Rating: 
Summary: Memorable
Review: I HATED TO SEE IT END! I wanted to go on reading about Doris, Anne, Eve, Midge & their self discoveries. I would think you would identify with one of the women or know someone like them (the devoted wife "blind" to her husband's philandering, the "pleaser" like Gabriella). I got to know and love them and miss them already!Especially inspirational was Doris' realization that her husband wasn't worth her time. He basically uses her as an excellent "hostess" but gradually she realizes she is worth much more. You can feel the lady growing by leaps and bounds and changing into someone to admire. Excellent use of classic books to parrallel the lessons the women are learning in real life.
Rating: 
Summary: a good read
Review: I liked this book but I found Midge's story to be uninteresting. Whatever happened between her & Susan? Gabriela didn't have much of a story, so it was hard to develop an opinion of her. There were many times when I doubted the "friendships" of these women. I think they cling more to one another out of loneliness/need, not necessarily out of affection or caring. When Doris finally told her husband off, I was disappointed in her method, because it was too quiet. However, I was glad that she finally got her revenge.
Rating:
Summary: really good
Review: I loved this book. All of the ladies in it seemed like they were my best friend. I hope she keeps on writing books like this one. It is definatly a keeper.
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful read that inspires me to be a better friend.
Review: I particularly enjoyed the literary references at the beginning of the chapters. They were poetic additions and cleverly set the novel's tone. I was able to identify with many of the interesting characters. After reading this book, I want to belong to a book club and increase my commitment to women friends.
Rating: 
Summary: An uplifting book for women
Review: I picked up this book (and put it down so many times) i finally bought it. And was engrossed with the story of 5 women who had their own coming to late in life. The book was carefully written and at times very sensitive to nuances of how women feel at their best and worst. The author captured the feeling when women discover themselves after giving so much to others. We need more books like this, to teach our daughters that there is more to life than the self-sacrifice of oneself. And that doing dishes is a never-ending task, it's the dirty work that comes with life. Hats off to Mary Alice! looking forward to her next book.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent read!
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I felt that the characters were real. Monroe does an excellent job of keeping the reader focused and interested. I would recommend this book to everyone!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: If you've ever been in a local Book Club of your own, Mary Alice Monroe's The Book Club is a must-read. We all have our own circles of friends; The Book Club reminds us of how much we need each other. Bravo.
Rating:
Summary: A nice introduction to a good author...
Review: In this novel, five women are part of a book club that meets monthly to discuss their last read. The five women are all going through major life crises - Eve's husband just died suddenly, Doris is beginning to realize that her marriage is dead, Gabriella's husband has just lost his job, Annie is having difficulty becoming pregnant for the first time and Midge is realizing how lonely she is. I enjoyed the novel, but felt that some of the characters were extraneous. Gabriella's character is not fleshed out at all and Midge's is just barely. The story focuses mainly on Eve with Doris and Annie's stories as the supporting plots. The author could have left out Gabriella and Midge completely and made the book a bit shorter (but not much). The book club seems to read classics only, which makes sense because Ms. Monroe uses quotes from that month's book to introduce her chapters and the quote winds up applying to the chapter. I think this device wouldn't have been as striking if the books hadn't been ones that most people have at least heard of. I read this for an online book club I'm in. Not a book that I would normally pick up on my own, but it was a great introduction to a good author. I have added more Mary Alice Monroe books to my wish list at Amazon!
Rating:
Summary: Five women meet crises
Review: Mary Alice Monroe has created five different women who come together out of a love for reading and for one another. Each one faces a crisis for which she is unprepared, during the course of the book. Eve is the central character, and her world is rocked when her "perfect marriage" comes to an end as the result of the death of her husband. At first she retreats into herself, but eventually she forges a new life for herself and her children. Annie is an independent, self-starter who is used to achieving anything she sets out to do. However, her obsessive desire to have a child, although she is 43-years-old, drives her husband to despair. Although she is used to being in control, she discovers that her body is one thing she cannot control. Doris is a wealthy woman who is used to being the perfect wife, mother, and hostess, at least to the outside world. She finally realizes that much of her life is a lie and she has to come to terms with who she really is and what she wants out of life. Midge is a single woman who longs for love and belonging, but doesn't seem to know how to go about it. She has an uneasy relationship with her mother, and she is not pleased when her mother moves from Florida to the Chicago area to be closer to her. Gabriella is not as fully developed as the other characters, but she faces the problem of having a husband who is out of work which forces her to get a job and keep expanding her hours. Each woman's story is interesting and the interactions between the characters are delightful. My main criticism would be that too many of the women's problems are solved too easily and the bad attitudes and wrong thinking that they display seems to "magically" disappear in order to give the book a happy and tidy ending.
Rating:
Summary: Five women meet crises
Review: Mary Alice Monroe has created five different women who come together out of a love for reading and for one another. Each one faces a crisis for which she is unprepared, during the course of the book. Eve is the central character, and her world is rocked when her "perfect marriage" comes to an end as the result of the death of her husband. At first she retreats into herself, but eventually she forges a new life for herself and her children. Annie is an independent, self-starter who is used to achieving anything she sets out to do. However, her obsessive desire to have a child, although she is 43-years-old, drives her husband to despair. Although she is used to being in control, she discovers that her body is one thing she cannot control. Doris is a wealthy woman who is used to being the perfect wife, mother, and hostess, at least to the outside world. She finally realizes that much of her life is a lie and she has to come to terms with who she really is and what she wants out of life. Midge is a single woman who longs for love and belonging, but doesn't seem to know how to go about it. She has an uneasy relationship with her mother, and she is not pleased when her mother moves from Florida to the Chicago area to be closer to her. Gabriella is not as fully developed as the other characters, but she faces the problem of having a husband who is out of work which forces her to get a job and keep expanding her hours. Each woman's story is interesting and the interactions between the characters are delightful. My main criticism would be that too many of the women's problems are solved too easily and the bad attitudes and wrong thinking that they display seems to "magically" disappear in order to give the book a happy and tidy ending.
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