A Boring Wife Settles the Score

Diane #2

by Marie-Renée Lavoie, Arielle Aaronson (Translator)

The eagerly anticipated sequel to the critically beloved and bestselling Autopsy of a Boring Wife finds the saucy and ever-appealing Diane, now turning fifty and with the wreckage of her marriage behind her, setting off on a new hilarious journey for romance.

A Boring Wife Settles the Score marks the return of Diane, the raunchy and entertaining heroine of the prize-winning and bestselling Autopsy of a Boring Wife. Despite the end of her marriage, Diane still has plenty of love to give. Determined not to waste her days — that’s just not her style — she finds a job in a daycare and solace in cocktails with her best friend, Claudine, who convinces Diane her love life is not over. Diane wants romance and sees no reason why she shouldn’t have it, but she soon discovers, in her typically chaotic and hilarious manner, that for a woman approaching her fifties the task is not so simple as it is for a man.

Genres: Fiction, Canada, Audiobook, France, Contemporary, Ebooks, Chick Lit

209 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 29, 2020

About the author

Marie-Renée Lavoie a un don particulier pour les dialogues vivants, les héroïnes truculentes et la poésie du quotidien. Depuis La petite et le vieux (Éditions XYZ), son premier roman plusieurs fois primé, elle ne cesse d’étonner et d’émouvoir avec ses fictions qui sonnent fabuleusement vrai.

Elle a aussi conquis le public jeunesse avec La curieuse histoire d’un chat moribond, la série Zazie et Le dernier camelot (Éditions Hurtubise).

Marie-Renée Lavoie est née en 1974 dans le quartier Limoilou, à Québec. Elle détient une maîtrise en littérature québécoise de l’Université Laval. Elle enseigne présentement la littérature au collège Maisonneuve.

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the first book in this series, 'Autopsy of a Boring Wife', Diane Delaunais's husband Jacques leaves her for a younger woman after 25 years of marriage. Diane becomes undone and acts out in a series of dramatic (and often funny) ways.



'A Boring Housewife Settles the Score' opens two years later. Diane is now almost 50-years-old;



sharing a Québec duplex with her best friend Claudine;



looking for a new job; and speculating about romance at her age. I listened to the audiobook version of the novel.

As the story opens, Diane has more or less moved on after Jacques betrayal and is looking for new challenges. Not wanting another office job, Diane gets a position as a kindergarten aide in a primary school. The divorcée is soon dealing with a classroom of active children - some of whom are more idiosyncratic than others.



One boy smashes toys; one boy won't speak; and one girl obsessively counts cards. Given the job of talking to the the toy-breaker's father, Diane is told the child is 'too smart', shown by his ability to do Legos above his age range. Meanwhile the other teachers, who've heard it all before, are giggling behind their hands.



In any case, Diane is a fine aide and goes out of her way to connect with the kids.

One perk of working at the school is the presence of a handsome contractor named Guy, who's doing renovations on the building.



Diane knows Guy slightly, and - encouraged by her friend Claudine - considers making a move on him. Diane and Claudine first try to determine Guy's relationship status, but they can't find it on the internet.....and Diane takes a bold step to find out what's what.



Diane also has a couple of interactions with her ex-husband Jacques: one time when she sees him in the pharmacy and another time when he crashes his bicycle and gives her number to the hospital. In addition to being stressed by his postpartum girlfriend and their newborn, Jacques wants Diane to be friendly with his new family (he always was a bit obtuse). However Diane has other thoughts about this.



In their spare time Diane and Claudine socialize with friends at Happy Hour;



drink wine; eat pizza, and dine on cassoulet;







and talk about getting a man, which (they think) isn't so easy for mature ladies. In one hilarious scene Diane is on the verge of getting lucky when Claudine's teenage daughter Adèle strolls into her apartment without even knocking.

Additional characters add amusement and interest to the story. These include Diane's colleagues at school, such as an overstretched secretary, a cantankerous teacher, and a restless twentysomething;



Claudine's eighty-four year old mother, who takes charge when young Adèle gets too defiant;



a nonagenarian lady with too many cats;



Diane's three-legged feline;



Diane and Claudine's VERY handsome acquaintance;



Diane's grown children; and more.

In this book middle-aged women CAN go on after desertion and divorce.....and the cheating hubbies who left them may not have it so easy. Is this realistic? Probably sometimes.

The sequel isn't as laugh out loud funny as the first book, but provides some smiles and is worth reading. The book is translated from the French, and the audiobook narrator does an excellent job with tone and nuance.

Thanks to Netgalley, Marie-Renée Lavoie, and Dreamscape Media for a copy of the book.

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sequel was wonderful—every bit as wonderful as the first book: Autopsy of a Boring Wife—and even funnier! Both books were written in French (French-Canadian, that is😉) and expertly translated by Arielle Aaronson.

Although each book can easily be read as a stand-alone, I think readers would benefit from reading both books in order. They're both tremendously delightful reads, and women "of a certain age" will especially enjoy them, and will find so much they can relate to. Whereas 'Autopsy' contains a good number of melancholic episodes (but lots of laughs, too), 'Settles the Score' is undeniably the funnier of the two, with LOADS of laughs. And especially in the last third of the book when ex-husband, Jacques, attempts to win Diane back. By then it's been 18 months since their split and Diane has re-built her life, to a certain extent, and especially her self-esteem. So when Jacques makes an effort to reconcile their relationship, Diane is having NONE of it! In fact, her reactions to him were PRICELESS—things I'll bet many of us WISH we'd had the nerve to do at some point in our lives!

When her husband told her (in the first book) he was in love with someone else, Diane was completely crushed (who wouldn't be?). She thoroughly lost her joie de vivre. But as time passed, and with a little help from her friend, Claudine, she found her inner strength and self-esteem again, and needless to say, I was rooting for her all the way!

This book was immensely gratifying, and without a doubt, worthy of 5-stars. I absolutely loved it!!!! 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡

[Christine Picard · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai beaucoup aimé ma lecture, mais pas un coup de coeur comme le premier. Très drôle, rocambolesque et entraînant, j'étais contente de retrouver Diane. Toutefois, même si j'ai vraiment beaucoup accroché sur certains passages, j'ai trouvé que d'autres étaient peut-être trop caricaturaux et ça m'a fait un peu décrocher. Mais somme toute un très bon divertissement.

[Horcruxes d'une lectrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5⭐

Le 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑑 ultime ici.

Diane, elle est hilarante. Ses répliques cinglantes, ses réflexions et réactions… tout pour faire rire ou sourire! Pourtant, on arrive aussi à y retrouver de la profondeur, rendant le tout bien équilibré.

Justement, les péripéties de sa vie sont aussi bien agréables à suivre. Ce sont les remises en question avec l’approche de la cinquantaine et les changements dans la vie, les réflexions sur la relation de couple, sur les enfants jeunes et moins jeunes 💭

Une lecture rocambolesque, mais où la personnage principale apprend à vivre pour elle-même, à retrouver son estime personnel (pour frencher? 😂) et à apprivoiser le bonheur qui se présente différemment de ce qu’elle a connu🤍

[Aude · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mon amour pour Diane ne pouvait que grandir suite à la lecture de ce deuxième roman. Diane, toujours aussi drôle et touchante. J’étais heureuse de la retrouver. Un réel plaisir pour moi de suivre ses aventures. J’ai beaucoup aimé. Un troisième livre ferait bin gros mon bonheur !!

[Lacepaperlife · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really excited about reading this after seeing the title however it didn’t quite get as juicy as I thought it was going to. There wasn’t much conflict that occurred and while there was a little bit of revenge the whole book read a little too smooth and perfect for the mess that I was hoping it would be!

I enjoyed the audiobook I and cannot believe that this was not originally written in English. The translation was flawless and I give kudos to the translator.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 stars for this interesting yet rather uneventful read

[❀ Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The boring wife reluctantly turns 50 as she tries new things and learns about herself and what is important. She heads back to the working world, meets up with her handsome contractor and has fun with her kooky friend, Claudine.

this is a fun, summer read that is light and full of anecdotes that middle age women can identify and laugh about.

[Ren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun listen. Another new author to me and I haven't read the previous book in the series but I think this one stands pretty well on its own. This follows Diane as she tries to start over after divorce and losing her job as she turns 50. The narrator adds to the story in my opinion and there is plenty of humor here. I'll have to get my hands on the previous book.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

[Maggie (Magsisreadingagain) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t realize how much I had missed Diane and Claudine, and their determination to take on the world after middle-age divorce. In the sequel to Autopsy of a Boring Wife, the two friends have settled into their routines: cassoulet at the local bistro, bottles of wine to settle the current concerns, and time spent with their evolving families.

Diane continues to worry about her place in the world and her chances at love and romance as she reaches the age of 50. And yet, the world seems to be determined to offer her new moments and chances. A new job working at the local school leads to a reconnection with a handsome acquaintance. Her ex-husband Jacques seems to be realizing the error of his ways… or has he? And a chance meeting with an elderly woman provides a moment of reflecting on her own luck and luxury.

I giggled and snorted at the shenanigans and mishaps that Diane inevitably finds herself in. I cheered at the new chances she finds.. And I swooned as a new swing at romance takes hold.

Lavoie has worked her magic again, providing a realistic and humorous look at restarting life when it seems like the walls are crashing down around you. Her characters are flawed and funny, and the situations they face are realistic, everyday moments. My only complaint would have been the ending, which felt rushed and abrupt for me. I wanted just a bit more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is available now..

[Claudine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toujours très drôles les histoires de Diane et Claudine!

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arielle Aaronson did a great job of the translation into English!

[Jennifer Clunan · Rating 5 out of 5]

J'ai trouvé ce livre doux! C'est réconfortant de voir comment Diane s'en sort bien tout en ajoutant sa petite touche d'humour.

Diane demande un recomptage, c'est l'histoire d'une femme qui reprend chaque jour, peu à peu, le contrôle de sa vie. J'ai adoré!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main character is a woman I’d enjoy meeting, and the first half of the book was laugh out loud funny. The second half had so much dialogue I had to keep stopping to figure out who was speaking. And what’s with naming two significant characters Claudine and Charlotte? Every time I picked up the book I had to remind myself who was the daughter and who was the best friend. For crying out loud, there are at least a thousand names for women. Two names that start with the same letter and are the same length is an unnecessary obstacle for the reader. An editor should have noticed.

[Nancy Juneau Doucet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhh que j’ai dont aimé ce livre. Comme je me suis reconnue en Diane, ses doutes, ses peurs, les regrets, la difficulté comme femme de se voir vieillir. Les dialogues sont savoureux, les thèmes abordés tellement véridiques. Un pur bonheur de lecture, j’attendrai avec impatience le prochain Marie-Renée 🥰

[Marianne Villeneuve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marie-Renée Lavoie est plus drôle et plus touchante que jamais. Cette Diane 2.o est follement amusante.

[Genevieve Picyk · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. The author is funny and this is a good quick read for those who’ve read the first book in the series. This book is also better than the first in the series! Diane’s job at the school and the evolution of her relationships from the first novel are done very well. You get a better idea of Diane’s character outside of a period of heightened emotional distress, and she’s still witty as ever! I will say, I felt cheated by the romance in this novel. I got invested in the will-they-won’t-they of it all, then the author skips right over the part where they finally get together! I didn’t expect smut, but there was basically no payoff for the reader from that slow burn. One minute she’s texting her friend that they had sex, the next they’re so comfortable with each other that they’re making out in the hallways at school! What? Also I would have liked to hear more about what happened to Madeline after the cats were removed from her home. Following Diane for a visit to see Madeline would have given some goo closure to that storyline.

[Anne Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a mistake on my part to not give the first book in this series, Autopsy of a Boring Wife by Marie-Renee Lavoie its very own full review on my blog because it’s a stand-out novel for me. I’m finally righting that wrong and giving the second in the series, A Boring Wife Settles the Score its own, glowing full-page review that it deserves. This is a difficult book to recommend, because convincing people they need to read a hilarious book about a woman who has gone slightly unhinged by anger towards her asshole ex-husband can be a tough sell, but I did it anyway, and chose it as one of my three books to feature in my Calgary Public Library ‘reading influencer’ display. I should also mention this book is originally written in French, and is translated once again by Arielle Aaronson, just like the first. I love books with a good sense of humour, and a book like this, with a protagonist that has stayed with me for years, is definitely worth a try.

Plot Summary

We meet up with Diane once again, a few years since her divorce. She lives by herself in an apartment in the same building as her best friend (who is also single), and Diane has just secured a job as a teacher’s assistant for before and after school care, so she comes and goes throughout the day. She’s also caught the eye of her man- friend Guy, who is covered in muscles and tattoos, currently working construction at that same school, so there’s a thread of romance that keeps her light on her feet these days. Not surprisingly, her ex-husband (who left Diane for his secretary who is half their age because she became pregnant with his child) has begun to realize how romantically incompatible he is with someone who is the same age of his grown children, and begins an attempt to woo Diana back. Aside from these developments, Diana has also begun working on her anger issues, and instead of taking a sledgehammer to the furniture and walls of her home, she has purchased knickknacks to smash with her sledgehammer instead, at the advice of her therapist. All in all, things are looking up for Diane.

My Thoughts

I’m trying to pin down the reasons why I love these books, and it is so clearly Diane herself, and her reaction to things. I remember enjoying the first book, but also being a bit concerned for Diane, whereas is this second installment, her life so clearly on an upward trajectory again that instead of worrying about my fellow female, I can bask in the glory of her life’s small successes. The romance with Guy is a big step for her; she spends lots of time swerving between an attempt at flirting with Guy, and then scuttling back to her house wondering why someone as attractive as him would be interested in her. In her late forties, she’s been with only one man, her ex-husband, her entire life. Her self-esteem has taken such a hit since her divorce that the majority of the book isn’t about her time with Guy, instead it’s about her learning to be confidant in herself as a woman, and allowing her desires to be the goal of her actions for the first time in her life. Living selfishly does not come easy to her, and I would argue it doesn’t come easy to any woman who has spent her life raising children and taking care of a husband, but this book is Diane’s late blossoming, and it’s a joy to witness.

Not only is she now in a position to enjoy the spoils of being single, she’s found her voice and ability to stand up to others. There’s a showdown between herself and another teacher at work where this stick-by-the rules woman insists one part of the playground is only for a certain age group, even though Diane’s young charges were enjoying it, and crying at the thought of having to leave. Unable to stand by and let this wrong continue, Diane marches up to the offending teacher, yanks this ball strap from her hands and refuses to move. She pays for this later, but she’s more than happy to stand up against this other schoolyard bully for the sake of her class. The new anger that propels Diane through her life has morphed from violent destruction of her household to standing up for what she believes in, damn the consequences. In a slightly more petty instance, Diane secretly slaps a silly patch onto the backpack of an unsuspecting teenager who’s whining is getting out of control, sure to subject that young girl to taunting once her classmates see the “god is love” declaration on her bag. It’s a small thing, but it brings Diane (and the reader) a little bit of joy to indulge in.

The writing itself is sharp, witty, and laugh-out-loud funny. Diane is self-deprecating in the way many middle-aged women are, but she barrels through life anyway, happy to get away with whatever she can. In this scene, she’s been asked by a younger co-worker to ‘cover’ for her at a conference, as this young woman is off to do something she shouldn’t instead of sitting through some boring presentations. Diane agrees, and makes up a little white lie to secure the folder:

She returned my wink and handed over my imaginary friend’s folder without asking for proof. Easy-peasy. I have a face that inspires confidence; that’s how it is when you’re boring. I stuffed Sophie’s things into my own purse, the giant kind moms use because, even twenty years after the last diaper, they never learned how to get by with a smaller one (p. 105).

It’s a certain kind of humour, but one that’s generously sprinkled throughout, which makes both books such a delight to read. I can’t wait for the third, and hopefully fourth, fifth, and sixth in this series.

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[Emilie Girard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diane c’est le personnage de romans la plus parfaite des temps nouveaux. J’étais si heureuse de la retrouver dans ses aventures-mésaventures le temps d’un deuxième tome! Diane c’est la femme début cinquantaine qui ne cadre pas dans les standards de beauté et qui n’a pas besoin d’un homme à tout prix pour se sentir valide. Pis c’est tellement valide! Elle est si attachante dans son insécurité, son humour et sa spontanéité. J’en voudrais toujours plus ! Mais ça s’en vient. Seul point négatif, y’avait beaucoup d’enfants là d’dans 😂! Le premier tome est définitivement meilleur, mais tout de même ! Je recommande ☺️

[Cloé Lefrançois-Boyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'étais tellement contente de retrouver Diane dans ce deuxième tome. Son humour, son sarcasme, sa façon de voir la vie, on sait jamais vraiment à quoi s'attendre en la suivant dans ses histoires du quotidien.
On s'attache rapidement par ses failles qui la rendent si humaine et sa force de reprendre le contrôle de sa vie.
Une lecture divertissante, j'ai déjà hâte de lire la suite!

[Stéphanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah que je l'aime cette Diane, et j'ai adoré retrouver son humour mordant, son incroyable sens de la répartie et aussi sa douceur de "femme plate". J'ai ri à chaque fois qu'il était question des "ostimans", j'ai beaucoup apprécié sa belle amitié avec Claudine et ses liens avec ses enfants. Bien que ce ne soit pas un roman où il se passe beaucoup de choses, je l'ai dévoré!

[Audrey Rousseau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quel plaisir de retrouver Diane. J'ai adoré cette suite. L'histoire est vraie et les personnages aussi. J'ai beaucoup ri et j'ai été touchée.
J'ai ADORÉ la référence qu'elle fait à une de ses romans pour enfant, ce fut la cerise sur le sunday ;)

[Isabelle Venditti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diane ne m’a pas déçue, j’ai été heureuse de retrouver ma nouvelle « amie » dans d’autres aventures. J’en veux encore!

[Marlies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic characters. I found this book funny and heartbreaking all at the same time.

[Les lectures de Grumpy Cath · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Melanrocks Booktok · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dans ce deuxième tome, la protagoniste se porte beaucoup mieux, mais sa vie est toujours bien remplie et elle n'a pas le temps de s'ennuyer cette chère Diane! Ça été du bonbon, cette lecture!

[Eli-lit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toujours aussi attachante cette Diane et son acolyte Claudine, les personnages sont si bien incarnées, ça se lit tout seul et j'adore les livres avec des femmes de plus de 40 ans, ça me rejoint 😊

[Maude Fleurent · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25🌟

La femme plate aura toujours une place bien particulière dans mon coeur autant aujourd’hui qu’hier. Mais j’ai trouvé vers la fin que les fils s’emmêlent ce qui me laisse avec des questions sans réponses.

[Camille Fournier-Aquin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Le personnage et les réflexions de Diane me font tellement rire! J’ai ri à plusieurs moments. Son amitié avec Claudine est un objectif à atteindre pour moi 😂🫶🏼

[Meghan (plethora_of_pages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Boring Wife Settles the Score by Marie-Renée Lavoie

Sequel to the highly entertaining and heartfelt Autopsy of a Boring Wife, I enjoyed this follow-up to Diane’s story very much. In the first book, Diane’s husband of 25 years leaves her for a (much) younger woman, and she’s left reeling; she works through the messy aftermath in raw, relatable and at times hilarious ways. In this new story, the dust has settled, and Diane is ready for new experiences.

I’m a big fan of Diane. She’s feisty, continually learning and doesn’t take herself too seriously. I’d for sure have some cassoulet and rosé with Di & Claudine any night!! What I liked most in revisiting Diane is seeing her growth and how she has changed. This one is a bit sappier, more warm & fuzzy. She’s more assertive, and as she proved in the first novel, she’s anything but “boring”.

Overall, a really solid sequel in my opinion, and I so appreciated the moments Diane had me laughing. A French to English translation, I’d be more than happy to see a third book translated with Diane and her friends & family. These books are short and delightful - I’d recommend for those looking for something with both humour and emotion.

Thank you so much to House of Anansi Press and to Netgalley for an e-ARC of this lovely book. It’s out now!

[Karine Martel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Je prendrais bien un troisième roman de cette autrice, je suis curieuse de lire ce qu’est devenue Diane. Un très bon roman divertissant.