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Single in Suburbia
Amanda’s husband has just traded her in for an affair with a teenybopper. Brooke is a trophy wife collecting dust. And Candace (Don’t call me Candy) has had too many husbands and too little love. What do these three unlikely accomplices have in common besides a Little League team called the Mudhens? A plot to reclaim a little r-e-s-p-e-c-t. And they’re going to do it with a mop and a bucket.
Maid for You starts as a way for Amanda to make enough money to keep the roof over her kids’ heads after her husband splits for his midlife crisis. But when Candace and Brooke join her, it becomes much more. Donning disguises, they enter the homes of those who once spurned them and discover more than just clutter in the closets of their neighbors’ otherwise tidy lives. But when Amanda takes on the job of cleaning the home of the town’s most eligible hunk, someone decides to do her dirty. Now Amanda, Brooke, and Candace are on a mission to prove that being single in suburbia isn’t a crime–even if it does lead to some irresistible temptations….
Maid for You starts as a way for Amanda to make enough money to keep the roof over her kids’ heads after her husband splits for his midlife crisis. But when Candace and Brooke join her, it becomes much more. Donning disguises, they enter the homes of those who once spurned them and discover more than just clutter in the closets of their neighbors’ otherwise tidy lives. But when Amanda takes on the job of cleaning the home of the town’s most eligible hunk, someone decides to do her dirty. Now Amanda, Brooke, and Candace are on a mission to prove that being single in suburbia isn’t a crime–even if it does lead to some irresistible temptations….
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
56 people are currently reading
700 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Wax
22 books1,579 followersI write novels that explore friendship, self-discovery and the challenges life brings us, leavened with a touch of humor. I'm proud of all my books and perhaps best known for my "Ten Beach Road" titles including the USA Today bestsellers, Ten Beach Road and The House on Mermaid Point, and for While We Were Watching Downton Abbey.
I was born in St.Petersburg, Florida and grew up on St. Pete Beach within spitting distance of the Gulf of Mexico. I went, appropriately enough, to Sunshine Elementary School where recess and art class sometimes took place on the beach, and the highlight of every school year was the annual fish broil.
It’s hard to be a type-A personality when you grow up in such a laid back environment, but I managed. Convinced that you were expected to know how to read BEFORE you showed up for school, I forced a neighbor friend to teach me to read at the age of five. I’ve been reading ever since.
Books, in all forms, are one of my greatest pleasures and best forms of escape. And they’ve had a major impact on my life.
I went to the University of Georgia after reading Gone with the Wind one too many times. For a while I re-read Margaret Mitchell’s classic yearly, saw the movie whenever it played within twenty miles, and could quote large passages from memory. Today I have a growing GWTW collection, and the time I spoke at he Margaret Mitchell House was an incredible thrill.last
After college I worked in radio, television, and film. Like Olivia in 7 DAYS AND SEVEN NIGHTS, I’ve done live talk radio. I hosted a show in the eighties called Desperate & Dateless, and while I was never locked in an apartment for a week with a webcam rolling as she was, I did fall in love. Happily, the man who swept me off my feet consults with financial types and understands the bottom line. Unlike Olivia’s nemesis, Matt Ransom, my husband has never, to my knowledge, advised anyone to ‘love the one they’re with.’ We live in Atlanta with our two sons.
I was born in St.Petersburg, Florida and grew up on St. Pete Beach within spitting distance of the Gulf of Mexico. I went, appropriately enough, to Sunshine Elementary School where recess and art class sometimes took place on the beach, and the highlight of every school year was the annual fish broil.
It’s hard to be a type-A personality when you grow up in such a laid back environment, but I managed. Convinced that you were expected to know how to read BEFORE you showed up for school, I forced a neighbor friend to teach me to read at the age of five. I’ve been reading ever since.
Books, in all forms, are one of my greatest pleasures and best forms of escape. And they’ve had a major impact on my life.
I went to the University of Georgia after reading Gone with the Wind one too many times. For a while I re-read Margaret Mitchell’s classic yearly, saw the movie whenever it played within twenty miles, and could quote large passages from memory. Today I have a growing GWTW collection, and the time I spoke at he Margaret Mitchell House was an incredible thrill.last
After college I worked in radio, television, and film. Like Olivia in 7 DAYS AND SEVEN NIGHTS, I’ve done live talk radio. I hosted a show in the eighties called Desperate & Dateless, and while I was never locked in an apartment for a week with a webcam rolling as she was, I did fall in love. Happily, the man who swept me off my feet consults with financial types and understands the bottom line. Unlike Olivia’s nemesis, Matt Ransom, my husband has never, to my knowledge, advised anyone to ‘love the one they’re with.’ We live in Atlanta with our two sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
August 23, 2019
3.5 stars This story was definitely fun and I enjoy the authors writing but I found that a lot was terribly unrealistic and absurd. True, I adore absurd in stories but this novel had a bit too much...
September 2, 2020
A fun romp, with a group of strong women.
February 4, 2012
I enjoyed this book for what it was worth, though I had a hard time relating to the characters. I liked them enough, and I wanted to keep reading, but I wasn't crazy hooked so much that I couldn't put it down.
Single in Suburbia is about three women - Amanda, Candace, and Brooke - and their respective relationships. Amanda's husband has left her and their two teenage children for a young vixen named Tiffany. Candace needs to learn to live her life for herself. Brooke has a deep secret she's been hiding from everyone, her husband included. The dynamic between the women and the men in their lives was believable mostly. I was interested to keep reading and see how the story ended.
Overall, I think this was a decent book that met it's potential. I think, honestly, that the fact that I couldn't relate to the characters is what hindered me from loving the book. I don't know if I would recommend it, but probably it would be a fair recommendation for women a bit older than myself or ones who have families of their own.
Single in Suburbia is about three women - Amanda, Candace, and Brooke - and their respective relationships. Amanda's husband has left her and their two teenage children for a young vixen named Tiffany. Candace needs to learn to live her life for herself. Brooke has a deep secret she's been hiding from everyone, her husband included. The dynamic between the women and the men in their lives was believable mostly. I was interested to keep reading and see how the story ended.
Overall, I think this was a decent book that met it's potential. I think, honestly, that the fact that I couldn't relate to the characters is what hindered me from loving the book. I don't know if I would recommend it, but probably it would be a fair recommendation for women a bit older than myself or ones who have families of their own.
February 9, 2017
I stumbled across this book on accident and I'm glad I did. It was hilarious and so true. Amanda's world is turned upside down when she finds out her husband is having an affair and is leaving her and their children. She has no skills, no money and refuses to ask her parents for help. Amanda befriends 2 women who are the complete opposite of her at her son's ball game when her so-called friends turn their back on her. Amanda finds the one skill that she is good at and turns it into business. This a definite must read for women everywhere. I loved it!!
January 30, 2017
Great book!
Wendy Wax never fails to delight me in her writing. I always end her books wanting more and sad to reach the end. Single in Suburbia is a fun read, but filled with nuggets of life and living. I loved the characters and the great ending!
Wendy Wax never fails to delight me in her writing. I always end her books wanting more and sad to reach the end. Single in Suburbia is a fun read, but filled with nuggets of life and living. I loved the characters and the great ending!
June 19, 2019
41/2 stars. Another great read from Wendy Wax. Terrific characters, but it took me a while to understand Brooke. Love the baseball mom thread...whoever chose white baseball pants for boys needs to be the one doing the laundry.
June 25, 2020
Beautifully sweet story
Loved this one.Ms wax always delivers. A poignant story about the struggles of three very different and yet not so different women. Enjoyed it from the first page until the last.. Blessings
Loved this one.Ms wax always delivers. A poignant story about the struggles of three very different and yet not so different women. Enjoyed it from the first page until the last.. Blessings
January 23, 2022
fun and funny romp through suburbia
Wendy Wax Summed up the suburbs in both a hilarious and very accurate way. I loved the whole French maid gig and the revelations that came with it. This book was definitely a fun little romcom easily read and easily enjoyed
Wendy Wax Summed up the suburbs in both a hilarious and very accurate way. I loved the whole French maid gig and the revelations that came with it. This book was definitely a fun little romcom easily read and easily enjoyed
September 19, 2017
Good story if somewhat over the top - I'm pretty sure the neighbors would have recognized these ladies cleaning their houses even with the disguises.
August 7, 2018
a not so involved beach read but i did enjoy it.
September 4, 2018
Fun, easy beach read - I read it in one day, being lazy over the weekend
January 29, 2020
I enjoyed it so so much. Very satisfying.
February 22, 2020
Fun, quick easy read.
December 18, 2022
This was a light, enjoyable read. While the story was predictable, I still found myself caring about the characters and rooting for them as the book unfolded.
March 28, 2023
A fun romp!
April 23, 2023
This was a light, enjoyable read. While the story was predictable, I still found myself caring about the characters and rooting for them as the book unfolded.
March 11, 2024
Cute! Wendy wax never fails to entertain with lovable characters and unique storylines.
November 10, 2007
Single in Suburbia is a novel about three unlikely women(each with a secret) who are paired together to work the concession stand at their kids little league game. Through this chance occurrence, the women form a strong friendship and a lifelong bond.
Amanda Sheridan's life is falling apart at the beginning of the novel. Her husband of almost twenty years, Rob, has just left her and her two children for a woman named Tiffany who is half his age. Not only has Rob's leaving affected the family, it's also affected their finances since Rob was the sole breadwinner of the family. Amanda's so ashamed of what's happened with Rob, she hiding the situation from her parents who she feels won't understand since they've been married 40+ years.
Brooke Mackenize can best be described as a trophy wife who is becoming dusty. Although she is smart(an accountant)married to successful business man and has a beautiful house, Brooke's not happy. The main reason for Brooke's unhappiness is that she has no friends and she is getting tired of keeping her secret from her husband Hap. Brooke's has no friends in the suburb because many of the women view her as the enemy because of her "perfect" looks and she was formerly the "other woman" before she married her husband.Her secret is that she grew up in a single parent home and her mother worked as a maid anywhere she could to pay the bills.
Candace Sugarman is a three time divorced women who is currently dating a man who owns a small law firm. Although Candace is in love with Dan, her mother Hannah, feels that Dan isn't worthy of her and she needs to be with someone with more money and a higher social standing. Candace can't bear dealing with her mothers criticism of her and her choices, so she's keeping the fact that she's dating Dan a secret.
The plot of "single in suburbia" is that after Rob leaves Amanda, she is left without a way to pay bills as well as keep the house her family lives in. She doesn't know what to do considering that she has been a stay at home mom for 18 years. This is where Brooke comes into the picture with the idea that Amanda should get a job to support her family. After Amanda does a lot of job hunting, she decides to start a cleaning service since several of her neighbors are having problems with their maids.While Amanda has no problem cleaning houses, she is worried about what her former friends and what her kids will think.Therefore in order to make money and no be found out by her neighbors, she disguises herself.
Initally, Amanda has no trouble cleaning the houses and still have energy to give to her kids. Eventually as the business grows, Amanda gets tired and Brooke and Candace decide to help her out. Along the way, a attractive single father moves into the neighborhood which further complicates her already complicated life. In the course of reading the book, while it wasn't the best book ,I still found myself caring about the characters.Will Amanda and her friends get caught? Will Brooke tell her husband the truth about her mother? Will Candace ever stand up to her mother?
Overall, while the book was an okay read,it moved too slowly for me. While the first chapters did a good job in introducing the characters, the story really did not pick up speed until Chapter 6.Also, the story has a very predictable ending in that all the problems were resolved and everyone pretty much lived happily ever after.
Although all the secrets had been exposed for the most part, there were no major changes in the lives of the characters. I'm not saying that all novels should end in a realistic way, I'm just saying that it would be nice to show that life doesn't always end up perfectly.
Amanda Sheridan's life is falling apart at the beginning of the novel. Her husband of almost twenty years, Rob, has just left her and her two children for a woman named Tiffany who is half his age. Not only has Rob's leaving affected the family, it's also affected their finances since Rob was the sole breadwinner of the family. Amanda's so ashamed of what's happened with Rob, she hiding the situation from her parents who she feels won't understand since they've been married 40+ years.
Brooke Mackenize can best be described as a trophy wife who is becoming dusty. Although she is smart(an accountant)married to successful business man and has a beautiful house, Brooke's not happy. The main reason for Brooke's unhappiness is that she has no friends and she is getting tired of keeping her secret from her husband Hap. Brooke's has no friends in the suburb because many of the women view her as the enemy because of her "perfect" looks and she was formerly the "other woman" before she married her husband.Her secret is that she grew up in a single parent home and her mother worked as a maid anywhere she could to pay the bills.
Candace Sugarman is a three time divorced women who is currently dating a man who owns a small law firm. Although Candace is in love with Dan, her mother Hannah, feels that Dan isn't worthy of her and she needs to be with someone with more money and a higher social standing. Candace can't bear dealing with her mothers criticism of her and her choices, so she's keeping the fact that she's dating Dan a secret.
The plot of "single in suburbia" is that after Rob leaves Amanda, she is left without a way to pay bills as well as keep the house her family lives in. She doesn't know what to do considering that she has been a stay at home mom for 18 years. This is where Brooke comes into the picture with the idea that Amanda should get a job to support her family. After Amanda does a lot of job hunting, she decides to start a cleaning service since several of her neighbors are having problems with their maids.While Amanda has no problem cleaning houses, she is worried about what her former friends and what her kids will think.Therefore in order to make money and no be found out by her neighbors, she disguises herself.
Initally, Amanda has no trouble cleaning the houses and still have energy to give to her kids. Eventually as the business grows, Amanda gets tired and Brooke and Candace decide to help her out. Along the way, a attractive single father moves into the neighborhood which further complicates her already complicated life. In the course of reading the book, while it wasn't the best book ,I still found myself caring about the characters.Will Amanda and her friends get caught? Will Brooke tell her husband the truth about her mother? Will Candace ever stand up to her mother?
Overall, while the book was an okay read,it moved too slowly for me. While the first chapters did a good job in introducing the characters, the story really did not pick up speed until Chapter 6.Also, the story has a very predictable ending in that all the problems were resolved and everyone pretty much lived happily ever after.
Although all the secrets had been exposed for the most part, there were no major changes in the lives of the characters. I'm not saying that all novels should end in a realistic way, I'm just saying that it would be nice to show that life doesn't always end up perfectly.
December 10, 2011
Nothing is more fun and yet concerning to those watching me than when I laugh and sob at the same time. Wendy Wax accomplished this in her book Single in Suburbia. It was a hilarious description of a heart wrenching expression that brought on this fit of giggles and tears. Single in Suburbia had me chuckling almost every chapter; pair that with the character Amanda Sheridan who really knows how to put a cheating husband in his place, and you’ve got a book I could hardly put down.
Single in Suburbia follows jilted wife Amanda, replacement wife Brooke, and divorcee Candace as they help Amanda keep her house after her husband lost everything. In order to keep Amanda’s family afloat, they start Maid For You, a cleaning service specializing English speaking French maids after Amanda discovers that being a stay at home mom does not dazzle prospective employers. She, Brook, and Candace dress in wigs and gaudy make-up as they clean, snoop, and realize that no family is as perfect as it seems.
Single in Suburbia is an example of how disaster can have positive ripples and turmoil shows us who our real friends are. The main characters are witty, real, and nothing in their life is perfect. Each of them struggles with their own jaded past as they battle with who they were and who they want to be.
As for Amanda’s husband…
While I love writing villians that you feel sorry for, I don’t like reading about them. I’m fickle like that. I want to hate them, I want to jump around gleefully when something bad happens to them, especially if they brought it on themselves, but I also think that feeling sorry for the bad guy is more realistic and harder to accomplish, so I have a love-hate relationship with the husband character (he does not deserve to be named).
5 out of 5 stars.
-Eliabeth Hawthorne
Other books I would recommend in this genre:
Four to Score by Janet Evanovich
Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich
… basically anything by Janet Evanovich
Single in Suburbia follows jilted wife Amanda, replacement wife Brooke, and divorcee Candace as they help Amanda keep her house after her husband lost everything. In order to keep Amanda’s family afloat, they start Maid For You, a cleaning service specializing English speaking French maids after Amanda discovers that being a stay at home mom does not dazzle prospective employers. She, Brook, and Candace dress in wigs and gaudy make-up as they clean, snoop, and realize that no family is as perfect as it seems.
Single in Suburbia is an example of how disaster can have positive ripples and turmoil shows us who our real friends are. The main characters are witty, real, and nothing in their life is perfect. Each of them struggles with their own jaded past as they battle with who they were and who they want to be.
As for Amanda’s husband…
While I love writing villians that you feel sorry for, I don’t like reading about them. I’m fickle like that. I want to hate them, I want to jump around gleefully when something bad happens to them, especially if they brought it on themselves, but I also think that feeling sorry for the bad guy is more realistic and harder to accomplish, so I have a love-hate relationship with the husband character (he does not deserve to be named).
5 out of 5 stars.
-Eliabeth Hawthorne
Other books I would recommend in this genre:
Four to Score by Janet Evanovich
Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich
… basically anything by Janet Evanovich
November 20, 2014
I feel for Amanda Sheridan. She is a stay at home mother that has put her heart and soul into her family and her home. Her husband, Rob, is going through a mid-life crisis with the young girlfriend and the fancy car. Amanda life revolved around her husband and her children. Now that her husband is out of the picture with no money to spare, she has to figure out what she is capable of doing so that she won't loose her house in the quaint suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia.
Her son, Wyatt, is a pitcher in a little league baseball program. Amanda befriends the new girlfriends or new wife of men that coach the team. Candance Sugarman is divorced three times and is going out with Coach Dan Donovan. Brooke Mackenzie is the second wife of the assistant coach, Hap Mackenzie. Together Candance and Brooke help Amanda brainstorm a resolution to her money problems. Lots of disguises and laughs, plus a very hunky Hunter James. He happens to be a widow and retired professional pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles. Great read.
Her son, Wyatt, is a pitcher in a little league baseball program. Amanda befriends the new girlfriends or new wife of men that coach the team. Candance Sugarman is divorced three times and is going out with Coach Dan Donovan. Brooke Mackenzie is the second wife of the assistant coach, Hap Mackenzie. Together Candance and Brooke help Amanda brainstorm a resolution to her money problems. Lots of disguises and laughs, plus a very hunky Hunter James. He happens to be a widow and retired professional pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles. Great read.
November 19, 2020
Single in Suburbia is the tale of Amanda, Candace (don't call me Candy) and Brooke, three women who find themselves on the outside looking in.
Amanda has been dumped by her husband of 18 years for a woman half her age and left to not only support herself but also support and care for their two children. Candace, three times married and divorced, is looking for a love that will last and finds it in inner-city baseball coach Dan Donovan. Brooke, married for the first time but her husband's second wife, is struggling to reconcile what she thought she knew about marriage and how it actually is. These three women band together to help each other in the most unexpected ways.
If you haven't read a Wendy Wax book, you are seriously missing out! This is the second one that I've read by her and I am planning to read many more. She has a refreshing voice within the chicklit community and her characters are real women facing real challenges.
Amanda has been dumped by her husband of 18 years for a woman half her age and left to not only support herself but also support and care for their two children. Candace, three times married and divorced, is looking for a love that will last and finds it in inner-city baseball coach Dan Donovan. Brooke, married for the first time but her husband's second wife, is struggling to reconcile what she thought she knew about marriage and how it actually is. These three women band together to help each other in the most unexpected ways.
If you haven't read a Wendy Wax book, you are seriously missing out! This is the second one that I've read by her and I am planning to read many more. She has a refreshing voice within the chicklit community and her characters are real women facing real challenges.
June 27, 2013
Single in Suburbia is the tale of Amanda, Candace (don't call me Candy) and Brooke, three women who find themselves on the outside looking in.
Amanda has been dumped by her husband of 18 years for a woman half her age and left to not only support herself but also support and care for their two children. Candace, three times married and divorced, is looking for a love that will last and finds it in inner-city baseball coach Dan Donovan. Brooke, married for the first time but her husband's second wife, is struggling to reconcile what she thought she knew about marriage and how it actually is. These three women band together to help each other in the most unexpected ways.
If you haven't read a Wendy Wax book, you are seriously missing out! This is the second one that I've read by her and I am planning to read many more. She has a refreshing voice within the chicklit community and her characters are real women facing real challenges.
Amanda has been dumped by her husband of 18 years for a woman half her age and left to not only support herself but also support and care for their two children. Candace, three times married and divorced, is looking for a love that will last and finds it in inner-city baseball coach Dan Donovan. Brooke, married for the first time but her husband's second wife, is struggling to reconcile what she thought she knew about marriage and how it actually is. These three women band together to help each other in the most unexpected ways.
If you haven't read a Wendy Wax book, you are seriously missing out! This is the second one that I've read by her and I am planning to read many more. She has a refreshing voice within the chicklit community and her characters are real women facing real challenges.
February 6, 2017
An older Wendy Wax book that has been on my Nook for some time. Why I have not read it before I don't know because Wendy Wax is one of my favorite authors. Went on Shop and found a couple more I have not read so they will be on my Nook very soon. This is a relationship story of three women who live in the suburbs of Atlanta. The main character, Amanda, finds out her husband of 18 years has found some young stuff so he and Amanda seperate. Her lawyer finds out he has no money, so it is up to her to keep her home and take care of her two children, 12 and 15. Of course all her friends forsake her so she joins two other outcasts and the rest is hilarious. Truly enjoyable. Typical Wendy Wax. Really worth reading.
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July 31, 2011This is a great mindless read. It is about a woman in the suburbs whose hubby runs off with a girl half his age and leaves her with the kids and ultimately no money. She has no true job skills, so she schemes with two other women to clean their wealthy friends' homes. Their plan is to wear costumes so their friends won't recognize them. Each character had their own set of problems and secrets. The mentality of these rich, never-have-to-work-before women is entertaining and over-the-top. Great climax ending. Loved it & would certainly read another by Wendy Wax again.
October 15, 2012
A nice fun read with women learning to be strong or just how strong they've always been but didn't know it!! Survivors surviving life and the hardknocks of everyday women. I really enjoy Wendy Wax and the way she gets right to the heart of things that women are feeling on day to day situations!!!! Karen White introduced me to Wendy Wax and I'm so thankful to her suggestion. Two completely different mindsets on women and I love them both!!!!!
June 3, 2013
Lovely, darling! Simply smashing! A pure delight to read! In a nutshell, this one's about a suburban housewife who finds herself sans husband trying to raise two children and hang on to a house she can't afford with zero prospects for income until she and some knew friends come up with a zany idea. Throw in a steamy romance, a cooky trip to jail and little league baseball games and you've got the makings for a most excellent romantic comedy!
January 28, 2017
Pretty quick, light read, but nothing new
Read this on a flight, and it held my interest for four hours. But it's nothing new for this genre. There wasn't much character development, and some story lines were seemingly abandoned. I did like the nuttiness of the main character, Amanda. I also liked the house cleaning scenes. I can't say anything in this book really stayed with me, however.
Read this on a flight, and it held my interest for four hours. But it's nothing new for this genre. There wasn't much character development, and some story lines were seemingly abandoned. I did like the nuttiness of the main character, Amanda. I also liked the house cleaning scenes. I can't say anything in this book really stayed with me, however.
February 5, 2017
A delightful romp through Suburbia
This was a fun book filled with heart felt moments and laughter. I couldn't figure out how things would work out in the end but somehow they did. The book left me smiling and I'd recommend it to a friend.
This was a fun book filled with heart felt moments and laughter. I couldn't figure out how things would work out in the end but somehow they did. The book left me smiling and I'd recommend it to a friend.
February 16, 2015
Pretty good story line. All 3 ladies were likable, and I did like how Amanda didn't spend too much time doing the whole "Poor Me", with her problems. Instead she found a way to solve her money problems, and stand on her own 2 feet. It was good to see Brook come clean about her past, to Hap. And Canadce seemed to have finally grown up, tho getting pregnant seems to have forced her to.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews