Young Wives: A Novel

By Olivia Goldsmith

Book Overview

Unflinchingly honest and powerfully insightful, Olivia Goldsmith captures the true essence of today's woman as few writers can. And she's funny while doing it. "Olivia Goldsmith's forte has always been the writing of revenge novels with great, good humor," Washington Post Book World wrote, praising her talents, and Newsweek proclaimed she is "like Jane Austen dealing blackjack... you keep licking your fingers and reaching for the next page as if it was another potato chip." Now the acclaimed author of the phenomenal New York Times bestseller The First Wives Club returns with her most powerful and moving novel yet, the contemporary story of three young women's initial illusions, desperate reality, and clever responses to their dirty rotten husbands. Meet the Young Wives: Angela, Michelle, and Jada, thirty-something women who appear to have lives as delicious as dessert. A typical New Yorker, half-Jewish, half-Italina, Angela is a lawyer married to Reid, a handsome old-money WASP. Michelle, a traditionalist at heart, adors her childhood sweetheart husband, Frank, and the dream house he's provided for her and their two beautiful children. Married to Clinton, Jada is a suburban African American wife working hard to maintain a happy home despite her husband's failing business. She's determined to give her family the privileges she never had. But then, like a bad souffle, the lives of Angela, Michelle, and Jada separately collapse as they each discover lies embedded in their marriages. Betrayed, their love and trust crushed, their families virtually destroyed, they unite for solace and support. While their nefarious husbands have won the first battle, the war has only just began. Sharing their misery and their dreams, they draw on one another's friendship and strength to heal their wounds--and reconstruct their lives. Bowed but not beaten, this smart, audacious trio concocts a brilliant recipe to take back what's theirs and render justice on their duplicitous men--and transform them from victims to victors... The perfect anti-Valentine's Day story, Young Wives is an addictively funny novel with an edge. Nobody understands "female problems" as well as Olivia Goldsmith, and here she is at her smart and satisfying best.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060175532
• ISBN13: 9780060175535
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: Harper
• Length: 528 Pages
• Weight: 1.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 1.6" x 6.1"

Customer Reviews

Can't go wrong

Olivia Goldsmith is one of my favorite authors. I have read all of her books and love them because she mixes a little drama, everyday life and lots of hilarious moments that anyone can relate too. If you want to try one of her books, I would recommend you start with Marrying Mom. I literally had tears running down my face from laughing so hard. It was wonderful as are all her books. Try them - I am sure you will like them as much as I have.

Howlingly Funny!

This is the first Goldsmith book I've read, though I did see and enjoy "The First Wives Club" movie. It has interesting and believeable female characters, slimeball husbands, and a fabulous revenge plot, all of which make it entirely enjoyable in the hands of a very accomplished writer. While I personally like my hiss! boo! villians a little more nuanced, watching them receive their comeuppance was extremely satisfying. Goldsmith understands real female bonding. Her sub-theme of what happens when women's idealistic dreams are shattered, and how they must become independent to achieve lasting happiness, adds a certian poignancy to the book. Highly recommended!

Simply "Amazing"!

This is a very twisted tale of three women who all ended up with wrong men. Although, this is a fictional book... it truely protrays a woman's sense of survival and love. I couldn't stop reading it - I was very disappointed when there was nothing else to read. I am looking forward to Goldsmiths new releases. It's a book worth keeping and reading again and again.

An Insomniac's Dream Come True!

This is a book for women! Being one myself I am truly astonished how Olivia Goldsmith has her finger right on the pulse of the real world! Loved the First Wives Club (movie was cute but book was a nose burier). Same with this book. I just got out of the hospital having been ordered to strict bed-rest for 2 weeks. Thankfully I has just purchased this book. I'll be finished this book at the end of today and what shall I read next? I'm afraid I'll be disappointed in anything else I pick up if it hasn't been written by this author. And I swear, she and I do not know each other!

Suburban sisterhood

From the first witty chapter heading, Olivia Goldsmith dismantles the perfect suburban lives of attorney Angela, bank manager Jada and housewife Michelle. Then, with her characteristic wit, irony and laugh-aloud humor, she weaves their lives together and with not-so-surprising plot twists, gives them the strength to triumph over incredible (read man related) adversity.While I read, I was sure I'd met Angela, Jada and Michelle before. I loved watching them develop new powers and talents as their friendship deepened. And, now that I've finished Young Wives, I miss them. I'd love to read a sequel.