The Divorce Party

by Laura Dave

"Sizzle SPF 50. A secret marriage, lies about affairs . . . even sex on the day of the divorce party" ( USA Today ) a novel by the author of the #1 New York Times Bestseller and Reese's Book Club Pick, The Last Thing He Told Me

Set in Hamptons high society, The Divorce Party features two women-one newly engaged and one at the end of her marriage-trying to answer the same when should you fight to save a relationship, and when should you let go? An insightful and funny multi-generational story, this deeply moving novel is sure to touch anyone whose heart has weathered an unexpected storm.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Romance, Contemporary, Womens Fiction, Book Club

272 pages, Paperback

First published October 30, 2007

About the author

Laura Dave is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several novels including The Last Thing He Told Me and Eight Hundred Grapes. Her novels have sold more than six million copies and have been translated into thirty-eight languages. She resides in Santa Monica, California.

Her new novel, The First Time I Saw Him, will be released in January 2026

Website:www.lauradave.com

Instagram:www.instagram.com/lauradaveauthor

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, silly me thought dear Laura Dave: the author of “Last thing you told me”wrote a brand new novel and without looking at the cover or reading the blurb, I just jumped and clicked the request button several times! Then I found out: this book is not her brand new work. It has already published on 2008.

I still didn’t care because I still wanted to read the early work of the author to see her amazing progress but… well… this book wasn’t one of my favorites. I think I had problem with both of the characters.

The idea about two different women: one of them is about to finish her longtime commitment by throwing a divorce party to celebrate her freedom and the other one is soon to be daughter in law has hesitations about her relationship was intriguing plot line.

Gwynn Huntington plans her divorce party instead of celebrating her thrifty fifth wedding anniversary.Maybe the house they built in Montauk Island which has been destroyed by hurricane 8 decades ago is not strong enough the inhabitants’ emotional turmoils. Who knows?

On the other future to be daughter in law Maggie still tries to digest her boyfriend’s obscene richness as a woman who barely pays her debts. Not only class differences make her hesitate but also having totally opposite approaches to the life give her second thoughts about her relationship with Nate.

She accepts to attend the Divorce Party, dealing with her own dilemma: leaving Nate- adjusting in a life she may barely adapt!

Gwynn seemed like so much bitter and vengeful from the beginning. At the final revelation we totally understand her reasonings but I wish the author gave us some clues earlier so we didn’t have to dislike her character so much! And it took too much time for Maggie to come out of her shell. She was way too much insecure and shy. Her inner circle about her own insecurities gave me creeps.

I could enjoy this book more if I could relate with the characters but unfortunately I didn’t like them!

It was still easy to read, definitely not boring read. But it’s not one of my favorite works of the author. So I decided to give a solid three stars: let’s meet in Switzerland border which belongs to books: neither I hate nor I like.

Special thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP/ Penguin Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

[Sherri Thacker · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just ok. Didn't love it and didn't hate it. Would I recommend it? No.

[Patricia Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story. It was beautifully written and I love the characters. It is a psychological story about the people we are involved with and the secrets they hide. The Divorce Party is about a couple who are divorcing and throw a party to celebrate. Their two children are there with their significant others and plenty of their friends. The husband is hiding a secret, the wife is hiding a secret and their son is hiding a secret. The mother and the son's giflfriend bond of his secret which they have shared and try to understand. The girlfriend was my favorite character in the book and she is an outsider looking in as she had never meet any of this people before the party. She had the boyfriend do reconnect after he shares his secret with her. And this is also the story of a home which was handed down through several generations. At the end the young couple of talking about some of the things they love about the home and they decide to take a bench away and put it in front of the restaurant they are starting. While looking at the bench the young woman discovers a plaque underside of the bench and you found out the son's grandparents put it there, and it is a Van Morrison song which is so appropriate for this story. Loved this!

[Martha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. A couple throws a big party to announce and set the off on their newly divorced lives. Enjoyable enough, I guess, but it's fluff. Read it when you don't want to think because you won't have to

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I zipped through this book and here's why: The story caught my attention because the plot did not sound like any story I had ever read. It is set in the outer reaches of Long Island where a family reunites for a party to mark the end of the parent's marriage (THE "divorce party") and the chance to meet the son's new fiance. The story is told alternately from the perspectives of two female characters (aren't the women always the story-keepers in families?): the mother, Gwyn, and the new fiance, Maggie. This device alone adds interesting dimensions to the storytelling. You can learn a lot about a family from the matriarch's perspective as well as from that of an outsider looking in and discovering. The story is partially about secrets and the pain they bring but also about the fragility and resiliency of relationships and love. Finally, and most surprisingly, about revenge and who it really hurts. I think that the story is deceptively simple (some may call it a beach read) but has many discussable points. Book groups could easily pick apart the pros and cons of the motivations and actions of each character. Quick and satisfying!

[Meg Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Divorce Party is one of the most oddly moving books I've read in a long time. Since I finished reading it, I have been trying to sort out what, exactly, makes it work so well. Certainly, it captures the emotions of complex people in complex relationships in incredibly lovely prose. It is funny, and surprisingly heartwarming, and hard to put down. And yet it goes beyond that somehow, in a way that so few books do. There is some little bit of magic that it delivers. It leaves you hopeful for your own relationships, and for your ability to embrace your future, whatever it has in store.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

When reading a Laura Dave book, I almost feel like I am reading an Emily Giffin book. Dave’s stories – or at least the two I have read: “The Divorce Party” and “The First Husband” – like Giffin’s are centered on females with complicated love lives. What separates Giffin and Dave from other authors in the romantic comedy/chick lit genre, though, is that their stories have substance. While their books may be quick-paced and perfect for the beach, they aren’t full of fluff. They can actually be quite thoughtful and resonate within the reader (or at least this reader).

With all that said, though, Dave isn’t quite on the same level as Emily Giffin. Don’t get me wrong - “The Divorce Party” was a terrifically engaging story. Told in alternating chapters by the interconnecting characters Maggie–the young woman on the verge of marriage–and Gywn–the seasoned woman on the verge of divorce–the chapters always left me wanting to read more. I also appreciated how the story surprised me. When I thought Dave was going a predictable direction, she went into another.

But I gave Laura Dave’s “The Divorce Party” 3/5 stars because I felt like the story was a little rushed. Coming in at only 244 pages in a small sized book, I finished the book in two days and probably could have made a run at one day if I started the book earlier on day one. The book seemed to place emphasis on brevity and concision because at some points the characters would say something and I would not know how they got to the point. It almost seemed like there were lines missing that were edited out for whatever reason. The flow of the story was definitely interrupted due to the need to reread lines and make my own inferences. After noting a typographical error in the text, I found myself wondering if the book was rushed for publication and did not receive proper and concentrated editing.

Nonetheless, I did like “The Divorce Party” and would recommend it for anyone who enjoys chick lit with substance (got to give props to my friend Marisa for that characterization). Laura Dave may not be Emily Giffin, but she could at least be the author you read in between Emily Giffin’s books.

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

“A lot of badness is coming from today. A lot is coming out of this divorce party.”
“This divorce party? How is that responsible?”
“It’s putting something in the air.”

[Esther]

Self note: the older h that is married knows her husband is having an affair with a younger ow. She is a student of her husband. It’s something like cooking and they do a divorce party (the H doesn’t know the h knows about ow, they are separating because he doesn’t feel the same anymore) the h contrates the ow to do the catering at this party. Ow realizes when she is at the party. H doesn’t know until ow brings the cake. It’s so sad. I didn’t like how the h was defending the H. He is a piece of shit. He has been lying for 9+ months and it’s in love with this ow. The h thinks that maybe their marriage will have survive if he wanted to fight (even after realizing of the cheating) the H is a lying cheater. He kisses h in their divorce party and tell her he loves her but obv there are going to divorce. I didn’t like the h trying to justify him. I like that she knows that this affair it’s not going to last. That he is going to realize that ow can’t save him either. I think he is having a middle age crisis. Their kids are at the party, there are old. There is also anothe pov. The new fiancee of their kid. She has some drama with her fiancé. Not cheating that i know. I wanted more hurting and sadness and wanting to punch to their father for being a cheater.
What else? H prob moves with ow. He probably wanted to presented her months later as the new gf as if nothing happens. Also, he blames Buddhism as why he has been disappearing. He is learning. This is 99% false, mostly he was f with the ow. Sometimes he went with ow to learn but I felt that like the biggest red flag ever. I’m finding religion (the h says that his religion is the ow, not Buddhism)
I wanted an om or something more for h. I feel like she just lost and lost and was pretty apathetic about it. The only thing she did for revenge was to pay the ow for the job so he can realize that she knows (a big amount of money btw because the H was going to left her sooner than later and she will need the money. Seriously? I’m so sick of martyr heroines. YOU DONT HAVE TO LIKE HER OR GIVE HER MONEY OR DO SHIT TO HER, she f your husband. Ok, it’s his fault but she knew about YOU. She is not someone that you should help or feel pity. She is going to be the stepmother of your kids and she has the same age. So so so disgusting. You don’t need to give her your money too. So, the ow brings the cake and then the husband is kinda looking at ow like wow what are you doing here (in a good way like I’m so happy to see you) finally the idiot realizes: wait, what IS she doing her? Wait a second… I’m going to look to my wife. Shit, she knows. And he says: I can explain. Sure you can

[Laurel-Rain · Rating 5 out of 5]

What kind of a couple throws a huge party on their thirty-fifth anniversary to celebrate, not the event itself, but the fact that the marriage is ending? This particular divorce party is marking the end of a coupling that others thought would survive anything—the Huntingtons come from a family of survivors on this island of Montauk. And Gwyn and Thomas seemed to be the perfect couple.

As the guests assemble for this lavish get-together, another couple, just beginning their journey together, is also coming from a home in Red Hook, near Brooklyn, NY. This will be Maggie's first introduction to her fiancé's family. Nate has said little about them; in fact he seems unusually reticent.

Then on their trip to Montauk, through a series of chance meetings along the way, Maggie first glimpses some of the secrets Nate has kept from her. The cracks in the thin veneer that protect them are spreading and threatening to burst. Her first doubts appear.

More is revealed in the first days in Montauk, and the journey may abruptly end unless something drastic happens.

Meanwhile, we see Gwyn's story unfolding, layer by layer, as she relives through memories the journey she and Thomas have taken. And we slowly learn why Gwyn has chosen this particular venue—the divorce party—to mark the demise of the marriage.

Alternately told in Gwyn's and Maggie's voices, we discover what it means to build a life with someone and how, by making very different choices, two different women learn how to create the lives they most want to lead.

What are the secrets Nate has kept, that threaten his new relationship? And what motivates Gwyn to choose this very public setting to end hers? Is there more she hopes to unleash? And will she get the results she seeks?

These are some of the questions resolved in these pages, giving "The Divorce Party: A Novel" a resounding five stars, in my opinion.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Divorce Party has a strong sense of place. It starts with the 1938 hurricane that destroyed most of Montauk Island (off the coast of Long Island). It's the ferocity of the storm that cements their choice to marry. Together they vow that the house will see everything.

Sixty-nine years later the love has gone from the home. Instead of a thirty-fifth wedding anniversary, Gwynn Huntington is planning a divorce party. She and her husband have grown apart as he finds a new religion. Gwynn though knows it's more than just religion and the party is her way of getting a sweet revenge on her husband.

Meanwhile Maggie is coming to terms with learning her fiancé is obscenely wealthy when she's been struggling to make ends meet all her life. She's not sure if their relationship can work but she still decides to go along with Nate to the divorce party.

I loved the setting and the first chapter. I had high hopes for the rest of the novel but Maggie's on-going insecurities quickly became tedius. Maggie wasn't a strong enough character to carry her half of the novel. Meanwhile, Gwynn's constant anger isn't explained until the big reveal near the end. I would have preferred to know earlier the reason behind Gwynn's actions. As she's written she's just a constantly angry and bitter person and that makes her boring and unsympathetic (until the very end).

The strengths of the novel remain in the descriptions of the locations and the understanding of how the place has changed (or not) during the last seven decades. The book could have been something special with more attention to characterization and more foreshadowing.

[Mary Jackson _TheMaryReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was not a fan of this book. It had the worst ending and I struggled to read the book from the beginning. I just would not recommend this book.

[Candi Holzsager · Rating 1 out of 5]

This entire book could have been a 30 second life insurance commercial. It would have been better.

It was an attempt to take a mundane event, a party, and turn it into something grandiose and it was unsuccessful. TOOOOO MAAANNNYYY WWWOORRRDDDSSS. and no action. nothing happens.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

If London Is the Best City in America is a good book, this is a GREAT book. I loved the characters and the setting. It was very cinematic, and I think it will translate into a movie quite well.

[Carla Faleiro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Até poderia ter dado 2 estrelas, mas algo na estória me levou a "puxar" um pouco mais. No fim tudo se resume à dor da separação, à luta por um amor e ao cansaço de se lutar sozinha muitas batalhas.

[Jonann loves book talk❤♥️❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Graceful Divorce-a divorce party is an important and necessary rite of passage, an important and necessary way to celebrate a peaceful end to a valued union." (Laura Dave)

Just that passage alone intrigued me to read Laura Dave's book "The Divorce Party".

Thomas and Gwyn Huntington are approaching their anniversary. They have been married almost thirty-five years and have two grown children named Nate and Georgia.

Gwyn and Thomas are getting a "seemingly" amicable divorce, so instead of a anniversary party they are having a last celebration with friends and family to toast their peaceful divorce. Nate feels uncomfortable about his parents divorce and ask his fiancee Maggie to attend the party with him. Maggie has never met Nate's family, so she is nervous and apprenhisvie. In essence we are seeing a woman ending a marriage, and the other at the very beginning of hers. This makes for two very emotionally intense pov's.

To add anticipation to the next reader, I am ending this review with my favorite quote from Dave's twisty book that contains tons of interesting secrets!

"People have to get better about lying around here. Or at least telling those of us in on the truth what it is that we're not supposed to spill." (Laura Dave)

"The Divorce Party" will be published January 18, 2022

Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Books for the e-book.

[Caroline Bartlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://www.howdidthatbookend.com/lar...

Thank you to Penguin Books for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved The Last Thing He Told Me, so I was extremely excited to see another Laura Dave book available. The Divorce Party is actually a republishing of one of Dave’s earlier works, originally published in 2008.

The Divorce Party is told through two perspectives: that of Gwynn, the family matriarch, as she prepares for her divorce from Tom, and that of Maggie, Nate’s fiance, new to the family and offering a refreshing outside perspective. I enjoyed how we learned about this family from both the inside and the outside. I preferred Maggie’s POV. Gwynn was somewhat unlikeable in the beginning, although I understood where she was coming from by the end.

I enjoyed that the characters were not perfect and that their love stories felt real. There is no storybook ending in real life, and The Divorce Party does a good job of reflecting realistic relationships.

The setting of this book is unparalleled. I have never been to Montauk, but I feel like I can perfectly picture the Huntington estate and surrounding town. I’m a sucker for the suspenseful setting of a summer storm.

This book is very short, and at times I wanted a little more from the story. Overall, though, I enjoyed the hopeful themes and the reminder that love is not simple, and everyone’s love story looks different.

[Heather Fishel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I have read just about everything by Laura Dave after absolutely loving The Last Thing He Told Me, and nothing quite lives up to that standard. This one was just ok, definitely some interesting parts, a little mystery for a minute, but just not as wonderful as The Last Thing.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gorgeous. Give yourself a treat and read this book.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars!

[Terri Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved The Last Thing he told me and jumped to get this one. It was slow at first, I started it in November and put it down when it didn’t grab me. I picked it back up and tore through it pretty quickly. Entertaining enough, but not like her last one!

[Susan Pierre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good. It was cute. Mentioned a few local places. Second book I read but Laura Dave. Will definitely be reading more.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

an easy, quick pace read and sorta interesting. not sure how to feel about this.

[Jennifer Wehling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, but not good either. Interesting ideas woven throughout, enough to keep you going, but not enough to amount to anything.

[Jenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a favorite. The whole idea of a divorce party is bizarre and not really something that I think happens in real life. Very quick read, but I’d probably pick something else.

[Pamela Huenke · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5. It was somewhat entertaining but nothing special.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not at all what I thought it was going to be about b/c it is actually a love story and I have to say I was truly getting into it and enjoying it. B/c of the title I should've known it wouldn't have a good ending and yet I was still bummed with it and again not b/c of what you were thinking...despite this I still thought it was a goodread

[Jeanette Stingley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Divorce Part by Laura Dave is one of the best books I have read in awhile. You know a book is good when it only takes me 3 days to read it!

The whole book takes place in one day. Maggie is about to meet her future in-laws at their Divorce Party. Yes, Divorce Party. The couple, Gwyn and Thomas, is throwing in the towel after nearly 35 years of marriage. Thomas has found religion (or at least that is his version of him growing apart from his wife) and doesn’t see Gwyn as part of his journey into Buddhism. Gwyn decides the throw a Divorce Party to celebrate the end of the relationship and the beginning of their new futures.

Then we have Maggie and Nate, Gwyn and Thomas’ son. Newly engaged, about to start a restaurant business of their own, and head over heels for each other. Maggie has been a commitment phobe her whole life mostly because of the traumatic experience of her mother walking out on her when she was younger. Maggie hangs in there through each revealed secret until Nate’s sister Georgia spills the biggest secret of Nate’s past. I didn’t blame Maggie for second guessing her entire relationship and future with Nate at that point. I don’t want to give any spoilers because I want you to go devour the book like I did but you will discover just how clever Gwyn is as her story unravels to the very end.

The story is told by alternating back and forth between Maggie and Gwyn. I love the way Laura Dave writes. Page after page the back story of these two women are told as secrets are revealed about each man and how Maggie and Gwyn are seeing their lives unfold before them. Dave is a very gifted story teller. She keeps you hanging at the end of every chapter. You do have to read chapter in succession because they build upon each other. Dave makes you feel as if you are right there at the side of each character watching the story unfold. It is the way these 2 women analyze their lives(past, present and future) that makes the reader get sucked in.

I highly recommend this book for a lazy weekend when you can shut off the phone, grab a cup of coffee and relax with a good story!

Laura Dave is the author of London is the Best City in America, which was a San Francisco Chronicle bestseller. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Glamour, Self Magazine, ESPN the Magazine, Redbook, and The New York Observer. She lives in New York City; visit her online at lauradave.com. The rights to the story to be made into a movie were bought by Jennifer Aniston’s production company!!!!

[Kerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, I read most of this book while laying on my new awesome hammock so that may have added to the enjoyability!

I think the book would be just a light, quick read. And it was pretty quick! But, it was pretty thought-provoking, actually. Made me think about marriage, and what it means- And more importantly, the whole idea of truly being intimate and honest. I'm a songwriter, and it's a topic I find comes up over and over in my writing. That need and want to lay all the cards out for someone, and for them to love you despite all the "bad" parts.

I loved the 2nd half of the book once I was laying in my hammock and really paying attention to the book. Not sure why I was a little slow to get into it, it could have just been me and all the random thoughts I had running thru my brain.

I'm going to read Laura Dave's other book and pay better attention next time!

I gave it 3 stars, but I really need another 1/2 star!

[Sónia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Um livro que começou a ser interessante, mas que, sensivelmente a partir da sua metade, foi perdendo o fulgor.

A estória aborda perspectivas interessantes sobre relacionamentos ... Aqueles que se iniciam, os já com algum tempo e os relacionamentos de longo prazo. Pressupunha que fosse ser uma leitura rápida, devido ao número de páginas e à leveza do conteúdo em si, mas para o final foi perdendo o fulgor e tornou-se uma leitura arrastada. A dada altura, pensava que estava a ler uma soap opera e não a ler um livro.

Sinto que é uma obra a que lhe falta qualquer coisa e, daí, a minha sensação de desapontamento. Contudo, pode-se dizer que gostei um pouco mais que o outro livro cá editado da autora, O Primeiro Marido. Só que este "mais" não é suficiente para que tenha uma opinião amplamente positiva...