Tuesday Book Recommendation: Husbands May Come and Go But Friends Are Forever

The cleanse continues, as does the house cleaning. We set out an impressive pile of boxes for a local organization that’s picking them up today. Last night Henry Skyped with his daughter, Sarah, to see what books she wants to keep, and which she wants to donate, making an impressive dent in her room. And, at long last, I have found a home for the fabric that has taken over the upstairs! I would love to use it myself, but I had to admit that it wasn’t likely to happen in my lifetime.

Now I’m ready to prop my feet up and read a good book, and I thought I would share one with you, too. Judith Marshall‘s Husbands May Come and Go But Friends are Forever provides a fun read for our age demographic. Liz, a downsized HR executive, has been in a longtime relationship with Sam, who gets transferred to New York just as Liz learns that she’s losing her job. She does not want to go with him, and the changes threaten the future of their relationship. While trying to process all of this, she learns that her good friend Karen has died in a motorcycle accident.

As the death gathers a group of old friends, we learn about their past, their problems, and their enduring relationships with each other that survive decades of challenges and, at times, betrayal. Through their grief, this lovely group of women find a way to heal, overcome, and forgive. It’s a sort of “Big Chill” gathering for an older and wiser women-only set.

Despite the serious subject matter, author Marshall creates the cozy harmony of close relationships, and there’s plenty to laugh about, too. It’s easy to get lost in the story and feel like one of the group!

Husbands was recently optioned for the big screen and won the Jack London Prize awarded by the California Writers Club.

Have you taken time lately to get lost in a novel? If not, give this one a try.