Disclosure: This review is based on an Advance Reading Copy (ARC) I received through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers Program.
My Husband’s Sweethearts
Bridget Asher
Delacorte Press, 2008 (hardcover) (ISBN 038534189X / 9780385341899)
Fiction, 288 pages
First Sentence: Careening past airline counters toward the security check-in, I’m explaining love and its various forms of failure to Lindsay, my assistant.
But one by one, they do show up: The one who hates him. The one who owes her life to him. The one he turned into a lesbian, and the one he taught to dance. And among them is a visitor with the strangest story of all: the young man who may or may not be Artie’s long-lost son.
For Lucy, the jaw-dropping procession of women is an education in the man she can’t forgive and couldn’t leave. And as the women find themselves sharing secrets and sharing tears, they start to discover kindred spirits—and even something that’s a lot like family. But Lucy knows one thing for certain: the biggest surprises are yet to come….
Comments: First, Lucy Shoreman learned that her older, terminally-charming husband Artie had been cheating on her for most of their marriage, and even before, so she walked out. Then, while she was gone and trying to figure out what to do next, she learned that the terminally-charming Artie was also terminally ill and didn’t have much time left, so she came home – reluctantly, and still angry and confused, but she and Artie still have unfinished business. That business includes one more thing Artie has to tell her; he has grown son he’s been supporting for over thirty years, but has never met. He also has quite a little black book full of “sweethearts,” and Lucy starts wondering whether they should be let in on the news that Artie’s days are numbered. One night, drunk and desolate, she makes a few calls – and a couple of the sweethearts show up in response.
Bridget Asher’s novel works from a premise that intrigues me – the bonds between women who don’t have much in common other than a man. Lucy doesn’t expect the makeshift family that develops between her, her mother, and a couple of the sweethearts. And when she decides that Artie and his son should get to know each other before it’s too late, she doesn’t expect what develops there either.
This is the sort of character-driven novel that I tend to prefer, but I think I’d have liked more from it. I felt like the book was too short to develop some of the characters enough, and the subplot involving Elspa, one of the sweethearts, just didn’t grab me – it seemed too pat. I liked Lucy, though – her anger and confusion, and her attempts to deal with them, felt real. (As an aside, I also liked that she worked as an auditor – we need more accountants in women’s fiction, I say!) The later chapters of the book felt rushed and resolved a bit too neatly, and I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the ending. However, I thought Asher did well in her depiction of how complex and surprising relationships can really get, and how they raise dilemmas that don’t have simple responses.
This was a smart and engaging novel that gets under the surface of its people – but not too deeply – and it’s a pretty quick, enjoyable read.
Rating: 3.5/5
If you have reviewed this book, please leave the link in a comment or e-mail it to me at 3.rsblog AT gmail DOT com, and I’ll edit this review to include it!
I am always looking for new reads, but I don’t think I would like this one. I guess because I know that in my heart of hearts, not only would I not go to be with my dying ex-cheating husband, but neither would I ever choose to be in the same room with any of the women.
Kori – I had some doubts myself, but I found the premise interesting, perhaps because I’ve been in a somewhat similar situation (although now-ex-husband wasn’t dying, he was suddenly stricken ill) – but I ended up liking the book mostly because of the writing.
But I agree, the plot could very easily turn people off for the very reasons you mentioned.
Great review, Florinda! I’m intrigued and will put this book on my (very long) to-read list. I think I agree with another commenter above that I wouldn’t want to be in the room with any of the girlfriends. Then again, it’s a complex situation. Hmmm…
Anna – That’s one of the other things I liked about the book; it didn’t downplay the complexity or mixed emotions of the situation.
I like the premise of the novel–it sounds familiar somehow, but I can’t think why at the moment. Anyway, wonderful review! It’s too bad it didn’t deliver more completely, but it does sound like you enjoyed it just the same.
Literary Feline – I just saw in my stats that someone had visited my blog from Hawaii – so glad it was you, but aren’t you supposed to be on vacation :-)? Hope you’re having a wonderful time!
It was an intriguing premise, and the book expressed some interesting perspectives on love and relationships. I did enjoy it.