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Second Acts
From midtown Manhattan to a Florida suburb, from coastal Savannah to the hills of Rome, the interwoven tales of three lives unfold in the voices of Sarah, Miriam, and Beth. Their unshakable friendship takes root in a Buffalo college dorm in the late 1960s. Fueled by the optimism and bravado of that era, they charge into adulthood with lofty ideas and high expectations. They were, as Beth would later observe, “the first generation of women who felt entitled to interesting lives.”
They remain friends for decades, trading secrets, sharing joys, and shepherding each other through heartache. Little by little, they come to terms with a disconcerting postscript to the Age of Aquarius: Life—inevitably, unsparingly, repeatedly—demands compromise.
In the year leading up to 9/ 11, the three women, now middle aged, are tested by unwelcome drama at home, unforeseen challenges at work, and unresolved conflicts about decisions made long ago. Sustained by their abiding friendship, the three confront hard truths about themselves and the choices they have made. They must dispel past regrets and make peace with present circumstances as they begin the second acts of their lives.
Second Acts is a story of love, loss, and renewal, and a testament to the enduring power of friendship.
They remain friends for decades, trading secrets, sharing joys, and shepherding each other through heartache. Little by little, they come to terms with a disconcerting postscript to the Age of Aquarius: Life—inevitably, unsparingly, repeatedly—demands compromise.
In the year leading up to 9/ 11, the three women, now middle aged, are tested by unwelcome drama at home, unforeseen challenges at work, and unresolved conflicts about decisions made long ago. Sustained by their abiding friendship, the three confront hard truths about themselves and the choices they have made. They must dispel past regrets and make peace with present circumstances as they begin the second acts of their lives.
Second Acts is a story of love, loss, and renewal, and a testament to the enduring power of friendship.
329 pages, Paperback
First published September 26, 2017
7 people are currently reading
628 people want to read
About the author
Teri Emory
1 book13 followersTeri Emory is living proof that a liberal arts education does not necessarily make a person unemployable. As evidence: She has taught at the University of North Florida, Hunter College, Yeshiva University, and Fordham University and survived a fifteen-year tour of duty as a corporate writer. Her articles and poems have appeared in print and online publications, and she has edited essays and book-length manuscripts on absurdly esoteric topics.
Teri was born in the Bronx and grew up in and around New York City. She is proud to have been educated entirely in public schools, from kindergarten at P.S. 77 to graduate school at U.C. Berkeley. She has lived and worked in Manhattan, Berkeley, Jacksonville, Philadelphia, and Rome. A devoted mother and besotted grandmother, she now resides in Las Vegas, married to a man whom she re-met, after almost forty years, at her high school reunion.
Teri was born in the Bronx and grew up in and around New York City. She is proud to have been educated entirely in public schools, from kindergarten at P.S. 77 to graduate school at U.C. Berkeley. She has lived and worked in Manhattan, Berkeley, Jacksonville, Philadelphia, and Rome. A devoted mother and besotted grandmother, she now resides in Las Vegas, married to a man whom she re-met, after almost forty years, at her high school reunion.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
September 2, 2017
This review is also on my blog illbefinealonereads
This was a great read. It’s really well written, in a fashion where the story jumps off the page and pulls you in. The writing itself feels smooth and intricate, Ms. Emory has an amazing writing style and it shows.
The story itself was a breath of fresh air, I read it at the best time possible. I found the characters and the plot well-developed and interesting.
This was an entertaining, but touching read, perfect for fans of Women’s Fiction. I recommend it.
*Copy received through NetGalley
*Rating: 5/5 stars
This was a great read. It’s really well written, in a fashion where the story jumps off the page and pulls you in. The writing itself feels smooth and intricate, Ms. Emory has an amazing writing style and it shows.
The story itself was a breath of fresh air, I read it at the best time possible. I found the characters and the plot well-developed and interesting.
This was an entertaining, but touching read, perfect for fans of Women’s Fiction. I recommend it.
*Copy received through NetGalley
*Rating: 5/5 stars
September 17, 2017
Read my full review at Musings Over Nothing
The story takes through the lives of Sarah, Miriam, and Beth right from their college days. They have spent their lives together for decades, all through their happiness, heartbreaks, the ups and the downs, even when they had lived physically far from each other. Now the ladies are in their fifties, and their careers and domestic lives are changing. Would their friendship sustain through these storms?
The book alternates between the voices of Sarah, Miriam, and Beth in the first person throughout. Sarah lives with her boyfriend Kevin who wouldn't commit or even let her in on his life, which seemed convenient for her. She finds out something huge about Kevin and his son and Kevin did not even feel it was important to inform her. And the changes at work makes it impossible for her continue shying away from commitments.
Miriam has had her heart broken once, and she wonders about all the men that she had turned down. She is more than settled with the idea that she is never going to meet the right one. Beth seemingly has it all, until she finds her husband cheated on her. To make her life more fragile the love of her life, the one that got away is back. The group has a second chance in life. Should they trade their old lives?
The idea that college friends can stay together well into their fifties is highly romantic. The dynamics among them does not change and if anything, it has become better with age. Though the ladies are all at different points of their life and have chosen different paths, there is no judging and an unwavering support through it all.
Second Acts makes it a point to let us know that 50s are not something to be dreaded about. Lives still go on and about, and exciting things do happen. Though there were too many details and the book as such was tad bit lengthy, I continued through it. I would not call the book an un-put-down-able, and it took a lot more than usual to complete the book. On the whole, I was not disappointed at all, thanks to the realistic plot and engaging writing.
The characters were well developed, and even the minor characters had depth. I found a part of myself among all the three leads, and I kept rooting for Miriam the most. She was just too cool. Several themes like grief over death, lost love, hurt by a loved one, despair over unrequited love, unexpected changes were all dealt with such flair that the reader would feel them.
Second Acts could be your summer read, the one that you wanna read when you miss your friends in real life or the one you read during your daily commute. If you are up to reading a woman's fiction with realistic writing this weekend, you should watch out for Second Acts.
Disclaimer: Thanks to the Author and Edelweiss for the Advance Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The story takes through the lives of Sarah, Miriam, and Beth right from their college days. They have spent their lives together for decades, all through their happiness, heartbreaks, the ups and the downs, even when they had lived physically far from each other. Now the ladies are in their fifties, and their careers and domestic lives are changing. Would their friendship sustain through these storms?
The book alternates between the voices of Sarah, Miriam, and Beth in the first person throughout. Sarah lives with her boyfriend Kevin who wouldn't commit or even let her in on his life, which seemed convenient for her. She finds out something huge about Kevin and his son and Kevin did not even feel it was important to inform her. And the changes at work makes it impossible for her continue shying away from commitments.
Miriam has had her heart broken once, and she wonders about all the men that she had turned down. She is more than settled with the idea that she is never going to meet the right one. Beth seemingly has it all, until she finds her husband cheated on her. To make her life more fragile the love of her life, the one that got away is back. The group has a second chance in life. Should they trade their old lives?
The idea that college friends can stay together well into their fifties is highly romantic. The dynamics among them does not change and if anything, it has become better with age. Though the ladies are all at different points of their life and have chosen different paths, there is no judging and an unwavering support through it all.
Second Acts makes it a point to let us know that 50s are not something to be dreaded about. Lives still go on and about, and exciting things do happen. Though there were too many details and the book as such was tad bit lengthy, I continued through it. I would not call the book an un-put-down-able, and it took a lot more than usual to complete the book. On the whole, I was not disappointed at all, thanks to the realistic plot and engaging writing.
The characters were well developed, and even the minor characters had depth. I found a part of myself among all the three leads, and I kept rooting for Miriam the most. She was just too cool. Several themes like grief over death, lost love, hurt by a loved one, despair over unrequited love, unexpected changes were all dealt with such flair that the reader would feel them.
Second Acts could be your summer read, the one that you wanna read when you miss your friends in real life or the one you read during your daily commute. If you are up to reading a woman's fiction with realistic writing this weekend, you should watch out for Second Acts.
Disclaimer: Thanks to the Author and Edelweiss for the Advance Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
September 27, 2017
What a delightful read! This is about three women who met in college and became best friends during the 70's in New York. This novel chronicles the lives of Sarah, Miriam, and Beth, as they make their way from hippies to mothers with careers. They have each other's back through marriages, children and everything in between. I loved the way the novel was laid out, where each friend narrated that "chapter" of her life in her own voice. It gave you a deeper understanding of the personalities of the different women and you could relate to them better. This novel was so well written that you felt like you were a part of their world. It's one of those novels that you really wish didn't end, you want to keep reading about what happens next.
I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this e-galley in exchange for my honest review.
I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this e-galley in exchange for my honest review.
May 29, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. It's the story of three women who become friends during their college days in the 1960s and goes up to 2001. Throughout this time they have remained great friends. For most of the book they all live in NYC or nearby. We go through the ups and downs of the lives of the three women. The characters are really well developed and I was invested in their stories. The flow of the book is good. It was great to go through their lives over the years and to see how the friendship was always sustained. All of the women were very independent but still had a circle of family and friends around them which was interwoven throughout. I would definitely recommend this book.
Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read this book for an honest review. This book is being published Sept 26, 2017. Add it to your TBR.
Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read this book for an honest review. This book is being published Sept 26, 2017. Add it to your TBR.
July 17, 2019
Oh how I love Teri Emory’s SECOND ACTS! This beautifully written and crafted novel recounts the lives of Sarah, Miriam, and Beth, characters invested with such truth and vivacity that they feel like your own best girlfriends, the ones you’ve known forever, who have stood as your maid of honor, cheered the birth of your children, celebrated your 40th with good wine and even better stories, and who have held you as you sobbed the loss of cherished loves.
Here is Teri’s lively description of this highly engrossing novel, one I promise you will read through meals, through well-meaning attempts to engage you in conversation by children and spouses, through long nights into dawn, then bleary-eyed as you turn the last page over coffee and toast, bereft that you have reached the end of a story you want to go on forever, as you’ve felt so completely understood as a woman of a certain age:
“From midtown Manhattan to a Florida suburb, from coastal Savannah to the hills of Rome, the interwoven tales of three lives unfold in the voices of Sarah, Miriam, and Beth. Their unshakable friendship takes root in a Buffalo college dorm in the late 1960s. Fueled by the optimism and bravado of that era, they charge into adulthood with lofty ideas and high expectations. They were, as Beth would later observe, “the first generation of women who felt entitled to interesting lives.”
“In the year leading up to 9/ 11, the three women, now middle aged, are tested by unwelcome drama at home, unforeseen challenges at work, and unresolved conflicts about decisions made long ago. With emotional courage and wry humor, and sustained by their abiding friendship, the three confront hard truths about themselves and the choices they have made. They must dispel past regrets and make peace with present circumstances in order to flourish in the second acts of their lives. Second Acts is a story of love, loss, and renewal, and a testament to the enduring power of friendship.”
This is the author’s first novel but her writing is so deft, her plotting so assured, that it takes your breath away! All you wish is for SECOND ACTS to have its own second act, and third, and fourth! Bravo! 5/5
Thank you, Teri, for the review copy in exchange for my honest opinion. It was a joy to do this review and I especially appreciate your kind patience in awaiting it!
Here is Teri’s lively description of this highly engrossing novel, one I promise you will read through meals, through well-meaning attempts to engage you in conversation by children and spouses, through long nights into dawn, then bleary-eyed as you turn the last page over coffee and toast, bereft that you have reached the end of a story you want to go on forever, as you’ve felt so completely understood as a woman of a certain age:
“From midtown Manhattan to a Florida suburb, from coastal Savannah to the hills of Rome, the interwoven tales of three lives unfold in the voices of Sarah, Miriam, and Beth. Their unshakable friendship takes root in a Buffalo college dorm in the late 1960s. Fueled by the optimism and bravado of that era, they charge into adulthood with lofty ideas and high expectations. They were, as Beth would later observe, “the first generation of women who felt entitled to interesting lives.”
“In the year leading up to 9/ 11, the three women, now middle aged, are tested by unwelcome drama at home, unforeseen challenges at work, and unresolved conflicts about decisions made long ago. With emotional courage and wry humor, and sustained by their abiding friendship, the three confront hard truths about themselves and the choices they have made. They must dispel past regrets and make peace with present circumstances in order to flourish in the second acts of their lives. Second Acts is a story of love, loss, and renewal, and a testament to the enduring power of friendship.”
This is the author’s first novel but her writing is so deft, her plotting so assured, that it takes your breath away! All you wish is for SECOND ACTS to have its own second act, and third, and fourth! Bravo! 5/5
Thank you, Teri, for the review copy in exchange for my honest opinion. It was a joy to do this review and I especially appreciate your kind patience in awaiting it!
June 28, 2017
I absolutely loved this book. I was instantly drawn in. I became very involved in the lives of the three protagonists. The writing is clear and involving and rich and layered. It's a book about relationships and transformation, and those are qualities that I absolutely adore in stories. I truly started missing the three main characters as soon as I finished the novel. I can't WAIT for a sequel!
April 18, 2018
I started to give this book three stars because it was good & I enjoyed it, but it wasn't as good as some other four star books I've read. But then I realized I read this book in less than a week AND I stayed up until 2am to finish it on a work night. So I realized I liked it more than I first thought.
The Kindle edition had a few grammar & spelling errors, so if that kind of thing bothers you, be forewarned.
The story itself was really easy for me to follow & enjoy. I do love the three-person narrative, each chapter told by the perspective of one of the main characters. The three ladies are likeable, and their stories plausible. I also like that this story is modern, but doesn't take place in 2018. In fact, it ends in 2001. I love the references to things like VHS movies, cassette tapes, and the Palm Pilot. Funny to think how those are fairly modern things, yet already antiquated.
The bows are tied fairly neatly at the end. Not everything is a happy ending, but I wasn't left feeling disappointed either. I could see this being made into a movie.
The Kindle edition had a few grammar & spelling errors, so if that kind of thing bothers you, be forewarned.
The story itself was really easy for me to follow & enjoy. I do love the three-person narrative, each chapter told by the perspective of one of the main characters. The three ladies are likeable, and their stories plausible. I also like that this story is modern, but doesn't take place in 2018. In fact, it ends in 2001. I love the references to things like VHS movies, cassette tapes, and the Palm Pilot. Funny to think how those are fairly modern things, yet already antiquated.
The bows are tied fairly neatly at the end. Not everything is a happy ending, but I wasn't left feeling disappointed either. I could see this being made into a movie.
September 4, 2017
I really liked this book.
Written from the points of view of three different women, Beth, Sarah, and Miriam who have been friends since college in the 1960s, The author demonstrates astute observations on love, aging, and life.
The women have faced various crises in their lives… losing a child, a parent, a job, a lover; the one constant has been their friendship and mutual support. Once free thinking young women with boundless options, they have endured many choices and challenges and are now embarking on the “second acts” of their lives.
Well written, this book is engrossing, entertaining, funny, sad, infuriating, satisfying.
Written from the points of view of three different women, Beth, Sarah, and Miriam who have been friends since college in the 1960s, The author demonstrates astute observations on love, aging, and life.
The women have faced various crises in their lives… losing a child, a parent, a job, a lover; the one constant has been their friendship and mutual support. Once free thinking young women with boundless options, they have endured many choices and challenges and are now embarking on the “second acts” of their lives.
Well written, this book is engrossing, entertaining, funny, sad, infuriating, satisfying.
May 28, 2017
The later lives of three college friends are told in the first person in alternating chapters. We get the chance to see all three through each other's eyes as well as follow their stories closely. Each have had different life experiences but their friendship remains a constant.
I'm not usually a fan of this kind of book, but this is so well written, has a depth to it and deals realistically with women in their fifties (they're not all trying to relive their youth with unlikely affairs), that it makes a very refreshing change.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.
I'm not usually a fan of this kind of book, but this is so well written, has a depth to it and deals realistically with women in their fifties (they're not all trying to relive their youth with unlikely affairs), that it makes a very refreshing change.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.
September 17, 2017
I loved this book! I instantly was drawn into the lives of three strong and relatable friends, Sarah, Beth, and Miriam. This book focuses on their relationships, both personal, professional, and their transformation throughout the years.
Their stories begin in their college days and alternates between Sarah, Beth, and Miriam, in the first person. The characters and story lines were well developed and easy to follow. The minor characters were also well developed. I found myself identifying with each one in some way and rooted for them all.
Second Acts is a great summer read! It hits home with the importance of friendship and celebration of life, even when times are difficult. The writing is realistic and there are always Second Acts in life!
Disclaimer: Thanks to the Author and Net Galley for opportunity for an honest review.
Their stories begin in their college days and alternates between Sarah, Beth, and Miriam, in the first person. The characters and story lines were well developed and easy to follow. The minor characters were also well developed. I found myself identifying with each one in some way and rooted for them all.
Second Acts is a great summer read! It hits home with the importance of friendship and celebration of life, even when times are difficult. The writing is realistic and there are always Second Acts in life!
Disclaimer: Thanks to the Author and Net Galley for opportunity for an honest review.
September 18, 2017
Second Acts by Teri Emory was an enjoyable read begining to end. I especially liked her reference to Savannah and Tybee Island it shows her research as accurate. The novel tells the story of three long time friends Sarah, Beth, and Mariam and the loves (men, children, parents, work, passions, etc.)in their lives. Each a stong woman. Book clubs will enjoy this book because there is so much more meaning just below the surface. Thank you Net Galley for the chance to read this book.
September 13, 2017
Sarah, Miriam, and Beth each has a distinctive voice in this novel which can be read as a history of women who came of age and maturity between the 60s and 9/11. Emory has woven historical events and realistic bits of life through the alternating chapters. I felt like I knew these women; I went up and down with them and rooted for them. Clear writing and careful plotting made this a winner for me. Not all of it was expected, which was also a plus. Their friendship survives so much as they move through their lives. We should all be so lucky. Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. You will like this if you like strong women's fiction. Two thumbs up!
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May 12, 2017Please check out my other reviews on www.FluffSmutandMurder.com
Thank you to NetGalley.com for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
As I get older, I find myself drawn to older female characters so I can relate. My only is heading to college next year so I cannot really enjoy books with main characters in the early 20’s like I used to. I enjoyed reading about these almost life long friendships and their experiences in love, work, and life. I only wish I had first known when the present day story started (late 90’s, early ‘00s) because the references to a Palm and Windows on the World really threw me.
What I loved: Sarah was my favorite character. Maybe it was because she started off the story, but I think the author made her personality come alive more than the others since Sarah never really traveled back into her memories like her friends. She is witty, sarcastic to the point of almost being brutal, and has a confidence in herself that the others lack.
What I didn’t love: Beth had to be the most boring character to me. I would have rather seen more depth in regards to the death of her son instead of her time in Italy in college. I think her experiences of loss and as a mother shaped her into the person she is today and it was barely acknowledged in the story.
What I learned: Friends made in college last a lifetime.
Overall Grade: B-
www.FluffSmutandMurder.com
Thank you to NetGalley.com for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
As I get older, I find myself drawn to older female characters so I can relate. My only is heading to college next year so I cannot really enjoy books with main characters in the early 20’s like I used to. I enjoyed reading about these almost life long friendships and their experiences in love, work, and life. I only wish I had first known when the present day story started (late 90’s, early ‘00s) because the references to a Palm and Windows on the World really threw me.
What I loved: Sarah was my favorite character. Maybe it was because she started off the story, but I think the author made her personality come alive more than the others since Sarah never really traveled back into her memories like her friends. She is witty, sarcastic to the point of almost being brutal, and has a confidence in herself that the others lack.
What I didn’t love: Beth had to be the most boring character to me. I would have rather seen more depth in regards to the death of her son instead of her time in Italy in college. I think her experiences of loss and as a mother shaped her into the person she is today and it was barely acknowledged in the story.
What I learned: Friends made in college last a lifetime.
Overall Grade: B-
www.FluffSmutandMurder.com
April 26, 2023
I am currently reading this book, a little less than halfway through, and I don't want it to end. The characters all are relatable and not exaggerated in the way some fiction writers tend to go. You can see their flaws yet they still feel like people you would be happy to spend time with. There are little cultural references, songs that are mentioned, and the like that I really enjoyed and got a kick out of, being of the same baby boomer generation as the writer and her characters. What really works is the way the novel is organized, where each of the 3 characters has her own sections where she is writing in the first person, which enables you to see each of the 3 characters from 2 other people's viewpoints instead of just one, making it easier for the reader to discover each character's blind spots and wonder if (and hope that) the characters will ever see it themselves. I also really am loving the digs at pharmaceutical companies and the suggestions as to where some of that profit from obscene drug prices really goes - Teri Emory obviously has real life experience in that area. It's nice to read a contemporary women's book that has intelligent, real-life drama without any drama queens. I could keep reading this book forever. I am just loving it, it's a breath of fresh air, and the writing is smart, smooth, and effortless.
June 22, 2017
Thanks to Amberjack Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Second Acts is an enjoyable book that follows three college friends through the highs and lows of their jobs, relationships, and families. It starts when the girls are in college and ends when they're in their 50s, just after 9/11. The book is written in alternating chapters, one friend after the other, which is an interesting way to write a story and makes the book fun to read.
I really liked the three characters. They were all different, and the trajectories of their lives were different as well, but they remained close and connected throughout their experiences. I thought they were well written. The themes of love and loss in different forms were sensitively explored, and in the end there was a sense of journeys taken and goals reached.
I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it.
Second Acts is an enjoyable book that follows three college friends through the highs and lows of their jobs, relationships, and families. It starts when the girls are in college and ends when they're in their 50s, just after 9/11. The book is written in alternating chapters, one friend after the other, which is an interesting way to write a story and makes the book fun to read.
I really liked the three characters. They were all different, and the trajectories of their lives were different as well, but they remained close and connected throughout their experiences. I thought they were well written. The themes of love and loss in different forms were sensitively explored, and in the end there was a sense of journeys taken and goals reached.
I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it.
September 22, 2017
I love books like this. Three friends, just living their life. There's a little drama, but mostly this focuses the story on the women in their 50's and this exact time in their life. It's a slice of life book, we see a section of a story.
Sarah, Beth and Miriam have been friends since the 60's and have been each other's rock throughout hard and good times. There is love, there is heartbreak.
Teri Emory created very real characters. This is a story about what happens after all the glitter and shine of a new marriage or a new friendship. This is well-lived. My ONE complaint is that I wish there were more details about the women's activities in the 60s and 70s.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Sarah, Beth and Miriam have been friends since the 60's and have been each other's rock throughout hard and good times. There is love, there is heartbreak.
Teri Emory created very real characters. This is a story about what happens after all the glitter and shine of a new marriage or a new friendship. This is well-lived. My ONE complaint is that I wish there were more details about the women's activities in the 60s and 70s.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
August 4, 2017
This is the story about 3 friends. Women who met in college and are still friends in their 50's. Each is different. They have experienced the feminist era of their 20's and chosen different paths. But, they have stayed supportive friends through it all. The author did an excellent job of giving us enough insight into the brains and emotions of these women that the reader is able to engage.
January 24, 2018
College friends Sarah, Beth, and Miriam are entering middle age and their lives are going in new directions. Sarah's ex-husband dies and leaves her a surprise message when she leaves it the most. Beth and her husband Jim are struggling in their marriage and she has a choice when her 1st love contacts her. Miriam finds something unexpected but does she have the courage. Together they find a Second Act for their friendship and life.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an ARC for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an ARC for my honest review.
July 27, 2017
Three women over as many decades--their lives, loves and loss. This novel was very easy for me to slide into. There were so many instances where I could personally identify with the events in the characters' lives. Told in a laid-back style with beautiful, concise writing. It was a pleasure to read about enduring female friendships and I wish there was more of that. Definitely passes the Bechdel Test.
May 25, 2017
A lifelong friendship since college ties together three friends, Beth, Miriam and Sarah. Confiding in each other as life happens, the three women face relationship issues, career challenges and more. It was nice to read about older characters with different life experiences behind them. A good read for fans of women's fiction.
June 5, 2017
3.5 stars
A heartwarming and impressively-written saga spanning 20 years of friendship between three women.
What I liked: the references to feminism, the female energy, the settings.
What I didn't like: the characters felt underdeveloped, the ends were tied up very quickly and neatly.
Overall: an enjoyable read that didn't take too much concentration.
A heartwarming and impressively-written saga spanning 20 years of friendship between three women.
What I liked: the references to feminism, the female energy, the settings.
What I didn't like: the characters felt underdeveloped, the ends were tied up very quickly and neatly.
Overall: an enjoyable read that didn't take too much concentration.
October 13, 2017
Reading this funny and intimate book was like learning another language for me. The 3 main female characters became familiar faces to me as I heard, mostly for the first time(!), the language women speak to each other, how they relate to life's big curves, men and family, all while making me laugh and relate. What an eye opener. I loved this book.
June 12, 2017
I received an arc via Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.
Second Acts is a beautifully written story of friendship. Loved this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this author's writing and hope to read more of her work in the future.
Second Acts is a beautifully written story of friendship. Loved this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this author's writing and hope to read more of her work in the future.
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June 14, 2020I really wanted to like this book. I really, really wanted to. It has a lot of positive reviews but it just wasn't for me. I love books about the so-called mid-life crisis, which I call a deconstruction, and the second parts of life but this one I couldn't get into, and the longer I listened the less I cared. I abandoned it at 36% or when Part 1 finished and Part 2 was about to start up.
The story features three women who met in college and stayed friends throughout the years. Part 1, which is what my review is based on since I quit once it was finished, gives the reader some backstory on each woman's life - present and then some part of their past. For whatever reason, each woman's story in part 1 really put me off, I just didn't care about the characters. I don't think this was necessarily due to Emory's writing, although it could have been. I wasn't super engaged with each of the narrator's voices which I'm thinking might have been part of the problem. I was also really put off by Miriam's part 1 story in which an old love affair was relayed. It really bugged me, the man was incredibly undesirable and weird. Again, I'm wondering if that had more to do with the narrator than with Emory's writing. All of this to say, I wasn't moved by the parts of each character's story - I wasn't engaged in any part of their stories nor did I want to find out any more about them.
I am wondering if I would have kept reading if I read the printed version but as the saying goes, "so many books, so little time" so I'm not going to pick up the printed version. I'm just going to cut my losses and move on.
The story features three women who met in college and stayed friends throughout the years. Part 1, which is what my review is based on since I quit once it was finished, gives the reader some backstory on each woman's life - present and then some part of their past. For whatever reason, each woman's story in part 1 really put me off, I just didn't care about the characters. I don't think this was necessarily due to Emory's writing, although it could have been. I wasn't super engaged with each of the narrator's voices which I'm thinking might have been part of the problem. I was also really put off by Miriam's part 1 story in which an old love affair was relayed. It really bugged me, the man was incredibly undesirable and weird. Again, I'm wondering if that had more to do with the narrator than with Emory's writing. All of this to say, I wasn't moved by the parts of each character's story - I wasn't engaged in any part of their stories nor did I want to find out any more about them.
I am wondering if I would have kept reading if I read the printed version but as the saying goes, "so many books, so little time" so I'm not going to pick up the printed version. I'm just going to cut my losses and move on.
October 6, 2017
This is a sweet book about three fifty-something women who have been best friends since they roomed together in college in the 60s. Life has led them in unexpected directions, and the book shines a light on one interesting year of their lives that includes love, loss, and surprises.
The title is perfect, as all three women discover that life does not end at 50, and there is a lot of living to be done in the second act.
This one started strong, but in the end I found myself nitpicking the way that all three women think and speak like therapists (only one is actually a therapist), and I felt the conflicts were largely cliché.
One character has previously lost an adult child, and I found myself thinking that the moments his death was mentioned in her chapters felt more like lip service than a real person's emotional response. However, having never experienced the loss of a child, I can't say for sure that her thoughts and behavior weren't realistic for a grieving mother.
Overall, the resolutions of all the characters' stories feel like wish fulfillment. Great things come to them because they are great people. This is the type of happy ending that many people enjoy, but there is a reason I tend to prefer books to movies. Give me something that's a little more real... a woman who can make herself be okay without the money, or the man.
The title is perfect, as all three women discover that life does not end at 50, and there is a lot of living to be done in the second act.
This one started strong, but in the end I found myself nitpicking the way that all three women think and speak like therapists (only one is actually a therapist), and I felt the conflicts were largely cliché.
One character has previously lost an adult child, and I found myself thinking that the moments his death was mentioned in her chapters felt more like lip service than a real person's emotional response. However, having never experienced the loss of a child, I can't say for sure that her thoughts and behavior weren't realistic for a grieving mother.
Overall, the resolutions of all the characters' stories feel like wish fulfillment. Great things come to them because they are great people. This is the type of happy ending that many people enjoy, but there is a reason I tend to prefer books to movies. Give me something that's a little more real... a woman who can make herself be okay without the money, or the man.
April 19, 2024
2.5 stars, but I am rounding up for purposes of Goodreads.com, which only allows for whole number ratings. "Second Acts: A Novel," by Teri Emory sounded so fun to me, as it is the story of three old friends who met at college in the late 1960s and remained lifelong friends. They are women of my generation, and I also still have friends I met in my freshman year dorm on campus. The book is about these 3 friends, their lives, loves, losses, and careers, in the years between college and 2001, but before 9/11. I just could not connect to any of their stories, could not summon up much empathy for their decisions, but I did feel compassion for the horrific loss of a child.
I love this genre of book, and have to wonder if, perhaps, I had read this one with my eyes, rather than listened to the audiobook, I might have liked it better. At times, I found myself tuning out the narrator. Not quite sure what was missing for me, but just cannot recommend it.
I love this genre of book, and have to wonder if, perhaps, I had read this one with my eyes, rather than listened to the audiobook, I might have liked it better. At times, I found myself tuning out the narrator. Not quite sure what was missing for me, but just cannot recommend it.
October 18, 2017
Thanks to NetGalley, Amberjack Publishing and Teri Emory for the opportunity to read and review this book - I loved it. Just a great, relatable read.
Three friends - Sarah, Miriam and Beth - meet in college in the 1970s and become lifelong friends, despite their differences in backgrounds and temperaments. The book is laid out in different times of their lives - starting with the college years up through after 9/11 - and each chapter is told in the voice of one of the friends. So you really get to learn about each character this way.
I loved each of these women for their own strengths and weaknesses. Their main focus was on being there for each other forever. How lucky to have friends like that - to know that people always had your back no matter what. And especially to be beginning that "second act" of our lives with such good friends in your corner.
Great read!
Three friends - Sarah, Miriam and Beth - meet in college in the 1970s and become lifelong friends, despite their differences in backgrounds and temperaments. The book is laid out in different times of their lives - starting with the college years up through after 9/11 - and each chapter is told in the voice of one of the friends. So you really get to learn about each character this way.
I loved each of these women for their own strengths and weaknesses. Their main focus was on being there for each other forever. How lucky to have friends like that - to know that people always had your back no matter what. And especially to be beginning that "second act" of our lives with such good friends in your corner.
Great read!
June 27, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. It was a bit meandering, in that it jumped back in time to these women's lives as young adults, but those flashbacks weren't unwelcome - they helped me understand their present. This is a story about three middle-aged women who are all beginning their lives over in some way. There are two quotes at the end of the book that really sum up the book nicely. The first one is:
"Who could have predicted the lives we have today?"
and the second is:
"Nothing in life really begins, or ends, when we think it does."
I really enjoyed reading about women who were in their 50s because it gave me a glimpse what I can expect in my own life when I get to be that age.
This would be a great book for a book club discussion, and in fact, the end of the book has discussion questions that you can use.
"Who could have predicted the lives we have today?"
and the second is:
"Nothing in life really begins, or ends, when we think it does."
I really enjoyed reading about women who were in their 50s because it gave me a glimpse what I can expect in my own life when I get to be that age.
This would be a great book for a book club discussion, and in fact, the end of the book has discussion questions that you can use.
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