Cars from a Marriage Book

An “auto-biography” of a marriage from the highly acclaimed author who deftly navigates the lives of one suburban couple with humor and insight

From a ’74 Mustang to a Chevy Suburban, Debra Galant’s Cars from A Marriage charts the important events—big and small—in one couple’s relationship by way of the automobiles that drive them throughout the course of their lives. Ivy is a transplanted Southern belle—the daughter of a car salesman— who continually wonders how she has ended up a New Jersey stay-at-home mom with a not-so-secret fear of driving. Her husband Ellis was a stand up comedian when they met, and the owner of that ’74 Mustang, but his ambitions were overshadowed by the responsibilities of a family. In the blink of an eye he became a PR executive with a mortgage, two kids, and a Buick LeSabre.

The cars steer us from their first meeting, to their first fight, and down the line to a family funeral. Finally, it’s on a drive along the Pacific Coast Highway that Ivy and Ellis come to some serious and illuminating realizations about their lives. With insights that alternate between hilarious and profound, Galant provides a unique, unforgettable portrait of a marriage.

Publishers Weekly

In her third novel, Galant (Fear and Yoga in New Jersey) explores a marriage through the lens of the various cars that the couple owns during their 20 years together. Yes, it sounds like a gimmick, but it comes off much better than it sounds. Ivy, whose father owns a dealership and is convinced she's going to die in a car accident, moves to New York City (where “cars are optional”) after college and meets future husband Ellis. It's not love at first sight, and things are in fact more than a little rocky, as Galant reveals the troubles they go through together, the trials of raising two daughters, Ellis's extensive traveling for his job, and temptations outside of their marriage—all centered around stories involving their cars, from Ellis's bachelor Mustang to more family-friendly conveyances. This family is far from perfect, and Galant proves adept at revealing what's in their hearts, giving readers an affecting and strikingly honest look at a marriage. (May)