The Senator's Wife

This isn't a new novel, it's one I found on my ebook search of the library, from several years ago. And it takes place mostly in the 1990's so there's no social media or texting or smartphones, which is part of what makes it work.

Meri and Nathan are fairly newly married and very newly pregnant when they move next door to Delia, the wife of long-retired Democratic Senator Tom Naughton. Delia and Tom have been estranged for years, following his affair with their daughter's best friend, but they are still married and occasionally spend time together. The novel explores how Meri's and Delia's lives sort of parallel each other, even though they are separated by 30-plus years in age.

I loved the character of Delia, she's very spunky and spry and outspoken. Meri is harder to like but that's sort of the point - she has a neediness about her that is necessary to the story line.

I will say I wasn't really surprised by what happens at the end, but I was surprised by Delia's reaction to it.

All in all an enjoyable read.

The Senator's Wife

Killing Monica

So, this novel is by Candace Bushnell of Sex and the City fame. I have never read any of her novels and thought I would give it a try, since I liked the TV show (at least early on). Killing Monica is the story of Pandy Wallis, the author of a hit series of books about Monica and her escapades in New York City (made into a series of successful movies). After a bitter divorce and the rejection of her new non-Monica book by her publisher, Pandy winds up faking her own death, and adventure ensues.

I have to say I found this book REALLY hard to get into. It started kind of all over the place, and the characters of Pandy, her friends, and her husband Jonny, seemed superficial and not very likeable. But then when she fake died - which I thought was going to come much earlier in the novel - I really got into the story, and wanted to see how it played out. And the little surprise at the end with her sister Hellenor totally caught me off guard.

I'm going to say this is a beach read, and the kind of book I read in my twenties but am over now that I'm ... not in my twenties. And I definitely wouldn't see the movie.


Killing Monica