Virginia Graziani

I'm still reading, about 200 pages in. I agree that it's overwritten and the character of Julia is pretty awful. I know she had a tough life with an alcoholic mother but it's time for her to get a grip on it -- I suppose that's what will happen eventually. Also unrealistic is her stunningly patient husband, Mark, who seems to keep on loving and desiring her no matter what, even when she (spoiler) is unfaithful to him with her best friend's studly twenty-something ne'er do well son -- on top of being relentlessly cranky and self-centered. WTF? Their kids, both in the flashbacks and the "present day," seem fairly real to me, and fairly sympathetic, but -- and I totally support diversity and the right to love who you love -- I find the fact that although she is horrified by her adult son's decision to marry his pregant girlfriend (doesn't anyone use birth control any more? geeeez), our heroine is just fine, never a word of surprise and/or dismay, that her teenage daughter is dating a girl of East Indian (apparently, her last name is Singh) ethnicity -- I mean, not a flicker of dismay, or wishing things were the least bit more conventional, although Julia is certainly aware of a bunch more superficial shortcomings in her life. Unrealistic, inconsistent with Julia's character, and so trendy --I suppose that this is supposed to indicate the author's commitment to diversity. ?? HOWEVER. after saying all that, I have to add that I'm actually enjoying this book. I couldn't tell you why. Maybe I'm a masochist. Thus three stars from me.