The Cousins

by Rona Jaffe

The author of the blockbuster novel, The Best of Everything, presents a family saga of loyalty and betrayal, passion and dark secrets, featuring a beautiful, adventurous divorce+a7e. 50,000 first printing. National ad/promo. Doubleday & Lit Guild.

Genres: Romance, Literature

272 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1995

About the author

Rona Jaffe established The Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers’ Awards program in 1995. It is the only national literary awards program of its kind dedicated to supporting women writers exclusively. Since the program began, the Foundation has awarded more than $850,000 to a total of 92 women.

Ms. Jaffe was the author of sixteen books, including Class Reunion, Family Secrets, The Road Taken, and The Room-Mating Season (2003). Her 1958 best-selling first novel, The Best of Everything, was reissued by Penguin in 2005.

Reviews

[Joanne Cheek · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’ve had it with Rona Jaffe books. This is my second one and they’ll be no more.

First off, the author threw a kazillion names at the reader right off the bat. Trying to follow all these characters was tedious, especially when the story itself was as dry as old toast.

Needless to say, I DNF.

[Natalie Tort · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing of substance happened in this lbooek. Also it would be better titled The Affair or The Couple because at least 70% of the book is about Olivia and Roger. She engages with her Cousins a few times a year at events but there's no character development on any of them. Primarily, this is Roger talking about his affair and Olivia talking about big events in her cousins lives.

[B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible!

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an OK, but not great, book.
It was about a woman who grew up in a big extended family, with a lot of problems. She finds out that her boyfriend of many years in cheating on her. Throughout the book, there are several family gatherings where her cousins discuss their own personal issues. I thought that there were too many characters to follow in the story and that none of them were really well-developed.
I like other Rona Jaffe books, like Class Reunion, much better.

[Rosie · Rating 3 out of 5]

ok easy read

[Angelie · Rating 4 out of 5]

it's good... will help you realize to appreciate more your family and relatives. and to be able to forgive and forget... and still believe in love over and over again even if it huts you a lot...

[Emily Long · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wish this had been as good as some of Rona Jaffe's other novels. Oh well.

[Michellehcat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Agree with other reviews in that this was not one of Rona's better works. A light, easy read.

[Christine Mathieu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read three excellent novels by Rona Jaffe, however, I disliked "The Best of Everything". I tried to read "The Cousins" a second time, but it has too many characters and is too confusing.