Jean and Rosie, opposites in every way, are dealing with different aspects of their lives when they find themselves working side-by-side in the same real estate company. Despite reluctance, they also find themselves teaming up for some new mid-life adventures filled with excitement, romance and plenty of drama.
As they become better acquainted, a friendship begins to form. They laugh, cry, and even fight together. Until finally, during a slumber party and while sporting polyester pajamas, they entrust their lives completely to each other and share their deepest, darkest secrets.
Through it all, they discover how truly wonderful having a best friend, at any age, can be. If you’ve ever had or needed a best friend, have wondered what life was all about, have been ashamed of something you’ve done in the past, or if you’ve ever lost someone you loved with all of your heart, then you MUST read this book!
I am a native of New Hampshire. My debut novel, in Polyester Pajamas, won the NH Writers' Project 2013/2014 Readers' Choice Award for outstanding work of fiction. I'm thrilled to now be co-authoring with Bill Bishop who grew up in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. He served 30 years in the USAF before retiring to the Panhandle of Florida. He has a very unique and engaging style of writing. I'm presently co-authoring several novels with him.
A bitchy, bitter, ultra-controlling woman meets little miss sunshine goody two-shoes! Let the games begin.
This was a cute, fun book! Two women that are polar opposites work in a real estate office, side by side. They go from co-workers to frenemies to friends during the course of the story with lots of crazy and funny antics along the way. Rosie’s teenage son calls them middle aged women in polyester pajamas! Which I might add they wear out in public to pick up pizza, stop to get gas at a convience store and end up being pulled over by the police!
I enjoyed this book but felt it was a little drawn out in places. It ends rather abruptly, no major storylines hanging, because there are more books in this series.
I just didn't get this book. The main character was a grumpy, nasty woman who befriends an always cheerful co-worker. There was no resolution to the main story arcs, the main character ends the book just slightly less grumpy than when it started, and the editing was non-existent. Giving it 2 stars because I actually wanted to finish it, even though I hated the ending.
Turning fifty was one of the hardest milestone ages I have yet experienced. Catherine Dougherty takes this landmark birthday and treats it with compassion, humor, and understanding. This book stars Jean, who is turning fifty and going through a divorce. She is estranged from her mother and grown sons, is sometimes snappish and sharp, and has no real friends. Then she meets Rosie. The tale unfolds into more than a turning-fifty story. It is just as relevant for anyone going through a personal emotional crisis, and themes of faith, friendship, and love resonate throughout. Even the ending (which I will NOT give away!) sings with hope for the future.
The story is really interesting and brings out the close female friendship - almost like Sex and the City. Today in the era, where we have improved so much on our societal norms about women, but still living in India where women forgo their friendship for family commitments, such books are a refreshing change and inspiration to build and reconnect to the girlfriends. The friendship between Jean and Rosie initially begins like a parasitic relationship where Jean leans on Rosie to get on with all the happenings in her life. Jean starts of as a very negative character with so much anger in her life about all the events. Slowly Rosie rubs off her and jean eventually begins to change her attitude towards her life and the people in her life. Rosie, however, is shown as a totally unbelievable character. She is too good to be true. A person being so much positive in life is something that I find really difficult to believe (incidentally there are times when even Jean says the same in the book) Overall I found the book enjoyable so far. The purchase of the next book will depend on the note that I end the book with. So long till then.
Although other readers have obviously enjoyed In Polyester Pajamas, and I can understand why they would, I have to admit that it just didn't ring any bells for me. I think, perhaps, I was expecting too much.
The main turn off, for me, was that I really couldn't connect with the main character, Jean, and I didn't feel much for the secondary character, Rosie, either. Jean's personality (which, of course, had all the rough edges knocked off as the story went on) just grated on me, even when she was getting her act into gear and turning her life around. As for Rosie, she was too nice and dull. So there you have it ... I am officially hard to please. The cranky-pants main character annoyed me and the nice secondary character bored me.
Having said that, I didn't completely dislike the book, but my search for truly relatable, interesting, fun, well-rounded, believable "boomer" fiction continues. Too many parts of this just did not feel believable. For example, Jean chatting to Rosie before her flight to Cleveland. She waited until they were giving the final boarding call to actually head for the security gate. Seriously! I would have been hyperventilating.
The one part that did feel somewhat believable was when Jean was reconciled with her mother and spent time with her before she died. Although that dragged on a little, it had the sense of being real.
Although the book does have Christian overtones, it's not what I would call your standard Christian novel, and there's nothing wrong with that. However, I'm not sure the average Christian reader will take to it (and I could be wrong), but on the other hand, the fairly obvious Christian message may turn off other readers. The author has attempted to communicate it in a very off-hand, casual way, but it actually doesn't come across that way at all.
So, although I totally acknowledge that others have thoroughly enjoyed In Polyester Pajamas, I was actually quite glad when I finally finished it. I did buy the second book in the series when I bought this one, based on the glowing reviews. I will probably get around to reading it sometime, but I'm not in any great hurry.
This is the first in a series of books about two new friends, Jean and Rosie. Two middle aged realtors who are polar opposites in their world views. Rosie is always happy, always smiling, always upbeat. Jean is not. Her husband has just left her, her two sons live all the way out in California, and she hasn't spoken to her mother in two years. She meets Rosie and cannot stand her. What is it with her always being happy? ALL. THE. TIME. It's enough to get on anyone's nerves!
There is a house for sale near the beach, a big, beautiful, expensive house. Rosie and Jean end up sharing the listing, and gradually Rosie starts to rub off on Jean. Eventually they become as close as sisters, and since neither of them actually have a sister, they adopt each other as such.
It's Rosie who gets Jean to finally reach out to her mother whom she hasn't spoken to since she (her mom) married Walter two years ago. So Jean screws up her courage and calls her mother that night, only to find out she's dying of cancer and has a short time left. Jean flies out to Cleveland to spend the last few months of her mother's life with her and Walter and her aunt.
While there, she meets Walter's son Jacob, who is a children's book author who gardens, knits, lives next door to his dad, is a widower, and agoraphobic. He's a very sweet man, and Jean wishes she felt a spark for him, but he turns out to be a very, very dear friend. When Jean's mother dies, it actually brought tears to my eyes. It brought back memories of my own sainted mother's passing. It's a very moving passage.
There are no cliffhangers here, which is good, but there are many ways to continue the story. Many, many ways. I won't spoil it for you, but will leave it to you to read and find out for yourself. All in all, I liked this book. I'll probably check out the second book in the series, In Woolen Bikinis
This one left me scratching my head. Ultimately a disappointing story of the growing friendship between two very different women which feels like it never actually gets to (or reveals) the point. It doesn't help that the character telling the story is mostly unlikeable. The author had a weird habit of CAPSLOCKING dialogue which I TENDED to find EXTREMELY annoying and DISTRACTING. I believe there are better ways to add emphasis. Some plot devices used felt mismatched to the seeming intent of the book; several dramatic occurrences just felt wrong and out of place, as if they'd been lifted from a different book. Some nicely written passages showing depth and empathy were ruined by the selfish and at times just plain nasty main character. At least there was some character growth, but the journey wasn't worth it for me. I really wanted to like this.
This book was too long, too dull, and had way too many plot lines that didn't really connect to make one coherent story. Jean's personality is grating, and Rosie's is too bubbly to feel real. I also didn't understand the random bits of Christianity pushing that got thrown in, seemingly unrelated. If I act like either of these women when I hit my 50s, I'm going to ask my friends and family to stage an intervention.
I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, producer, or narrator for an unbiased review
This was a totally different book than I expected, but I thoroughly loved this book!!!!! It was a book about different kinds of love. Parts of the book were hard for me to get through,as it brought back a lot of memories. I cried, but I also laughed so hard I cried tears of joy😀😥😀😀. Ladies, this is awesome book for best friends.
I’m focusing on the positive so I’ll say that this is, IMO, a reasonably well edited, somewhat predictable volume of chick lit. I can see this being nice when someone needs something to occupy their time without having to think too much. It’s a light, easy read that doesn’t delve very deep into any of its plots but managed to keep me just interested enough to finish it.
This started off as a "here we go again" story and towards the middle I thought it was going to get too religious but that was short lived. This was a pretty good story but I did not like the ending...or the ending that wasn't.
Jean's life is falling apart around her piece by piece. She hasn't been happy in quite a while, but she never expected to be completely alone at 50 with her husband and children rushing to get away from her and only her dog to keep her company. Life gets even better when the perky, too willing to help, utterly annoying Rosie shows up as a new Realtor at her office. Ready to give up, Jean has no idea what is in store for her.
This is definitely a character driven story. The main focus is on Jean, but many of the side characters shine as well. I really enjoyed Rosie, and I even felt sorry for Bob. Justin is hard to forget, and even though Jean's boys only had quick appearances, I felt for them as they tried to muddle through their own lives and their parents' divorce.
All of the characters were memorable and well written. My only real issue was that Jean was so unlikable in the beginning. She was supposed to be. Her life was a mess, and a good chunk of that was her fault. She is a jaded and bitter woman when readers first meet her. This had to be the case so she could later grow and reassess her priorities and relationships. I just would have liked to have had a little glimpse of her redeeming qualities earlier on so I could connect with Jean faster. As the book progressed and Jean started to really take stock of her life, I cared much more about her happiness and felt connected with her.
The overall arc of the story was well developed. Jean undergoes a great deal of change and progression during the story. She isn't a saint by the end of the book, we still have more story to go, but she is someone readers will want to see succeed and find joy. Rosie and several of the other side characters also have a great deal of depth and grow throughout the book. I enjoyed Rosie quite a bit, and I even cared about the ex-husband Bob as well.
The relationships in this story had many levels to them. The romantic elements were a bit subdued as Jean is mending from being left by her husband and struggles to figure out what she wants, but the friendships she develops were very worthwhile and interesting to explore. Her friendship with Rosie takes most of the focus as Rosie attempts to instill her positive attitude on Jean. She's not always successful, but both Jean and readers will appreciate her effort.
Jean also develops a friendship with Jacob when she temporarily moves to Cleveland to care for her mother. Jacob's kind and patient demeanor is a comfort to Jean, but sparks just don't seem to fly. Regardless, Jean does not want to leave him behind when he returns home. But as her fondness for Jacob grows, Bob begins reconsidering the divorce. I was definitely intrigued by Jean's relationship with both men and I look forward to following them in the next book. Overall, this was an entertaining and heartfelt story of personal growth and friendship that I enjoyed quite a bit.
In Polyester Pajamas: Jean and Rosie Series, Volume 1 : Catherine Dougherty
A story of a 50 year old woman, mean as can be. She has many life changes happen in a rather short time period. People move in and out of her life. The new co-worker will either be the best thing ever, or kill her in the process. I guess you could almost classify this as a coming of age book, just an older age.I will try and find the next book in this series, because I want more of these characters.
The narration was well done.The characters were well portrayed by Carolyn Power.
"I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator."
Jean was an unhappy woman. At age 50, her children had left home, and her husband had left her. She wasn't the easiest woman to get along with. When in a bad mood, everyone was in a bad mood. Then Rosie came to work for her real estate company. Rosie was the exact opposite of Jean: friendly and always possative. An unlikely friendship began to form, in spite of Jean's initial reluctance. Together they began to share their mid-life adventures.
This isn't the type of book I normally pick up. It proved to be a heart warming story of best friends, love, loss, and new beginnings. Pacing was a little slow for my taste, though the dialogue worked well. If you like middle aged chick lit this is a must read.
"In Polyester Pajamas" by Catherine Dougherty is a novel about friendship and change. Jean finds herself in the midst of a divorce at 50, and none too cheerful about it. When a new lady starts working at her real estate office, Jean and Rosie, total opposites in every way, develop a friendship.
The story is uplifting, in that it shows change doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing, and that a good friend can help you through just about anything. Things take a dramatic turn when one of the main characters if faced with the loss of a parent, and many light moments when Jean and Rosie hang out.
This is a great read about friendship, accepting change, and dealing with life.
A wonderful story about two very different women. Jean is quite negative, sad and not very friendly. Rosie is Jean 's complete opposite, she is positive, happy and very friendly. Rosie is happily married with a teen aged son, Jean however is in the middle of a nasty divorce with two grown sons who have also left to start their own lives. After a rough start these two women become the very best of friends thanks to Rosie's loving and patient ways. Thankfully their friendship comes at the perfect time to help both through some serious ups and downs! The story of their friendship is so special...you will not want to miss this book!!
Overall I enjoyed the book, a fairly fast read. Both story line and characters were solid. I felt it could have ended nicely around 85% through. The last 15% was just reiterating closure that already happened or could easily be assumed. It seemed as if chapters were added just to make a certain length.
If the publishing company is actually a company, it needs to be fired. The number of editing mistakes in this book is over the top of what should be allowed in a published work. Someone needs to edit and republish.
An interesting read. Jean is not a very nice lady and certainly not a sympathetic character, at least in the beginning of the book. Even towards the end she is sometimes hard to understand and even to tolerate. I finished the book and did enjoy some of the parts. I especially liked the evening they (Jean and her friend, Rosie) have a slumber party and end up going to town in their "polyester pajamas." Sounded like a really fun evening and truly something I would do.
This was a great book, but it was hard to read at the same time. First to hear her talk about her mom dying of cancer and her last breathe brought so many memories to me. Also, it is so hard to have a friend that you think you will be able to count on forever just turn away and decide that you are too hard to be friends with. I connected with so many parts and how that one day I can find my happy ending, the dream job and a friend who will be there no matter what.
A well written documentary of one persons life experiences that could well be you or I. A really enjoyable read, you will find it funny and oh so easy to apply to anyone's life trials, joys and disappointments. It left me feeling a common bond with most all of the players. I am looking forward to the next edition.
This was a fast read which I finished over the course of a lazy weekend afternoon, and it was not time I regretted spending once I had settled in. I would compare Catherine's grasp of her female characters to Nora Roberts ... so if you enjoy her, give Catherine a try!
I love the 50ish main character. There's a little bit of her in all of us. Great Summer read. Would love to read a sequel with Rosie as the main character!
This book was so good, I've already purchased the next book by Catherine Dougherty. It's titled In Woolen Bikinis. I'll get it started tonight or tomorrow.
I wish I had read this before reading "In Woolen Bikinis", but I enjoyed this book as well. I liked Jean's character and her relationship with Rosie. Hoping there is a sequel to "In Woolen Bikinis"