Open House Book

Elizabeth Berg might just be my favorite author for a guaranteed, enjoyable comfort read. I may need to keep one of her books handy at all times. Her stories are true to life, her characters are relatable and I tend to fly through her books and end them with a sense of satisfaction for time well spent. This was no different.

Samantha "Sam" is sailing along in her marriage, keeping a home for her husband and Mothering her son Travis, but when her husband leaves her the boat capsizes and leaves her rather adrift. She starts to question everything in her life. After her initial shock, (and rather fun reactions....which includes a call to Martha Stewart and a shopping trip at Tiffany's) she gets busy trying to create a new life for herself and her son. She backslides some but gets quite a bit of help from her no nonsense friend Rita, "clueless" Mother and a new friend, King. Her son Travis even offers up quite a bit of 11 year old advice.....mostly, "You really are crazy!"

This is a thoughtful and often humorous look at the end of a marriage and one way of life...and all the new avenues that can open up to you if you are willing to travel them. I would imagine many women have been in the same place....or helped someone close to them through it. The story is not all feel good, but somehow you know it will end up well.

"I remove my wedding rings and put them in the jewelry box. So many others have done this. I am not the only one. I am not the only one. But here, I am the only one."