Rating: 
Summary: Unpredictable version of the predictable
Review: This book can be viewed as a contrast to Allison Pearson's heroine, Kate Reddy, in I Don't Know How She Does It. Heroines of both books hold jobs they love and balance family against work. However, Kate is smart, witty and a little cynical, and she holds down an exciting, globe-trotting job in a men's world. Rose is less exciting. Rose Lloyd, a London book reviewer, loves every aspect of her life: her house, garden, husband, children and, most of the time, her job. As you know before you begin, that life is about to change drastically. Both her husband and her boss choose Rose's assistant, Minty, as a younger replacement. Armed with generous settlements from both husband and boss, Rose begins a new life -- starting with a delightful shopping trip to Paris orchestrated by an old friend. As other reviewers have noted, the theme is not new, and ultimately the end is also predictable: everybody realizes that the younger version may be more attractively packaged -- until you get up close. Those who dumped Rose would like to undo the damage but it's too late. Rose has grown beyond what she had. What did we expect? Although I found myself flipping past some of the flashbacks of Rose's married life, the British setting and excellent writing held my interest and contributed to the 4-star rating. However, there was little new here. Rose's daughter Poppy learns the same lessons about marriage as Minty -- it's not all romance and fireworks. Rose's mother supported the family as a travel agent -- dull, perhaps, but hardly the life of a servant or factory worker. And she's diagnosed with an illness...yes, just the sort of illness that female characters get in these novels. The author may have intended to create "everywoman" and "everypeople," but I'd have liked more personality and depth in the characters. Rose comes across as passive. Her husband had helped her get the job and his job dictates a lot of their social life. Even in the depths of despair, her friends take the initiative to help her. She's gracious and mature throughout. Rose's job, editor of a book review section, doesn't add energy to the plot. There's no inherent drama in reviewing books and surely Rose would realize she's on a sideline, away from mainstream part of the newspaper, acquiring few marketable skills. She's set herself up for trouble: a job where there's no place to go, working for the same firm as her husband. Frankly, they've all done her a favor. Any change would be for the better. Now she can get a life! In contrast, Kate Reddy (heroine of I Don't Know How She Does It) brings a wry wit to her observations. She also has a more interesting career and she's not nearly so naive. She'd have seen this one coming a long time ago.
Rating:
Summary: A sweet, reflective read about love, loss and change
Review: The title of this book is far sillier and simpler than the book itself; "Revenge" is actually a very sweet, poignant reflection on family, marriage, love and loss. Forty-something Rose Lloyd discovers how quickly the life she built can become disassembled the minute her head is turned. Her husband, Nathan, leaves her for her young assistant, Minty, to whom Rose also loses her job as editor of the books page of a big newspaper. Throughout the novel, Rose reflects on her life with Nathan and their two (now grown) children, Sam and Poppy, as she struggles to find a way to make sense of things. There is no actual act of revenge as the title would have you believe; it's rather more a case of "living well is the best revenge," as Rose finally pulls herself together and resolves to get on with life without Nathan. Conversely, as Rose becomes stronger, Nathan starts to crumble under the pressures of living with a driven younger woman. Thus, Rose does indeed get some form of revenge, but she is always quite gracious about it, even having a few civilized conversations with Minty throughout the book. Buchan is really a lovely, literary novelist who writes with warmth and introspection, and this, in my opinion, makes "Revenge" stand out a bit from other Brit chick lit.
Rating:
Summary: Revenge is definitely sweet!
Review: Having stumbled upon this novel at a bookstore, I hadn't anticipated liking it as much as I had. Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman is a smart, witty and engrossing Brit lit from cover to cover. Rose Lloyd is a successful and happily married forty-eight-year-old mother-slash-career woman. Her life couldn't be better -- that is until her ordered world takes a U-turn to disaster. Her marriage and career shatter before her eyes. To make matters worse, she feels that her options have run short at this stage of her life. However, Rose hadn't anticipated the interesting things that transpire when she embarks upon a journey to self-discovery... Elizabeth Buchan's coming-of-middle-age novel is one of the funniest and cleverest out there. It is a treasure that I had the pleasure of discovering in one of my bookstore excursions. I encourage smart women everywhere -- regardless of age -- to read this fine gem. You won't regret it!
Rating: 
Summary: A Sweet and Satisfying Read
Review: I loved this book! In Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman author Elizabeth Buchan has given us a new heroine to love; confident, comfortable, charming and successful forty-eight year old Rose. Although we meet her on the eve of her undoing (at the hands of her convincingly conniving husband- and job-stealing assistant), Rose is no hand-wringing cliche of the wife-done-wrong. Instead our Rose navigates her new, and painful world with the grace, dignity and class we all wish we could muster when things come undone in our lives. Rose is not destroyed by her suffering, she is transformed in a deeply satisying and understandable way. I especially recommend this book for the quality of the writing which was consistently exquisite from page one through the final chapter.
Rating: 
Summary: Expectations were met after reading Revenge.
Review: I found 'Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman' simple and did not meet the expectations of its title. The main character was too aloof and reticent throughout the story. While opportunities emerged to live on the "wild side" throughout the story, Rose didn't engage in any activity that would raise the reader's blood pressure. I also felt that the character development was lacking with the lead characters, except Hal. In terms of literary style and application, I believe the book was below average. However, I give the author credit for writing in a manner that is easily comprehensive to American English given the assumption she is British and lives in the UK. Aquiescence was more the case, rather than revenge.
Rating:
Summary: Well-written, thoroughly enjoyable
Review: As a middle-aged woman afraid of the situation described in this book, I found the book so believable as the main character goes through shock, denial, anger, acceptance - all the stages you expect a person to encounter when dealt such a blow to all she thought was real. The only reason I did not give it five stars is the part of the book that includes any reference to her previous boyfriend Hal. That character took away from the storyline and unfortunately he is brought up frequently.
Rating:
Summary: Yummy!
Review: Beautifully written, this book takes you through the gut wrenching emotional rollercoaster a woman experiences when her husband unexpectedly leaves her for a much younger woman - a younger woman not only her friend and business associate but who also steals her job (this happens at the beginning, I am not spoiling the story). Yet, this is not a bitter diatribe, just a lovely, unfolding story of a woman who realizes eventually she will be all right and perhaps even better because of it. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend the book.
Rating:
Summary: the title says it all
Review: This book, while written beautifully, is too predictable. Rose is married to Nathan who leaves her for a younger woman. Everything just continues to go downhill for Rose at that point and only till the end, does the reader have some room to breathe. I was disappointed in this book because it looked like it would have such potential but the flame was shortlived.
Rating:
Summary: It sneaks up on you
Review: When the box of books was left at my office, I grabbed this one for a quick light hearted read that I thought would pass for a few hours of relaxation after dinner.
Instead I did what I normally haven't done in years.
I read it straight through until the next morning.
Elizabeth Buchan is a superb storyteller whose main character Rose, sneaks up on you and grabs your heart.
I laughed, I cried and I absolutely could not put this book down.
If you are looking for a fluff beach read about a stereotypical woman in the throes of middle age, this book is not for you. If you are looking for a magnificently told tale that probably resonates with more reality than most women over 40 can stand to think of, get this book, a huge bowl of ice cream and laugh and cry along with Rose, in one of the best characterizations I have seen in a long time.If there is a better book out there with this theme? I haven't seen it.
Rebekah Cochran- Author- Echoes Of A Silent River
Rating:
Summary: Even my husband enjoyed it!
Review: This is not a typical "woman's book". The story is so true to life everyone in our book club knew someone it has happened to.
The story doesn't dwell on the mundane or cast a lot of pitiful glances at Rose, but tells it like it is. By the end the reader will, without a doubt, be cheering for Rose. Her common sense and dignity made her a winner!
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