The Cougar Club: A Novel

by Susan McBride

Book Overview

Meet three women who aren't about to run and hide just because the world says they should be on the shelf and out of circulation.KatHer life seems perfect until she loses her high-powered advertising... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061771260
• Release Date: January 2010
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.8" x 5.3"

Customer Reviews

A Sparkling, Bubbly Novel with the Bite and Roar of a Tiger

Susan McBride's "The Cougar Club" is humorous and at times, so serious you want to cry for Carla, Elise and Kat. These three women grew up in Missouri. Then, each one followed their particular destiny. Now, after hitting their forties, the women come back together in St. Louis to share where they've been, what they've been doing and most importantly what has been done to them by "men" and society. Each woman's emotional pain was so deep I could not choose one as the most victimized. I did wonder about how much control we allow or must allow men to have over our lives. I do believe it is easier for a man to turn forty and older than it is for a woman. What I liked about the book is the reality of the situations.The Cougar Club is about a woman's fear of aging, the strain to prove ourselves as still and always necessary parts of society and always making time for women who are facing the same obstacles. Becoming "catty" is not the wise way to gather strength to your heart and soul. In "The Cougar Club" Susan Mcbride tells just what is needed to get through this narrow tunnel in our lives. These women needed one another, friendship. Honest friendship allows for tears, anger and plain out runaway, wanna-quit fatigue. Thomas Wolfe wrote a book titled "You Can't Go Home Again." How beautiful when just the opposite is true, and you can go home again. I like a book when all of my emotions are rubbed raw. Susan Mcbride took me out of my home and put me in the homes of other women. I felt like a woman listening to some parts of my past all over again. Boy, I asked myself hard questions. I laughed about not knowing how to dance with the boy I most wanted to impress at the party. Still, I won the masquerade party prize for the best costume. My mother made that costume. It was lovely. So, I would like to thank Susan McBride for a bit of nostalgia. "The Cougar Club" also reminded me of Erma Bombeck's famous words or a book title. "If Life is a Bowl of Cherries-What Am I doing Down in the Pits?" Is it possible Susan McBride can read minds or is she just so in tune with a woman's spirit? Because at the end of the book Susan writes "Susan's Five Fabulous Rules for Forty-Somethings." Since I'm well past forty, I tend to think her words of wisdom are useful to any woman at any time. By the way, through the wonders of the virtual world, I had the chance to meet Susan. What a lady! Remember to cliche "he or she doesn't meet a stranger?" That is a good description of Susan McBride. She is not false. She is a woman made to befriend other women through her books or just sipping a glass of lemonade at a cafe and sharing a heavy conversation.

A Well-Written, Humorous Novel!

McBride has done a wonderful job on this novel, crafting it with wit, sophistication and heart. The three heroines of the story (Kat, Elise and Carla) are very different from each other, but they're each struggling with their lives as forty-somethings and they're at a place where they need to reevaluate what's working and not in their relationships and careers. I think any woman who's lived long enough to deal with aging beyond thirty and society's expectations and misperceptions of what our lives "should" look like, will greatly enjoy this humorously written novel and will appreciate the insights and character growth of these three friends. A delightful and fun book!

A fantastic read for women of all ages

Three best friends, Kat, Carla and Elise, are back together in the same town after many years apart. They are now in their mid-40's and are each at a turning point in life: Kat just recently lost her job in Manhattan because her superiors have decided younger employees are the way to go and upon finding her much younger boyfriend having some cyber fun, she has decided he's got to go too. So she packs up and heads back home to St. Louis and her two BFF's. Carla is the town's news anchorwoman... a celebrity of sorts. She's hot at 40, and she knows it, not to mention she's going out with the young Sportscaster at her station. But she suddenly finds herself in a déjà vu moment, when a younger woman is a threat to her job... just like she did once upon a time to her predecessor. Then there's Elise - whose life seems to be the most stable. She's been married for years, her children are grown and gone from home and now she finds herself in a rut. Her marriage and sex life sucks and her husband is quite possibly cheating on her. Their unofficial "Cougar Club" is what they'll need in order to see, get through and move forward from these not-so-great moments in life. This was a fun and quick read that had it's funny and light moments but also had some moments that were thought-provoking. I love the idea of a cougar. Why? Well because I've never felt that age should define a person. Plus I give kudos to any woman who at 45 can still live and look like they are in their late 20's, early 30's. You go girlfriend! Ms. McBride's writing is hip and fun. She really brought these woman to life - made you feel as if you could know someone like them in real life. The issues and struggles they face were realistic and most women over 30 can definitely relate. I truly enjoyed this story about friendship, love, and just life in general. I loved the Club's motto: True friendship never dies, the only way to live is real, and you're never too old to follow your heart. I think that is so true and certainly something every woman, no matter the age, should live by. This was a wonderful treat to read and I definitely recommend it.

fun tale

Forty-five year old New Accounts advertising team leader Kat Maguire is downsized after fifteen loyal years at her firm; when she finds her twenty-eight years old lover Roger having cyber sex she downsizes him. She decides to go home to St. Louis where her family and two BFFs live. Her buddy Carla Moss is a successful news anchor, but the station seems to be grooming a bimbo replacement. She also has personal problems as her beloved mom is losing her grip on realty. Dermatologist Dr. Lisie Randolph has been successful at work, with raising her kids and apparently in marriage. However, the empty nest syndrome is hammering at her while her spouse whom she married in college ignores her. These three middle age women in terrific shape physically, but a bit down mentally unto they re-forge their friendship and go on the prowl as cougars hunting young male meat. However, each knows deep inside their soul they really seek love, commitment and the meaning of life. This is a fun tale of three women seeking their groove as middle age has each wondering if that is all there is to life while attempting to hang onto their dwindling youth. The characters are solid including the support cast of each of the lead females and the rotating point of view enhances understanding what each wants. Although somewhat unlikely perhaps even over the top of the Arch, fans will root for the Cougar Club members to get what they want.

Loved it

The Cougar Club has everything that I love in a chick lit book, particularly the fact that this book is written about women who are over the "young" age of 40 something and are looking for younger men! Gasp!!!!! I loved it!!!! Its about time we reverse the roles here and this book basically describes my life to a "T". Yes, people, there are no guys my age left (or at least it feels that way) and actually, one of the only men I have ever loved was 10 years younger than I - so, I had a lot invested in reading this novel. First of all, the characters are smart and witty and interesting. No wimpy little "poor me" characteres here and led by Kate - they are about to go on an interesting and kind of scary trek into the world of dating younger men. The writing, although very smart, is also funny and down to earth. I found myself shaking my head at so many of the descriptions in the book and particularly at the reflections made by the women as they try to naviguate their way through romance and men of all ages. I also like that the overall message is positive and optimistic - never give up on love (although I have, personally, wanted to do this many times). I loved, this chick lit book and I suggest you get to know The Cougar Club.