The marriage of Ted and Elinor Mackey, a yuppie podiatrist-lawyer couple in their early-40s living in Northern California, is pushed to the brink when Elinor learns that Ted is having an affair with his trainer, Gina Ellison. Elinor's reaction—pity—surprises her. Winston (Good Grief
) adroitly makes it clear that Ted's affair is a symptom: infertility problems have caused years of emotional turmoil. And Gina's no bimbo: she has a loving but difficult relationship with Ted, complicated further by her young son, Toby, and his immediate attachment to Ted as a stable father figure. When Elinor confronts Ted and Gina, Ted quickly ends the affair; neither is sure if infidelity or infertility should end their marriage. During their separation, Elinor takes a sabbatical from her law firm and casually dates Noah Orch, a hunky but dull arborist. Ted haphazardly resumes his relationship with Gina. As he realizes that his connection to her is more than an escape from a bad marriage, all concerned have decisions to make. Winston has a real feel for the push and pull of a marriage in crisis, and delivers it in a brisk, funny, no-nonsense style that still comes off as respectful of the material. (Aug.)
Details
Reviewed on: 07/10/2006
Genre: Fiction
Hardcover - 296 pages - 978-0-09-179994-6
Hardcover - 483 pages - 978-0-7862-9037-6
Open Ebook - 164 pages - 978-0-446-58653-5
Open Ebook - 296 pages - 978-0-7595-1617-5
Open Ebook - 304 pages - 978-1-4464-9212-3
Other - 978-0-7595-1618-2
Other - 978-0-7595-1619-9
Other - 978-0-7595-7418-2
Paperback - 320 pages - 978-0-446-69939-6
Peanut Press/Palm Reader - 978-0-7595-1616-8
