York on Long Island with her husband, three sons and two rescue poodles. She loves to have her toes in the sand and feels lucky to live right in between the Atlantic Ocean and the Long Island Sound. Stephanie’s second grade teacher told her she should be a writer, and she hasn't wavered in her path since, becoming a bestselling and award-winning author of six books. Stephanie is the author of Feel No Evil, Goddess of Suburbia, A New Life, You & Me, Rocky Road Home, and Boys, Dogs and Chaos.
In her past life - before kids - Stephanie was an arts reporter and music journalist. She spent her twenties listening to loud rock bands (including her drummer husband's) in bars all around Boston and New England. She is also a rabid New York Rangers fan. In her limited spare time she loves to watch hockey and yell at the screen like she's the Rangers' coach and they can hear her. She is passionate about social justice, saving animals, and protecting the environment.
In her past life - before kids - Stephanie was an arts reporter and music journalist. She spent her twenties listening to loud rock bands (including her drummer husband's) in bars all around Boston and New England. She is also a rabid New York Rangers fan. In her limited spare time she loves to watch hockey and yell at the screen like she's the Rangers' coach and they can hear her. She is passionate about social justice, saving animals, and protecting the environment.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
August 26, 2015
Goddess of Suburbia by Stephanie Kepke is a contemporary novel (chick lit). Max Green Giordano is wife to Nick and mother to four children (Emma, Will, Trevor, and Sam). She was a pastry chef before she had the four children. She would like to have a cookie business out of the house, but her husband keeps shooting down that idea. One day her husband, Nick asked if he could make a video of them having sex (with his phone). He is a traveling salesman (of restaurant supplies) and wanted it to keep him company on the road (my answer would have been a big NO). Max, unfortunately, said yes (the answer should always be a big fat NO). She thought it would help hold their marriage together (what harm could come from a video on his phone she thought). Then a few weeks later she hears a scream come from her daughter Emma’s room (she is fourteen—need I say more). A girl from her class sent her a link to a video (guess what video). There is Max in all her naked glory! When she confronts her husband, she finds out that he has been having an affair with Sloane Silver Williams (local rich divorcee). The daughter of the woman sent Emma the video (lovely people)!
Nick claims to be a sex addict and that he cannot help himself (that cracked me up). Max, thankfully, does not believe him and tells him to move out. One of Max’s first acts is to change her Facebook status to single (before she tells the kids, family or friends). The video then goes viral with Twitter, Facebook, and uploaded to a housewife porn site. First it hits the tabloids and then the national news. Paparazzi starts following her all over town. Nick has virtually moved in with Sloane who is just thrilled (posts lovey dovey photos online). Max feels her life is falling apart especially when her children start having trouble in school (even little Sam in preschool). One day Max gets an unexpected message from an old boyfriend. Max dated Ben Miller in college. One evening while Ben was taking a shower, Max went through his pockets and found a little piece a paper with a name and phone number. Max assumes it is from a woman (she has trust issues). This ruins their relationship because of Max’s lack of trust. Now Ben would like to reconnect with Max. Is it too soon for Max? Nick does move in with Sloane and he breaks the news that Sloane is eleven weeks pregnant (which means Max and Nick were still living together at the time). Max needs to find a way to move on with her life and get past the video (and break up of her marriage).
As I am sure you can tell, I did not enjoy reading Goddess of Suburbia. It sounded like such a cute, fun book. Unfortunately, it was just disheartening. There are long internal monologues from Max with her thinking about her life, daydreaming, obsessing, worrying, etc. They went on for pages (I skimmed through these sections after a while). Max was not a likable character. She had body image issues, commitment issues, anxiety/panic attacks, anger management problems, and she has trouble saying no. I read to escape life, to venture into a different world and have fun not to be bummed out. If someone posted a video of me online without my permission (not that I would ever let anyone make such a video), the first thing I would do is try to get it removed. Max never even looked into it. To me that did not make any sense. Then after she reconnects with Ben, she starts these odd daydreaming sequences (where she tunes out everything around her including the kids). She has not seen the man in twenty years and she is already dreaming of a life with him. I like reading about strong women. Max would not even stand up to her daughter! The writing was just satisfactory. I give Goddess of Suburbia 1.5 out of 5 stars (I just did not like it). This book was just not for me.
I received a complimentary copy of The Goddess of Suburbia from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own.
Nick claims to be a sex addict and that he cannot help himself (that cracked me up). Max, thankfully, does not believe him and tells him to move out. One of Max’s first acts is to change her Facebook status to single (before she tells the kids, family or friends). The video then goes viral with Twitter, Facebook, and uploaded to a housewife porn site. First it hits the tabloids and then the national news. Paparazzi starts following her all over town. Nick has virtually moved in with Sloane who is just thrilled (posts lovey dovey photos online). Max feels her life is falling apart especially when her children start having trouble in school (even little Sam in preschool). One day Max gets an unexpected message from an old boyfriend. Max dated Ben Miller in college. One evening while Ben was taking a shower, Max went through his pockets and found a little piece a paper with a name and phone number. Max assumes it is from a woman (she has trust issues). This ruins their relationship because of Max’s lack of trust. Now Ben would like to reconnect with Max. Is it too soon for Max? Nick does move in with Sloane and he breaks the news that Sloane is eleven weeks pregnant (which means Max and Nick were still living together at the time). Max needs to find a way to move on with her life and get past the video (and break up of her marriage).
As I am sure you can tell, I did not enjoy reading Goddess of Suburbia. It sounded like such a cute, fun book. Unfortunately, it was just disheartening. There are long internal monologues from Max with her thinking about her life, daydreaming, obsessing, worrying, etc. They went on for pages (I skimmed through these sections after a while). Max was not a likable character. She had body image issues, commitment issues, anxiety/panic attacks, anger management problems, and she has trouble saying no. I read to escape life, to venture into a different world and have fun not to be bummed out. If someone posted a video of me online without my permission (not that I would ever let anyone make such a video), the first thing I would do is try to get it removed. Max never even looked into it. To me that did not make any sense. Then after she reconnects with Ben, she starts these odd daydreaming sequences (where she tunes out everything around her including the kids). She has not seen the man in twenty years and she is already dreaming of a life with him. I like reading about strong women. Max would not even stand up to her daughter! The writing was just satisfactory. I give Goddess of Suburbia 1.5 out of 5 stars (I just did not like it). This book was just not for me.
I received a complimentary copy of The Goddess of Suburbia from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2015
Average housewife Max finds herself in the media spotlight following the release of a sex tape made with her husband. Her marriage has crumbled, and her husband Nick is now living with his mistress, then, her old college boyfriend turns up out of the blue. Max has to find a way to rebuild her life through all the turmoil.
Unfortunately, I didn't love this book like I thought I was going to. It started really well and I felt the drama building as I got to know the characters. After the initial excitement though, the plot felt a bit flat and dragged out and it was a struggle to maintain my interest in what was happening. An okay read.
*Thank you to the publishers for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
Unfortunately, I didn't love this book like I thought I was going to. It started really well and I felt the drama building as I got to know the characters. After the initial excitement though, the plot felt a bit flat and dragged out and it was a struggle to maintain my interest in what was happening. An okay read.
*Thank you to the publishers for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
July 13, 2016
Loved it! After reading so many unrealistic books, or ones with a fantasy type theme. i wanted something real. I wanted to feel like i really knew the characters and could relate. I found it with this great story! Being close in age with the main character, and having children myself, i could see myself in her life. I couldnt put the book down, and loved learning about all the different characters, even Max's children. Like it or not, these things happen every day in many people's lives and the story sucked me in, leaving me wanting more. Great author and I plan to read more of her books.
October 12, 2015
*I received this copy from the publishers through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review*
This might include information that could be seen as spoilers for what is happening in the book, but only if you don’t actually read the summary, still be warned.
I really have to say that I was looking forward to reading this. I love a good spin on the typical cheating husband and divorce with children. I was looking forward to a funny and fast read, with an interesting spin and loving characters –for the most part at least.
Well… I did not really get that. There is the interesting spin: homemade porn that goes really big. And I mean really big, there is talk about Ophra commenting on it in this book. But overall this book was just too much for me.
The author blew this book completely out of proportion for me.
She tried to write something big, and overshot that by more then a few miles.
But lets start with something good about the book…. the boys –three out of the four children in this book- are very fun and interesting to read about. I loved their honesty and way to try to cheer their mom up during the difficult time. So that was rather nice. What was also kept real was the aspect of the other moms and how they treated the main character Max after the entire porn stuff came out and was talked about. That the other moms would talk so that their children would make Max’s children’s lifes more difficult and all that. Very real and very honest on how a situation that is difficult to begin with would be made even harder in real life, simply because of how other people react to it. So I liked those aspects. Sadly that was all that I found enjoyable about this story.
So on to the parts that I did not like.
Lets start with the completely ridiculous and unrealistic part.
The paparazzo!
I am sorry, but no-nobody porn housewife that does not sleep with some kind of superstar is going to be followed around by hoards of photographers! Its just not that interesting. I could have understand one or two reporters that wanted a background story, and get a quote or something of that nature. But really, I do not believe that homemade porn, shoot by a phone camera with to complete unknown people would ever get that kind of talk or following. So that was completely over the top and too extreme for me. So about ¼ of the story is completely stupid to me. I am sorry to say it so bluntly, but it really was just horrible to read about! If the author wanted to make it a story about how hard it is to live in the spotlight after porn is released, make the main character someone at least a little known in some way or form. Max was a pastry chef, let her be some kind of famous pastry chef in the city they live in if the author wants to write about a paparazzo following!
And even if we skip over the nobodies that would never even make it into magazines, lets talk about how only Max is being chased after. What about Nick? Her husband that is also featured in the video? Why isn’t he chased after by reporters wanting pictures of him? Or the mistress that posted the entire thing? Why is only Max the one suffering through it? I don’t understand.
And then there were the parts, where I did not completely understand what time the story talked about was taken place in, since the author tried to combine current events. And those moments just did not work, at all. Mostly because for one the moments those flashbacks or what ever the heck you want to call them happened didn’t make any sense at all.
And then there is the fact that, Sometimes I did not notice that it was a past event for a while and was just confused what the heck was going on. How should I know that while Max was talking to someone on the phone, she would suddenly tell a story in the middle of it without it being pointed out that the conversation that is currently taking place is not actually the phone conversation that happened just a sentence ago, but happened a twenty years ago?
That might be better in the actual book, where those past events are marked more directly, but in the ARC it was not even pointed out that the reader was going into the past, just one moment you read a sentence from the present and the next it was a flashback.
Then there is the entire relationship between Max and Nick- the cheating husband that was also in the porn video. Nick was a complete ass! He didn’t care for what was happening, nor how his children were handling the entire thing, nor that it might not be the best time to move in with his mistress and take his children there right away. Also those pointed comments about how Max only married Nick because they had great sex was kind of overdone for me. And also after being caught cheating, nobody should ever use the pathetic excuse of saying they only did it because they have a sex addiction –that by the way is never talked about ever again in the book, so it was completely pointless anyways! And I am not saying that a sex addiction is pathetic, but that using it as an excuse to cheat is!
And then there is Max herself. She is kind of all over the place for me. On one page she hates men and doesn’t trust anybody. On the next she is getting back together with the college sweetheart. Huh? What the heck is going on?
And lastly what I did not like was how the oldest child blamed the mom. I am sorry if you are fourteen years old and don’t understand that your cheating lying father is at least halfway responsible for what the heck is going on during this kind of thing, you need to get your head checked! Okay, your mom and dad filmed themselves having sex, but they were both there, not just the mom! So what the heck, child?
So overall… The story was a nice try, but overdone. To me the author tried to hard to make it interesting and put to much stuff into the story. And really the only thing that can be taken away from this entire book is that especially in this time of age, nobody should ever EVER tape anything that they do not want others to find out.
This might include information that could be seen as spoilers for what is happening in the book, but only if you don’t actually read the summary, still be warned.
I really have to say that I was looking forward to reading this. I love a good spin on the typical cheating husband and divorce with children. I was looking forward to a funny and fast read, with an interesting spin and loving characters –for the most part at least.
Well… I did not really get that. There is the interesting spin: homemade porn that goes really big. And I mean really big, there is talk about Ophra commenting on it in this book. But overall this book was just too much for me.
The author blew this book completely out of proportion for me.
She tried to write something big, and overshot that by more then a few miles.
But lets start with something good about the book…. the boys –three out of the four children in this book- are very fun and interesting to read about. I loved their honesty and way to try to cheer their mom up during the difficult time. So that was rather nice. What was also kept real was the aspect of the other moms and how they treated the main character Max after the entire porn stuff came out and was talked about. That the other moms would talk so that their children would make Max’s children’s lifes more difficult and all that. Very real and very honest on how a situation that is difficult to begin with would be made even harder in real life, simply because of how other people react to it. So I liked those aspects. Sadly that was all that I found enjoyable about this story.
So on to the parts that I did not like.
Lets start with the completely ridiculous and unrealistic part.
The paparazzo!
I am sorry, but no-nobody porn housewife that does not sleep with some kind of superstar is going to be followed around by hoards of photographers! Its just not that interesting. I could have understand one or two reporters that wanted a background story, and get a quote or something of that nature. But really, I do not believe that homemade porn, shoot by a phone camera with to complete unknown people would ever get that kind of talk or following. So that was completely over the top and too extreme for me. So about ¼ of the story is completely stupid to me. I am sorry to say it so bluntly, but it really was just horrible to read about! If the author wanted to make it a story about how hard it is to live in the spotlight after porn is released, make the main character someone at least a little known in some way or form. Max was a pastry chef, let her be some kind of famous pastry chef in the city they live in if the author wants to write about a paparazzo following!
And even if we skip over the nobodies that would never even make it into magazines, lets talk about how only Max is being chased after. What about Nick? Her husband that is also featured in the video? Why isn’t he chased after by reporters wanting pictures of him? Or the mistress that posted the entire thing? Why is only Max the one suffering through it? I don’t understand.
And then there were the parts, where I did not completely understand what time the story talked about was taken place in, since the author tried to combine current events. And those moments just did not work, at all. Mostly because for one the moments those flashbacks or what ever the heck you want to call them happened didn’t make any sense at all.
And then there is the fact that, Sometimes I did not notice that it was a past event for a while and was just confused what the heck was going on. How should I know that while Max was talking to someone on the phone, she would suddenly tell a story in the middle of it without it being pointed out that the conversation that is currently taking place is not actually the phone conversation that happened just a sentence ago, but happened a twenty years ago?
That might be better in the actual book, where those past events are marked more directly, but in the ARC it was not even pointed out that the reader was going into the past, just one moment you read a sentence from the present and the next it was a flashback.
Then there is the entire relationship between Max and Nick- the cheating husband that was also in the porn video. Nick was a complete ass! He didn’t care for what was happening, nor how his children were handling the entire thing, nor that it might not be the best time to move in with his mistress and take his children there right away. Also those pointed comments about how Max only married Nick because they had great sex was kind of overdone for me. And also after being caught cheating, nobody should ever use the pathetic excuse of saying they only did it because they have a sex addiction –that by the way is never talked about ever again in the book, so it was completely pointless anyways! And I am not saying that a sex addiction is pathetic, but that using it as an excuse to cheat is!
And then there is Max herself. She is kind of all over the place for me. On one page she hates men and doesn’t trust anybody. On the next she is getting back together with the college sweetheart. Huh? What the heck is going on?
And lastly what I did not like was how the oldest child blamed the mom. I am sorry if you are fourteen years old and don’t understand that your cheating lying father is at least halfway responsible for what the heck is going on during this kind of thing, you need to get your head checked! Okay, your mom and dad filmed themselves having sex, but they were both there, not just the mom! So what the heck, child?
So overall… The story was a nice try, but overdone. To me the author tried to hard to make it interesting and put to much stuff into the story. And really the only thing that can be taken away from this entire book is that especially in this time of age, nobody should ever EVER tape anything that they do not want others to find out.
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December 4, 2022Amazing book! Such a interesting story line about how one tape can turn a world around
August 20, 2015
Original review at www.125pages.com
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
3.75 Stars
♦ I loved the premise of this book; the idea that a very private event is suddenly out there for the world to see and judge, sounded very interesting. Max is portrayed as the every-woman – Mom, PTA chairperson, class room mother, and that also appealed to me. What I didn’t like was the fact that Max had to find validation in every man around her, she constantly believed they were going to leave her for a prettier woman and that she wasn’t good enough. I want a main character every-woman to actually realize that their happiness should be rooted in themselves, not in a man. Max spent too much time dithering between “does he like me or does he like me not” that could have been spent showing just how strong and resilient she was. And I’m sorry I don’t think a mother of four who had been married fifteen years and is only a month single is looking for their next love. I know it is just a book but people need time to grieve their losses. But beyond that, this was a very interesting book. It showcases just how something can become viral and the lengths the public and the media will go to clamoring for more. I really liked this book and with a bit more self confidence in regards to the main character it would have been elevated higher. Nevertheless, this is still a book I would recommend for a fast and cute weekend read.
◊ Favorite Lines* from Author’s Note – “There were times I thought that story would never see the light of day, but it was so important to me, I never gave up. So many editors and agents said that they loved the story, loved my writing, but couldn't figure out how to market it. There's no rakish billionaire in this story, no vampire, no star athlete, none of the characters agents and marketing departments adore— but there is one regular, overwhelmed mom whom readers connected with and loved. So I pushed on, hoping this book would find a home one day. I figured if I'd love to read about a mom whose house isn't perfect and whose life is even messier, there were others out there who would also like to read about that. I’m so grateful and thrilled that I was right.”
*I know these are not technically lines, but I love what the author stated. It made me excited to read the book and know that the main character was a regular person.
¤ Biggest Cliché – Needing to know that a man will find you appealing. Come on ladies, we need to think of ourselves as desirable, not depend on a man to justify us.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
3.75 Stars
♦ I loved the premise of this book; the idea that a very private event is suddenly out there for the world to see and judge, sounded very interesting. Max is portrayed as the every-woman – Mom, PTA chairperson, class room mother, and that also appealed to me. What I didn’t like was the fact that Max had to find validation in every man around her, she constantly believed they were going to leave her for a prettier woman and that she wasn’t good enough. I want a main character every-woman to actually realize that their happiness should be rooted in themselves, not in a man. Max spent too much time dithering between “does he like me or does he like me not” that could have been spent showing just how strong and resilient she was. And I’m sorry I don’t think a mother of four who had been married fifteen years and is only a month single is looking for their next love. I know it is just a book but people need time to grieve their losses. But beyond that, this was a very interesting book. It showcases just how something can become viral and the lengths the public and the media will go to clamoring for more. I really liked this book and with a bit more self confidence in regards to the main character it would have been elevated higher. Nevertheless, this is still a book I would recommend for a fast and cute weekend read.
◊ Favorite Lines* from Author’s Note – “There were times I thought that story would never see the light of day, but it was so important to me, I never gave up. So many editors and agents said that they loved the story, loved my writing, but couldn't figure out how to market it. There's no rakish billionaire in this story, no vampire, no star athlete, none of the characters agents and marketing departments adore— but there is one regular, overwhelmed mom whom readers connected with and loved. So I pushed on, hoping this book would find a home one day. I figured if I'd love to read about a mom whose house isn't perfect and whose life is even messier, there were others out there who would also like to read about that. I’m so grateful and thrilled that I was right.”
*I know these are not technically lines, but I love what the author stated. It made me excited to read the book and know that the main character was a regular person.
¤ Biggest Cliché – Needing to know that a man will find you appealing. Come on ladies, we need to think of ourselves as desirable, not depend on a man to justify us.
January 4, 2016
Max is going through suburban hell. After a video of her having sex with her husband is shared over the Internet, she discovers that her husband (Nick) was cheating on her the whole time. And not only was he cheating on her... he was cheating on her with 'hot mama' Sloane, who Max REALLY doesn't like. To make matters worse, Max still has to be mom to her four kids... and deal with the fact that Sloane is trying to 'buy' her eldest, Emma. Meanwhile, the paparazzi are having a field day with one tired suburban mom, and the other moms are having a field day with the gossip. Will Max ever get over Nick? Will the kids survive intact? And what about Max's dreams of baking again?
This book was good, but not great. REALLY easy to read... no flowery language... just clean and simple prose that got the point across. However, I didn't FEEL anything for the characters. I couldn't immerse myself in Max's life like I do in many of the books I read. I couldn't FEEL what Max must have been feeling at that time.
Also, the whole concept of 'video of a suburban mom gets out on the internet' was interesting, but I can't see that things were anywhere near realistic. Would the paparazzi really be constantly following some mom? Would it really be a big deal if a mom was having sex when there are sooo many videos out there? Would Max really be shunned by everyone just for having sex with a man she loved? Would there be any shame in that? The only thing I did feel was hate for those other moms at the preschool and at the elementary school who decided Max 'just wasn't worthy'. Didn't make sense why they would hate on her when she didn't do anything wrong.
Also, with the fact that Nick basically ruined Max's life, wouldn't she hate him just a bit more? She seemed to get over that one pretty quickly. I would have been SEETHING with anger day in and day out. It would have been nearly impossible to hide that from the kids. Maybe she was taking Prozac or something.
And then there's the Ben thing. Really? A guy you dated when you're 22 decides you're still the love of his life? He keeps declaring his love for you even though you're being a waffler and can't make up your mind and push him away only to take him back? And he's never been married even though he's a 'hot' musician? Nope. Don't buy it.
I liked the apple cake and rugelach best. I soooo wanted to taste them...
This book was good, but not great. REALLY easy to read... no flowery language... just clean and simple prose that got the point across. However, I didn't FEEL anything for the characters. I couldn't immerse myself in Max's life like I do in many of the books I read. I couldn't FEEL what Max must have been feeling at that time.
Also, the whole concept of 'video of a suburban mom gets out on the internet' was interesting, but I can't see that things were anywhere near realistic. Would the paparazzi really be constantly following some mom? Would it really be a big deal if a mom was having sex when there are sooo many videos out there? Would Max really be shunned by everyone just for having sex with a man she loved? Would there be any shame in that? The only thing I did feel was hate for those other moms at the preschool and at the elementary school who decided Max 'just wasn't worthy'. Didn't make sense why they would hate on her when she didn't do anything wrong.
Also, with the fact that Nick basically ruined Max's life, wouldn't she hate him just a bit more? She seemed to get over that one pretty quickly. I would have been SEETHING with anger day in and day out. It would have been nearly impossible to hide that from the kids. Maybe she was taking Prozac or something.
And then there's the Ben thing. Really? A guy you dated when you're 22 decides you're still the love of his life? He keeps declaring his love for you even though you're being a waffler and can't make up your mind and push him away only to take him back? And he's never been married even though he's a 'hot' musician? Nope. Don't buy it.
I liked the apple cake and rugelach best. I soooo wanted to taste them...
July 23, 2015
Goddess of Suburbia by Stephanie Kepke
Publication Date: 8/25/2015
Thank you to NetGallery.com and to the publisher for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
I was so excited to begin this book – to me it sounded like an original premise (homemade porn & paparazzi) with a divorce crisis/motherhood/maybe find love subplot (Fluff at its finest!). Wrong! This book is pretending to be all that while really being a maybe my old college boyfriend is really my soul mate romance. Yuck. I admit, I am cynical & jaded (and still happened to be married to my college sweetheart), but if you have new-found fame (no matter how unwanted) and someone from your past shows up unexpectedly and is trying to start a romance with you even though your marriage ended less than a month before – that person has an agenda.
What I loved: I did like Max’s spunk throughout the whole book even when her world was falling apart – and the comment about the ass-less chaps.
What I didn’t love: Where do I begin? How about the unrealistic portion of the whole paparazzi plot? We’ve all read the magazines even if we never cop to buying them. Last time I checked, it usually takes 2 (or more) to make a sex tape – why was Max the only one having to deal with this situation? Why wasn’t the ex Nick feeling the pressure of the tabloids as well? And wouldn’t one of the tabloid writers have done any research and see how he is now with the woman who leaked Max’s video to the porn site and tweeted all of the info to begin Max’s ascent into all that is trending? Even if the tabloid reporter had no morals, at least doing the research on the story would show a need to be promoted off of the random twitter beat and on to stalking some other C-list celebrity. I also didn’t like how much of an ASS Nick was – when will women realize that great sex with a person is worthless in a marriage if they treat you like crap.
What I learned: NEVER put anything on video, duh!
Overall Grade: C
Publication Date: 8/25/2015
Thank you to NetGallery.com and to the publisher for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
I was so excited to begin this book – to me it sounded like an original premise (homemade porn & paparazzi) with a divorce crisis/motherhood/maybe find love subplot (Fluff at its finest!). Wrong! This book is pretending to be all that while really being a maybe my old college boyfriend is really my soul mate romance. Yuck. I admit, I am cynical & jaded (and still happened to be married to my college sweetheart), but if you have new-found fame (no matter how unwanted) and someone from your past shows up unexpectedly and is trying to start a romance with you even though your marriage ended less than a month before – that person has an agenda.
What I loved: I did like Max’s spunk throughout the whole book even when her world was falling apart – and the comment about the ass-less chaps.
What I didn’t love: Where do I begin? How about the unrealistic portion of the whole paparazzi plot? We’ve all read the magazines even if we never cop to buying them. Last time I checked, it usually takes 2 (or more) to make a sex tape – why was Max the only one having to deal with this situation? Why wasn’t the ex Nick feeling the pressure of the tabloids as well? And wouldn’t one of the tabloid writers have done any research and see how he is now with the woman who leaked Max’s video to the porn site and tweeted all of the info to begin Max’s ascent into all that is trending? Even if the tabloid reporter had no morals, at least doing the research on the story would show a need to be promoted off of the random twitter beat and on to stalking some other C-list celebrity. I also didn’t like how much of an ASS Nick was – when will women realize that great sex with a person is worthless in a marriage if they treat you like crap.
What I learned: NEVER put anything on video, duh!
Overall Grade: C
October 22, 2015
Although not my usual genre, I truly enjoyed this book. I was interested in the premise of how just about any type of content can land in cyberspace without your permission or knowledge and in what ways it can affect lives.
It's unnerving how everything plays out in this story, which seems intentional and is presented in a dark but at times humorous manner, with a writing style that is easy to follow and enjoyable. Many readers and reviewers have expressed annoyance and have described a lack of believability over how the antagonists never seem to be held accountable for their actions. There was a point when I did begin to feel the same frustration and ask the same questions, but I soon realized that the story is not meant to be about them. Besides being a tale of how one woman survives severe betrayal, this story continues to concentrate well on her ordinariness and how she perseveres and rebuilds her life. The characters responsible for the betrayal are made to be insignificant, I think, for a reason, and I enjoyed following that train of thought. It is obvious from the beginning how ordinary the main character is intended to be, how dark and ugly the antagonists are, how imperfect the children are, yet how a crazy situation like this could actually be possible.
Ultimately, reality may sometimes fall far short of fantasy. Bad things happen to good people, kids sometimes suffer, and a hero can sometimes win only a small victory and remain ordinary. I did find the story and the characters to be believable and realistic, and I did find it to be an easy read. Looking forward to more goodies from this author.
It's unnerving how everything plays out in this story, which seems intentional and is presented in a dark but at times humorous manner, with a writing style that is easy to follow and enjoyable. Many readers and reviewers have expressed annoyance and have described a lack of believability over how the antagonists never seem to be held accountable for their actions. There was a point when I did begin to feel the same frustration and ask the same questions, but I soon realized that the story is not meant to be about them. Besides being a tale of how one woman survives severe betrayal, this story continues to concentrate well on her ordinariness and how she perseveres and rebuilds her life. The characters responsible for the betrayal are made to be insignificant, I think, for a reason, and I enjoyed following that train of thought. It is obvious from the beginning how ordinary the main character is intended to be, how dark and ugly the antagonists are, how imperfect the children are, yet how a crazy situation like this could actually be possible.
Ultimately, reality may sometimes fall far short of fantasy. Bad things happen to good people, kids sometimes suffer, and a hero can sometimes win only a small victory and remain ordinary. I did find the story and the characters to be believable and realistic, and I did find it to be an easy read. Looking forward to more goodies from this author.
September 8, 2015
I enjoyed this book and appreciate the publisher and Netgalley making this book available to me.
If Goodreads allowed 1/2 stars in reviews, I'd probably give this one 4.5 stars.
In today's 24/7 news cycle filled with gossipy stories and the intimate details of so many people's lives, I can easily see what happened to Max happening to pretty much anyone. That was part of the reason I so enjoyed reading this novel.
I found the character of Max to be somewhat annoying and her portrayal made me not really like her, which usually results in me not finishing a book, but there were so many other redeeming characters in this book that she didn't bother me much. I understand that a lot of not very good things happened to her all at once and this would make most people whiny, but she was a bit over the top.
Of course, Max's husband and his friend made me want to shake them until their teeth rattled! The portrayal of him was so typical of how I see this type of man that I was fascinated with him and what made him tick.
Max's kids were such bright spots in this book, popping up at great times to bring some lightness or even some longing for kids that age again to my mind. Overall this is a novel about having the strength to change things when life is no longer working for you. It has many very good parts and is the type of book I like because so many of us have to change up our lives with little to no warning.
If Goodreads allowed 1/2 stars in reviews, I'd probably give this one 4.5 stars.
In today's 24/7 news cycle filled with gossipy stories and the intimate details of so many people's lives, I can easily see what happened to Max happening to pretty much anyone. That was part of the reason I so enjoyed reading this novel.
I found the character of Max to be somewhat annoying and her portrayal made me not really like her, which usually results in me not finishing a book, but there were so many other redeeming characters in this book that she didn't bother me much. I understand that a lot of not very good things happened to her all at once and this would make most people whiny, but she was a bit over the top.
Of course, Max's husband and his friend made me want to shake them until their teeth rattled! The portrayal of him was so typical of how I see this type of man that I was fascinated with him and what made him tick.
Max's kids were such bright spots in this book, popping up at great times to bring some lightness or even some longing for kids that age again to my mind. Overall this is a novel about having the strength to change things when life is no longer working for you. It has many very good parts and is the type of book I like because so many of us have to change up our lives with little to no warning.
October 14, 2015
I would like to thank Booktrope and NetGalley for a copy of this book for my honest review.
I really found this to be a cute read. It's about a housewife, Max who is married to Nick who she finds out is a having an affair with a divorced "heavy on the alimony" it moms in town. She finds this out in the most humiliating of ways. Someone sends her teenage daughter a copy of a video that her husband had talked her into making of them fooling around. By the time her daughter gets it, the video has gone absolutely viral.
Max is devastated to say the least not only has lost her husband, the other woman has launched a full assault campaign against her. She's being tweeted about and her body is being critiqued by millions of strangers. She has paparazzi camped out by her front door who only seem to catch her at her most unflattering light. Her children are being affected by this at school, she has lost all credibility even though she is the one who has been wronged.
Max decides to take the advise of her very outspoken best friend just not to give a flip what others think about her. This very idea is almost as hard as losing her husband, but once she does she learns that there is light at end of the long tunnel.
This is great debut novel by Ms. Kepke. She has strong characters and I love the dialog she has with her soon to be ex.
I really found this to be a cute read. It's about a housewife, Max who is married to Nick who she finds out is a having an affair with a divorced "heavy on the alimony" it moms in town. She finds this out in the most humiliating of ways. Someone sends her teenage daughter a copy of a video that her husband had talked her into making of them fooling around. By the time her daughter gets it, the video has gone absolutely viral.
Max is devastated to say the least not only has lost her husband, the other woman has launched a full assault campaign against her. She's being tweeted about and her body is being critiqued by millions of strangers. She has paparazzi camped out by her front door who only seem to catch her at her most unflattering light. Her children are being affected by this at school, she has lost all credibility even though she is the one who has been wronged.
Max decides to take the advise of her very outspoken best friend just not to give a flip what others think about her. This very idea is almost as hard as losing her husband, but once she does she learns that there is light at end of the long tunnel.
This is great debut novel by Ms. Kepke. She has strong characters and I love the dialog she has with her soon to be ex.
January 10, 2016
This book is about a funny ordinary life which is easy to relate to. I've thankfully never been subjected to the evil of sexting, but the myriad of thoughts and feelings which Max endures are ones I can relate to for other instances in my life. She is a normal woman whose voice is funny which helps during the hard times. It was hard how most jumped to conclusions about the situations, and scary how much she was hounded by the press. I had no clue how it would all end, so I got surprised along with Max as unexpected allies rallied round to help her cope with the intense invasion of her privacy.
I think the humour helps highlight a modern phenomenon which seems to be on the rise. I think that no matter what you'd like to do, there are some private things you shouldn't share using technology because if it should ever be made public the consequences would be long lasting. On the plus side there is life after the scandal for Max, not quite what she imagined but one where she is a lot stronger and knows who she can trust, which surprised me as a reader.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review on my blog Nayu's Reading Corner http://nayusreadingcorner.blogspot.co...
I think the humour helps highlight a modern phenomenon which seems to be on the rise. I think that no matter what you'd like to do, there are some private things you shouldn't share using technology because if it should ever be made public the consequences would be long lasting. On the plus side there is life after the scandal for Max, not quite what she imagined but one where she is a lot stronger and knows who she can trust, which surprised me as a reader.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review on my blog Nayu's Reading Corner http://nayusreadingcorner.blogspot.co...
July 26, 2015
Stephanie Kepke has a beautiful writing style, seamlessly weaving present action with backstory, enriching the reader's journey down this twisted tale of a wife/mother's everyday life-meets-tabloid cover trauma.
I love Max; she is endearing, funny, and relatable--and she can bake! Viewing life through her perspective, I felt the anguish and heartache in her marriage. The struggle with her children. And the discomfort amongst her social circle. (She had me wanting to break a few paparazzi cameras too.) After Max's downfall with her husband, I was thrilled her old flame shows up. Come on--what gal hasn't wanted The-One-That-Got-Away to show up at the miracle moment? Timing is everything, and I wondered what was going to happen this time around with Ben.
Goddess of Suburbia is a well-written story with a happy ending. I'm looking forward to more from this author.
/ARCreview_Goddess_of_Suburbia_Stephanie_Kepke/
I love Max; she is endearing, funny, and relatable--and she can bake! Viewing life through her perspective, I felt the anguish and heartache in her marriage. The struggle with her children. And the discomfort amongst her social circle. (She had me wanting to break a few paparazzi cameras too.) After Max's downfall with her husband, I was thrilled her old flame shows up. Come on--what gal hasn't wanted The-One-That-Got-Away to show up at the miracle moment? Timing is everything, and I wondered what was going to happen this time around with Ben.
Goddess of Suburbia is a well-written story with a happy ending. I'm looking forward to more from this author.
/ARCreview_Goddess_of_Suburbia_Stephanie_Kepke/
August 3, 2015
A wonderful book is definitive on my re reading list
I always liked books with characters truthful and closer to reality. And I can say that Max did not disappoint me. Generally most of the characters are teenagers full of problems or people with a lot of maturity to arrive at a setting of no return, with Max history is a little different ..
She is the exemplary housekeeper owner of everything and everyone, happily married, until she realized that her marriage this a little tired because over the years. Her husband then has the great idea to film an intimate moment. What she did not expect is to become the target of paparazzi and have your face and a little more exposed in every magazine.
Read because this is one of the books that make you think, and want to find strength to change situations.I loved the way it was written is something enjoyable to read.
This is a book that makes you think about your actions and append the start when nothing seems right.
September 2, 2015
I received an advanced review copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm a married, suburban mom of five kids, and I understand what it can be like to have a traveling-for-work spouse. I can see why Max and Nick recorded their intimate relations to keep the home fires burning. Having been a teenage daughter myself, I can see why their daughter would be a complete and total brat. Within a few pages, however, we learn that Nick is cheating on Max with a mom from school, that the intimate video has been shared worldwide via YouTube, that the entire media circus is now obsessed with Max (even Oprah) and that Max is still pining for an ex-boyfriend from high school who was a complete jerk (and I believe shows up). I just couldn't handle it. It was a bit farfetched, and I am still bothered by Max's non-reaction to discovering that her husband of nearly 20 years was cheating.
I'm a married, suburban mom of five kids, and I understand what it can be like to have a traveling-for-work spouse. I can see why Max and Nick recorded their intimate relations to keep the home fires burning. Having been a teenage daughter myself, I can see why their daughter would be a complete and total brat. Within a few pages, however, we learn that Nick is cheating on Max with a mom from school, that the intimate video has been shared worldwide via YouTube, that the entire media circus is now obsessed with Max (even Oprah) and that Max is still pining for an ex-boyfriend from high school who was a complete jerk (and I believe shows up). I just couldn't handle it. It was a bit farfetched, and I am still bothered by Max's non-reaction to discovering that her husband of nearly 20 years was cheating.
February 3, 2016
An overachieving PTA committee leader and exhausted mother of four active children finds herself the target of a paparazzi frenzy in her upper-middle class Long Island town. As a devoted people-pleaser, Max recorded a sex tape with her husband Nick for his private viewing when he’s away on business trips. However, a leak has caused the tape to become a viral sensation and has put Max and Nick’s marriage in jeopardy. To make matters more complicated, Max’s old high school flame, who shattered her heart and trust, has moved back into town. Amidst the turmoil that her spirited children are going through with their mother’s newfound celebrity and the massive stress on her once mundane life, can Max steer herself into a brighter, genuine future or is she destined to flounder under the scrutiny?
July 26, 2015
This book will have you rooting for Max! It reads a little like a comedic version of Under the Tuscan Sun. Max has to find herself and in order to do that she has to have her world completely ripped apart and rebuilt. While I wish the author would have focused less on the Ben storyline and more on Max's story of self, I found myself quickly turning the pages to see the evildoers get their just desserts and for Max to find her happily ever after.
July 27, 2015
I read A New Life by this author and fell in love with her easy style of story telling. Stephanie Kepke isn't just slinging words on a page. She weaves the present-day with the backstory to create a fuller picture without the time-line choppiness or time-frame confusion I find in some stories with flashbacks. I couldn't love Max more if she were my own real-life best friend, and I'm glad she found a happy ending. A witty, well-written, relatable story for the suburban goddess in every woman.
August 27, 2015
Was a cute story with a happy ending, which is what I like to end up with sometimes. The main character had a lot of self doubt which I found hard to wade through and the villains of the story really should've gotten their just desserts in the end. Other than that I thought it was a quick easy read. See my full review here: Goddess of Suburbia
November 14, 2015
I loved this book! As a suburban, mid-40s mom, I found it very easy to relate to main character Max as she worked through the aftermath of unexpectedly finding herself in the spotlight after the sex tape her husband made is uploaded to the internet. Stephanie Kepke's excellent writing allowed me to connect with Max and her emotions as she tried to stitch her life back together. I would absolutely recommend this book to all of my fellow moms out there!
August 9, 2015
Thank you to Net Galley for a ARC of this book.
if you're looking for a quick, no-brainer read for lounging beach- or poolside then Goddess of Suburbia is your best bet. The book developed extremely fast and some parts read more like a script then an actual story but in the end I did get the happy ending I was hoping for.
if you're looking for a quick, no-brainer read for lounging beach- or poolside then Goddess of Suburbia is your best bet. The book developed extremely fast and some parts read more like a script then an actual story but in the end I did get the happy ending I was hoping for.
February 23, 2016
Did I like this book? No, I love it!! Very easy to read and so much real! This book did give me the boost I needed to be stronger! Feeling down cause of messy marriage or relationship well I would say to read this! Open your hearts and your eyes You deserve to be happy too! Don't let anyone hold you back go for it girl!
May 18, 2016
This book had a lot going for it & I highly recommend it for a funny, sweet & well-written read. The relationships in the book were very well-developed, and the author was able to capture that awful feeling of loss & betrayal that the protagonist feels as she discovers that her no-good husband had really, really two-timed her. Well done!
July 25, 2015
Quite entertaining but was missing a WOW factor!
August 26, 2015
I give this book
January 7, 2018
I have a full length rant...I mean review up: https://charmainelimen.wordpress.com/...
October 15, 2015
If you are looking for a book that is a quick read with lots of fluff, this book is for you. I would rate it 3.75 stars.
July 11, 2016
Nana
Absolutely loved this book. This is exactly what a wife goes through when the husband cheats. Looking forward to her next book.
Absolutely loved this book. This is exactly what a wife goes through when the husband cheats. Looking forward to her next book.
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