Review: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough by Ruth Pennebaker

Summary: Joanie’s ex-husband is having a baby with his new girlfriend. Joanie won’t be having more babies, since she’s decided never to have sex again.

But she still has her teenaged daughter Caroline to care for. And thanks to the recession, her elderly mother Ivy as well. Her daughter can’t seem to exist without texting, and her mother brags about “goggling,”-while Joanie, back in the workforce, is still trying to figure out her office computer. And how to fend off the advances of her coworker Bruce.

Joanie, Caroline, and Ivy are stuck under the same roof, and it isn’t easy. But sometimes they surprise each other-and themselves. And through their differences they learn that it is possible to undo the mistakes of the past.

Check out the trailer:

My Thoughts: I am struggling to put my thoughts on this book into words. Overall, it was just OK. The three main characters, Joanie, Ivy, and Caroline, seem like they’re the exact same person – just at different stages in life. They’re all extremely dissatisfied, extremely lonely, and extremely desperate. They all find some way to work through those feelings, Joanie being the only one who seems to go about that in a somewhat healthy manner.

I felt like this book was way too negative, and like it dragged on. I wanted it to end quite a bit sooner than it did. Not because it seemed like anything was resolved, but just because I couldn’t take much more of these pathetic women. Adding B.J. to the mix was just overkill. Clearly she’s an insecure, manipulative, selfish girl. (Oh, yes, girl. Technically, by age, she’s a woman, but her actions are those of a child.)

I must say, though, that I just love the cover – front and back, as well as inside back. The birds are great, and I could quickly figure out which is representative of who. Love it!

My Rating: 2 stars

Source: Received as part of a blog tour promotion on TLC Book Tours.

About the Author: Ruth Pennebaker writes about women’s issues, families, marriage, aging, politics, and anything else that interests her at her popular The Fabulous Geezersisters blog. She’s also the Urban Cowgirl columnist at the Texas Observer, an occasional commentator at KUT public radio in Austin, and the author of three acclaimed young adult novels. Her work has appeared in nationwide publications, including The New York Times, McCall’s, Redbook and other newspapers and magazines. She lives in Austin with her mad scientist husband, their cat, Lefty, and the accumulation of stuff from their two emerging-adult children.

To learn more about Ms. Pennebaker’s work, visit her Web site.

Tour Info: For the main page for this blog tour, including more reviews of this book on other blogs, visit TLC’s post.

Challenges: Counts for 100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2011.

FTC Disclosure: All items reviewed were either obtained by me for my own enjoyment or sent (from the author, publisher, publicist, via tour sites, etc.) in exchange for an honest review. I receive no monetary compensation for my posts. All opinions expressed are my own.

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.