A Good Man

by Judith Henry Wall

From the acclaimed author of The Girlfriends Club a deeply affecting novel that tests the bonds of friendship against the long-buried pangs of first love
Rhonda, Gina Kay, and Holly were the best of friends in their small-town Texas high school until the day Gina Kay ran off and married Rhonda's boyfriend, Terry Robertson. Now, twenty-five years later, news of Terry's sudden death has reunited them, and brought to the surface old bonds and betrayals they thought they'd left behind.
The three old friends share a trip to New York City, where Gina Kay promises to finally reveal why and how she stole the love of Rhonda's life and ruined a friendship that was supposed to last forever. Over the course of that tumultuous trip, the women find themselves reconsidering their lives, the choices they made, the men they married, and all the paths not taken. As girls, they were stifled by their parents' expectations, small-town life, and the inevitability of biology. How many of their dreams did they actually pursue, and how many have they relinquished? If Rhonda had married Terry instead, would all of their lives have turned out differently?
A Good Man is a novel about good friends, first loves, shocking disloyalty, long-held secrets, and that ever-present question -- what if?

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Womens Fiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Michelle]

Could not finish

[DiddlySquat · Rating 1 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this in the beginning. But it went how others have gone. Downhill in a hurry. I just want to ask? WTF with the wedding in New York of the cab driver's daughter? I skipped every single page of this non-interesting side note of the story. God, I hate when author's do that!!!!!!!!!! Fucking ruined everything for me. At the end of the story I hated everyone.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it

[Marsha Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

[MBenzz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Judith Henry Wall is one of my favorite authors, but this book just didn't stand out as much as some her earlier works have, such as Handsome Women, My Mothers Daughter, and even Blood Sisters. Now don't get me wrong, this really was a good read, but I felt it was a three-star read until the ending.

Rhonda, Holly, and Gina Kay have been friends since they were little. They plan on having big careers and leaving their little Texas town behind. They all go to the same college together, but that's where the friendship between the three falls apart.

Rhonda's been dating her high school love Terry for five years when she leaves for college. Not wanting to give him up but not wanting to get married either, she sort of strings him along for a while. Well, out of the blue, Gina Kay leaves school for good and marries Terry all on the same day. Rhonda doesn't speak to her for over two decades, and Holly's stuck in the middle. The three get together 25 years later, shortly after Terry's accidental death, and Gina Kay promises to tell the two women why she married him.

For about 3/4 of the book I really couldn't stand Rhonda. We've all had that high school love-of-our-lives, but you grow up, get married, and move on. I found it really irritating that Rhonda just couldn't let it go. For being a big-shot lawyer, she was acting incredibly petty and immature. I understand why she was so hurt, but it's been 25 years...get over it. But in the end, she took the high road, which for the most part changed my opinion of her, and Gina Kay's story about how her life with Terry came to be was satisfying. While I recommend it, it's not her best stuff.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just okay for me. It is about the women in one male artist's life and two biographers who are trying to write biographies of the artist. It is unique in that the women are now older and there is discussion of the sexuality of older women. I was expecting a real humdinger of an ending and it just didn't happen. Glad I read it, but wouldn't put it very high on my list of recommended reading for others.

[Jayme · Rating 2 out of 5]

this is not the type of book i would usually read and really cant remember how it even ended up on my bookshelf but i was not expecting much out of it. i was suprised that i did enjoy the story, it was very typical chick lit/very light reading!! great story about childhood friends that grew apart trying to come together after years and years after troubled marriages and children.

[Heather Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Judith Henry Wall lives in Norman, OK and has references to Texas and Oklahoma that are fun to read. Her stories are wonderful and easy reads. They remind me of the stories of our friends and families and their live struggles. They are mostly about relationships between women.

-HD

[Margo Candela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my usual type of book and I was surprised to find myself sucked into the story. The sub-plot about the driver's wedding, though, was pure padding. The book would have been 1/4 shorter and better without it.

[Klaudyna Z. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was decent but the ending i feel like didn't have enough closure. I felt like the book wad missing an ending. I also thought that rhonda's devotion to terry was very selfish and that the whole explanation of why terry married her friend was really farfetched and not really believable.

[Sandee · Rating 1 out of 5]

The ONLY reason I finished this book was because I was sitting by the pool on vacation and couldn't be bothered to go back to the room for another.

[Jeri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book about the power of friendship and of what real love is.

[Barb]

i enjoyed this book...first i had read from this author. good quick read...held my interest for the most part..

[Melissa]

It's my first time reading this author, but I enjoyed this book about first loves, best friends and betrayal.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasn't sure I liked it until about halfway thru and then couldn't put it down. Takes awhile to get to know the characters.

[Dorcas · Rating 2 out of 5]

hmmm nt bad... i liked it though....

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all her books....not heavy, easy reading, always good. About 3 friends and one marries the other ones boyfriend

[Jan]

Great story of friends and first love..lost. Recommend.

[Fran Aceto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one !!

[Natasha Sorokan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Believeable characters. love this authour almost as much as I love Sue Miller

[Gillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story of three friends from high school. One apparently "steals" the other one's boyfriend (and first true love) - and marries him. Their friendship never recovers although the friend in the middle remains in contact with each of them. 25 years later the former boyfriend is killed in an accident and they all get together at his funeral. The widow promises to tell her friend what happened back then, why she ended up married to him and all three go to New York together. Meanwhile, by obsessing about her first love, the woman has never really moved on and recognised what she has in her husband - A good man.