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Summary: EVEN BETTER THAN HER FIRST BOOK
Review: This book was one of my favorites to read last year. Monroe is a talented storyteller, but more than that, she has something to say about the human condition--in this case, female friendships and their importance--that is valuable for the reader to hear. I'm now a committed fan and only wish that Ms. Monroe could write faster.
Rating: 
Summary: An interesting and timely premise.
Review: This is certainly timely with so many book groups sprouting up. They are indeed a font of support and friendship. Well written, interesting characterizations and plotting. A good read
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Summary: Excellent Read! I LOVED IT!
Review: This is the first of Mary Alice Monroe that I have read, and I really thought it was wonderful reading! These ladies in the Book Club all share different stories.
Eve, the main character in this story loses her husband Tom tragically in the first of the book. There were many unsettled issues between them upon his death, and Eve will uncover a terrible betrayal as the book moves on. In the meantime, she had to sell their beautiful home and move in to a condo with her two children who are very unaccepting.
Midge, a single artist in the story, is dealing with her own set of problems, especially when her mother plans to come there to Chicago from Florida, and plans to move in. Mother and daughter have many many issues between them and never could get along.
Annie, who is a lawyer, wants nothing more than to conceive a child. Her biological clock is ticking away,but she can't seem to get pregnant no matter what. It is later in the story that she finds out the real reason for not conceiving, and it is a shocker. It takes a long time for acceptance here, and may mean a life altering decision.
Gabriella, a wife and mother, has a husband who has lost his job and is struggling to make ends meet. In fact, there may come a time when they lose their home.
The book was great all the way through, and I would highly recommend it to anyone. It really is true to life as it is today.
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Summary: A good read when the world gets crazy
Review: This novel is about friendships between women and women as they appear in other novels. The world may act crazy at times, but there are universal emotional experiences that this book captures. I found this book a good contrast to some of the lunacy that seems to surround us.
Rating: 
Summary: Gives Book Clubs a Bad Name...
Review: This was the most disappointing book I have read this year. Worst of all, our book club selected this book to read thinking it might have some relevance to the club members and the vagaries of our daily lives. (We meet next week so the jury isn't in yet.) I feel this book belongs in the romance section of the grocery stores with some steamy cover. These characters were caricatures of real people. Maybe a good beach read ...
Rating:
Summary: FOR FANS OF PATRICIA GAFFNEY'S SAVING GRACES
Review: While five women living in the same community are bonded together by their membership in the same book discussion group, they are also divided by their different personalities and secrets they know about one another.Eve is a recent widow who, even though was having some marital difficulties, has now glorified the marriage, even putting her late husband up on a pedestal although in reality he was not as good a husband as she seems to remember. A college graduate, she has let her degree go by the wayside while has found fulfillment in her family and volunteering for literacy. Annie, a gifted lawyer, has seen it all and done it all. Rising above a difficult childhood, she has been content with her life but now her biological time clock is ticking down and she finds that she would really love to have a baby. Her husband has been wishing for this for a long time and is thrilled with her announcement. Doris has been the perfect wife and mother, neglecting herself in the process. Now her children are older and don't need her as much, she is dealing with suspicions of her husband's infidelity and of her own mortality. Midge has been alone for years. A gifted artist she's been happy with the situation -- up until now. When her vibrant mother moves in for an extended visit, Midge resents the intrusion. Gabriella and her family are happy but when her husband is laid off work, they struggle with even everyday existence. References to books the group has chosen to read adds to the appeal of this story as each woman grows to realize what is really important in her life. Mary Alice Monroe has written a beautiful story of friendship. Readers get to know some of the book group members more than others (Annie and Eve are best known and to a lesser degree Doris, while Gabriella and Midge are really merely secondary characters). Many readers will be able to identify one or another of these women as they struggle with life-changing events in their lives. While the ending seems a bit rushed, the overall story is very satisfying and is likely to keep readers up late at night finishing as it did this reviewer. Readers will look forward to more novels from this talented writer.
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