Kiss Me in the Coral Lounge: Intimate Confessions from a Happy Marriage

by Helen Ellis

Even twenty years into marriage, Helen Ellis’s husband still makes her heart pitter patter. The New York Times bestselling author paints a portrait of true romance for our times in these surprising, sexy, and hilariously frank essays about love, marriage, and her last first kiss.

"Ellis is one of our greatest living humorists, in the same league as Sedaris and Irby...A fascinating portrait of middle-aged love.” —Ann Napolitano, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Edward

Welcome to the Coral Lounge, a room in Helen Ellis’s New York City apartment painted such an exuberant shade that a Peeping Tom left a sticky note asking for the color. It is in the Coral Lounge where all the parties A game called “What’s in the box?” makes its uproarious debut, the Puzzle Posse pounces on a 500-piece jigsaw of a beheaded priest, and guests don blindfolds for a raucous bridal shower.

When the pandemic shuts down the city, the Coral Lounge becomes a place of refuge, where Helen and her husband binge-watch Joan Collins’s Dynasty , dote on two spoiled cats, and where Helen discovers that even twenty years into marriage, her husband still makes her heart pitter patter.

Genres: Nonfiction, Essays, Humor, Memoir, Audiobook, Romance, Biography Memoir

224 pages, Hardcover

First published June 13, 2023

About the author

HELEN ELLIS an American novelist. She has authored two published novels, along with a short story collection and a forthcoming collection of essays. She is a poker player who competes on the national tournament circuit. Raised in Alabama, she lives with her husband in New York City.

Her first novel, Eating the Cheshire Cat (Scribner: 2001), is a dark comedy written in Southern Gothic fiction style. It tells the story of three girls raised in the South, and the odd, sometimes macabre tribulations they endure.

The Turning: What Curiosity Kills (Powell's Books: 2010), her second novel, is a "teen vampire" story about a southern 16-year-old girl adopted into a wealthy New York City family and centers on shape-shifting, teen romance, and the supernatural.

Her third publication, American Housewife (Doubleday: 2016), is "a sharp, funny, delightfully unhinged collection of stories set in the dark world of domesticity".

A collection of essays entitled Southern Lady Code was published in April 2019.

You can find her on Twitter @WhatIDoAllDay and Instagram @AmericanHousewife.

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helen Ellis is among the funniest, quirkiest, and smartest essayists I know. Her latest collection is as astute and thoughtful as ever, and delightfully unexpected. There is no subject that is taboo for Ellis, and her candor about her marriage, her childhood, and her family is a gift because she is, pure and simple, a hoot. I laughed aloud A LOT reading "Kiss Me in the Coral Lounge." You will, too.

[Jasmine from How Useful It Is · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you PRHAudio for the complimentary audiobook! Thank you Doubleday Books for the opportunity to read and review!

This story is narrated by the author. It's great! I enjoyed it. Good humor. The book discusses about variety of different topics and tips. The start of the story is about snoring husband and the author's friends' common agreement with their husbands snoring too and on sleep arrangements so that the couple can still have a good night sleep. All of the things Helen mentioned, I have done them: kick the husband to stop him from snoring and then pretending to sleep 😂 and actually, I sleep the best in separate rooms like she also mentioned.. then there's tips for having a cat. I don't have a cat yet. There are stories of Helen and her husband and how they have a happy marriage. There are tips on collecting art and how stickers make her happy. I love stickers too and decorate my planner with it. There are other stories of the author's parents and friends and her and her husband.. I like that there's a story behind the title of the book!

[Katie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

KISS ME IN THE CORAL LOUNGE is a hilarious collection of essays centered around Helen Ellis’s life with her husband. If you are married or in a long-term relationship I’d put this book on your tbr pile. So much relatable content. (All these years I thought my husband was a weirdo for discussing a game plan if there’s an alien invasion so it’s nice knowing other couples do this as well. 😂) These essays really capture those little moments in life with your partner. The ones that don’t seem important at the time but in my opinion are key to a happy life together.

My absolute favorite essay was Contract for a Happy Marriage as it was so funny and brilliant. My Husband Snores and Yours Will Too, How to Collect Art, and Teacher’s Pet were standouts as well. Honestly though, they were all good reads. A great book to sit down with after a long, stressful day when you need a laugh.

Thank you Doubleday and Netgalley for providing an advance digital copy!

[Basic B's Guide · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars. Audiobook gifted by PRH. Approx 4 hours on audio and narrated by the author herself. Bonus!

A repeat author for me. I love that Ellis doesn't take herself too seriously. This is a collection of short stories about marriage, friendships, the pandemic and of course her cats.

Helen always entertains but her latest collection wasn't as memorable for me. A quick listen though.

[Janssen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick read and definitely quirky.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A humorous collection of essays/anecdotes about life, love, marriage and everything else focused especially during the long months of the pandemic in New York. Many of these stories were relatable, many made me laugh out loud. Recommended for fans of authors like Nora Ephron and anyone looking for a good laugh.

[britt_brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must immediately read Helen Ellis on publication day, and will #reread many times. She’s so funny and relatable and southern. This essay collection, one of my most-anticipated releases this year, is mostly about marriage, and a bit about cats. Go audio; her narration so perfectly matches the humor. I’m sad I missed her book event at Parnassus Books, but of all the days in 2023, it fell on my son’s birthday. I’ll catch her next time!

[Kyra Leseberg (Roots & Reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helen Ellis has a wicked sense of humor that I appreciate as a southern woman. In her latest essay collection, she focuses on her 20+ year marriage with stories about their NYC apartment, their cats, a game they call "What's in the box?", death, devotion, and more.

I learned what intertwangelism (enjoyable!) and appreciated these witty musings on her marriage through the lens of COVID-19 lockdown.

Thanks to Doubleday for sending an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Kiss Me in the Coral Lounge is scheduled for release on June 13, 2023.

For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio!
Lots of laughs

[Kerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is like discovering kpop in the pandemic. It’s just so delightful and such an escape from these unprecedented times.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helen Ellis never disappoints! Another hilarious collection of essays that had me laughing out loud. My husband thinks I've lost my mind. My two favorites in her latest release are "An Email to Our Cat Sitter" and "May I Hold Your Grudge for You?"" I love her humor so much, and we both want our own coral lounge now.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Collection of (supposedly humorous and amusing) short stories gleaned from the author's life with her husband in NYC.

Let's just say... I was not a fan. However, I was mildly amused by the chapter about stickers because who doesn’t like stickers?! Next!

Location: New York City

I received a copy of this book from AARP’s Girlfriend Book Club giveaway. All opinions are my own.

[Juliana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Pretty cute stories from Helen Ellis. Nice and short listen with some laugh out loud moments. It's nice to read about a healthy marriage with so many years under her belt. It's refreshing that while there are moments that they struggle, they still genuinely are still in love.

[Vanessita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a different type of read than my usual suspense or psychological thrillers.

A collection of short stories about cats, marriage, and friendships. I thought I'd be hooked, but I found some stories not relatable and in turn, I was not as engaged. The author is quirky and you can tell that despite being married for many years, her and her husband love each other through it all.

My favorites were "My Husband Snores and Yours Will Too, "May I Hold Your Grudge for You?" and Teacher’s Pet.

[Alli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know where Helen Ellis has been all my life, but I’m glad I’ve finally found her. She has Southern roots, is in a decades-long marriage, has no kids, and lives with two cats in a Manhattan apartment. The “coral lounge” is her coral-painted tv room. This collection is about the humor and idiosyncrasies to be found in a longterm relationship and how singular living through a pandemic has been. Listening to Ellis’ Southern accent makes this next level, so go with audio.

[dora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deus... sou eu de novo...

[Mia Voehringer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and refreshing little book about the joy of always crushing on your partner - no matter how long you’ve been together. Throughly enjoyed it and read many lines out loud to my sweet guy with exclamations of “hey, that’s like us!”

[Annark]

It was more comedic than romantic like I thought it’d be!

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun read!

[Erika Strehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love her and everything she writes. Her short stories are unhinged and wildly entertaining. Be my friend Helen!!!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed all the short stories. You could pick it up and just read a few at a time but they all seemed to go together. Lots of laugh out loud moments. Reminded me of David Sedaris.

[Kelly Gesker · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS AUTHOR?!??? She is all the things I love: witty, frank, Southern. Similar to Jenny Lawson, Helen Ellis is MAKING MY DAY! I feel compelled to buy all those stickers I never got from teachers and am glad to hear that drunk cleaning is still cleaning. Also my current pull towards taxidermy may be a Southern thing. Vindicated!!!!

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore Helen Michelle Ellis' writing voice, audiobook narrator's voice, and authentic voice of a grown-ass Southern lady willing and ready to spill the tea and embellish with a few sequins or googly eyes.

The grown-ass lady comment arises in the book when a dear friend gifts Helen Ellis stickers stating “grown ass woman,” and Ellis claims the soubriquet. She joyfully confirms she is indeed a grown-ass lady writing for other grown-ass women, as well as people who admire and love grown-ass women. Please count me in.

Kiss Me in the Coral Lounge: Intimate Confessions from a Happy Marriage is perhaps a bit lighter and shorter than Ellis' earlier work, but this 2023 addition to her canon is well worth the read or listen. I adore listening to Ellis read her essays. It's the best of home (even if I did not grow up in Alabama, I have many ties) and a winning non-secular spiritual pick-me-up.

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was hilarious! I can see re-reading this every few years for a quick pick-me-up and/or slump buster.

[Whitney Luken · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Email to Our Cat Sitter” is worth the cover price alone, but it was nice to finally read a book about a middle aged couple who actually like each other after 28 years of marriage.

[Punam Majhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

short, sweet, and fun. exactly the kind of romance book I was looking for!

[Grayce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute but the David Sedaris comparisons are … generous

[Shana OkieCozyReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ recommended in a chat by Ann Napolitano as a great 3 hour listen that was worth it.

I would agree. I want to go back and listen to her previous books now. I would describe this book as essays (like Mary Laura Philpott, Jenny Lawson or David Sedaris) by a southern middle age wife - I especially loved her essays about CBS Sunday morning, her love of giving herself stickers for things on her calendar and collecting art. She talks about being married 25 years (the same as me) and life with her cat.

“…the tv room, which we call The Coral Lounge, because we painted it a deliriously warm shade of pinkish-orange.” My Husband Snores

“On the Black Plant Chick Podcast…I want to encourage other people not to just let go of plants, but to let go of other things you are holding onto, to make room for new things, because a lot of time when God is trying to bless us, we tend to be holding onto things. He’s not going to give you something new if you can’t let go of that old thing. And that can be relationships, that can be a job.” Married with Plants

“In NYC, fares are broken down by category. Folk art means poor people did it, and outsider art means crazy people did it. Emerging means the artist is just out of grad school and their stuff is between three and four figures. Contemporary means a piece of the artist’s work is in a Midwest museum and costs 10 figures. Modern means the artist has had major museum shows all to herself so anything of hers you want will cost you upwards of $500,000. Fine art, forget about it, the artist is long dead and commemorated with coffee mugs. If you nick a frame with a program, your kids aren’t going to college.” How to Collect Art

“I stick a citrus on the date as if to say A++, you deserve extra credit.
…
I leave my Lily Pulitzer laid open on my desk, which is right next to our bed the way an exhibitionist hides her diary under a paperclip. Stickers are encouraging. Stickers are addictive, stickers are seals of approval.
…
I read library books with Newbury medals because I was and continue to be a sucker for a book with a sticker stuck on it. I can spot a foil National Book Award or Oprah’s O from 20 paces, and as an adult, I secretly long for a book that I’ve written to earn a famous sticker.
When my last book was published, my friend Hannah made me some stickers that said “grown ass lady. It made me feel very special because I am a grown ass lady and I write for grown ass ladies… Teacher’s Pet

[Lisa of Hopewell · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5



My Interest

I love Helen Ellis’ humor! I’ve told this story before, but Helen came to my attention on NPR when she wrote about thinking her husband wanted a divorce and all he really wanted was for her to keep the crap off the dining room table! Her essays on real life are just plain fun.

The Story

In this collection of humorous essays, Helen riffs on happy marriage–marriages like her own. A childless couple of big city loving New Yorkers, Helen, her husband and their two cats live in an apartment that has been in her husband’s family for years. He works outside the home; she works at home as a writer/NY housewife. The housewife of Twitter’s @WhatIDoAllDay fame. Their tv room is known as “The Coral Lounge.” Helen just has an amazing way of telling stories–some times about the most ordinary events.

My Thoughts

I had three favorites among the essays:

An Email to Our Cat Sitter

The one with Viagra (Sorry I can’t recall the title)

Contract for a happy marriage

#1 made me have to change part of my clothing because I laughed in a way that does that to women of a certain age. #2 and #3 tested my bladder control almost, but not quite, to the max. These two have cats the way my family has cats. We revere them, worship them, give them nicknames–take care of them to the grave.
I do not recommend listening to the one with Viagra on your way to Sunday School and Church. Telling the tale of the (ahem) ups and downs of a marriage (giggle) takes some real talent–especially telling it humorously. Those little blue pills! Let me tell you, sitting in a room full of older women all whom have been/still are married and trying to not to break out laughing and play it for them–well, it was (I nearly said “hard”) difficult. Panty shields are mandatory for listening to or reading these three essays. Ditto for the little tidbit on a unique bridal shower game!
The contract was wonderful. A happy marriage should result from such an amazing document! Covering everything from cat pee in the box and cat pee outside the box, this couple leaves nothing to chance. Like the blue pills, telling this with grace and humor is a gift.
All of the essays were so fun–not a dud in the entire collection.
This will easily win funniest book of the year for me.

My Verdict

4.5

Kiss Me in the Coral Lounge by Helen Ellis
I listened to the audio book version.

My Reviews of Helen Ellis’ Previous Books

Southern Lady Code: Essays

American Housewife: Stories

Bring Your Baggage and Don’t Pack Light: Essays



[Nakia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't remember why I added Kiss Me in the Coral Lounge to my reading list since a southern white women writing essays about surviving her decades long east coast marriage during the pandemic is completely out of my reading wheelhouse. A good review can usually reel me in, so I'm sure that's what got me.

Despite the subject matter sounding like a nightmare-ish snooze fest (who wants to re-live the pandemic? not I!), I actually liked this one. Short essays written by a wife who doesn't take herself, or life in general, seriously at all is likely what won me over initially, but in the end, the joy that exudes from each page turned me into a fan that didn't want the book to end (speaking of the end, I especially loved the final chapter, "Contract for a Happy Marriage," and think everyone in a relationship should do something similar as a fun way to set boundaries and expectations).

Many people, on and off the page, make marriage seem like a chore that grows old and annoying by year three, but Helen Ellis proves when you marry the right one, said chore grows more and more into a never ending drunken karaoke night in your living room filled with family. That's definitely in my reading wheel house.

This one gets 3.75 stars.