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Another Piece of My Heart

3.64 of 5 stars 3.64 · rating details · 6,004 ratings · 937 reviews

From the New York Times bestselling author of JEMIMA J, and THE BEACH HOUSE, comes Jane Green’s most emotional and powerful novel yet: a story that explores the complications of a woman marrying into a ready-made family, and the true meaning of motherhood.

Andi has spent much of her adult life looking for the perfect man, and at thirty-seven, she's finally found him. Ethan-...more

Hardcover, 400 pages

Published March 13th 2012 by St. Martin's Press (first published January 1st 2012)

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Feb 27, 2012 Best Books To Read rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It has been a year and a half since Jane’s last book and I was really looking forward to this one. As soon as I received it I got stuck in and it took me less that a few pages to be completely absorbed in the lives of the characters. Andi and Ethan are married and Ethan’s two children Emily and Sophia live with them. Her whole life Andi has waited to fall in love with a man like Ethan and to receive a ready made family is the icing on the cake. What she didn’t prepare herself for was the difficu...more It has been a year and a half since Jane’s last book and I was really looking forward to this one. As soon as I received it I got stuck in and it took me less that a few pages to be completely absorbed in the lives of the characters. Andi and Ethan are married and Ethan’s two children Emily and Sophia live with them. Her whole life Andi has waited to fall in love with a man like Ethan and to receive a ready made family is the icing on the cake. What she didn’t prepare herself for was the difficulty in becoming a stepmother to these two children.

The main focus of the story is Emily, Ethan’s eldest child who is nothing short of difficult. She is making life for Ethan and Andi very difficult and straight away I did not like this spoilt child. I was hoping that underneath it all was a likeable but troubled young girl! Like her last book, this one features the realities of life and stepchildren is a commonplace issue now for many people (myself included). It was refreshing to read about the not so nice side of this story and how trying to do the right thing by Stepchildren is not as easy as it sounds.

After years of trying to resolve the situation Andi finally gets to breaking point and decides she has no other option than to leave. That is before Emily turns up with a major bombshell that changes everything. It is difficult to discuss major points of the story without spoiling it, but all I will say is that life is made even more complicated for all of those concerned.

The story is not the flowers and roses kind of fairytale but one that shows how real life can be and the curveballs you can be thrown. I thought that this book and especially the way it was written was great and made for a compelling read. It kept my interest especially as the story is set over a few years. Jane Green’s books have a very different feel to them in comparison to her earlier books such as Babyville but they are still great books to read.

Although I am limited in what I can say for fear of spoilers, I will tell you that this book was certainly a great read and one that I would recommend.
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Jun 02, 2012 Ellie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: girlie

When Andi met Ethan, should found a man with a ready made family. He came with his two daughters, twelve year old Emily and seven year old Sophia. Whilst she and Sophia instantly bond, Ethan's older daughter resents the new woman in his life, usurping her mother's rightful role. But Andi is desperate to be a mother, she was planning her family from the very first date so she throws herself into making a patchwork family, no matter what Emily throws at her.

Female characters whose only purpose in...more When Andi met Ethan, should found a man with a ready made family. He came with his two daughters, twelve year old Emily and seven year old Sophia. Whilst she and Sophia instantly bond, Ethan's older daughter resents the new woman in his life, usurping her mother's rightful role. But Andi is desperate to be a mother, she was planning her family from the very first date so she throws herself into making a patchwork family, no matter what Emily throws at her.

Female characters whose only purpose in life is to reproduce irritate me. I know so many people will enjoy this book and completely relate to Andi but she made me want to throw the book out the window. I'm not saying it's not life-changing to find out you won't have kids but she has an amazing job, a too-good-to-be-true husband and at least one step-daughter who dotes on her. Yet she goes on like she has nothing else in her life. She is completely obsessed with getting Emily to treat her like a mother and I just wanted to side with Emily even though she was being a selfish teenager. She has got a selfish role model after all, Andi never really thinks what anyone else wants or needs. Even when she is momentarily distracted, the hope of a baby is dangled in front of Andi and she loses all reason again.

Emily's character actually saved the book for me. Yes she treats her step-mother horribly but Andi is such a wet blanket that she is just providing rope to hang herself with. A product of a broken home, Emily not only has to deal with every day school life but she has a mother who is an alcoholic and a step-mother that sees her as a replacement daughter that's not quite perfect enough, especially not when compared to her sister, Sophia.

I loved the rollercoaster ride of Emily's side of the story. Her narration doesn't start until after the bombshell has been dropped and you've already been painted a picture of her as a rebel teen. She understands a lot more than Andi would expect and she's been really stupid but she's also been used. To see her grow into an adult from her very lowest point in life is really touching, even though she makes irresponsible choices again and again.
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Oct 14, 2012 CB rated it 3 of 5 stars

After the absymal read that was DUNE ROAD, I swore off buying Jane Green's novels. This one just happened to be at my library, so I thought I would try again. After all, Green used to be an auto-buy author for me.

The good news is that ANOTHER PIECE OF MY HEART (APOMH) is ten times better than DUNE ROAD. The bad news is that DUNE READ was a such disappointment, it didn't set the bar very high.

APOHM is the story of a family that doesn't appear to have a last name (that I could find.). The first th...more After the absymal read that was DUNE ROAD, I swore off buying Jane Green's novels. This one just happened to be at my library, so I thought I would try again. After all, Green used to be an auto-buy author for me.

The good news is that ANOTHER PIECE OF MY HEART (APOMH) is ten times better than DUNE ROAD. The bad news is that DUNE READ was a such disappointment, it didn't set the bar very high.

APOHM is the story of a family that doesn't appear to have a last name (that I could find.). The first third of the book is devoted to Andi, a forty-something interior designer who waited until her late thirties to get married. She is head-over-heels in love with her husband Ethan and her practically perfect younger stepdaughter Sophia. But the older stepdaughter, Emily, is every troubled teen stereotype one can cram into a book: emo, goth, cuts classes, does drugs, binge drinks, and sleeps around. Emily views Andi as the usurper who stole her father from her, and Ethan allows Emily to manipulate him dreadfully. Andi would love to have her own baby, but perimenopause has set in and Ethan is less than enthused about trying adoption or IVF.

The second and last thirds of the book follows several different POVs, from Emily's first person narration to Brooke, Ethan's alcoholic first wife, plus Andi and Ethan and a few assorted others.

Ostensibly, the story follows the arc of a family in crisis, the resolution of the crisis, and the fallout from the resolution. But anyone looking for deep meaning or wise insight would be better served elsewhere. For all that the subject matter tugs on the heart (and yes, damn you, Jane Green, I fell for it and had wet eyes at a few spots,) this is really a very fluffy, light, chick lit in every pejorative sense of the term read.

Green loves to dwell on details that ultimately matter not one whit to the story - we're given pages of Martha Stewart catalog descriptions of Andi's gay neighbors' fabulous dinner party hosting skills - but the emotional moments, the key definining character turning points, are glossed over and tossed aside. It's the equivalent of having a good gossip with your best friend about a couple she knows from her kids' school: sure, it's interesting, but at the end of the day, you have no insight into why those people did those things. And why they didn't seek out family counseling years before the novel started.

I really wish Green would stop writing about Americans. We don't call each other "love," we don't refer to being a "proper" artist, we don't "ring up" people. This time she moves the book's setting from Connecticut, where Green lives, to the San Francisco Bay Area - and as a Bay Area resident, it appears to me her research consisted of a week at some rustic yet five star Napa resort. Nothing about the setting rang authentic.

But my favorite nitpick came at the end, when one character goes to London, raves about the Tube's Northern Line (Jane, NO ONE likes the Northern Line, Californian expats least of all, and I can introduce you to several,) talks about how cold London is (apparently Jane never heard HL Mencken's quote - usually attributed to Mark Twain - that the coldest winter he ever spent was summer in San Francisco) and then said character goes on to complain she doesn't own a hat or gloves despite having spent three winters in London (and time in Oregon.) But then, said character is not the sharpest pickaxe in the diamond mine, so perhaps it is to be expected.

So, a marked improvement from the festival of character stupidity that was DUNE ROAD, but far, far below the heights set by JEMIMA J and BOOKENDS.(less)

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Apr 29, 2013 Kathleen S rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: listening

A Piece of My Heart is a very intense, probably too intense, novel about a woman and her marriage. After the first 10 minutes I wanted to send Andi, a peri-menapausal stepmother, to a shrink as she needs major help to survive her teenage drama queen stepdaughter. The characters are well drawn and story kept me going. I didn't want to really, really like this book, but it is very realistic and I wanted to know what happens.

I listened to this book, which was read by the author, with her very Briti...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Karen Gooderham rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Enjoyed this book a lot. Andi is married to Ethan. Ethan is Andi's second wife. Ethan has two children from his first marriage Emily who is the eldest and Sophia who is the youngest. Andi longs for children of her own but she just can not fall pregant. The main focus of the book is around Emily and her relationship with Andi and the impact she has on family life.

I really got court up in the whole situation. I could feel the pain that Andi was going through with Emily and how she was a breaking p...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Wendi Matt rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was traveling internationally & wanted an easy read. This was that. It kept me entertained & I finished in a day

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Dec 27, 2012 Vicki rated it 4 of 5 stars

This touching, sometimes heart-breaking tale takes us inside a marriage that is perfect, as far as 37 year old Andi is concerned, when she marries Ethan and becomes the step-mother of his young daughters. She has always wanted children and is confident that she can win over the girls, given a little time. But 13 year old Emily has a different idea and rebuffs Andi repeatedly, and with a good deal of hostility. Ethan just wants the women in his life to accept one another, and is easily manipulate...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Amy MB rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book and the storyline.
I did not love the main characters Andi or Ethan and especially not Emily. I could not STAND Emily. She was so immature and selfish, never thought about anyone besides herself. Never cared about the consequences of her actions either and how they would affect others. I know she had problems but Sofia had the same family problems and she didn't act like that! Emily just seemed to feel sorry for herself all the time. I almost quit reading when Part II switched...more I loved this book and the storyline.
I did not love the main characters Andi or Ethan and especially not Emily. I could not STAND Emily. She was so immature and selfish, never thought about anyone besides herself. Never cared about the consequences of her actions either and how they would affect others. I know she had problems but Sofia had the same family problems and she didn't act like that! Emily just seemed to feel sorry for herself all the time. I almost quit reading when Part II switched to her, I couldn't stand her that much! But then I thought maybe I should hear her side of the story and give her a chance but nope, I still hated her just as much. And to just leave her baby with her parents? I know it was the best thing for hat baby but c'mon, grow up and take some responsibility for your actions. I guess I give Andi credit for not losing her cool sooner than she did with Emily. I'm not sure I would have hung around as long as she did. Then again, I wouldn't have thought I could change everything and be a mom to someone else's kids. Andi was delusional thinking on the first dates ahead so quickly and thinking she would just become their mother before even knowing the girls yet. That's crazy. I know she's a fix everything kind of person but that's still crazy that she thought she could just take over like that and that it would go over well with the family she was going into. She also was a bit of a nag. I understood why she nagged Ethan but I think went about it too often and too much. No wonder he was getting frustrated with her! One more thing about Andi that is a HUGE pet peeve of mine is that she is one of those married people that feel they can lay their claim on a single person even though she is married and can't be with him yet be upset when he starts a relationship with someone else. What did she think? That he would just stay single and wait around for her? She has no right to feel betrayed by her friend for dating him! It's hard enough to be single and find the right person, let alone having to pass on a potential mate just because a married women likes him. Andi was selfish for being upset about that. I realize she kept these upset feelings to herself, so that was good because I would have hated her otherwise, but still, I've known married women who to try to claim their territory over men who are single and it's messed up and just a crappy selfish thing to do and so I guess it just angered me that she thought she had any claim over him in the first place. Pet peeve of mine.
Ethan bothered me because he knew Andi wanted a baby yet he married her anyway knowing he was done with kids. That's a prick thing to do. And then to tell her they should be happy with the kids they do have? That's easy for him to say, he has kids of his own!
Also note to author: becoming vegetarian is not necessarily responsible for weight loss. I'm pointing this out because it sounded silly when Emily said her weight loss was due to her becoming vegetarian. Popular misconception. I'd say it was from her physical work and eating healthier and not drinking, not because of becoming a vegetarian.
Also, Emily keeps saying she "gave her baby away". She didn't give him away, she ditched him and assumed her parents would step in!! She was too concerned about admitting she was wrong about keeping the baby to her dad that she didn't even take responsibility to figure out a different arrangement for her baby. She just ran away from her problems and now I hear her saying maybe once she's older she will feel something for her kid and she will just step in. She is so f*d up in the head!! I cannot believe her! And then all the hate she still has for her family yet how much she has forgiven and become such a fan of her mom, yet she owes Andi and her dad everything for taking in her responsibility. Her mom didn't do anything for that baby, yet she's the one that Emily seems to think is the person that is better to her and talks to more (because she doesn't make her face her responsibilities? Because she gave her money when Emily was running away from her problems?). Every time Emily talks about how well she is doing after she left I just get more and more angry at her. Great, glad your doing well but what about your responsibility you never actually found other arrangements for? Just because Andi wanted a baby doesn't mean she's automatically the answer to Emily's "problem" without so much as asking her if she will take on the responsibly??!! Instead Emily just leaves! Ugh(less)

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Mar 24, 2013 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is my first Jane Green book. So, I cant speak to what other reviewers have described as an improvement over those. I will say, I wouldn't have chosen this book. It was my book club's selection this month. That being said, it wasn't as sappy and badly written as I suspected from the jacket cover.

I felt for Andi, who really was in an impossible situation from the beginning. What could she have done in her situation? Falling in love with a man with a horrible, no good daughter? I will say, An...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Kendra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jane Green's novel really caught the feelings of insecurity that often block the relationships of step parents and step children. A lesson that can be learned from this book is that communication is crucial to successful relationships. By not fully communicating with each other, this family unit almost self-destructs. It is through the satellite relationships that open communication takes place and is used to help our family nucleus survive.

I have been on both ends of the step relationships. I...more Jane Green's novel really caught the feelings of insecurity that often block the relationships of step parents and step children. A lesson that can be learned from this book is that communication is crucial to successful relationships. By not fully communicating with each other, this family unit almost self-destructs. It is through the satellite relationships that open communication takes place and is used to help our family nucleus survive.

I have been on both ends of the step relationships. I have had several step mothers through the years (3 to be exact) and our relationships varied. As the young step child, I only saw my step mother 6 weeks every summer. In some ways she seemed more like the housekeeper in that she prepared the meals, did the laundry and kept the house clean. She did not have a lot of interaction with us girls (4 of us) in a social fun way. She is still in my life today, but in a very distanced way.

Later in life, I became a step mother myself to a 5 year old girl. We had our ups and downs, and many times I wondered if I had done the right thing. What kept me going was the great communication and support that I had from my spouse, her father. I told him I would never make him have to choose between us, but the day came when “our” daughter forced the issue herself. He stepped in and made her choose whether she was going to stay with us, or move in with her mother (as she was threatening to do.) When she realized that we would let her go if that was what she really wanted, she chose to stay with us. That was the day that I realized how much this little girl (now 13) meant to me. When I thought of her leaving, I was broken hearted.

What I think is key is the communication and support that my husband and I give each other. We talk over the problems and issues that arise in raising children (whether step or natural) and presented a united front to our kids. Sometimes when I would tell them to go and ask their father, they would assume that since I did not say yes, it was a no, and that was what he was going to say also.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this book.
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Feb 11, 2013 Maggie61 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: maggie-s-100-for-2013, maggie-s-favourites

Wow. Loved this book. I have always loved Jane Green's books. Her earlier novels were more of a chick lit type and more recently her books have more depth than just fluff, even enjoyable fluff.
This is the story of a damaged willful spoiled teenage girl who is a master at manipulation and makes the life of her stepmother, who is not the wicked stepmomster sheer hell. Their life is a roller coaster of tantrums and constant turbulent times. Emily causes such turmoil in her father and stepmothers l...more Wow. Loved this book. I have always loved Jane Green's books. Her earlier novels were more of a chick lit type and more recently her books have more depth than just fluff, even enjoyable fluff.
This is the story of a damaged willful spoiled teenage girl who is a master at manipulation and makes the life of her stepmother, who is not the wicked stepmomster sheer hell. Their life is a roller coaster of tantrums and constant turbulent times. Emily causes such turmoil in her father and stepmothers lives, that their relationship is in jeopardy. After five years of it, Andi, Emily's stepmother has had enough, prepares to leave and then Emily''s pregnancy becomes evident. To Andi this is the miracle she has waited for. Married later in life, she has given up the dream of a child of her own, but Ethan who never wanted adoption, does not want to raise Emily's baby. After first wanting to give the baby up, Emily wants to keep the baby and she does, however she soon has no interest in Cal, seems to hate him and after three months, she abandons him.
Now Andi and ethan have some peace to their lives and are free to raise cal on their own. Three years go by and Emily returns thinking she can take over because she is Cal's mother. She has grown up, is with her childhood sweetheart and ready to assume the role she should. But has she really changed!
I had to keep reading this because I had to know where the story would end. I found myself marvelling at Andi's stamina. Emily was a nightmare, her hatred for Andi was consuming everything, she drank too much, smoked up too much, stayed out late, had sex with so many guys, she had no idea who the baby's father was and Ethan always gave in to her manipulation making Andi the bad guy. I wanted to slap the crap out of Emily, she was so nasty, self involved, and something close to evil. Here was a part of me that felt for Emily though, her mother was an alcoholic, sometimes abusive and she never felt loved by her, she was definitely a little girl trying to be loved. She controlled her father by playing on that and making everything Andi's fault. Finally at some point Ethan begins to realize that his little girl was not the sweet little girl he had been in denial about for so long.
So much emotion packed into this book. Definitely worth the read.(less)

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Feb 08, 2013 Patricia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Being lucky enough to win this book I can't look a gift horse in the mouth. Jane Green (who wrote The Beach House which I loved) again writes about a young woman who finds herself wanting a home, husband, and family. She finds a man (divorced with two young girls)who is everything she has hoped for. This story revolves around her relationships with the ex-wife, young, obeying daughter and older, rebellious daughter and the combined relationships as a family unit. Andie (the main character) expec...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Pamela rated it 3 of 5 stars

Our book club received this book but I couldn't wait until next month to read it. This is just such a current topic that I think readers will find it hard to put down. Plus, I am really interested in hearing what other members think during our discussion.
What I really like about the book is the gamut of emotions (pain, anger, embarrassment, frustration, jealousy, insecurity, etc.) that are so real with the various narrators. Blending a family or marrying a family of three can never be easy, and...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Northwestreader rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was excited when the UPS guy rang my doorbell and handed me a big box of unexpected books. Apparently I had won a box of 10 fresh-off-the-press copies of Another Piece of My Heart to share with my book club. I immediately sent out an email to my book club friends heralding this windfall. I knew nothing about the book; only that I had won it. Within a day or two all the copies were distributed and I eked out some time to read.

It was an OK but unsatisfying read that is ultimately forgettable. Th...more

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Nov 15, 2012 Megan rated it 2 of 5 stars

At first, I was drawn into Andi's story and point of view. But I think about the time her stepdaughter's screaming fits were described, I started to lose patience with every character. It seems like Emily could have benefitted from some serious psychiatric help, Andi's husband Ethan was utterly in denial about how messed up his daughter was and how his style of parenting was ruining his daughter's life as well as his relationship with his wife, and Andi was just such a martyr.

It all kind of went...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Antoinette rated it 1 of 5 stars

Well, Jane Green has done it again! And by "done it again," I mean bored me to tears. What happened to the witty, smart writer who made me not quite as ashamed to read a book in the chick-lit genre? Granted, perhaps I shouldn't have read this fresh off a re-read of her To Have and To Hold, but I'm not sure it would have mattered. Clearly she phoned this one in.

Where to start? One pet peeve, and I know many other readers have mentioned this in their reviews, is her use of Briticisms. Green has l...more

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Oct 03, 2012 Big Book Little Book rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Helen for www.bigbooklittlebook.com

I actually really enjoyed reading this but as I come to write the review I fear it might sound a bit negative! I did have many moments in the story when I was frustrated with the characters and wanted to give them a piece of my mind. A bit like shouting at the telly I suppose! However I was drawn into the plot and the family dynamic. Having worked with young people and spent time talking to many about life in step families, I felt that the views and feelings at...more Helen for www.bigbooklittlebook.com

I actually really enjoyed reading this but as I come to write the review I fear it might sound a bit negative! I did have many moments in the story when I was frustrated with the characters and wanted to give them a piece of my mind. A bit like shouting at the telly I suppose! However I was drawn into the plot and the family dynamic. Having worked with young people and spent time talking to many about life in step families, I felt that the views and feelings at the heart of this were incredibly common and though it may not be a realistic account of blended family life it resonated with my experience of hearing those teenagers stories.

As it says in the burb above Andi and Ethan are married and Andi is step mother to Emily and Sophia. Sophia has accepted the situation but Emily is doing everything in her power to make life difficult. She is an intelligent child and seems to know she has her father at her finger tips, manipulating him to get her own way in every situation. Andi feels neglected and impotent to deal with this as Ethan seems unable to stand up to his ‘little girl’ as he copes with the guilt of the divorce and all that came with it.

Things are further complicated by the fact that Andi would dearly love to have a child of her own and has been unable to do so. Ethan has refused to consider adoption and Andi’s anger and hurt are looking for a channel! The pressure on Andi and Ethan’s relationship is at breaking point as they are unable to find a way to manage any of these issues effectively. Throw into the mix further problems from Ethan’s ex-wife who is an alcoholic, Emily’s lack of friends and Andi meeting a handsome engaging man and think; is it any wonder things aren’t going well?!

The characters in the story are generally very self-centred; the focus is on their needs. On the whole they seem to be unable to see someone else’s point of view or understand how their actions might make things worse rather than better. I know that we are all selfish deep down but they seemed so blinkered sometimes. Ethan seems completely incapable of seeing Emily’s manipulation; Andi can’t see that having a baby would probably be the last straw for everyone. Although it has to be said I thought Ethan really dealt with whole situation totally unfeelingly. I did have sympathy for the characters, being childless when you want a child is terrible, making up to your child for putting them through a difficult divorce is totally understandable, but they just could not communicate effectively with each other. The naivety on both sides in creating this knew family was blindingly obvious.

I did like how the novel was told from the perspective of many of the different characters. This worked particularly well in building up a picture of Emily as seen through Andi’s eyes so that she seemed completely awful and then hitting a chapter from Emily’s standpoint that made you completely re-evaluate her. There was that lostness in her, and also recognition of her inability to control her temper and that Andi often wasn’t so bad but Emily just can’t help herself. A real teenager!

I also must mention that my favourite characters were the two gay men who lived next door. Their dinner parties sounded amazing and often they were the only ones who spoke any kind of common sense at all!

As the story develops things become more complicated and I can’t tell you more or it’ll be a spoiler! But it is interesting that even though there is some resolution this is not a happy ending type fairy tale. Even so in some ways it was too tied up for me, after all the messiness of their lives there is a lot to work out and some of the resolutions found I didn’t like, some of it is too convenient.

Verdict: On the whole this is a good reflection of the imperfectness of family life and the difficulties faced by blended families.(less)

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Jul 31, 2012 Tiffany rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm a Jane Green enthusiast! I've read all of her books and eagerly await new installments in her collection of work.

Another Piece of My Heart does not disappoint! This is definitely Jane Green at her best. It's now one of my top 3 favorites of hers. This book demonstrates the best strengths in Ms. Green's writing. Her ability to creat three dimensional, relatable characters.

This book follows the story of a woman in her early forties named Andi. She is married to the man of her dreams, who just...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Annette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another Piece of My Heart confronts several aspects of family drama -- step parenting, rebellious teens, infertility, adoption -- in a heartwarming, realistic, if somewhat predictable way.

Andi and Ethan have finally found their soul mates in each other -- however, Ethan came with two teen age children and an ex-wife. Andi, at 37 years old, tries very hard to be the perfect step mom, and for the youngest, Sophia, everything is working. But for Emily, nothing does. She's got her father wrapped aro...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Maureen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jane Green brings another great family relationship story with Another Piece of My Heart.

Thirty-seven year old Andi gets married for the very first time. She not only gets a husband but also two of his kids from a previous marriage. Andi has always wanted children so she lovingly raises them yet the parenting does not come easy as the eldest child Emily, age 11, challenges her and creates such family chaos. Emily resents Andi for marrying her dad and feels she is in the way. It is a tense relat...more Jane Green brings another great family relationship story with Another Piece of My Heart.

Thirty-seven year old Andi gets married for the very first time. She not only gets a husband but also two of his kids from a previous marriage. Andi has always wanted children so she lovingly raises them yet the parenting does not come easy as the eldest child Emily, age 11, challenges her and creates such family chaos. Emily resents Andi for marrying her dad and feels she is in the way. It is a tense relationship for many years. Things build up slowly as we see how manipulative Emily becomes. Andi struggles with a husband who constantly sides with his daughter and just when you think the marriage is going to crumble, things take another turn. Emily who doesn’t take responsibility for her actions ends up becoming a rebellious, misunderstood teenager, and seeks a place to belong. She ends up making bad choices yet never takes responsibility for her actions. Her behavior leads her to continue to play out her dysfunctional role in the family and keeps all members locked in this unhealthy dance.

A beautifully designed cover with a fitting title yet what lurks beneath is much more complicated. Part of me thinks that in real life things would not play out the way they do. I kept wondering why this dysfunctional family didn’t seek any family counseling since there were deeply unresolved issues between the husband and his ex-wife and how the ex-wife triangulated the oldest with her unresolved issues. It was frustrating to read the struggles that Andi had to go through that you feel sorry for her. This story will anger you and yet warm your heart by the end. I finished the story in two sittings since it grabs your attention and draws you into the depths of each family members’ perspectives allowing you to feel each person’s pain.

Jane Green writes with such intensity and creates real characters who are flawed yet redeem themselves in some way as they work through the challenges. I loved the storyline and it felt like the overlapping of storylines was peeling off another layer of the underlying issue. She gives us readers a perspective from all the different characters involved. I was only concerned with a minor storyline introduced about Andi’s infatuation with another man. It was so minor that I didn’t see the point or even the possibility of it being significant in the whole story since this was clearly a storyline about the stepmother/stepdaughter relationship. The beginning half of the book moved very slowly but I am glad I got through it because the second half was intense. Just when you think things are calm in the family, they only become disturbed again because the past never rests. By the end of the story you really feel put through an emotional rollercoaster yet left feeling good and able to reflect on the story as a whole. It does leave a lot to think about in terms of how a family is defined present day and how families do not deal with the issues openly. (less)

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Jun 07, 2012 Laura rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed-from-public-library

I expected it to be brainless fluff (not saying that's a bad thing necessarily, just that in general I don't read "chick lit"), and it was. Would've been a good beach read. I rolled my eyes about ten times, but I still finished it, so I don't even know what to say about that except that I'm obviously still sentimental about Jane Green, since I read Jemima J when I was sixteen and enjoyed it a lot at the time.

I liked Andi, but Emily was so annoying that I wanted her to be real, just so I could p...more

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May 28, 2012 Sarah Nagy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have really enjoyed every Jane Green novel I've read and was excited to find one I hadn't read to start off my summer reading! Despite her books' appearances as pseudo romance novels, I don't feel that they are at all. There is often romance involved, but Green really expresses the female psyche well. She hits the nail on the head with relating to real women's lives.

This was definitely one of my favorites. I read it in two sittings. It's about a woman who marries her dream man in her late thi...more

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May 27, 2012 Lori Anaple rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chic-lit, beach-reads, 2012

4 is a bit high. But I thought it needed to be separated from the 3's. I related to both Andi and Emily. Andi, being the stepmother is in a precarious position. And Emily, being the teenage brat that I once was. OK, not as bad....but I had my moments.

I didn't like how Green changed POV in the second section. It isn't that I mind differing points of view, but I don't like getting into a flow with a character in third person and then getting tossed a first person POV. It made it a jarring transiti...more

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May 09, 2012 Romancing the Book rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, contemporary

Posted on Romancing the Book's blog
Reviewed by~Ashleigh
Review Copy Provided by~She Knows Book Club

For Andi, love and marriage was something she had always dreamed about as a little girl, figuring that it would always happen when the time was right. But as the years past and still no change, Andi had to take matters into her own hands if she ever wanted to have children. Meeting Ethan was the best thing that ever happened to her, not only was he a great guy but he had a ready made family for her...more Posted on Romancing the Book's blog
Reviewed by~Ashleigh
Review Copy Provided by~She Knows Book Club

For Andi, love and marriage was something she had always dreamed about as a little girl, figuring that it would always happen when the time was right. But as the years past and still no change, Andi had to take matters into her own hands if she ever wanted to have children. Meeting Ethan was the best thing that ever happened to her, not only was he a great guy but he had a ready made family for her to join. Motherhood was in her sights. But life doesn’t always give you a happy ending without a lot of work before hand, and Andi definitely has her work cut out for her. If she wants to have her cake and eat it too, she will have to walk through hell and come out the other side first.

Emily hates Andi. Andi has not only ruined her life, but has taken her daddy’s love too. No longer does Ethan think the world revolves around Emily, but Andi, and Emily isn’t willing to give up without a fight. Driving Andi away will bring her mom back and things will be better than they were before. Emily is willing to be the worst child in the world to make her plan work, but life gets in the way for her too, getting her into a kind of trouble that you can’t wish away. Will Andi be the answer to ever wish that Emily has in the end or will Emily ruin any chance she has with Andi as a mother before they even begin?

This was an amazing story that really showed what life is like in a step parent situation, and all the struggles a real marriage goes through to make it work. I loved that Jane Green didn’t make light of the tough stuff and really showed everything in a bright light, but still made the book and enjoyable read. I will say the first part was a bit difficult to get through, and at times i thought that i wasn’t going to like the book at all, but about 70 pages in Andi and Emily really made the story come to life for me. From there I couldn’t put the book down until I knew how it ended. The twist towards the end was something that I didn’t expect at all, and it literally had be gasp. (I won’t give any spoilers – but let me just say it is an ending that you don’t expect to happen)

Another Piece of my Heart isn’t my first read of Jane Green, and I can say that this is by far my favorite books of hers. I am so glad that I got the opportunity to read this one for Romancing the Book, and can’t wait to see what Jane has in store for us next. I am a fan for life, and will wait on batted breathe for the next great one from her.
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May 08, 2012 Rhonda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

Andi marries Ethan, the perfect man (!?!?!) He is divorced with two daughters, one who loves her and one who does not, and causes a multitude of problems and constant drama, insisting on getting rid of the 'evil stepmother'.

Andi finally has had enough and is at the end of her rope, tired of all the disruption in her life..........

REALLY liked this!!!!

A couple quotes:

"I'm thinking about this as Michael and I have our first phone fight, and I start to smile, which is totally weird, and I can't fi...more

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Apr 27, 2012 Jessamyn Ayers rated it 2 of 5 stars

I picked up Jane Green's Another Little Piece of My Heart because I liked Beach House enough to give this new title a shot. Oh. My. Gosh. I will have to resuscitate the parts of my brain that I lost reading this.

Key to reading this book is knowing what you are getting into. Jane Green is light, perfect for the beach. I think of Green as a Danielle Steele in capri cargo pants. I was looking for a light read and the book certainly lived up to that expectation. I think, though, that the book is un...more I picked up Jane Green's Another Little Piece of My Heart because I liked Beach House enough to give this new title a shot. Oh. My. Gosh. I will have to resuscitate the parts of my brain that I lost reading this.

Key to reading this book is knowing what you are getting into. Jane Green is light, perfect for the beach. I think of Green as a Danielle Steele in capri cargo pants. I was looking for a light read and the book certainly lived up to that expectation. I think, though, that the book is undermined by an over-reliance on current family therapy. To me, it was like the story rolled in Healthy Family Relationships 101 and was parading around the pages like a dog that rolled in something gross.

The basic plot goes likes this: After years of looking for the right man, Andi, a forty-something interior decorator/stager, finds Ethan, a successful landscaper who has primary custody of his two teenage daughters, Emily and Sophia. Andi, happy to step into this jiffy-pop family, dotes on the girls with mixed results. Sophia, the younger sibling, appreciates the stability and warmth Andi provides in contrast to the combustibility always present at their alcholic mother's house. Emily's vitriol toward Andi, on the other hand, simply adds fuel to her already rebellious adolescence. The family tensions escalate into high drama (which I will not divulge here).

If you read this book, set reasonable expectations. Cardboard characterization, politely affluent setting and a contented ending are all here--just the getting there was a little eye-rolling. The dialogue seems like it is lifted straight from some of the worst self-help books ever. Everyone is affirming everyone else's feelings and setting their boundaries and identifying how they contribute to a situation--it was laid on thick.

The narration of the book is a little odd, too. Andi dominates the first part of the story and is its emotional center; however, Green uses first person with Emily--something, I thought, that disrupted the story like a skip on a song track. Aside from this, though, the book is readable and will entertain you with less of a headache than "The Real Housewives of New Jersey."
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Apr 21, 2012 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012books, jane-green

Another beautiful novel by Jane Green! The story line literally swept me away such that it had to be read in one sitting.

I was a bit surprised to find such negative reviews on Goodreads. I don't think that the book itself provided the negative reviews, but people expecting writing in Early Jane style. It is very true that Green's writing falls into two categories, early Jane and late Jane. While most people begin reading late Jane expecting early Jane writing, I think what they don't understand...more

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Apr 19, 2012 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chicklit

Summer is finally starting! I love getting a list of new chick-lit books from popular authors and then going to pick them up at the library. This is what I imagine Christmas is like. Even if they end up not being great. And this book falls under that category. While not my least favorite Jane Green book, her books of late have just felt too old for me. She's getting older, so the old adage, write what you know is here. And I just haven't reached that level yet. While not as old of some of her pr...more

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Apr 05, 2012 Sabrina rated it 4 of 5 stars

While this book is Women's Fiction and not a Romance, the story itself does contain a very interesting romance for me between Andi and her husband Ethan. Although already married, this book takes you through the ups and downs they experience over a span of years that to me is nothing less than a romance story. There are so many possible things I could say about this book that would be a spoiler, so while my review is short please don't think this book doesn't deserve your attention - it totally...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Erin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Contains spoilers!

I used to work for Jane Green's former publisher, so I've read most of her books. I used to be a big fan, but now I think you can separate Green's work into two categories: early Jane Green (witty, charming, compulsively readable) and late Jane Green (trite, meandering, still readable, but full of holes and inconsistencies).

Another Piece of My Heart is late Jane Green. My main problem with the book is that it felt as if Green was making up the plot as she went along - changing...more Contains spoilers!

I used to work for Jane Green's former publisher, so I've read most of her books. I used to be a big fan, but now I think you can separate Green's work into two categories: early Jane Green (witty, charming, compulsively readable) and late Jane Green (trite, meandering, still readable, but full of holes and inconsistencies).

Another Piece of My Heart is late Jane Green. My main problem with the book is that it felt as if Green was making up the plot as she went along - changing gears and rewriting histories that had been established earlier in the book. One small example: at one point in the book, Andi's friend Deannna was described as being friendly with her ex-husband and his long term girlfriend. Pages later, Deanna's ex-husband is suddenly married and has been for years.

When Green would write in the voice of 18 year old Emily, she attempted to sound like an 18 year old girl who grew up in California, peppering her vocabulary with words like, "totally," and "lame." But both Green and her editor forgot that 18 year old American girls do not say things like, "If I'm going to be a proper artist..." describe their moms as "crap," instead of "crappy" or refer to parts of things as "bits." (Ex: I'm terrified of that bit.) It's as if Emily was a hodgepodge of California girl and British woman. It was very distracting.

Main character Andi and her husband Ethan were on the outs before daughter Emily gives birth, but reconcile in the hospital shortly after the birth of their grandson, Callum. Andi promises Ethan that she will stay with him and see the situation through. Later on in the book, though, Andi looks back at this time in her life and recollects that she was considering leaving Ethan shortly after the birth of the baby and struggled with her attraction to her neighbor's trainer. It's as if Green has forgotten the timelines of her own characters.

Green couldn't even decide if Andi was actively trying to get pregnant or had resigned herself to her perimenopausal state. It seems to me that there is a big difference, but Green flip flops on this throughout the book.

These inconsistencies make it hard for the reader to enjoy the plot or care about the characters. It's hard to care when the characters are so thinly drawn with details constantly changing.

The book's Amazon description says that Another Piece of My Heart is "Jane Green at her absolute best." I disagree. Jane Green was at her best with Jemima J and Mr. Maybe. Late Jane Green doesn't hold a candle to those earlier books.

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About Jane Green

Jane Green (born in 1968 in London, England) is an U.S.-based British author. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, four children under the age of 5 - including a set of twins - and dog Palmer. She attended the University of Wales, Aberystwyth from 1987-88, although she left without completing her degree and worked as a journalist throughout her twenties. At the age of 27 she was inspired to...more

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Jemima J: A Novel About Ugly Ducklings and Swans

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Quotes from Another Piece of My Heart

“They had always dreamed of a large family but have now realized that they would be equally blessed to have even one child.” — 2 people liked it

“She always says she doesn't believe women should get married before the age of thirty-five...she says women change so much in their twenties, they can't possibly know who they are, and the choices they make before the age of thirty are rarely good ones.” — 2 people liked it

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