"Beartown" by Fredrik Backman

FTC Disclosure: I received an eARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I checked out the audiobook from my library through Overdrive.

Fredrik Backman's signature blend of humor, charm, and heartfelt portrayals of close, life-shaping relationships is right up my alley. His novella brought me to tears, and his novels have warmed my heart. His most recent novel, "Beartown," has a different tone, but was deeply affecting nonetheless.

In "Beartown," we meet a small town whose very heart is its hockey team. Indeed, at this point, the town doens't have much else going for it, with jobs dwindling and people moving away. Backman presents a large cast of characters, all of whom are connected to the town's junior hockey team: players, classmates, coaches, parents, ardent fans. The team is headed to the national championship playoffs when its star player is pulled due to a horrific act he commits at a victory party.

The town is rocked by the allegations and Backman has characters on all sides. He portrays these characters with empathy without excusing the reprehensible acts of some. Right and wrong are clear, as are the paths that lead characters to their decisions and actions. Readers feel deeply for them, and never more so than when two sides of the same relationship are shown.

This novel lacks Backman's humor that lightened the heavy subject matter n ""My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry" and "Britt-Marie Was Here" (thugh readers of the latter will recognize a tiny bit of overlap). This more somber tone fits "Beartown"'s serious central themes, and the novel does not suffer for it. Rather, it rises to the occaision, having a deeper impact on the reader for its sincere, serious portrayal of this town and its community members at a time of crisis.

Verdict: Affirmed. For both fans of Backman and those who couldn't connect with the humor in his previous novels, "Beartown" is an excellent novel.

"Beartown" by Fredrik Backman, translated by Neil Smith, published by Simon & Schuster on April 25, 2017. Audio narration by Marin Ireland, published by Simon & Schuster Audio on April 25, 2017.

"The Fall of Lisa Bellow" by Susan Perabo

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy from the publisher for review consideration. Below is my honest review.

When I received this book from the publisher, I didn't know much about it but was very intrigued by the premise. The popular girl at school gets kidnapped, and a nerdy girl is left behind? Sounds fascinating. And Perabo added depth and nuance to this premise to create a fascinating book.

Meredith is picking up a soda after school when the deli is robbed. The clerk is knocked out and Lisa Bellow, the most popular girl in Meredith's eighth grade class, is kidnapped. Meredith is left lying on the floor, wondering why she was left. Now she and her family have to figure out how they move forward after this traumatizing event.

Meredith's family is no stranger to trauma. Her older brother, Even had his eye shattered by a rogue baseball, ending his promising baseball career before it got started. The novel alternates perspectives between Meredith and her mother, Claire, to show how Meredith's experience and process of coping affects the entire family. My minor quibble with the book is that Evan's story often seems like a distraction from Meredith's. However, the relationship between Evan and Meredith is worthwhile, especially seeing how their dynamic shifts as they each try to move on from their own trauma.

The most outstanding feature of the book is how it examines the same incidents from both Meredith and Claire's perspectives. Early in the book, Meredith and her friends discuss Lisa and the popular clique, and some major slut-shaming occurs. I was skeptical, and wondering how this could be so casually inserted without comment. I was too hasty. Cut to Claire's perspective, and we see a mother questioning how she raised a daughter to think so poorly of others without recognizing the harm in her own behavior. Such incidents from both sides add nuance and depth to the novel.

Verdict: Affirmed. What could have been a gossipy novel or average thriller is elevated to a compelling portrait of a family in a time of crisis.

"The Fall of Lisa Bellow" by Susan Perabo, published March 14, 2017 by Simon & Schuster.

"My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry" by Fredrik Backman

If you have been reading my reviews for a while, you know that "A Man Called Ove" made my top 10 for 2014, and I was similarly smitten with "Britt-Marie Was Here." Yet somehow, Fredrik Backman's sophomore novel almost escaped my notice. And what a shame that would have been, because it is my favorite of Backman's novels so far.

Elsa's eccentric grandmother had been seven-year-old Elsa's best friend. She told Elsa magical stories and took her on adventures in real life.  Now, Elsa has been sent on a mission upon her grandmother's death: she must deliver her grandmother's posthumous apology letters to a wide-ranging cast of characters. Along the way, Elsa makes new friends and learns the roots of her grandmother's magical stories, and ultimately her grandmother's own incredible story.

Admittedly, that descriptions sounds like trite jacket copy. But I don't want to spoil any of the truly lovely, heartwarming details. Basically, this book gave me the warm fuzzies, as my first-grade teacher would say. Elsa's grandmother was a fierce woman, with an admirable devotion to her granddaughter and others around her. She and Elsa are both offbeat in that way I've come to associate with Backman protagonists -- gruff and defensive on the outside, but driven and loyal once tasks have been set and friendships have been developed. The clever plotting and intricate details are lovely, but it is ultimately Backman's unforgettable characters that breathe life into his novels. This one is no exception, and Elsa and her grandmother have become two of my favorites.

A bonus - Britt-Marie of "Britt-Marie Was Here" got her start in this novel, and it's wonderful to see how the seeds of her story were planted here. I can't wait to get to my review copy of the next spinoff, "Beartown," in time for its release in two weeks! (Thanks Atria!)

Verdict: Affirmed. Elsa will charm and endear you as you follow her on her grandmother's last adventure.

"My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry" by Fredrik Backman, published June 16, 2015 by Atria Books.

"You Will Know Me" by Megan Abbott

Many know that this was the novel Abbott was inspired to write after seeing Aly Raisman's parents watch their daughter compete. What is it like to be inside such a family, where everyone's hopes and fears are pinned to a single member and her solitary pursuit?

If that is the jumping off point, Abbott pushes it to extremes, adding an untimely death in uncertain circumstances to the mix to create a novel that is part family drama, part mystery.  Devon Knox found gymnastics after a freak accident with a lawn mower when she was a toddler.  Since then, her parents Katie and Eric have shaped their lives around getting Devon to the Olympics, dragging her amiable younger brother along for the ride.  Their lives are spent at her gym, among the coaches and other parents. Yet the death of someone in the gym's orbit threatens to derail the Olympic dreams everyone in Devon's orbit has been pushing her toward.

Where "The Fever" stood out for its portrayal of relationships, You Will Know Me focuses on Katie, just one member of the Knox family. It's structurally necessary to limit the information available to the reader and to better maintain the mystery. Yet, it also provides the basis for exploring the underlying theme of how well can you ever know your children and family. The focus on Katie enables the mystery, but constrains the ability to explore the depths of what different parents will do for their children and how parent-child relationships can vary greatly within a single family.  Nevertheless, it's a compelling read, and particularly good on audio.

Verdict: For fans of mysteries and family dramas, this is a solid, quick read.

"You Will Know Me" by Megan Abbott, published July 26, 2016 by Little, Brown. Audio narration by Lauren Fotgang, published July 26, 2016 by Hachette Audio.

"Sons and Daughters of Ease and Plenty" by Ramona Ausubel

This 2016 summer release is a doozie. I have so many mixed feelings, so let me just unpack them.

Fern and Edgar are the children of wealthy New Englanders, living a life of ease with their three children when they learn Fern's family money has run out upon the death of her parents. This news sends the couple careening in different directions as they grapple with the choices they must make about their family's future and the changes their decisions will necessitate in their lifestyle.

Fern and Edgar each split off on trips with  a different person who is not their spouse, leaving their 9-year-old daughter and twin 6-year-old sons to fend for themselves. This is children plot line is absurd. Each parent assumes the other is with the children and are not communicating with each other or the children themselves. These are people who are otherwise presented as sane, rational humans, albeit facing difficult decisions. I just did not buy it. There were other, more minor points with Fern's parents and her travel companion that were also not-too-convincingly described, the this children plot line was an absolute mess.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the excursions into Fern and Edgar's minds, and those of their parents, as they navigated how to live their lives of privilege. Their musings and thought processes are well-written and provide an interesting topic for thought and discussion. The story is told in alternating timelines, which is always confusing on audio, but the background is doled out in bits that tie to the main characters' current musings such that I didn't find myself hopelessly lost. Definitely readable on audio without losing the story or what makes this book tick.

Verdict: Jury's out. There is some interesting food for thought in here, but if you can't get past questionable plot points for the sake of moving the story, look elsewhere.

"Sons and Daughters of Ease and Plenty" by Ramona Ausubel, published June 14, 2016 by Riverhead Books.

"The Mothers" by Brit Bennett

I don't remember first hearing about Brit Bennett's debut novel, "The Mothers," by I remember the buzz building throughout 2016. It helped that Riverhead (the publisher) designed a fantastic-looking tote based on the cover art to help promote the book, but too many early reviewers were raving about this for the popularity to be based solely on good marketing. In fact, so many early reviewers raved throughout the year, that by the time its October publication rolled around, I felt I was the last to read it! Luckily, Book of the Month offered it as an October selection, so I was able to get my hands on a copy quickly.

I ended up saving it for my honeymoon when I could devote my full attention to it. This was the right choice for the wrong reason. this book is engrossing. Bennett writes simple, accessible, but beautiful prose. Once I started, I could not put it down. Luckily, I was able to focus on reading it in 24 hours while on vacation!

The novel opens in a small black church community in Southern California, shortly after Nadia Turner's mother has committed suicide and Nadia has started a relationship with Luke, the preacher's son. Soon, Nadia gets pregnant and decides to have an abortion. Though their abortion is kept a secret, its ramifications ripple through the years, impacting their relationships with each other, their families, their friends, and the larger church community.

The church mothers collectively narrate the book, offering their commentary and perspective that has been shaped largely by rumor. Yet the book offers more than a rumination on secrets within a community, exploring also the evolution of a powerful female friendship and how our struggles and secrets can unite or isolate us from those we love most.

Verdict: Affirmed. One of the best books I read in 2016, I highly & widely recommend this debut novel.

"The Mothers" by Brit Bennett, published October 11, 2016 by Riverhead Books.

"Behold the Dreamers" by Imbolo Mbue

FTC disclosure: I received an e-ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I checked out the audiobook from my library through Overdrive. 

Ah, this book. I tore through the audio, supplementing with the e-ARC when I couldn't listen. 

"Behold the Dreamers" is the story of Jende and Neni Jonga, a couple who immigrate to the United States from Cameroon. They came to New York City to pursue the American Dream, like so many immigrants before them. We meet Jende as he is on his way to interview for a job as a private driver to Clark Edwards. Unfortunately, Edwards is an executive at Lehman Brothers, and it is the eve of the company's collapse. As the two families' lives intertwine, the reader can see the ruin hurtling toward them, and the country. 

This is the first novel I have read that is set during the 2008 recession, and it captures that moment well. Even more so, it captures an immigrant experience with sincerity and an impeccable relatability. The Jongas' story is just one of many immigrant narratives, but certain elements are familiar in many such narratives. From their confusion and frustration navigating the broken immigration system, to their constant struggle to find work that will allow them to save while still supporting their family both in the US and in Cameroon, to their re-evaluation of the American Dream and how they can make it work for them - their story highlights the everyday struggles and the overarching system through which immigrants must fight.

The characters are well drawn, and the ways they fit into each other's lives are compelling and drive the story on. The relationship between Neni and Edward's young son, Mighty, is particularly touching. Each character makes their own mistakes. But they feel like honest, real-people mistakes, not mere plot devices. You will almost certainly disagree with some of these characters' choices, but you understand how they have been driven to make them. To top it off, the ending was both not what I expected going into the novel, and entirely satisfying, a difficult & rewarding balance to strike. 

Verdict: Affirmed. There are many well-deserved reasons to praise this debut, but I expect the characters and ending will stick with me above all. 

"Behold the Dreamers" by Imbolo Mbue, published August 23, 2016 by Random House. Audio narration by Prentice Onayemi, published August 23, 2016 by Random House Audio.

"A Very Special Year" by Thomas Montasser

I stumbled upon this tiny novel in a list of books about books, which is a link I will always, always click on, despite seeing many repeats (most of which I loved, of course). I was pleasantly surprised to find a new one on this list - and I apologize now that I didn't save the list! But anyway, this book, newly translated from German, is an adorable, quick read.

Valerie's aunt has disappeared, so she has been summoned to take care of her aunt's bookshop. Valerie thinks business background will help set the shop to rights & put her accounts in order. Yet, while working at the shop, she frequently finds herself lost in a good book. As she meets the shop's patrons and settles in to life as a reader, she tries to puzzle out what her aunt's plans were all along. 

This was another single-sitting read. More importantly, it is beautifully written & will call to the book lover in any reader. There's a tiny mystery tucked into the pages, a mysterious book that seems to appear at opportune moments in readers' lives. Valerie encounters it, and has to puzzle out its meaning as well. This novella is definitely recommended as a gift for other readers in your life. 

Verdict: Affirmed. A quaint and charming book celebrating the joys of reading. It's a lovely read for an afternoon when you're looking for a break.

"A Very Special Year" by Thomas Montasser, translated by Jamie Bulloch, published August 9, 2016 by Oneworld Publications.

"A Little Life" by Hanya Yanagihara

It's been a while since I finished this book and I still don't know how to wrap my head around it or put into words my exact feelings about it. Luckily, many many others have tried.

On its face, it's the story of four friends living in New York City. It follows them through life and love as they grow and their relationships change. But centrally, it's the story of Jude St. Francis, a man with a horrific past who has nonetheless grown to find three devoted, loving friends. I will quibble with those, including the author, who describe this as a book of male friendship. That's certainly a theme, but it's a love story at its heart, and an exploration of how to love someone who doesn't know how to accept it. 

Haunting and beautiful and gripping and tragic. There are so many words for this book and they're all still inadequate. Yanagihara has a gift for describing the most traumatic, grotesque, staggeringly painful events in beautiful prose. Even when the events are too much to bear, the beauty of the prose pushes you on to the next page and the next. 

Verdict: Affirmed. I can't recommend this book highly enough, but I also want to warn that the subject matter is heartbreaking and tragic.

"A Little Life" by Hanya Yanagihara, published March 10, 2015 by Doubleday.

"Rich and Pretty" by Rumaan Alam

This book feels mostly mis-marketed. Its summer release, its light & happy cover, its description of two best friends living enviable lives in New York City all scream light-hearted beach read. It is not light, and not overly happy. There are stakes in this story of childhood BFFs Sarah and Lauren figuring out how their friendship works now that they are adults living separate and rapidly diverging lives. 

It's not an incessantly light, happy book, but it is a true one. Alam describes the ins and outs of deep friendship with ease and intimacy. How you can love someone while you also hate their flaws more than you could with a blood relative or partner. How you can understand someone better than they understand themselves, but still be surprised by their decisions and actions. How you want what is best for your friend, but have to support them even when they don't listen to you. Sarah and Lauren navigate their changing friendship as they grow older, reaching different stages of their lives at different times. They decide what and when to tell their best friend, and what to keep to themselves.

The core friendship is portrayed honestly and truthfully. Though, unfortunately it really is all the book has. There isn't much of a plot, and even time passes strangely. We check in with Sarah and Lauren weekly, then monthly, then after years go by without any real reason for the acceleration of time in the second half other than the absence of a true plot or stakes that would prevent such and acceleration. But neither does a plot exactly call for it. It was nice to check in with the characters at these points in their lives, but I wish they had felt more deliberately chosen or the pacing structured more consistently. 

Alam's writing is solid, with interesting descriptions and turns of phrase. The audio narration is good, though I would have preferred two narrators as the book shifts from Sarah to Lauren. It was sometimes difficult to determine whose thoughts I was privy to at any given moment, particularly because there is no indication of a new chapter beginning that I noticed. Overall, it was worth the listen for the deep character study, despite its structural flaws. 

Verdict: Jury's Out. In a year of strong reads, it's not going to make my top 10, or even 20. But I enjoyed getting to know Sarah and Lauren and think book clubs would find a lot to discussing in their different lives. 

"Rich and Pretty" by Rumaan Alam, published June 7, 2016 by Ecco. Audio narration by Julie McKay, published June 7, 2016 by HarperAudio.

"Re Jane" by Patricia Park

Back in April, I read "Jane Eyre" for the first time, just in time for Charlotte Bronte's 200th birthday. This was even more well-timed than I had originally thought, as publishers have also been putting out some new Jane Eyre-inspired works. See also, "Reader, I Married Him" and "Jane Steele." "Re Jane" is the incarnation I chose to read, and it turned out to be an excellent choice.

Our Jane is half-Korean, half-American, living in Queens with her uncle and his family. She works in his uncle's store and is trying to figure out what to do after her post-college job falls through. Frustrated with her strict home life, she applies to and accepts a job as a nanny for Devon, the adopted Chinese daughter of two professors living in Brooklyn. Ed Farley, Devon's father, catches her attention. Through this job and ensuing developments leading to a trip to visit her extended family in South Korea, Jane discovers who she is, comes into her own, and decides what she wants from her life - much like the original Jane Eyre, though in a much more modern ending.

This book gave me so many conflicted feelings that I had a friend start reading it while I was still halfway through so I'd have someone with whom to discuss these feelings/rant. Devon's mom Beth is treated completely unfairly for much of the book. She is a feminist, women's studies-focused professor, and this is commonly a topic of derision throughout the book. The underlying feminism in "Jane Eyre" was what won me over on that novel, despite plotting and character issues, so to see the issue disparaged in a retelling was extraordinarily frustrating, and even felt downright disrespectful to the spirit of the original at times.

Directly opposite to the original, the characters in this book and their arcs eventually won me over. Jane here is naive, and young, and frustrating at times. Yet, she grows throughout the books, and because of her rough starting point, her growth feels both authentic and hard-earned. Her best friend Nina is strong, and independent, calling Jane on her nonsense. But most importantly, she also has real flaws. Like Rochester, Ed Farley's pretty lame. Devon is a well-drawn child, growing into a young adult with all the accompanying fits and growing pains. Unfortunately, the audiobook narrator here does a real disservice to Nina and Ed, giving them grossly exaggerated (probably made worse by my listening on double speed), stereotypical accents that distract from the story and their character development. So if that's a thing that will bother you, read this one in print.

Ultimately, the ending brought this up from a 2.5 star review to a really solid 4. Without spoiling the ending, I felt that it stayed true to the feminism inherent in "Jane Eyre," adapted to a modern age and new setting.

Verdict: Affirmed. Another great, gossipy summer read with deeper underlying themes. Stick with the characters, even when they're at their most frustrating.

"Re Jane" by Patricia Park, published May 5, 2015 by Pamela Dorman Books. Audio narration by Diana Bang, published May 5, 2015 by Penguin Audio.

"Britt-Marie Was Here" by Fredrik Backman

FTC Disclosure: I received an eARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I checked out the audiobook from my library through Overdrive.

Fredrik Backman knows how to pull on all my hearstrings. He did it first with "A Man Called Ove," and now he has done it again with "Britt-Marie Was Here." I can't wait to get off the holds list for "My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry," so I can complete my Backman trifecta.

"Britt-Marie Was Here" is the story of Britt-Marie, a woman who is at a crossroads in her life after the conclusion of her marriage. Her life was previously structured around and defined by caring for her husband, so without those daily routines and responsibilities, she is adrift. But her personality does not lend itself well to idleness or relaxation. She marches into an unemployment center, and winds up with a job in the small, economically devastated town of Borg. As the recreational director for the village, she comes to know its quirky inhabitants and find a place for herself amid their lives.

Like Ove, Britt-Marie has a certain amount of the curmudgeon in her, though not quite as strongly as Ove. She is slow to let others into her life, but once she does, she is a fierce protector and advocate for them. She takes her job seriously, and is able to find new loved ones to care for to replace what she lost in the disintegration of her marriage. Perhaps best of all, the ending was utterly different from "Ove," and delightfully ambiguous and fulfilling (as I mentioned in my spoiler-tagged Goodreads review). Britt-Marie was a wonderful character with whom to spend an afternoon, and I look forward to seeing her pop up again in "My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry."

Verdict: Affirmed. I'm officially here for all the Fredrik Backman books, and can't wait for his next.

"Britt-Marie Was Here" by Fredrik Backman, published May 3, 2016 by Atria Books. Audio narration by Joan Walker, published May 3, 2016 by Simon & Schuster Audio.

"The Nest" by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney's debut novel "The Nest" is exactly the type of novel I like for a summer read. Engaging, but not so engrossing that I can't leave it for my millions of summer plans (or bar prep this summer); interesting characters who are still familiar enough that they don't merit close investigation or consuming reflection; and above all, enjoyable & stimulating without weighing me down with intellectual insights. I recognize that could very easily be read as a list of backhanded compliments, but I really did enjoy this novel.

The premise: four siblings are awaiting the day when they receive an inheritance from their father, which they affectionately refer to as the nest. One of the siblings is involved in a horrific car accident months before they are all set to receive the inheritance, and their mother decides to use the funds to pay off the expenses and hush money the accident requires. The other siblings are miffed, as each had their own plans for their inheritance, and must now figure out how to navigate their rich people problems without the tidy sum of money they had come to expect.

None of the siblings' problems are life or death, and they are all of their own making - living beyond their means, taking out loans without telling their partners, failing to sustain a livable income or honor contractual obligations. They are nonetheless serious, and the types of things that will reasonably weigh on their minds as they figure out what to do in the wake of their brother's accident and the ransacking of their trust fund. The four siblings were each unique, and I particularly appreciated Sweeney's definition of each in part by how they relate to the others. Siblings as close or as intertwined as these do not develop their identities in isolation, and Sweeney captures that perfectly. She also does a great job capturing the wealthy, or want-to-be wealthy depending on the character, New York City setting. The novel lacks the grit or stakes of a novel dealing with true life-or-death problems, but still remains compelling and interesting for its accurate depiction of the problems of those who probably consider themselves upper middle class, but whom the rest of the country would likely consider upper class.

Verdict: Affirmed. If you're looking for a light beach or summer read with a bit more heft than your average chick lit, check this one out. It's great on audio if you're looking for a dog-walking read as well.

"The Nest" by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, published March 22, 2016 by Ecco. Audio narration by Mia Barron, published March 22, 2016 by HarperAudio.

"Every Last Word" by Tamara Ireland Stone

This book was another great selection from the Audiobook SYNC. It was paired with "Egg & Spoon" by Gregory Maguire, with the mutual theme of "girls who seem to be nearly overcome by their situations, only to discover the power of their own voices." I haven't listened to "Egg & Spoon" yet, but I can't wait to compare it to "Every Last Word."

Samantha is the girl at the heart of this story, and her "situation" is purely-obsessional obsessive compulsive disorder. As a high school junior, she hides her mental illness from everyone except her family. Especially from her best friends, the Crazy Eights, who are the most popular girls in school. At the beginning of the school year, she meets Caroline, someone who Sam didn't think she'd ever hang out with. Caroline, in turn, shows her the Poet's Corner, a hidden room where a group of students meet to share their poetry. Sam hides her new group from the Crazy Eights, even as she begins to like who she is with them more than with her best friends. "Every Last Word" is the story of Sam figuring out where her friends, priorities, and mental illness fit into her personal identity and the type of person she wants to be.

This novel has been praised for its accurate, accessible portrayal of OCD, and I can only second that praise. I liked Sam, I rooted for Sam, and I got to learn something along the way. Yes, I suspected some plot points were coming, but they were well-executed and made fro a compelling read once they came to fruition (as I noted in my Goodreads review). Most importantly, Stone folded Sam's OCD into the story in an organic way: it's central, but not the only thing happening in Sam's life or the plot of the book. Sam deals with the same identity and friend struggles that most teenagers run up against, her OCD is just additional problem she has to deal with that's slightly more unique than her others. 

Verdict: Affirmed. For general readers of YA or anyone curious to know more about OCD through a novel, this is a great pick. 

"Every Last Word" by Tamara Ireland Stone, published June 16, 2015 by Disney-Hyperion. Audio narration by Amy Rubinate, published June 16, 2015 by Ideal Audiobooks.

"The Ramblers" by Aidan Donnelly Rowley

Along with "The Expatriates," "The Ramblers" was my other read during finals. I like to read lighter books when I'm focused on other things & both fit the bill. Like "The Expatriates," "The Ramblers" focuses on three characters whose lives intertwine in a large city. Here, though, how their lives intersect is not as unexpected & the plot and prose ramble a bit more.

In New York City, Clio faces a decision about where she wants her relationship with her boyfriend to go. Her best friend & roommate Smith is still reeling from the break up with her ex while coping with her sister's upcoming wedding when she meets Tate, who is coming off his own separation from his wife. The novel follows these three 30-somethings over the course of a week or two as they figure out how they got to this point in their lives & where they want to go from here. 

The first half of the book had me hooked. I liked the main characters, and the secondary cast was intriguing. Rowley gets New York City, so the book is littered with allusions that will ring true to anyone familiar with the city. Unfortunately, once the stage was set, the pace slowed. It's possible this was intentional, given the title and the message Rowley is trying to share about this time in her characters' lives. Yet, days stretched out to dozens of pages more than felt necessary for characters I already knew. Multi-page descriptions of characters' morning routines
are a pet peeve of mine. It wasn't enough that I put down the book, or even to make me dislike it as a whole. It was just enough that things dragged & I wasn't as compelled to pick it up again as I was at the start. 

Verdict: Jury's out. It won't be the first book I recommend to someone looking for lighter literary-ish contemporary fiction, due to the pacing issues. But it's probably make a long list, especially for readers interested in the privileged NYC setting.

"The Ramblers" by Aidan Donelly Rowley, published February 9, 2016 by William Morrow.