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Alone: A Love Story
A memoir of falling in love, the fallout of infidelity, and everything messy in between.
“Beautifully written, intimate, alive and accessible, the story flows like a conversation with your most interesting, wise and exciting friend.” — Emily Urquhart, author of Beyond the Pale
“Channels some seriously steamy Canadian Bridget Jones divorcee realness” — Andrea Silenzi, host of Why Oh Why podcast
The church wedding, the new house, a beautiful baby … Michelle was sold a dream and bought into it. But one day, nine years in, she wakes up in an empty bed, and The Husband isn't there. Then, he drops The Bomb — he was having an affair with a woman at work.
Adrift and on the edge of forty — fuelled by grief, booze, and one-night stands — Michelle battles the monster she calls Loneliness, juggling being a part-time parent and part-time partier. Though dangerously close to rock bottom, Michelle takes a chance on love again with a dashing but complicated man — The Man with the White Shirt.
Michelle, an expert in "emotional forensics," dives into the wreckage with candour and humour, uncovering a story about falling in and out of love, divorce, single parenthood, and the messy world of dating. What she finds, beneath it all, is life and the courage to face it alone.
“Beautifully written, intimate, alive and accessible, the story flows like a conversation with your most interesting, wise and exciting friend.” — Emily Urquhart, author of Beyond the Pale
“Channels some seriously steamy Canadian Bridget Jones divorcee realness” — Andrea Silenzi, host of Why Oh Why podcast
The church wedding, the new house, a beautiful baby … Michelle was sold a dream and bought into it. But one day, nine years in, she wakes up in an empty bed, and The Husband isn't there. Then, he drops The Bomb — he was having an affair with a woman at work.
Adrift and on the edge of forty — fuelled by grief, booze, and one-night stands — Michelle battles the monster she calls Loneliness, juggling being a part-time parent and part-time partier. Though dangerously close to rock bottom, Michelle takes a chance on love again with a dashing but complicated man — The Man with the White Shirt.
Michelle, an expert in "emotional forensics," dives into the wreckage with candour and humour, uncovering a story about falling in and out of love, divorce, single parenthood, and the messy world of dating. What she finds, beneath it all, is life and the courage to face it alone.
336 pages, Paperback
Published May 2, 2020
9 people are currently reading
1533 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
May 16, 2020
Barely a 2 star.
This was someone's life, her emotions were real to her, her behaviour patterns were chosen. It was not a book for me.
It was often confusing with the back and forth time lines of stories of the men in her life. Overkill and way too many details, this book could have been shorter and still made the same point.
I am a little embarrassed to know that women can still believe that love hangs on the hat of so much dramatic emotion and the love of a man.
I am disappointed that self-pity, and fleeting moments of sexual encounters with strangers can sell books.
I do not recommend this book for any emotionally self-aware woman who is doing her best to recover from a failed relationship. It will make you cringe at the lack of self-advocacy.
Where was the insight to her life?
This was someone's life, her emotions were real to her, her behaviour patterns were chosen. It was not a book for me.
It was often confusing with the back and forth time lines of stories of the men in her life. Overkill and way too many details, this book could have been shorter and still made the same point.
I am a little embarrassed to know that women can still believe that love hangs on the hat of so much dramatic emotion and the love of a man.
I am disappointed that self-pity, and fleeting moments of sexual encounters with strangers can sell books.
I do not recommend this book for any emotionally self-aware woman who is doing her best to recover from a failed relationship. It will make you cringe at the lack of self-advocacy.
Where was the insight to her life?
April 19, 2020
Written with both a generosity of spirit and raw openness that reminded me of some of my favourite memoirs over the last few years (LOVE LIVES HERE, EDUCATED, WILD GAME, etc.), Michelle Parise’s ALONE: A LOVE STORY is a stirring testament to the messy, difficult, and nonlinear path to healing and becoming a better human being that we all travel. Parise’s podcast version of this story has already won her acclaim; this book may make her a household name. The book’s warmth, humour, and unashamed passionate heart stayed with me well after I finished the last page.
July 18, 2020
A Single Sex in the City Toronto. The author takes us through her loves and lovers while becoming a single mother. Amusing and abit whiney.
Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley
Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley
June 13, 2020
Became very repetetive
May 26, 2020
I have to admit when I started reading this I was struggling with the setup and timelines. As I progressed through I began to find my rhythm with the writing style and events started coming together. It was like being handed someone’s pain in the form of a journal that speaks directly to the reader. Though it jumps back and forth it does become a heart wrenching, depressive and anguishingly frustrating read. This was emotion I could feel deep in my soul as everything unraveled. This is a fear that niggles at the back of your mind during the really rough patches of marriage and Parise effectively captures the collapse of the kingdom to another queen.
There is a lot of detail in this memoir and I did feel at times that less could definitely be more. But who am I to tell someone how to write their feelings during a devastating time in their life? I can only let other readers know to expect the extra among these pages. This novel tugs your heart through the defining moments of Parise learning of her husband’s infidelity, dealing with becoming a single co-parenting mom and traversing the single life landscape to find new love.
I was not expecting to feel as much as I did. In a world where woman want to be perceived as strong, bold and unbreakable; Parise puts the struggle of her reality out there in all of its uncensored glory.
Reader warning: infidelity, alcoholism, depression, promiscuity and sexual scenes.
I received this advanced reader e-book in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion. Thank you to Parise and Dundurn Press for the opportunity to read and review this memoir.
There is a lot of detail in this memoir and I did feel at times that less could definitely be more. But who am I to tell someone how to write their feelings during a devastating time in their life? I can only let other readers know to expect the extra among these pages. This novel tugs your heart through the defining moments of Parise learning of her husband’s infidelity, dealing with becoming a single co-parenting mom and traversing the single life landscape to find new love.
I was not expecting to feel as much as I did. In a world where woman want to be perceived as strong, bold and unbreakable; Parise puts the struggle of her reality out there in all of its uncensored glory.
Reader warning: infidelity, alcoholism, depression, promiscuity and sexual scenes.
I received this advanced reader e-book in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion. Thank you to Parise and Dundurn Press for the opportunity to read and review this memoir.
November 21, 2020
"The empty vessel makes the greatest sound". Truer words were never spoken when it comes to this book. This book was...PAINFUL! So PAINFUL!! So very very PAINFUL!!!. I really wanted to like this book, I really tried. But at a certain point, I just gave up and skimmed the rest of the chapters.
I think my breaking point was when I read about how the protagonist came home after working all day, and struggled to fix a pasta dinner for her child because of the sheer and utter torment that living had become for her. There she is, in her kitchen, sobbing away as per usual while her 8 or 9 year old is trying to cheer her up. Not even 20 pages later, she writes about how after spending the night with 'White Shirt Man" she bounds out of bed, and begins to cook him a glorious breakfast of eggs, pancakes and cut-up fruit which she displays on the plate. She preens as 'White Shirt Man" admires how she has set-up his breakfast.
I literally threw up in my mouth when I read this. Thanks Parise, for setting the Women's Liberation Movement back by 50 years. Thanks for placing all your self-worth and self-esteem directly into the hands of the men that you bed. This isn't a love story. This isn't even a story about getting over heartbreak. This is just an empty vessel making loud sounds
I think my breaking point was when I read about how the protagonist came home after working all day, and struggled to fix a pasta dinner for her child because of the sheer and utter torment that living had become for her. There she is, in her kitchen, sobbing away as per usual while her 8 or 9 year old is trying to cheer her up. Not even 20 pages later, she writes about how after spending the night with 'White Shirt Man" she bounds out of bed, and begins to cook him a glorious breakfast of eggs, pancakes and cut-up fruit which she displays on the plate. She preens as 'White Shirt Man" admires how she has set-up his breakfast.
I literally threw up in my mouth when I read this. Thanks Parise, for setting the Women's Liberation Movement back by 50 years. Thanks for placing all your self-worth and self-esteem directly into the hands of the men that you bed. This isn't a love story. This isn't even a story about getting over heartbreak. This is just an empty vessel making loud sounds
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2021
I expected something very different from this story. Based upon the description and the title I anticipated an exploration of loneliness, learning to cope with loss while developing resilience, managing a chronic illness, etc.
This was essentially a story of dysfunctional relationships and casual sex with very little emotional growth or introspection. There were remarkably few insights into the role she played in her relationships; rather, it was a diatribe about the ways in which the people in her life were letting her down.
It was navel-gazing, repetitive, juvenile and an overall frustrating read.
2 stars for the quality of the writing, but the content? Ooof.
This was essentially a story of dysfunctional relationships and casual sex with very little emotional growth or introspection. There were remarkably few insights into the role she played in her relationships; rather, it was a diatribe about the ways in which the people in her life were letting her down.
It was navel-gazing, repetitive, juvenile and an overall frustrating read.
2 stars for the quality of the writing, but the content? Ooof.
August 27, 2021
I'll confess, I did not finish this book, only got about halfway through. Just didn't find her "insights" very insightful, but that could be because I'm about 20 years older than the author, and these realizations are very far behind in my rear view mirror. So I think it's a maturity thing, maybe, or a life experience thing. I kept wanting to like what she wrote, kept waiting to get that great zap from reading a truly breathtaking insight that then awakens something in me. Instead, just...meh.
September 2, 2020
I cannot relate to the author at all. It was repetitive and annoying. Definitely doesn’t tempt me to listen to her podcast.
November 2, 2020
I want to start by saying that I couldn't put this book down and I look forward to listening to the podcast. I am in awe of Michelle's willingness to be so open in her memoir about the messy process of heartbreak and dating and all the feelings in-between. This book has so many great details, like recalling how a kiss felt from 10 years earlier! I am impressed by her note-taking and memory in putting together this dating archive. I kept thinking it was over, and was going to wrap up soon, but I guess since it's about real life it kept going and didn't have a neat conclusion or happily ever after.
January 3, 2021
I sat down to start this book this morning, and I didn’t get up until I finished it. I couldn’t say the last time that happened. The author and I are different, but I recognized many experiences in there, and the way she told the story of her marriage captivated me. Ultimately, I couldn’t put it down until I knew the whole story, so gotta be a 5 star. Thank you to my Christmas book whisperer, Laura. ❤️
May 11, 2020
A raw, heartfelt memoir from Michelle Parise. She packed so much emotion into this book and really takes the reader for a ride through heartbreak. She captures exactly how it feels to experience heartbreak and loneliness, and writes in such a way that it feels like you're having a conversation with her rather than reading a book. Beautiful.
April 16, 2020
I was not expecting to love this book so much, or to devour it in two sittings. There aren't a lot of books out there that pack this much of an emotional punch. This book broke my heart into a million pieces and did a terrible job putting them all back in place. I'm writing this many days after finishing the book because I was still trying to process all of the emotions from it. Think of this book as your first real break up. You will feel every emotion. You will fall in love with the characters and ride all the ups and downs along the way. The writing style is both beautiful and eloquent. Alone: A Love Story is everything I wanted it to be and more. It is both a love letter to relationships and a love letter to being fine on your own.
November 2, 2020
Life and love is complicated - we all know that. But Parise knows just how to put it so beautifully. This book is going to stay with me for a long time. The way Parise writes is like I’m walking right beside her on this wild journey, called life. I’ll be recommending this to a lot of people!
November 29, 2020
The tell-all memoir has been pushed to new levels of candour by Michelle Parise. If at times it feels sprawling and in need of a firmer editorial hand, that's likely because the reader is both fascinated and unnerved by it. Fascinated because Parise holds nothing back of the spiral of despair, alcohol, and sex she fell into when she learned The Husband was leaving her for another woman. Unnerved because she might have included the reader among those identified by nicknames and behaviours or because the reader just might know a memoir writer who is about to spill the barely disguised beans about that reader's relationship with the writer.
If Parise's memoir seems over the top (and under the sheets) much of the time, it is because she is so open about being completely upended by her husband's betrayal. Bravo to her for daring to speak so frankly about the things most of us hide. Her experience won't reassure someone else going through the demise of a once-trusted relationship, but her honesty is refreshing.
If Parise's memoir seems over the top (and under the sheets) much of the time, it is because she is so open about being completely upended by her husband's betrayal. Bravo to her for daring to speak so frankly about the things most of us hide. Her experience won't reassure someone else going through the demise of a once-trusted relationship, but her honesty is refreshing.
July 19, 2020
Really lovely
March 27, 2020
From start to finish this book felt less like reading and more like hearing the story from the author over a bottle of wine. There were many tangents and time timeline was all over the place but the writing was so personal and the emotional heartache so raw, I couldn’t put it down. Anyone who has ever had their heart broken will relate to the ups and downs of coming to terms with being alone as it’s portrayed in this book.
October 23, 2020
I learned about this book because I listened to the podcast. (Parise adapted her book-in-progress and released an engrossing, heartfelt podcast on CBC. Highly recommend that.) Parise is an energetic, honest storyteller, and her narration is lovely. I was psyched to learn she'd written the book and that I'd be able to read it.
Because I listened to the podcast first, and by "listened" I mean "binged," I "heard" the book in her voice as I read. It's the way to go.
This book has the same main stories/content as the podcast but covers it with more depth.
So what exactly is that content? Parise's journey from young adult to married to divorced and wanting to be settled/centered again. It's a nuanced story that covers work, friendships, motherhood, family, and the impact of a husband's affair.
What I loved:
-Parise's honesty, even when it's not flattering. She clearly has a diplomatic mind, because she often acknowledges the other side of an argument she's making. For example, how her new love for one-night stands is a delight *and* sometimes dangerous. Or how she has so much going for her (esp. compared to others), but still feels it's not enough.
-She has an electric, "come on in" sort of personality, and it shines through.
-Her artistic perspective adds richness and depth to the ordinary. Her writing is beautiful.
-Her courage in sharing very personal aspects of her story.
-In someone else's hands, this story might have come across as melodramatic and/or self-centered, but Parise shows us, how because of who she is the implosion was natural.
-It's engrossing and offers enough depth to not feel redundant to the podcast (which I find myself wanting to listen to again).
What I didn't:
-I'm thinking Parise had trouble figuring out how to end this story of her life until now (now-ish) because the ending isn't as strong as the first 3/4 of the book. The ending is fine but just doesn't have the same magnetism. It's not an issue of where she ended up in her life (at all), but how it feels like the book's ending was forced. I'd have loved an ending that offered more of a: this is where I am now, what I'm doing next, and how this craziness showed me X.
-I'm not sure Parise dug deeply enough into her choice to start drinking/smoking cigarettes; she mentions how they were the wrong decisions, but doesn't delve into that as much as I'd expected her to, because in other areas, she's pretty amazing at baring her soul. (To me, it seemed like she was courting an oblivion she knew she shouldn't have been. And maybe a touch of that tricky place of crying out for a rescue *from* oneself and/or self-destructive responses to feeling out-of-control?) I mean, choosing to drink to "deal" with a dark period/depression is a different thing than having a relapse to an old coping skill. (If she had a past with alcoholism, it's not mentioned.)
Because I listened to the podcast first, and by "listened" I mean "binged," I "heard" the book in her voice as I read. It's the way to go.
This book has the same main stories/content as the podcast but covers it with more depth.
So what exactly is that content? Parise's journey from young adult to married to divorced and wanting to be settled/centered again. It's a nuanced story that covers work, friendships, motherhood, family, and the impact of a husband's affair.
What I loved:
-Parise's honesty, even when it's not flattering. She clearly has a diplomatic mind, because she often acknowledges the other side of an argument she's making. For example, how her new love for one-night stands is a delight *and* sometimes dangerous. Or how she has so much going for her (esp. compared to others), but still feels it's not enough.
-She has an electric, "come on in" sort of personality, and it shines through.
-Her artistic perspective adds richness and depth to the ordinary. Her writing is beautiful.
-Her courage in sharing very personal aspects of her story.
-In someone else's hands, this story might have come across as melodramatic and/or self-centered, but Parise shows us, how because of who she is the implosion was natural.
-It's engrossing and offers enough depth to not feel redundant to the podcast (which I find myself wanting to listen to again).
What I didn't:
-I'm thinking Parise had trouble figuring out how to end this story of her life until now (now-ish) because the ending isn't as strong as the first 3/4 of the book. The ending is fine but just doesn't have the same magnetism. It's not an issue of where she ended up in her life (at all), but how it feels like the book's ending was forced. I'd have loved an ending that offered more of a: this is where I am now, what I'm doing next, and how this craziness showed me X.
-I'm not sure Parise dug deeply enough into her choice to start drinking/smoking cigarettes; she mentions how they were the wrong decisions, but doesn't delve into that as much as I'd expected her to, because in other areas, she's pretty amazing at baring her soul. (To me, it seemed like she was courting an oblivion she knew she shouldn't have been. And maybe a touch of that tricky place of crying out for a rescue *from* oneself and/or self-destructive responses to feeling out-of-control?) I mean, choosing to drink to "deal" with a dark period/depression is a different thing than having a relapse to an old coping skill. (If she had a past with alcoholism, it's not mentioned.)
June 21, 2020
I'm trying to be objective here, but I do not know for sure if objectivity is something helpful when it comes to someone else's life and emotions. I must note though that I read 40% of the book and skimmed through the rest.
My first pet peeve in this book was that it has nothing to do with being ALONE. It is all about finding refuge in someone else's life, drama, heart, etc. I totally understand that what the author felt is real for her there and then-- I'm not judging. But it was a restless alternating of dramas without the least progress towards resolve. I kind of expected something along the lines of Eat, Pray, Love but, of course, different and unique to the author's own circumstances. But it ended up as a diluted version of Queenie, completely without the panache.
My second pet peeve was that the jumping back and forth of the timeline was weird, distracting and made me lose patience all the more with the telling.
Lastly, the book could have been a lot shorter, distilling the whole experience of the author in fewer pages, since the whole experience doesn't variably alter from one chapter to the next. It is not fiction, so I am not in for the prose, but I'm definitely in for the punch.
Thank you St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC.
My first pet peeve in this book was that it has nothing to do with being ALONE. It is all about finding refuge in someone else's life, drama, heart, etc. I totally understand that what the author felt is real for her there and then-- I'm not judging. But it was a restless alternating of dramas without the least progress towards resolve. I kind of expected something along the lines of Eat, Pray, Love but, of course, different and unique to the author's own circumstances. But it ended up as a diluted version of Queenie, completely without the panache.
My second pet peeve was that the jumping back and forth of the timeline was weird, distracting and made me lose patience all the more with the telling.
Lastly, the book could have been a lot shorter, distilling the whole experience of the author in fewer pages, since the whole experience doesn't variably alter from one chapter to the next. It is not fiction, so I am not in for the prose, but I'm definitely in for the punch.
Thank you St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC.
March 19, 2021
First 1/3 = engaging; middle 1/3 = dragging; last 1/3 = tiring.
* Plus = the writing itself.
* Minus = the content: emotionally stunted, almost Trumpian; i.e., everything/everyone is the best, unless it's/they're the worst. As noted in other (better) reviews, written from a place of seemingly unconscious privilege.
* Plus = the writing itself.
* Minus = the content: emotionally stunted, almost Trumpian; i.e., everything/everyone is the best, unless it's/they're the worst. As noted in other (better) reviews, written from a place of seemingly unconscious privilege.
July 2, 2020
I really liked it at first but then it went on and on...everyone’s circumstances and expectations are different and the author did acknowledge now and then, how fortunate she is, in many ways, but there was too much entitlement and privilege (in looks and career) to find this relatable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2020
About a woman whose husband cheats on her and the aftermath. The writing is fine, I just didn't connect with the main character who still lets her husband constantly sleep with her and lives across the street from him, then constantly cries about it. Yeah, no.
Your mileage may vary.
Your mileage may vary.
May 7, 2020
About 1/4 of the way in, I knew this book was going to break my heart. And it did. Alone: A Love Story begins on Michelle's 39th birthday. At this point she is seeing The Man In The White Shirt. But before that she was married to The Scientist. When you get married it's forever. But for Michelle, it lasted for 9 years. What follows is Michelle's journey through heartbreak, frustration and loneliness until one day she meets The Man In The White Shirt.
This book made me realise how fragile our current moment is. We live our lives so sure of it, so content in our security, feeling so safe in our relationships but ultimately the power to change these things lie in someone else's hands. We can believe their promises, we can convince ourselves to be sure of what they're saying and we can trust them. But none of that really means anything because ultimately it comes back to that age old saying; you just never know what will happen.
The writing was fast paced, the chapters were fairly short but they packed a lot in. Because this was written about a real experience, the writing was honest and that's what made it beautiful. Nothing felt dramatised or underplayed. It just was what it was. Painful. Raw. Vulnerable.
I always find it tricky to rate memoirs because who am I to judge someone else's life experiences? I can't rate the plot because it's someone's life and I can't rate character development because it's written about a real person.
There is a lot of time jumping which I found tricky to follow. But after reading and beginning to listening to the podcast I wondered if this was intentional. The way the book is written, it's like Michelle is talking to you about her past and it made me think of when we talk to people about things that have happened to us sometimes we also jump back and forth between events. I don't know if that was the purpose or not, but it just my interpretation.
EDIT: Since posting this review, I've got about halfway into the podcast. It's the first time I've ever listened to a podcast of a book I've already read but it is wonderful. Michelle narrates it so well and I'm picking up clues for what was to come which I had completely missed before. I definitely recommend reading and listening to this. You won't regret it.
.
.
.
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Thank you @netgalley for this arc.
This book made me realise how fragile our current moment is. We live our lives so sure of it, so content in our security, feeling so safe in our relationships but ultimately the power to change these things lie in someone else's hands. We can believe their promises, we can convince ourselves to be sure of what they're saying and we can trust them. But none of that really means anything because ultimately it comes back to that age old saying; you just never know what will happen.
The writing was fast paced, the chapters were fairly short but they packed a lot in. Because this was written about a real experience, the writing was honest and that's what made it beautiful. Nothing felt dramatised or underplayed. It just was what it was. Painful. Raw. Vulnerable.
I always find it tricky to rate memoirs because who am I to judge someone else's life experiences? I can't rate the plot because it's someone's life and I can't rate character development because it's written about a real person.
There is a lot of time jumping which I found tricky to follow. But after reading and beginning to listening to the podcast I wondered if this was intentional. The way the book is written, it's like Michelle is talking to you about her past and it made me think of when we talk to people about things that have happened to us sometimes we also jump back and forth between events. I don't know if that was the purpose or not, but it just my interpretation.
EDIT: Since posting this review, I've got about halfway into the podcast. It's the first time I've ever listened to a podcast of a book I've already read but it is wonderful. Michelle narrates it so well and I'm picking up clues for what was to come which I had completely missed before. I definitely recommend reading and listening to this. You won't regret it.
.
.
.
.
Thank you @netgalley for this arc.
May 31, 2020
At first this was like a horror story to me. As a guy entrenched in his decades old relationship with his wife, I was swept up in the image thought of what it would be like if things went wrong. From there I was lost in the swirling curents of Parise's prose as she struggled to find her way through the aftermath.
What really gripped me throughout the book was the raw truth behind it all, the ugly emotions, the bad decisions, and the wild currents of modern dating. She doesn't pull any punches, or pretty things up to make herself look better. It's there, right before you: a real person's life experiences. I found myself staring at the ceiling late at night wondering, "What would it be like for me?"
I can not recommend Alone: A Love Story enough. Yet another wonderful gift from our neighbors to the North.
What really gripped me throughout the book was the raw truth behind it all, the ugly emotions, the bad decisions, and the wild currents of modern dating. She doesn't pull any punches, or pretty things up to make herself look better. It's there, right before you: a real person's life experiences. I found myself staring at the ceiling late at night wondering, "What would it be like for me?"
I can not recommend Alone: A Love Story enough. Yet another wonderful gift from our neighbors to the North.
November 24, 2021
I loved this story of divorce and trying to find love and finding a kind of solace in independence and solitary rhythms, as well as re-building the community around her. I really loved Parise's voice throughout though, a tell-it-like it is, no shame, no sugar coating account that really resonated with me. Women are culturally fed such a complex and dangerous story about how our self-worth is tied to our marital status, our age / beauty, and our willingness to comply sexually - then often chided for continuing to search for love and companionship but the author dives into this and tracks her journey through all of it.
April 24, 2020
This is lyrical writing that jumps off the page and made me stop to highlight phrases. Some of the were so good, I had to pause and read them aloud to myself.
"Love is only real if it can rage like a bonfire and also comfort like a fireplace."
"I am just bones in the snow, everything has been torn out "
I am enraptured by the writing of Michelle Parise in Alone: A Love Story. I could probably have read it if it was just directions for putting together a bed. But it is so much more. It is love, loss, more love, loneliness and finding some sort of ground to stand on.
"Love is only real if it can rage like a bonfire and also comfort like a fireplace."
"I am just bones in the snow, everything has been torn out "
I am enraptured by the writing of Michelle Parise in Alone: A Love Story. I could probably have read it if it was just directions for putting together a bed. But it is so much more. It is love, loss, more love, loneliness and finding some sort of ground to stand on.
July 20, 2021
Parise reveals her love history with painstaking honesty, from the husband who broke her heart with word of his affair, to The Man in the White Shirt, a subsequent soulmate who simply could not commit to one woman, and many, many (many) other men in between.
Parise depicts herself as both independent and beholden to love, never truly allowing her mind to be free from the men in her life, primarily those who fail her in terms of relationships.
I listened to the podcast first, and was struck by the strong writing. The book, set in Toronto, does not disappoint.
Parise depicts herself as both independent and beholden to love, never truly allowing her mind to be free from the men in her life, primarily those who fail her in terms of relationships.
I listened to the podcast first, and was struck by the strong writing. The book, set in Toronto, does not disappoint.
July 26, 2020
Reading this book is like listening to a funny, fierce friend who trusts you with everything -- who's not afraid of real talk of the dark mess corners of heartbreak and betrayal, and who can laugh with dark humour while she also not being afraid to cry. I don’t know anyone who won’t see themselves somewhere in this story (but be glad Michelle’s the one doing the telling). Ultimately, Alone: A Love Story gives us something we all want: to feel less alone.
September 1, 2020
Very emotional read about a woman going through a divorce and picking up the pieces. Having never been in this position, I can only assume that is the reason for my not connecting with her. The author did an excellent job with the story line and you felt like she was really talking with you. However, I would not have held back and told her about her terrible choices. Maybe it just seemed to unrealistic for me.
June 7, 2024
Anyone who has struggled to let go of a relationship can relate to Michelle Parisi's raw, candid, honest, and, at times, bumbling journey of moving on.
She moves back and forth in time, a reflection of how we experience memories of the good and bad times of a broken relationship. She is honest about the missteps and the healthy choices alike. She is boldly and unapologetically real in a funny and refreshing manner.
She moves back and forth in time, a reflection of how we experience memories of the good and bad times of a broken relationship. She is honest about the missteps and the healthy choices alike. She is boldly and unapologetically real in a funny and refreshing manner.
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