"It's 'Friends' meets 'Almost Famous' meets the beach read you'll be recommending all summer." -TheSkimm
From the author of the New York Times bestsellers This Time Tomorrow and American Fantasy, a smart, highly entertaining novel about a tight-knit group of friends from college-- and what it means to finally grow up, well after adulthood has set in.
Friends and former college bandmates Elizabeth and Andrew and Zoe have watched one another marry, buy real estate, and start businesses and families, all while trying to hold on to the identities of their youth. But nothing ages them like having to suddenly pass the torch (of sexuality, independence, and the ineffable alchemy of cool) to their own offspring. Back in the band's heyday, Elizabeth put on a snarl over her Midwestern smile, Andrew let his unwashed hair grow past his chin, and Zoe was the lesbian all the straight women wanted to sleep with. Now nearing fifty, they all live within shouting distance in the same neighborhood deep in gentrified Brooklyn, and the trappings of the adult world seem to have arrived with ease. But the summer that their children reach maturity (and start sleeping together), the fabric of the adult lives suddenly begins to unravel, and the secrets and revelations that are finally let loose--about themselves, and about the famous fourth band member who soared and fell without them--can never be reclaimed. Straub packs wisdom and insight and humor together in a satisfying book about neighbors and nosiness, ambition and pleasure, the excitement of youth, the shock of middle age, and the fact that our passions--be they food, or friendship, or music--never go away, they just evolve and grow along with us.
I just finished this beautiful novel. While it took me longer to finish than most, this eloquently written book was just what I was looking for. The struggles of love, loss, and discovering oneself are not only accurately portrayed but highly relatable as the author, Emma Straub, delves into the lives of budding adolescents and seasoned adults alike. Modern Lovers proves to be a modern masterpiece.
Modern Lovers Mentions in Our Blog
Every Book Read in The White Lotus Season 3
Published by ThriftBooks and Likewise • May 06, 2025
Explore the compelling selections from Season 3 of The White Lotus, bringing together an eclectic mix of memoirs, fiction, and self-help books that reflect on the complexities of life, identity, and personal growth.
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