Little Earthquakes : A Novel (Washington Square Press)

Jennifer Weiner, whose novels Good in Bed and In Her Shoes earned her a place among women's book club aficionados everywhere, proves she still has the touch with Little Earthquakes , a tale of love, heartbreak, redemption, and friendship. Weiner's novel centers around four new mothers, all of whom must learn to adjust their lives and their marriages to deal with the challenges of raising children. Ayinde is a beautiful, biracial newscaster who moves to Philadelphia after her husband, a star player for the NBA, is traded to the 76ers. She meets Becky, an overweight chef who plays the "pregnant or just fat" game every time she passes a mirror, and Kelly, an overachieving event planner who has her whole life mapped out down to the most minute details, after going into labor at a prenatal yoga class. The three become fast friends, and come to rely on each other for everything from burping techniques to intense emotional support. The group grows to include Lia, a semi-famous Hollywood starlet who leaves her husband and returns to Philly after a sudden tragedy. While Little Earthquakes may leave little to the imagination, and some of the characters are laughably stereotypical (the Mama's boy Jewish doctor and the cheating ball player, to name a few), it is Weiner's gift for creating compelling characters with whom her readers can identify that make her such a successful storyteller. --Gisele Toueg --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Booklist Weiner's third novel is the story of four women in Philadelphia who bond over pregnancy and motherhood. Becky, Kelly, and Ayinde meet in yoga class, and the three become friends when Ayinde's water breaks one day after class and they take her to the hospital. Becky is a chef with an adoring husband and an annoying mother-in-law; Kelly is frustrated when her husband loses his job and drags his feet looking for another; Ayinde's husband is a famous basketball player whom she suspects of infidelity. What brings the women together is their love for their newborns. The fourth woman, Lia, watches the group from afar; she's an actress who walked out on her husband after a devastating tragedy. Weiner seamlessly and gracefully weaves the four women's stories together. The fact that her second novel, In Her Shoes (2002), is being made into a movie starring Cameron Diaz should draw plenty of readers; once they pick up the book, they'll find a warm, often funny, touching look at the challenges and joys of new motherhood and marriage. Kristine Huntley Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Publishers Weekly Novels that shift among multiple points of view, such as this one, are often read by multiple narrators, or at least one very skilled actor. Weiner is, unfortunately, no actor, and her reading, while serviceable, doesn't do the book justice. Though her voice is pleasantly pitched, she largely eschews character voices, which is a shame since her four primary characters—sensible, sarcastic Rebecca Rothstein Rabinowitz; über-organized Kelly Day; beautiful but lonely Ayinde Towne; and brokenhearted actress Lia Frederick—are so distinctly different. The story focuses on the tremors, both big and small, that shake up each woman's life. Rebecca, the quartet's down-to-earth center, has more trouble managing her demanding, self-absorbed mother-in-law than her newborn, but meeting Lia, who's recently lost her infant son, puts things into perspective for her. Ayinde, meanwhile, must deal with her cheating pro-basketball player husband, and Kelly is forced to come to terms with the fact that the reality of being married and having a baby is much harder than she ever dreamed. This is a poignant, thoughtful look at marriage and new motherhood, but it would have been better served by a more skilled narrator. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. "Hilarious, heartbreaking and insightful." -- The Miami Herald --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Jennifer Weiner is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of fourteen books, including Good in Bed , The Littlest Bigfoot , and her memoir Hungry Heart: Adventures in Life, Love, and Writing . A graduate of Princeton University and contributor to the New York Times Opinion section, Jennifer lives with her family in Philadelphia. Visit her online at JenniferWeiner.com.Jennifer Weiner is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of fourteen books, including Good in Bed , The Littlest Bigfoot , and her memoir Hungry Heart: Adventures in Life, Love, and Writing . A graduate of Princeton University and contributor to the New York Times Opinion section, Jennifer lives with her family in Philadelphia. Visit her online at JenniferWeiner.com. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Read more