The Heart of Winter

The Heart of Winter by Jonathan Evison, 368 pages

Abe and Ruth are the epitome of "opposites attract" from the moment they met. She's a free spirit, he's a straitlaced company man, but somehow, they've stuck together for more than 70 years, through times good and bad, with three very different children. Just as they're getting ready to celebrate their 70th anniversary, Ruth discovers that the loose tooth she's dealing with is a sign of something much more malignant. Suddenly, Abe finds himself caring for the woman who has kept everything running smoothly through their whole marriage, while Ruth struggles with her new diagnosis and reliance on others.

This sort of serious family crisis book really wasn't my cup of tea, and honestly, I kept wondering how these two very different people ever got together and stayed together. However, I also know a few people who absolutely loved it, so your mileage may vary.

This Disaster Loves You

This Disaster Loves You by Richard Roper, 380 pages

After 20 years of marriage, Brian's wife Lily unexpectedly disappeared. She sent a postcard saying she'd be gone for a while, but seven years later, she still hasn't returned to the small inn and pub they ran, and both Brian and the pub are worse for wear. But when Brian stumbles across a series of Tripadvisor reviews that he thinks were written by Lily, he embarks on a trek that crisscrosses Britain, following her clues.

This was an OK book about a man dealing with his grief, though I had trouble fully buying into Brian and Lily's love story as it's presented and one reveal at the end had me doubting the structure of everything that led up to it. However, Brian's friend Tess, an Australian woman he meets on the road, is amazing, and I'd happily read a book about her. Unfortunately, this isn't that book.

Good Company

Good Company by Cynthia d'Aprix Sweeney, 320 pages

Twenty years into their marriage, actors Flora and Julian seem to have finally reached a level of comfort, career-wise. Flora finally has a regular voice-acting role on an animated TV series, while Julian's star is rising as he's been promoted to series regular on his police procedural role. Their daughter, Ruby, is getting ready to graduate and begin college. But when Flora finds Julian's long-lost wedding ring — and nowhere near the pond where he claims to have lost it — she begins reevaluating their relationship. 

Told in chapters that bounce back and forth between the early days of their relationship and their current situation, as well as between Flora and their close friend Margot (a much more successful actress), this sophomore effort from Sweeney offers up a nuanced look at the evolution of relationships, both romantic and platonic. I loved this book and I can't wait for others to read it!

*This book is scheduled for publication April 6, 2021.