House Divided

by Jami Deise

Deise’s writing is light and fun. She manages to extract the quirkiest moments from serious situations and this made the book incredibly easy to read. – Reader’s Favorite Fast-paced and engaging -- ChickLitChickadees The Capulets and the Montagues. The Hatfields and the McCoys. These feuds produced great love affairs. But can two people really stay together when she’s a Democrat and he’s a Republican? Maybe not, but it’s fun to watch them try! Erin works for the Democrats. Her husband Jack is a Republican. But at home, they’re in sync. Their jobs stay at the office. Their children -- 13-year-old animal-nut Jessica and 8-year-old Batman-obsessed Michael – come first. And her career is just as important as his. But on Election Day 2014, everything changes. Suddenly, Erin is out of a job … and Jack is the new star of The Right Choice TV network! As Erin searches frantically for her next position, Jack begins to practice what he preaches. Their house turns into a What’s wrong with saying “Merry Christmas” to their Jewish neighbors? How can there be global warming when it’s cold outside? Jessica takes her mother’s side (her father is a “disgusting planet murderer”), while Michael just thinks it’s cool that Dad’s on TV and he’s making a million dollars. And Michael’s not the only one impressed with the family’s new Who are all these new people floating around Jack, and what do they want? As Erin’s friends take sides about what she should do with Jack 2.0, the only person who understands is a fellow stay-at-home Scott. Scott is easy to look at, and just as frustrated with his marriage as Erin is… Can this marriage be saved? Or will Jack and Erin become the latest example of a House divided?

332 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 8, 2017

About the author

A lifelong resident of Maryland, Jami Deise recently moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, along with her husband Tom, son Alex, and dog Lady. A baseball mom for over 10 years, “Keeping Score” is her first novel. Jami is an associate reviewer at www.chicklitcentral.com and a generalist reader for an NYC-based literary agency. Along with women’s fiction, she loves all things horror and watches too much TV.

Reviews

[Lorrea - WhatChaReadin'? · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erin and her husband, Jack live their professional lives on opposite sides of the aisle. Erin's blood bleeds blue, while Jack reports on all things red. When they are home, all of that is put to the side. Jack really doesn't believe most of the garbage he reports on, which makes their relationship work. But when Jack gets a new job at the same time Erin loses hers, their relationship and family will be put to the test.

Thank you to Jami Deise for the opportunity to read and review this book. This is the first book I have read from this author and it was a great political/family novel.

What would you do, if you found out your family was about to hit it big time? That you're husband's name was about to be on everyone's lips. All of a sudden people are nicer to you and things just seem to come easier. Erin feels very skeptical about Jack's new job and doesn't like the man it is turning him in to. He used to be laid back and right now, he seems on edge about everything. Erin has just lost her job, but the whole operation shut down after the election. She is eager to find a new job, but Jack insists she stays home with the kids since he will be making so much money. But money isn't everything and it definitely isn't buying them happiness.

I will say this about Erin, she is a strong willed woman who I'm not sure if I could fill her shoes. Some women enjoy working, I am one of those as well, especially when it's a job that I enjoy. So if I had lost that job, through no fault of my own I would be devastated and I would expect my husband to be by my side. I don't think Erin had that opportunity to mourn her job the way she wanted. She comes home to tell her husband about it just to find out he's landed a new job himself making a million dollars a year. It's more money then they have ever seen, but Erin is still a little skeptical about it. When she sees changes in Jack that she is not used to, it further confirms her suspicions that maybe this isn't the right job for him. The fallout from the two of them is immediate. Jack telling her that she doesn't need to work, she can stay home with their kids, when that is the last thing she wants to do.

Overall this was a cute quirky book. It touched me since it was based where I live. I was able to read this book quickly and it was hard to put down.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will admit I was hesitant to read this book because I thought it was going to be all about politics. Boy, was I wrong! And I'm glad for that. Most of the focus was about family and relationships, as well as the challenges of being a working parent. Politics plays into the story in how it affects the lives of the Murphy family.

House Divided was an enjoyable story throughout. I could relate to a lot of what Erin was going through, except the only divide between myself and my husband is about This is Us vs. Game of Thrones. I'm thankful we're both on the same side, politically! Especially after reading this novel. The kids, Michael and Jessica, played huge roles in this novel and I liked hearing their "voices." They reminded me of my own kids in some ways. I also like that the story took place near where I live, as it was easy to visualize everything even more.

The only warning I have is that this novel is politically biased toward the left, so it might affect those who lean toward the right, unless they decide to read it through Jack's lenses.

Overall, I really liked House Divided and would recommend it to anyone who wants an entertaining and sometimes humorous story, especially knowing what I know about it now.

Dream movie cast:
Erin: Marguerite Moreau
Jack: Oliver Hudson
Scott: Justin Hartley
Christine: Ali Larter
Jessica: Soni Bringas
Michael: Iain Armitage

[Donna McCaul Thibodeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it couldn't be a more timely subject. The story of Erin and Jack really kept me captivated. She is a Democrat and her husband is a Republican, both of whom work for their respective parties. After an election, Erin's job disappears and Jack's star is on the rise. Should she be a perfect trophy wife or try to continue on her own path?
I found the characters to be enormously relatable and the story really flowed. I finished this book in one day. Ms. Deise really has her finger on the pulse of America and tells a fantastic tale.
An excellent book, highly recommended!
I received an advance copy in exchange for a fair review.

[Grant Leishman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman

Erin Murphy is your typical Washington Mum, trying to balance her job with her husband’s needs and her children’s requirements. Erin is a life-long Democrat and work in PR for an environmental lobby group. When the Democrats get trounced at the mid-term elections, Erin’s job disappears and she is left with the dilemma and guilt of not having been there for her children and the difficulty of finding another job in what is largely a Republican Washington now. To complicate matters, in House Divided, by Jami Deise, Erin’s husband Jack is a dyed-in-the-wool Republican and when he lands a plum job with the ultra-right-wing television network TRC (The Right Choice), family loyalties will be pushed to the brink. Can Erin settle happily as a stay-at-home Mum while Jack makes a fortune as a television commentator. Her conflicting emotions and the political conflict provide for an exciting and fascinating journey.

House Divided was, I felt, a timely reminder of how political loyalties can divide even the most tight-knit of families. Jami Deise has provided a fascinating insight into the life of those on the fringe of Washington politics and how it can consume their very existence. This is a serious look at an issue that affects not only those in Washington, but all working mothers. There is an overwhelming guilt that many mothers experience over not being there for their children while they are growing up. Erin, like many mothers must face this balancing act of money vs time. Although the topic is serious enough, Deise’s writing is light and fun. She manages to find the quirkiest moments from serious situations and this made the book incredibly easy to read. I enjoyed being able to relate to a system I actually know very little about and I loved the little in-joke at the end about the current administration. This is a timely book and one I know many people will enjoy reading. Well-written and easy to read. What more can a reader ask for?

[Elizabeth Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily reviewing it. This was a great book! I read it all in about a day even though I have two young kids at home; it was that engaging. It hasn’t been a big deal before that Democrat Erin, who is working to save the planet is married to Republican Jack. But when Jack gets his own talk show in an extremely conservative news station, Erin has to bear the brunt of it from their Democratic community. Even worse, she loses her job and Jack wants her to be a stay at home mom while she’s itching to continue her career. Even the kids are divided! 8 year old Michael loves the stuff dad can buy them now and that he’s a TV star. 13 year old Jessica can’t believe who her dad has become.

I definitely got annoyed with the characters at times. Erin didn’t really stop and try to talk some sense into Jack and Jack went completely off of the deep end. That didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story, though. It was fast-paced and engaging. It was also very well-written. There was no drag to the story and it felt like there were no wasted words. There’s a whole interesting cast of secondary characters in their community, too. I would recommend this book to any fans of women’s fiction, as long as they don’t take their politics too seriously!

[Katie Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look into the downs of a stay at home mom

When the Republicans take control of the Senate, Erin finds out her committee for the environment is being shut down. And her husband has been given his own television show about the Republican views and news. Erin has always worked, and now she finds herself of two minds: should she stay at home and support her family, taking her kids to riding and soccer practices and games, attending every play and event, and find happiness in being a housewife? Or should she go back to work and manage her career instead of her household?

[Cherye Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

House Divided

This would have been a great book of the author wasn't so bias. Other than that, enjoyed the read.

Biodegradable bags for horse poop? Seriously? Horse poop is excellent for the environment and I don't have to be a liberal to know that.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are many laugh out loud moments in this book, which is the perfect blend of fun and seriousness.

Read full review in the 2018 March issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

**I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader copy of this book**

At first, I was skeptical about reading this book because I am not into politics nor do I care for them. I read the summary and was very eager to get my copy. Erin is a Democrat and her husband Jack is a Republican. Together, they try to keep politics out of the house, until Jack gets the opportunity to have his own show on a network called TRC (The Right Choice) for Republicans. So instead of keeping politics out, Jack is doing his vest to keep Republican politics in the home, starting with Erin being a stay-at-home mom.

It did start off as pretty entertaining. I'm not one any side of politics so it was interesting hearing one side and then the other go at it. The story, however not at all bad, was kind of boring most times. Jack became a character that was not at all tolerable, which I understand is the point of the story, but it took him so long to get his head out of his ass that the story was losing my grip anytime he was in a chapter or a small scene.

Jessica, the eldest daughter, is more on her mother's side while Michael, the younger brother, is on his dad's (well, sometimes). There were parts of the story that were kind of a little 'why was this here' kind of thing, but they aren't so bad that they ruin the story - like the soccer trip, but that's all I'll say.

I only kind of liked it because sometimes Jack acted like an adult baby that needed to be put in time out. There were moments where I had a few chuckles, but I wouldn't say this was a humorous book, at least, not the way that it was presented. Nonetheless, the writing was excellent. It was told in Erin's point of view, so listening to her views and how everything unfolds through her eyes was easy flowing. There is no over details or constant whining about one thing or another.

Erin is pretty entertaining though whenever she is thinking of ways to smack Jack in the face. One to go as far as to fling a fresh pile of puppy dung in his face when he mentions he wants her to be his trophy wife. Yeah, not going to happen.

Not a bad book. I would definitely give it a read if you wanna see how a Democrat mother and a Republican father would raise a family, fiction wise anyway.