"Open House," Continued

Dear and Faithful Readers,

Madame L finished reading "Open House," by Elizabeth Berg, this morning, and she still recommends it, with reservations. Warning: There are three scenes involving sex. However, although Madame L did not like those scenes, and doesn't think that even the mildest and non-explicit sex scenes are necessary in any book, they are not graphic and did not make Madame L want to throw the book down and then throw up on it.

Madame L could see why "Open House" was an Oprah Book Club selection: It hits all the right "wronged-woman-rights-her-life" notes:

--the woman discarded by a husband who (according to her best friend) everyone else knew from the beginning wouldn't be good for her;
--the woman ignored and then despised by her 11-year-old son, and finally coming to terms with him;
--the woman turning down blind dates suggested by her mother;
--the woman going on one of those blind dates which turns out disastrously;
--the woman having a "truth or dare" type weekend with the aforementioned best friend;
--the woman coming to an understanding of her mother;
--the woman growing a spine and getting roommates and temporary jobs;
--the woman making friends with a man who---spoiler alert, but not really, because you knew this was coming, didn't you!---becomes more than a friend; and
--the woman's husband telling her he had decided to come back to her, and her realizing she doesn't need him any more.

So, you get the picture, don't you, Dear Readers. As she mentioned earlier, Madame L still recommends the book, say, for a weekend when you have nothing better to do and want to live through the remarkable fantasy and happy ending that Elizabeth Berg creates.

Madame L is not going to keep the book, but has already put it in her pile of give-aways, so if any of her Dear Readers would like to take it to the beach or wherever, just let Madame L know, and she'll send it on.