Crazy to Leave You by Marilyn Simon Rothstein – 309 pages
ARC from Lake Union Publishing and Getred PR for an honest review
Book Blurb:
Crazy to Leave You by Marilyn Simon Rothstein: Forty-one years old, the last of her friends to marry, and down to a size 12, Lauren Leo is in her gown and about to tie the knot. There’s just one thing missing: the groom. With one blindsiding text, Lauren is unceremoniously dumped at the altar. In the aftermath, her mother is an endless well of unsolicited advice (Stay on your diet and freeze your eggs). Her sisters only add to the Great Humiliation: one is planted on Lauren’s couch while the other is too perfect. Picking her heart up off the floor, Lauren turns to her work in advertising as she gathers courage to move on and plan her next step. She should know by now that nothing in life goes according to plan. What lies ahead is the road to self-acceptance and at long last feeling worthy. With a new way to measure love and success, Lauren chucks her scale—and finds a second chance in the most unexpected place.
My Review: 4 stars
Crazy to Leave You by Marilyn Simon Rothstein was a thoughtful and hilarious novel about singledom, complicated mother/daughter relationships, sisters, dating, body image issues and self-growth. I think many women will relate to the main character who struggles with her weight and the fears of going through life without a partner.
You’ll be rooting for Lauren from the start. Her struggles become yours as she gets over the humiliation of being jilted by the man she believes will be her last chance at having a family. Her overly critical mother and thorny relationship with her two sisters leaves much to be desired. Lauren spends a lot of time thinking about what she doesn’t have, rather than what she does have. Many women live in the shadow of comparison, which can lead to this behavior.
Rothstein gives her characters the room to grow in a realistic, humorous and satisfying way. This book allows readers to learn from Lauren’s story and reminds them that love can come when you least expect it. I was thrilled that Rothstein shows Jewish traditions and foods. Overall, this is an enjoyable and perfect weekend read.
Quotes I liked:
Family. You can’t live with them until you have to live with them.”
“And by the way, it’s not a privilege to be the favorite.”
“There’s no way to manage, to control, what another person will do in a marriage. You could love, commit, vow, compromise, but a forever marriage was a matter of chance.”
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