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The Goddesses of Kitchen Avenue
Trudy Marino never expected her life to turn out perfectly. But at forty-six, she was content with what she did her caring husband Rick . . . twenty-plus happy years raising three accomplished kids . . . and a lovely house in the artistic, vibrantly diverse town of Pueblo, New Mexico. But a heartbreaking discovery and a suddenly shattered marriage now has Trudy looking back on the choices she didn’t make—and where she might go from here.
Struggling to pick up the pieces, Trudy finds support from a quirky, eclectic group of friends and neighbors—her goddesses of Kitchen Avenue—all of whom are trying in their own unique ways to navigate life’s little surprises. There’s Jade, a fiery social worker who’s finding unexpected strength to deal with her “player” ex-husband, thanks to a most unorthodox passion; Jade’s grandmother, Roberta, who has just lost her husband of sixty-two years—and through memory and piercing grief wonders what to do with the rest of her life; Shannelle, Trudy’s young neighbor and an aspiring writer, determined to realize her talent despite formidable obstacles . . . including the husband who’s afraid her success will be his loss; and Angel, a young, quietly-knowing photographer who makes Trudy uncover a sensuality she never knew—even as he tries to get over the one love he can never really forget.
As Trudy faces her future, she discovers that figuring out what to let go and what to keep is just as difficult as moving on. As she weighs what she and Rick still share against new possibilities, she’ll surprise everyone— including herself—as she tries to reconcile the best of both.
From an acclaimed voice in fiction, this is a wry, beguiling, heartfelt, and warmly wise novel about second chances, unexpected choices, and the dreams that we all hunger to fulfill.
From the Hardcover edition.
Struggling to pick up the pieces, Trudy finds support from a quirky, eclectic group of friends and neighbors—her goddesses of Kitchen Avenue—all of whom are trying in their own unique ways to navigate life’s little surprises. There’s Jade, a fiery social worker who’s finding unexpected strength to deal with her “player” ex-husband, thanks to a most unorthodox passion; Jade’s grandmother, Roberta, who has just lost her husband of sixty-two years—and through memory and piercing grief wonders what to do with the rest of her life; Shannelle, Trudy’s young neighbor and an aspiring writer, determined to realize her talent despite formidable obstacles . . . including the husband who’s afraid her success will be his loss; and Angel, a young, quietly-knowing photographer who makes Trudy uncover a sensuality she never knew—even as he tries to get over the one love he can never really forget.
As Trudy faces her future, she discovers that figuring out what to let go and what to keep is just as difficult as moving on. As she weighs what she and Rick still share against new possibilities, she’ll surprise everyone— including herself—as she tries to reconcile the best of both.
From an acclaimed voice in fiction, this is a wry, beguiling, heartfelt, and warmly wise novel about second chances, unexpected choices, and the dreams that we all hunger to fulfill.
From the Hardcover edition.
352 pages, Paperback
First published February 3, 2004
3783 people are currently reading
7086 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Samuel
75 books393 followersBarbara Samuel is a multiple RITA award-winning author with more than 38 books to her credit in a variety of genres. She has written historical and contemporary romances, a number of fantasy novellas with the likes of Susan Wiggs, Jo Beverley and Mary Jo Putney. She now writes women’s fiction about families, dogs, and food as Barbara O’Neal.
Her work has captured a plethora of awards, including six RITAs; the Colorado Center for the Book Award (twice); Favorite Book of the Year from Romance Writers of America, and the Library Journal’s list of Best Genre Fiction of the year, among many others.You can find a full list of all titles here.
Now living back in her hometown of Colorado Springs, Barbara writes in a study overlooking Pikes Peak, a pin that draws her home from her travels. She shares her home with Christopher Robin, a British endurance athlete, a gorgeous and lovable chow mix named Jack; a very, very old Siamese named Esmerelda; a rescued street cat who has become the fattest silver tabby on the planet, and the wonder twins, two tuxedo kittens from a local shelter, whose names have changed several times. Yes, a lot of animals.
An avid photographer, cook, and traveler, Barbara keeps a log of travels, recipes, and photos at her blog, A Writer Afoot, where she also sometimes posts writing advice. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook, but she doesn’t promise to be particularly interesting there.
Her work has captured a plethora of awards, including six RITAs; the Colorado Center for the Book Award (twice); Favorite Book of the Year from Romance Writers of America, and the Library Journal’s list of Best Genre Fiction of the year, among many others.You can find a full list of all titles here.
Now living back in her hometown of Colorado Springs, Barbara writes in a study overlooking Pikes Peak, a pin that draws her home from her travels. She shares her home with Christopher Robin, a British endurance athlete, a gorgeous and lovable chow mix named Jack; a very, very old Siamese named Esmerelda; a rescued street cat who has become the fattest silver tabby on the planet, and the wonder twins, two tuxedo kittens from a local shelter, whose names have changed several times. Yes, a lot of animals.
An avid photographer, cook, and traveler, Barbara keeps a log of travels, recipes, and photos at her blog, A Writer Afoot, where she also sometimes posts writing advice. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook, but she doesn’t promise to be particularly interesting there.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
June 21, 2025
"Life is long. You might as well learn now to put down whatever doesn't do you any good."
Over the course of a month I settled into a companionable routine with this book. Nearly every evening I settled in early and read a chapter or two. I really enjoyed the company of the women in this book. Their strengths, their hurts, their resilience. I was taken aback when I turned to the last page, surprised it had ended so soon.
Set in Pueblo, New Mexico (which sounds utterly magical) from July through to February, we follow the lives of four women. Trudy is suffering the sting of a marriage breakdown and is trying to figure out who she is after living for her family all her adult life. Jade has escaped from a lothario of a husband. A social worker, she is feisty and determined to settle her demons in the boxing ring. Shannelle is a young mum who dreams of being a Writer, but her husband has other ideas. Roberta ("Berta") is recently widowed, unable to get out of bed after losing her beloved husband of several decades.
These four are neighbours on Kitchen Avenue.
They support each other through their ups and downs, never judging, just being there. Which is such a rare and difficult gift to give. They share their dreams and fears. Each of them a special goddess in their own right.
I adored the snippets of Lorca's poetry opening Trudy's chapters. It took me to another place. Various Goddesses are mentioned, in line with lessons our characters are to to learn.
This is one of those books that has a quiet voice that speaks volumes. I've had this book for an age, and this was obviously the right time to read it. I really loved it and cared for the characters. So many moments were completely relatable. Luckily for me, I have many more books of Barbara O'Neal to look forward to. I just have to try to decide which one to read next.
Over the course of a month I settled into a companionable routine with this book. Nearly every evening I settled in early and read a chapter or two. I really enjoyed the company of the women in this book. Their strengths, their hurts, their resilience. I was taken aback when I turned to the last page, surprised it had ended so soon.
Set in Pueblo, New Mexico (which sounds utterly magical) from July through to February, we follow the lives of four women. Trudy is suffering the sting of a marriage breakdown and is trying to figure out who she is after living for her family all her adult life. Jade has escaped from a lothario of a husband. A social worker, she is feisty and determined to settle her demons in the boxing ring. Shannelle is a young mum who dreams of being a Writer, but her husband has other ideas. Roberta ("Berta") is recently widowed, unable to get out of bed after losing her beloved husband of several decades.
These four are neighbours on Kitchen Avenue.
They support each other through their ups and downs, never judging, just being there. Which is such a rare and difficult gift to give. They share their dreams and fears. Each of them a special goddess in their own right.
I adored the snippets of Lorca's poetry opening Trudy's chapters. It took me to another place. Various Goddesses are mentioned, in line with lessons our characters are to to learn.
This is one of those books that has a quiet voice that speaks volumes. I've had this book for an age, and this was obviously the right time to read it. I really loved it and cared for the characters. So many moments were completely relatable. Luckily for me, I have many more books of Barbara O'Neal to look forward to. I just have to try to decide which one to read next.
"They come to me, my essential things.
They are refrains of refrains."
- In Another Mode, Frederick García Lorca
June 20, 2025
Not bad, but I am still mad at Trudy for forgiving Rick, he was a waste of space. I was also sick of everyone apologising to Rick, Trudy, their son when he dared to call his father on his shitty behaviour. Trudy needed to grow a spine and to stop comforting Rick when he was feeling sorry for himself. He took basically no responsibility, but kept bitching about his kids and betrayed wife being unhappy with him and not wanting him around all the Time! Get a clue! Stop hugging him and being nice, let him feel the consequences of his shitty behaviour. He cheated for a long time, with his dead best friends ex, their were emails, secret meetings etc. Even when Trudy asked him to leave he did not stay true, he kept seeing Carolyn because he did not want to be alone, he wanted a back up in case Trudy never forgave him. The nerve of this guy, then he had the cheek to insult Trudy when she has some passion and fun with someone else, he was just the worst kind of man, weak, selfish and half hearted.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2012
I swooned over this novel. The style of this book is only for a particular type of reader--it has a slow pace and is very character-driven--but thankfully, that is my favorite style.
As I read this book, I was in awe at Samuel's well-developed writing technique and the depth of her characters. There is so much genuine culture throughout the cast and I enjoyed seeing their world through different lenses. I related to Trudy from the beginning and loved following her story.
This is one of those books that I will keep and read at different points in my life. I loved it so much I want to share it with my friends, except I don't want to let go of it!
As I read this book, I was in awe at Samuel's well-developed writing technique and the depth of her characters. There is so much genuine culture throughout the cast and I enjoyed seeing their world through different lenses. I related to Trudy from the beginning and loved following her story.
This is one of those books that I will keep and read at different points in my life. I loved it so much I want to share it with my friends, except I don't want to let go of it!
September 9, 2016
In a very short time, Barbara Samuel has become one of my favorite writers. “The Sleeping Night” remains one of my all time favorite books. In this well-written "The Goddesses of Kitchen Avenue", Barbara Samuel tells the tale of 4 women who live on the same street, struggling with their relationships versus their own life’s ambitions, their sense of self ; it’s not a light story, on the contrary it deals with realistic issues, and emotions run deep. At moments, it’s quite raw.
The main character is Trudy Marino. She is 46 years-old and separated from, Rick, her husband of over 20 years. At the beginning of the book, Trudy's next door neighbour, Roberta, has just become a widow. She had been with Edgar, her husband, for over 60 years. Roberta's granddaughter, Jade, comes to help. Jade is going through her own male problems and takes up boxing to vent her frustrations. Closing the ranks, is Shannelle, a girl that grew up with very little (think trailer trash Dad), who since she married to the dedicated Tony, lives on Kitchen Avenue. She’s a young mother and great homemaker. She loves to write and hopes someday to get published.
Although Trudy is the main character, Jade steals the spotlight. Her drive and spirit appealed to me the most. I enjoyed her meeting up with Rueben, who’s a godsend for her. Loved that connection between them. The chapters dedicated to Jade were the ones I looked forward most.
Admittedly, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the other books by this splendid author. Mainly I wasn’t convinced by the story of Rick and Trudy. I have to say, it’s very brave for any author of women’s fiction to write about an adulterous husband. In my opinion, many female readers have strong opinions about this subject and it’s often a difficult pill to swallow. I just COULDN’T wrap my mind around Trudy and Rick: they were depicted as warm and genuine and very caring towards each other; they couldn’t let each other go. All the while Rick is with another woman and still he constantly swings by Trudy’s place. He’s a coward alright, and he keeps on hurting Trudy. It took Trudy and Rick forever to get to the heart of the matter. To get to that question: "Why?" All that pain, all that deceit, honestly, that was no pleasure to read about and, yes, that annoyed me.
The main character is Trudy Marino. She is 46 years-old and separated from, Rick, her husband of over 20 years. At the beginning of the book, Trudy's next door neighbour, Roberta, has just become a widow. She had been with Edgar, her husband, for over 60 years. Roberta's granddaughter, Jade, comes to help. Jade is going through her own male problems and takes up boxing to vent her frustrations. Closing the ranks, is Shannelle, a girl that grew up with very little (think trailer trash Dad), who since she married to the dedicated Tony, lives on Kitchen Avenue. She’s a young mother and great homemaker. She loves to write and hopes someday to get published.
Although Trudy is the main character, Jade steals the spotlight. Her drive and spirit appealed to me the most. I enjoyed her meeting up with Rueben, who’s a godsend for her. Loved that connection between them. The chapters dedicated to Jade were the ones I looked forward most.
Admittedly, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the other books by this splendid author. Mainly I wasn’t convinced by the story of Rick and Trudy. I have to say, it’s very brave for any author of women’s fiction to write about an adulterous husband. In my opinion, many female readers have strong opinions about this subject and it’s often a difficult pill to swallow. I just COULDN’T wrap my mind around Trudy and Rick: they were depicted as warm and genuine and very caring towards each other; they couldn’t let each other go. All the while Rick is with another woman and still he constantly swings by Trudy’s place. He’s a coward alright, and he keeps on hurting Trudy. It took Trudy and Rick forever to get to the heart of the matter. To get to that question: "Why?" All that pain, all that deceit, honestly, that was no pleasure to read about and, yes, that annoyed me.
November 4, 2014
I couldn't stop reading and I am still thinking about it the next day. I liked that Trudy pulled herself out of grief and devastation to find her old/real self after being a wife and mother for so many years. I liked her. Both characters had growth and development and it was well-written. 4 stars.
July 1, 2019
3/3.5 stars for the writing but -1.5 for the one of the weakest heroines I've ever read. The H was cheating on her for over a year. He used the same pet names for the OW that he used with the h, babysat OW's daughter etc etc. So, of course the h apologizes for being distant and takes him back almost immediately.
His excuse for the cheating (not that there really is one) didn't even make any sense. If I understood it correctly, and at this point in the book I was skimming so maybe I didn't, he cheated because he didn't feel like he was being "seen" in their marriage. So, presumably, he just did it for attention? And intended for her to find out? IDK this just wasn't for me
His excuse for the cheating (not that there really is one) didn't even make any sense. If I understood it correctly, and at this point in the book I was skimming so maybe I didn't, he cheated because he didn't feel like he was being "seen" in their marriage. So, presumably, he just did it for attention? And intended for her to find out? IDK this just wasn't for me
October 18, 2015
Barbara Samuel writes really wel, and I enjoy her books. The difficulty I have is that I am not convinced by her characters, and their relationships, in this story. Trudy is a mature woman married to an immature man- a man who never really accepts responsibility for his actions. Trudy is a wife who keeps letting her estranged husband into her home, while he is still sleeping with the other woman. Trudy accepts his edict of not talking about the infidelity- except when He chooses to do so. The whole thing is ridiculous. Hubby has been cheating for well over a year, yet complains that he has lost his old life and his children's esteem. Hello?! There is no real discussion of how the relationships with his different children evolve and devolve- yet the fact of the deterioration is brought up frequently. All the anger seems to be directed to the other woman- except when the betrayed wife blames herself. While there was tremendous growth with most of the characters, the weakness of Rick, and the unrealistic portrayal of a betrayed wife, made the story hard to swallow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2021
3.5 stars
May 21, 2021
3.5 stars ✨
July 10, 2017
enjoyed the characters but was not impressed with the sex encounters..2 many and i think it made the women appear weak
August 6, 2025
I often find myself drawn to second chance romance and marriage in trouble. More then often those stories contain cheating in some capacity ; emotional or physical.
This story has a main story ( Trudy and Rick - 1st person from Trudys pov) then it has a side story ( Jade) then there's povs from Jades mom and grandma usually through letters or emails. I skimmed through those parts as my main focus was on Trudys story.
Trudy is 46 and has been married for over 2 decades to Rick and she discovered he was cheating with his best friend, who passed away girlfriend Carolyn for almost a year. The story starts when Rick has been kicked out for 3 months and is living separate. Trudy lives with their 17 year old daughter and the other kids are on their own or in College. She also has a flirtation with her new neighbor Angel.
Rick clearly drops hints he wants to be back with Trudy but he's still with the other woman.
Trudy was a living, empathetic and kind character and she struggles with forgiveness.
My issue was Trudy is way too accepting of others stomping all over her or those that ise h we as a ear like a therapist . She's too forgiving especially of Rick. I didn't forgive him as a reader but I understood the relationship dynamic.
This story has a main story ( Trudy and Rick - 1st person from Trudys pov) then it has a side story ( Jade) then there's povs from Jades mom and grandma usually through letters or emails. I skimmed through those parts as my main focus was on Trudys story.
Trudy is 46 and has been married for over 2 decades to Rick and she discovered he was cheating with his best friend, who passed away girlfriend Carolyn for almost a year. The story starts when Rick has been kicked out for 3 months and is living separate. Trudy lives with their 17 year old daughter and the other kids are on their own or in College. She also has a flirtation with her new neighbor Angel.
Rick clearly drops hints he wants to be back with Trudy but he's still with the other woman.
Trudy was a living, empathetic and kind character and she struggles with forgiveness.
My issue was Trudy is way too accepting of others stomping all over her or those that ise h we as a ear like a therapist . She's too forgiving especially of Rick. I didn't forgive him as a reader but I understood the relationship dynamic.
March 9, 2015
The neighbors of Kitchen Avenue are building a strong support system for each other. Young Shanelle, mother of two, has built her dream life with her husband. She loves keeping a nice home and raising her boys, and she also has a burning desire to write. Through emails with her mentor, Shanelle learns to push herself creatively and how to balance her family with her passion. Elderly Roberta has just lost her husband and is sorting through life's memories, a task making her granddaughter nervous and uncomfortable with Roberta's current mood. Social worker Jade is starting over after a divorce, living with her grandmother and trading as a boxer.Trudy is also trying to start over with a separation from her husband of more than 20 years, and an empty nest with her last child leaving for college soon.
I liked The Goddesses of Kitchen Avenue, and was able to relate to each character and her desires and challenges. There are a lot of themes, almost too many, and some seemed like they were thrown in and never developed. For example, the title of the book made me think that the "goddesses" are the ladies of the neighborhood. Instead, they are 12 goddesses from various cultures that Trudy makes an altar for, one a month, and at the beginning of each chapter there is a description of the goddess. Interesting, but never really fully developed. There are also the themes of furthering education, achieving your dreams, valuing yourself, and admitting to shortcomings. There were so many ideas that it felt like I was reading a tossed salad instead of a couple of well prepared vegetables, which is why I gave it a 3 instead of a 4. I'm probably being too analytical while reading, instead of enjoying the book for what it is. I recommend this book to people who enjoy reading about friendships and achieving dreams. It's a great beach read or something for a book club with a varied membership, because there is a relatable character.
I liked The Goddesses of Kitchen Avenue, and was able to relate to each character and her desires and challenges. There are a lot of themes, almost too many, and some seemed like they were thrown in and never developed. For example, the title of the book made me think that the "goddesses" are the ladies of the neighborhood. Instead, they are 12 goddesses from various cultures that Trudy makes an altar for, one a month, and at the beginning of each chapter there is a description of the goddess. Interesting, but never really fully developed. There are also the themes of furthering education, achieving your dreams, valuing yourself, and admitting to shortcomings. There were so many ideas that it felt like I was reading a tossed salad instead of a couple of well prepared vegetables, which is why I gave it a 3 instead of a 4. I'm probably being too analytical while reading, instead of enjoying the book for what it is. I recommend this book to people who enjoy reading about friendships and achieving dreams. It's a great beach read or something for a book club with a varied membership, because there is a relatable character.
June 23, 2017
Припомняйки си книгата, си мисля, дали наистина има такава любов?
И възможно ли е да сме половината от едно цяло?
За съжаление, моята половина седи някъде ненамерена .
Забравила бях,колко ми харесва тази книга.
Съчетание от любови,изневери,драми и радости.
За търсенията на 3 различни жени,всяка със своите съмнения и изпитания,които живота ни поднася.
"......лесно е да бъдеш добър, когато всичко ти е наред. Само да
понесеш няколко силни удара и истинското ти лице веднага излиза наяве."
"Откривам,че проблемът не е толкова в големите неща.Малките,незначителни нишки са тези,които изтъкават един живот."
И възможно ли е да сме половината от едно цяло?
За съжаление, моята половина седи някъде ненамерена .
Забравила бях,колко ми харесва тази книга.
Съчетание от любови,изневери,драми и радости.
За търсенията на 3 различни жени,всяка със своите съмнения и изпитания,които живота ни поднася.
"......лесно е да бъдеш добър, когато всичко ти е наред. Само да
понесеш няколко силни удара и истинското ти лице веднага излиза наяве."
"Откривам,че проблемът не е толкова в големите неща.Малките,незначителни нишки са тези,които изтъкават един живот."
December 31, 2019
Need to read from cover to cover.
I found this book frustrating. I wanted more discussion on the affair.
I found this book frustrating. I wanted more discussion on the affair.
October 22, 2021
3.5 STARS
This is mostly Trudy's story, the three other women have a lot less page time. Honestly, Shannelle's storyline could have been left out all together, I had little interest in her. Jade, fresh off a divorce from a total loser, is searching for strength and finds it in boxing. I can't wrap my head around wanting to partake in such a brutal sport, but I liked Jade's fire. I wish there had been more Trudy/Jade scenes in the book.
I found Trudy realistic but frustrating. She was blindsided by Rick's affair (her Carrie Underwood "Before He Cheats" moment was FANTASTIC), and of course it takes time to grieve, but she was so pathetic at times (like driving by the other woman's house). Always feeling sorry for Rick, looking out for him when she should have been looking out for herself. Rick seemed to be mostly mourning the fact that his kids were mad at him and that Trudy didn't want him coming around without calling. You can't claim to be desperate to get your life back when you're still banging the other woman. I kept trying to find the good qualities in Rick that Trudy saw, but I saw nothing!
It's when Trudy starts doing things to make herself happy that the book really shines. Facing an empty nest and singlehood made her really start to reevaluate things. I really wanted her to sell her house and just travel the world. She also gets to have a fling of her own, and getting a confidence boost as a result.
The ending wasn't what I was hoping for, but it did seem pretty realistic.
This is mostly Trudy's story, the three other women have a lot less page time. Honestly, Shannelle's storyline could have been left out all together, I had little interest in her. Jade, fresh off a divorce from a total loser, is searching for strength and finds it in boxing. I can't wrap my head around wanting to partake in such a brutal sport, but I liked Jade's fire. I wish there had been more Trudy/Jade scenes in the book.
I found Trudy realistic but frustrating. She was blindsided by Rick's affair (her Carrie Underwood "Before He Cheats" moment was FANTASTIC), and of course it takes time to grieve, but she was so pathetic at times (like driving by the other woman's house). Always feeling sorry for Rick, looking out for him when she should have been looking out for herself. Rick seemed to be mostly mourning the fact that his kids were mad at him and that Trudy didn't want him coming around without calling. You can't claim to be desperate to get your life back when you're still banging the other woman. I kept trying to find the good qualities in Rick that Trudy saw, but I saw nothing!
It's when Trudy starts doing things to make herself happy that the book really shines. Facing an empty nest and singlehood made her really start to reevaluate things. I really wanted her to sell her house and just travel the world. She also gets to have a fling of her own, and getting a confidence boost as a result.
The ending wasn't what I was hoping for, but it did seem pretty realistic.
June 29, 2024
Can a long and fractured marriage be salvaged?
This novel is told through the viewpoints of four different women. The oldest is a grandmother who was just recently widowed. The woman with the fractured marriage is just shy of fifty. At the young end are one aspiring writer and one social worker who is learning to box. The characters are beautifully developed, and the storyline is a good one. Recommended with 4 🌟 stars. I love family dramas, and this one is first-rate.
This novel is told through the viewpoints of four different women. The oldest is a grandmother who was just recently widowed. The woman with the fractured marriage is just shy of fifty. At the young end are one aspiring writer and one social worker who is learning to box. The characters are beautifully developed, and the storyline is a good one. Recommended with 4 🌟 stars. I love family dramas, and this one is first-rate.
November 12, 2024
Another complicated one for me…the characters (and author) made me want to scream in frustration at times. But it made me think and that’s always good.
August 23, 2019
Let me start by saying something good about this book. Four neighbours supported each other while they were all dealing with difficulties. That's all I can say that is positive.
Otherwise, the first 66% of the story was insufferable wallowing in grief! All four women had 'man' problems, and were stuck. It wasn't until this 2/3 mark in the book that they each started to work through their situations.
The situation I could not accept was Jade turning to boxing--to show she is strong! Give me a break! There are many ways to show strength other than barbaric fighting; throwing punches purposely to cause facial injury or head concussion. This was ugly and unbearable to read. I do not understand why a woman, let alone a pretty woman, would step into a ring willingly to get beat up. I would never have chosen this book to read if this bit of information was in the synopsis.
Sometimes I stay with a book to the end hoping it will redeem itself. This one didn't. Very disappointing.
Otherwise, the first 66% of the story was insufferable wallowing in grief! All four women had 'man' problems, and were stuck. It wasn't until this 2/3 mark in the book that they each started to work through their situations.
The situation I could not accept was Jade turning to boxing--to show she is strong! Give me a break! There are many ways to show strength other than barbaric fighting; throwing punches purposely to cause facial injury or head concussion. This was ugly and unbearable to read. I do not understand why a woman, let alone a pretty woman, would step into a ring willingly to get beat up. I would never have chosen this book to read if this bit of information was in the synopsis.
Sometimes I stay with a book to the end hoping it will redeem itself. This one didn't. Very disappointing.
May 1, 2013
This was another Lifetime movie bottled into a book, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It read quickly and was a nice diversion.
The characters in here were likeable enough, I guess, but no one really stood out as anything special. They were a little bland, and all of their stories were so man-centric that they kind of bugged me after awhile. Don't they have anything else going on in their lives than the men they're pining for?
Another thing that struck me as odd in this book was that the author had a tendency to "exoticize" other races, which made me uncomfortable. I'm sure it was unintentional, but a bit cringe-worthy nonetheless.
The characters in here were likeable enough, I guess, but no one really stood out as anything special. They were a little bland, and all of their stories were so man-centric that they kind of bugged me after awhile. Don't they have anything else going on in their lives than the men they're pining for?
Another thing that struck me as odd in this book was that the author had a tendency to "exoticize" other races, which made me uncomfortable. I'm sure it was unintentional, but a bit cringe-worthy nonetheless.
June 19, 2019
Fairly boring. Women going through relationship issues and the endless jabbering about them.
June 3, 2017
Did not finished. Wasn't interested in the characters.
June 27, 2019
This was a nice book telling multiple stories that worked well together.
February 10, 2023
i’m so sorry. i absolutely hated this book. maybe it’s because i’m not a middle aged white woman going through a divorce.
July 24, 2023
Solid entertainment. Not nearly as good as “When We Believed in Mermaids.” Maybe a one off? I will give O’Neal the benefit of the doubt and read another.
March 12, 2024
Very enjoyable read. It took me a few chapters to get into the story, but I am glad I persevered. It was was written and kept my interest.
April 7, 2024
This book was just an ok read for me. The premise sounded good but the execution just fell flat. I didn't fully connect with any of the characters. There were bits of each character I liked but not one character that I absolutely related to.
The story includes some emails between one of the secondary characters and her mentor. I enjoyed reading those and found them a nice break from the rest of the story which includes some longer length chapters. I didn't really care for the short, one page chapters about the goddesses. I didn't find these to add anything substantial to the story.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley so I went into it thinking it was a new release. I found that the book was originally released in 2004. I found the book to seem really dated and maybe that is because I was expecting a current, up to date story. I have no problem with reading books that are older so I'm not sure why this one bothered me so.
All in all this was an ok read. I doubt I recommend this book to anyone. Not sure if I would be willing to read anything else by this author either.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion which I have given.
The story includes some emails between one of the secondary characters and her mentor. I enjoyed reading those and found them a nice break from the rest of the story which includes some longer length chapters. I didn't really care for the short, one page chapters about the goddesses. I didn't find these to add anything substantial to the story.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley so I went into it thinking it was a new release. I found that the book was originally released in 2004. I found the book to seem really dated and maybe that is because I was expecting a current, up to date story. I have no problem with reading books that are older so I'm not sure why this one bothered me so.
All in all this was an ok read. I doubt I recommend this book to anyone. Not sure if I would be willing to read anything else by this author either.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion which I have given.
Read
December 10, 2023An engaging read. I got pretty invested in the different conflicts (though the oldest one was more one dimensional than I preferred). I can't believe I'm saying this but the ending was too neat for me. The conflicts were messy and I liked that. Tying it up in a neat bow is a little too neat for my liking these days
March 30, 2024
4 stars
Three women, neighbors, all working to claim their power and define themselves. Trudy’s husband left her after 20+ years of marriage. Jade’s ex-husband is a manipulative felon. But, that doesn’t stop her from missing him. Shanelle’s husband is holding her back from pursuing her dream of becoming a novelist. Each of the women discovers they can only love fully if they love themselves first. My only issue was that I found the beginning a little hard to follow.
This is a re-release of a 20-year-old book. That doesn’t diminish from the story but it was funny to see Sears and Circuit City mentioned.
Thank you Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley to read this title in return for an honest review.
Three women, neighbors, all working to claim their power and define themselves. Trudy’s husband left her after 20+ years of marriage. Jade’s ex-husband is a manipulative felon. But, that doesn’t stop her from missing him. Shanelle’s husband is holding her back from pursuing her dream of becoming a novelist. Each of the women discovers they can only love fully if they love themselves first. My only issue was that I found the beginning a little hard to follow.
This is a re-release of a 20-year-old book. That doesn’t diminish from the story but it was funny to see Sears and Circuit City mentioned.
Thank you Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley to read this title in return for an honest review.
February 16, 2025
Loved this book! Perfect timing! 3 womens story and it was fun to
Read . Easy and quick . A women in 40s I can relate and this had womens inspiration and it was fun to read as a mother and a message that with children we loose ourselves but you will find your passions again .
Read . Easy and quick . A women in 40s I can relate and this had womens inspiration and it was fun to read as a mother and a message that with children we loose ourselves but you will find your passions again .
September 24, 2024
not up to her usual
I am disappointed with this book. I have read several of her books and enjoyed them. This book was boring and somewhat tedious sorry to say.
I am disappointed with this book. I have read several of her books and enjoyed them. This book was boring and somewhat tedious sorry to say.
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