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The After Wife

3.3 of 5 stars 3.30 · rating details · 787 ratings · 203 reviews

Gigi Levangie Grazer, the New York Times bestselling author of The Starter Wife, returns with a hilarious and spirited tale of love—both lost and found.

L.A. is no place for widows. This is what forty-four-year-old Hannah Bernal quickly discovers after the tragic death of her handsome and loving husband, John. Misery and red-rimmed eyes are little tolerated in the land of...more

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published July 10th 2012 by Ballantine Books (first published May 29th 2012)

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Dec 04, 2012 Alice rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ditzy, lighthearted, chickbook

Oddly, I seem to be on a kick with reading books about women losing their husbands, perhaps because secretly I'm curious about what people have found to be the most intimate part of their relationship -- the part that they miss about someone when that person is gone. So given the subject matter of this book, I was a little taken aback by the flippant manner in which the subject of death and grief is portrayed. And as a fellow Angeleno (granted, from a more middle-class, more ethnic part of town....more

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Apr 22, 2013 Maira rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was looking for a California book to listen to while I was driving in California, so I picked this up - but it was too California for me, too southern CA to be specific. Since I have already given up on two books this year, I thought I would stick it out and see what the author had to say. Hannah works in the reality TV industry, but when her wonderful husband John is killed in a car accident and leaves her with 3 year old daughter Ellie, she loses it. Understandable after such a devastating l...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Maureen Ann rated it 3 of 5 stars

I want to call this book a light summer read, but that is so not an appropriate description of the story. How can the loss of a spouse ever make for a light read? THe problem is that the rest of this book is designed to be a light, breezy read that the main plotline just seems totally misplaced.

When Hannah, the main character, loses her husband, it is an utter shock. Hannah is a grown woman who has maintained life as a single adult, met the man of her dreams, started a family and had a very succ...more

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Jun 17, 2012 Virginia Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, paranormal, humor, romance, womens-fiction

"The After Wife", by Gigi Levangie Grazer, took me outside of my reading box in an enjoyable manner. I believe that everyone has a right to grieve in their own way, and each of us moves on with our lives in our own time. Sometimes you have to face your biggest fears in order to poke holes in them, and then you can really learn to live. Hannah Bernal is a happily-married forty-something mom to a three-year-old girl. Life in L.A. is good for Hannah and her happy house-husband, John, a chef and coo...more

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May 28, 2012 Christian rated it 4 of 5 stars

I volunteer at a charity resale bookstore. So, I enter lots of advance copy contests. I figure if I win something I don't want that it will find a good home through the bookstore. I was pretty excited when the book came and pretty let down when it was Gigi's latest book. Hey, I was hoping for Neil Gaimen. I figured I was obligated to at least try the book out as I had knocked some nice lady somewhere out of getting it. Overall, I thought it was very good. The main character is someone you want t...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Ellen O'brien rated it 3 of 5 stars

Every once in a while, I just have to let myself go and read something cleverly written and very funny. This book was just like that. Poor Hannah becomes a widow suddenly and unexpectedly in a part of California where looks, money and social status are everything - isn't that all of California, you ask? Well, maybe but this is Santa Monica and the dad is a well-known chef and author (John) and the mom (Hannah) is a "creative consultant" and "wrangler" for a reality tv show. Dad dies and mom is l...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars

The After Wife By Gigi Levangie Grazer I am still laughing and smiling from this delightful book that I didn't think I would read and was sure I would not enjoy. HOW WRONG I WAS!! Hannah and John live in Santa Monica CA. They live a romantic, idyllic life with a beautiful 3 yr old daughter. They have unique careers and a cast of bizarre friends and neighbors. Sadly, after four blissful years, Hannah finds herself a widow, alone, grief stricken and unemployed as a single mother. Her Grief Team, a...more

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Sep 21, 2012 Tracy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit

I got through it, but I'm not sure why. I think I read one of the author's books awhile back and liked it, but since then, nothing she has written resonates. This novel follows a young woman widowed in LA. She notices that being a widow in LA is acutely uncomfortable as people in LA like happiness and sunshine. The writing is not without some funny observations about the shallow look-centric southern Californians, but overall, I thought the story was trite. She lost me when she started communica...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chicklit

I haven't read a chick-lit book in like forever! While this was no where near the best one I've ever read, I think because I haven't read any in a long time, I didn't fully hate this book as much as I should have. Womens husband dies in a freak accident and she now has to survive on her own with her kid along with her group of typical Westside LA friends. I could relate to that part the best, but the rest of is, meh. And while I didn't fully hate when the book went into the super natural part, w...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Katie Kenig rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chicklit

This book was recommended to me by GoodReads. I was checking out what the site thought I should be reading based on my shelves and spied this cover among the others. It caught my eye. I'm a sucker for great cover art, and this one piqued my curiosity. I noted that it was about a widow, but I didn't read past the first few words in the description. I flipped tabs onto the library website, punched the title in and requested the book.

My husband, who works at the library system headquarters, brough...more This book was recommended to me by GoodReads. I was checking out what the site thought I should be reading based on my shelves and spied this cover among the others. It caught my eye. I'm a sucker for great cover art, and this one piqued my curiosity. I noted that it was about a widow, but I didn't read past the first few words in the description. I flipped tabs onto the library website, punched the title in and requested the book.

My husband, who works at the library system headquarters, brought it home the next day after a co-worker dropped it off at his desk. This is how most of my reading comes home, so everyone always knows what I'm reading, but that's neither here nor there. What I mean to be explaining is that I didn't know much of anything about this book before I plunged in. I thought it would be okay, but I didn't expect it to get to me the way it did.

Let me start off by saying that the start made me weep. And when I say weep, I mean the ugly cry. The one where your face is all red and you're starting to hiccup and the cat is prodding you to see if you're about to die, and you're looking for a paper towel to blow your nose in because you've used up all the kleenex. That kind of weeping. I was touched so incredibly deeply by not only the storyline, not only the loss of this widow, but about the relationship between the husband and wife before she became a widow.

Oh, it was so real. It was so me and my husband. It made me ache even at the thought of someone losing her partner in life so suddenly. I couldn't handle it.

But, really, though this book is about a widow, it's not about loss. It's about life. And talking to dead people.

See, I didn't see that coming either, how cool is that? I don't know if it's a spoiler or not because I still haven't read the back of the book, but I can't imagine that it is. It's what the bulk of the book is about. Because after being touched by death in a horribly immediate and intimate way, our heroine gains the remarkable ability to see and talk to the dead that inhabit our world along with us. And not just people, either. I'm talking horses that nudge her barista when she's trying to get a cuppa joe. I'm talking sweet little doggies in happy visions.

This is kind of cool. Once you make it past the part where it makes your heart feel like it's going to fall out of your chest, you start to smile. And even laugh a little. Because this shit is actually pretty funny. Can you imagine trying to get your career back on track after grieving the worst loss of your life, and at your first meeting, the room is full of dead people who want your attention? Oh, yeah it's black humour for sure, but if your sense of humour is wry and your appreciation of wit tends to the sharp side of things, you're going to love this book.

Much fun, and a quick read. (less)

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Jul 19, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

ARC/Chicklit: I liked this book so much that when I finished, I felt like I just said good-bye to some friends.
The beginning of the book is hard to read because it is "gallows humor" and our heroine, Hannah, is very depressing.
Hannah is shocked & awed when her perfect house-husband, John, is killed in a hit & run. Without her other half, Hannah is a mess. A career woman, she now has to be a mother, bring home the bacon, and pay the property tax. After weeks of not combing her hair, the...more

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Dec 24, 2012 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars

When I saw this book on the library shelf, I thought, "Pass it up, you didn't really enjoy the writing in 'The Starter Wife.". Should have listened to my instincts. The book certainly wasn't unreadable - I did make it to the end, even though it was as predictable as can be.

My issue with Levangie Grazer is her contstant sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek, "Everyone in L.A. Is so self-absorbed, it is so craaaazy," commentary. She can't even write about a trip to the yoga studio without a perpetual pitter-...more

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May 25, 2012 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Hannah Bernal is "The After Wife". She becomes this after the death of her husband John when he was struck down on his bicycle by a hit and run driver. The man accused of hitting him states that he is innocent and the reason he ran was because he's and illegal with no papers.

Now Hannah must deal with being a widow and mother of a three year old, Ellie. John had been the house person taking care of things about the home and taking care of Ellie. Being a former famous chef, John was writing a seri...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Tracy B. (personal account) Babiasz rated it 3 of 5 stars

This had the potential to be a four star, but I was slightly disappointed in the second half of the book. It started out strong, reminding me of Good Grief, with a great description of a young woman experiencing the unexpected death of her husband. I totally was feeling it. Not being married, I can't say how realistic the description of the marriage and loss was, I loved that he seemed like a real person with faults and all. As the book moves through the next few months, Hannah begins to see and...more

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May 15, 2012 readinrobin rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was very pleased recently to win an ARC of The After Wife from www.greatthoughts.com. I'd previously only read one book by Gigi Levangie Grazer, Rescue Me, and became very emotionally invested in it. It was a wonderful character study. I also follow Ms. Grazer on Twitter, so I've read countless tweets by her, and knew that she had a great sense of humor, even though Rescue Me touched on some serious shit and was not funny. I have Maneater in my TBR pile, and I could have sworn I had The Starte...more I was very pleased recently to win an ARC of The After Wife from www.greatthoughts.com. I'd previously only read one book by Gigi Levangie Grazer, Rescue Me, and became very emotionally invested in it. It was a wonderful character study. I also follow Ms. Grazer on Twitter, so I've read countless tweets by her, and knew that she had a great sense of humor, even though Rescue Me touched on some serious shit and was not funny. I have Maneater in my TBR pile, and I could have sworn I had The Starter Wife there as well, though now I can't find it. I already suspected, having seen both of the filmed versions of those books, that they were going to be more along the lines of chick lit than Rescue Me was (which I'm perfectly fine with of course!), and The After Wife falls into that realm as well.

But believe me, there is still plenty of emotional depth. I was already in tears by the end of the first (four page long) chapter!

Hannah Bernal, mother of a three year old daughter, becomes a widow at age forty-four. She is devastated at the loss of her husband, John, and leans heavily on her little group of friends for support, all of whom are quirky in their own way.

And then she meets Trish, the woman who used to own her house, and who happens to be dead. After Trish, other ghosts start popping up, wanting Hannah to convey messages to whoever she happens to be with at the time. John also puts in some appearances, and rather than the usual 'oh I want you to be happy you need to meet someone else and get on with your life" crap that you usually get from ghosts in movies and such (excluding horror movies of course), John is more down to earth (so to speak) and worries that his daughter will love the new manny more than she remembers her father, and exhibits a little jealousy when he thinks Hannah might be attracted to someone else.

After the police arrest a suspect in John's death, John tells Hannah that they have the wrong person, and pushes her to track down the real culprit. In addition to Hannah's visits with the skeptical detective in charge of the case, there's quite a lot going on in this book, between Hannah finding a new preschool for her daughter, losing her job, trying to find a way to hang onto her home, and just learning to live again while still grieving.

I wonder if this one will be filmed as well? I hope so, as I really enjoyed reading it.(less)

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Nov 30, 2012 Nancy rated it 5 of 5 stars

As soon as I finished this book, I started missing the characters. I had not realized that I had invested so much into their lives, laughter and disappointments.

There is very little in their world that I would call real, there is nothing practical or logical within this group of friends, but what they do have is each other. For better or for worse, they are there to bring Hannah Bernal and her daughter Ellie through the worst time of their lives.

No one could be more in love with their husband t...more As soon as I finished this book, I started missing the characters. I had not realized that I had invested so much into their lives, laughter and disappointments.

There is very little in their world that I would call real, there is nothing practical or logical within this group of friends, but what they do have is each other. For better or for worse, they are there to bring Hannah Bernal and her daughter Ellie through the worst time of their lives.

No one could be more in love with their husband than Hannah, but on a fateful day, she receives the call than any wife in love would dread. Her writer/ chef husband John has been killed by a hit and run driver.

Death is not a subject to laugh at, but Hannah’s “Grief Team” is made up of a self-enamored group that she has gathered along the way. Animal lover Chloe that is so unaware that she brings a wild animal into her home thinking that it is a dog needing to be rescued; Aimee who has been an “aspiring” actress for decades and Jay, her TV producing partner, who is perpetually searching for his Mr. Right. Not people that you would usually run to in a time of need, but when that is all that you have, you learn to make do.

As Ellie gets kicked out of her pretentious preschool for talking to and about her dead father and Hannah’s life spinning out of control with the threat of losing her beloved home “Casa Sugar”, she finds herself standing in her backyard under an avocado tree – when out of nowhere a voice answers her question of “why me”?

This is where the book takes the woo-woo turn, apparently, the previous owner, now deceased, of Casa Sugar – Trish, has dropped by to help Hannah through her grief and seems to have brought other spirits with her. Somehow, in Hannah’s grief she has developed a bright light of some sort that draws the “present in spirit though absent in body” world to her.

You have to learn how to laugh at the darker sides of life and though inappropriate at times, this book had me laughing at what people with more money than common sense find important.

Part of me wishes that this book could be turned into a several book series because of the disjointed look that the grief team has of viewing the world around them, but then again, a good thing can be overdone and maybe it is best to leave the people of Santa Monica’s NoMo district alone.
(less)

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Jul 10, 2012 Toni rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fiction

This book was surely a surprise. I read her first book, The Starter Wife and loved the story and all of the Hollywood insider tidbits and jokes. The resulting mini-series was disappointing, but I have come to expect that from book adaptations.

In The After Wife, Hannah Marsh, a reality television show producer finds her world altered when her husband dies suddenly. Left to pick up the pieces and raise her daughter, her hilarious friends rally around her for support. While she tries to hold on to...more

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Jun 01, 2012 Nikki rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I won this in a Goodreads giveaway.

This book was what I expected and not at all what I expected all wrapped into one. It had a number of your standard chick lit elements, but also took some really interesting paths to get there that aren't the norm. I read the Started Wife a long time ago, but Hannah really reminded me of how Debra Messing played the main character on the TV series. I no longer can recollect whether or not that matches the book, but it felt like a similar character in a differen...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Evie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-adult, charming, comedy, contemporary, freaking-awesome, loved-it, light, thought-provoking, very-enjoyable

This review will be posted at Bookish (www.evie-bookish.blogspot.com) on July 20th.

The After Wife is a chick lit novel, and an exceptional one at that. While I didn't exactly step out of my comfort zone to read it, I also can't say that women's fiction is a genre that I delve into on regular basis. I decided to pick it up based on some great Goodreads reviews, and was absolutely amazed at just how much I ended up loving it. This book was fantastic. I laughed, I cried a bit, I got really attach...more This review will be posted at Bookish (www.evie-bookish.blogspot.com) on July 20th.

The After Wife is a chick lit novel, and an exceptional one at that. While I didn't exactly step out of my comfort zone to read it, I also can't say that women's fiction is a genre that I delve into on regular basis. I decided to pick it up based on some great Goodreads reviews, and was absolutely amazed at just how much I ended up loving it. This book was fantastic. I laughed, I cried a bit, I got really attached to the great lead character and her three-year-old daughter, and I came out of reading it with a curious mix of sadness, hopefulness, and satisfaction. It's a heartfelt and poignant story of death, grief, healing power of friendship and the parenting challenges faced by widows. Meaningful and moving, but also very funny and uplifting, it's not only a prefect summer read, but a story that can be enjoyed any time, anywhere and by anyone.

The story line centres around forty-four-year-old Hannah Bernal and her three-year-old daughter, Ellie. Hannah wakes up one day to a phone call from Santa Monica Hospital. The caller, Dr. Rogan, informs her that her husband, John, was in a car accident, and he died in the ambulance on his way to the hospital. Hannah's world crumbles to pieces. First there's shock and denial, then an overwhelming wave of grief, and, finally, the realization that she is now all on her own. She now has to take on a role of both mother and father, and learn how to do things that John was responsible for until now. She's heartbroken and lonely, and there's nothing - not even the "grief team" formed by her three best friends - that could ever fill the void left by her husband's death. And like that's not enough to deal with, she then learns that John failed to keep their finances in order, leaving her with a huge debt. When she's fired from her latest production gig, she finds herself one step away from loosing everything: her lovely Spanish-style bungalow, her daughter, and herself.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It's an insightful, touching and thoroughly captivating read. The lightness and humour with which Gigi Levangie Grazer approaches the difficult subject of death of a family member is rare and impressive. Her characters (especially Hannah) are very sympathetic, likeable and funny, giving the novel a lot of charm. I was a little bit afraid that the novel will turn out to be really serious, dark, and depressing (considering the heavy subject matter), but thankfully, it was nothing of the sort. There are, of course, many scenes in this book that will tug at your heart, many passages that will invoke some powerful emotions - but that's only to be expected, it is, after all, a book about a woman learning how to live her life after her husband's death. But the overall atmosphere is a rather positive one. Sure, Hannah finds herself in a very sad and difficult place, she's facing many obstacles, and, at times, she feels scared, lost and overwhelmed, but at the same time she's exceptionally brave, strong and optimistic. You won't see her withdrawing from life, crying herself to sleep, nor letting grief take over her whole existence (at least not very often, you won't). You'll see her struggle. You'll see her fight. You'll see her coming out of this experience even stronger and braver than she already was. And that's remarkable, considering she herself did not realize just how strong and brave she was to begin with. To me, the way she handled things - with grace and humour - was very inspirational, and I admired her as a person.

Grazer's prose is rich, luminous, and deeply personal, it allows you to completely lose yourself in the plot. Her writing is sexy, honest, and convincing, and while some people might not appreciate her humorous approach to the story, I really loved all the jokes and hilarious situations. I also loved the vibrant narrative voice. It was snarky, edgy, and totally wonderful. It's Hannah's colorful and energetic personality that kept the novel perfectly balanced - not too dramatic, and not too funny.

Overall, The After Wife is an extremely clever, heart-warming and uplifting read. It's a balm for the soul, as it shows you that no matter how difficult a situation you find yourself in, your life doesn't end unless you decide so. Surviving the loss of a family member might be the hardest thing you'll ever do, but it can be done. Even the deepest wounds heal with time, and, as long as you give yourself time and allow yourself to hope, you can - and will - get through it. I think that's a fantastic message - powerful and oh-so-true. A message to remember.(less)

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May 18, 2013 Carolina rated it 2 of 5 stars

I'm torn about writing a review about a book I never finished. But then again, the reason I didn't finish it was because it was just that bad. I wanted to like this book. I really did. And some parts if the story were truly touching and real. The problem I had was the over use if Los Angeles references and just how ridiculously shallow most of the characters were. It seemed all wrong to have a lead character going through all of the heartache of losing her husbsnd while her best friends are actu...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Jencey/ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit

This is my first Gigi Levangie Grazer novel. Thank you for sending it to me. The After Wife is her most recent novel.

Product DetailsSynopsis:

Hannah Bernal loves life, loves her husband, and their daughter. One morning John leaves to run an errand but does not come back. Hannah is in shock and immediately calls the Grief Team. They are her friends which consist of her superior Jay, Chloe the blogger, and Aimee the middle aged actress. They are always at her side ready to offer advice and drama....more

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Aug 19, 2012 Lynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Pure entertainment! A wacky, yet oddly true book about love and loss, about friendship and everyday relationships, oh, and about talking to dead people. Hannah doesn't think she will survive the sudden death of her beloved husband but she has the "Grief Team", her best friends, all delightful characters in their own strange ways, and her charming, precocious 3 year old daughter to get her through, oh and did I mention some dead people, too? Irreverent, chock-full of pop culture references, stere...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Marcy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: early-reviewer

I am a fan of Gigi Levangie Grazer's writing and have been since I first read The Starter Wife several years ago. The thing I have always enjoyed about her work is that it is always a story told from an unusual point of view. The After Wife did not disappoint in that respect or any other.

This is the story of Hannah, who finds herself suddenly widowed. Her husband's death is handled both with sensitivity and with humor. Fortunately for Hannah and the readers, she has a cast of friends that are f...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Jacki rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, humor, fantasy, shelf-awareness

*Check out http://www.infinitereads.com for other reviews and sundry thoughts!*

Gigi Levangie Grazer brings her dynamite sense of humor and artful characterizations to The After Wife, a tale of life after loss, life after death and how to survive as a widow in Los Angeles.

Hannah Bernal knows she has everything: an adorable three-year-old daughter, a great career as a television producer, supportive friends and, miracle of miracles, her gorgeous husband, John, a professional chef and Hannah's one...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, chick-lit, fiction

In The After Wife, Gigi Levangie Grazer has done what I would have thought impossible and made Hannah's journey after becoming a widow light-hearted and funny. And it's not in a zany, slapstick way, which I would not have liked. This book has smart humor and a Sex and the City type vibe. I loved the characters in her "Grief Team", especially Jay - he was hilarious.

I don't want to give too much away but I will say that after her husband is killed, Hannah discovers she has a unique talent. This ta...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Blanca rated it 2 of 5 stars

It was harmless, and sort of cute, like a cheesy Lifetime movie or a Bravo tv show, but it's facts in pop culture are egregious - case in point the lead character is singing along to a Kanye song on the radio, but the lyrics are from 50 Cent's discography.

There are several inconsistencies like that peppered through out the story, which make it distracting enough for me to be annoyed with the poor attention to detail quality, but not enough to not enjoy a guilty pleasure read.

The author's Latin...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Paula Phillips rated it 5 of 5 stars

Hannah Bernal is happily married and head over heels in love with her husband John and they have a gorgeous daughter named Ellie. All is great and L.A is awesome but then tragedy strikes Hannah in a profound way that she isn't ready for. Her husband John passes away and soon Hannah is left to pick herself and Ellie up off the ground. It's not easy though as Hannah- normally the working mum is about to discover that being a widow and a grieving one at that isn't the cool thing to do or be in L.A....more

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Oct 09, 2012 Chanpreet rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book is not quite what I was expecting, but it was pleasant and entertaining. Parts of this book had my bawling and others had me smiling and mentally lol-ing.

Hannah is something else. You can't help but love her and grieve with her. I envy her support group. Each one is so different personality wise and just as dysfunctional, but they are there for Hannah and Ellie in whenever they need them.

*SPOILER* Just a clue, but there is a paranormal twist on the story, which makes it very interest...more

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Jul 12, 2012 Charlotte rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: advanced-readers-copy, nook

http://charlotteswebofbooks.blogspot....

Believe it or not, while reading a book about heartbreaking loss and grief, I often found myself laughing out loud. Gigi Levangie Grazer is a gifted writer who is comfortable with the self deprecating kind of humor and Hannah is quite comfortable at poking fun at herself. Hannah's "Grief Team" is such an eclectic group of friends that there are several laughs to be found there as well. I never imagine that I would my find myself laughing at a book with suc...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, 2012, adult-fiction

3.5 stars. Hannah's world starts to fall apart after her husband dies. Her best friends, who she dubs the "Grief Team", do their best to keep her life on track, but because they're so crazy and have so many problems themselves, this doesn't exactly go smoothly. Complicating matters, both Hannah and her three-year-old daughter start to see ghosts, and although Hannah wants to help the ghosts (and perhaps see her husband as a ghost), she can't seem to do this in a manner that makes other people be...more 3.5 stars. Hannah's world starts to fall apart after her husband dies. Her best friends, who she dubs the "Grief Team", do their best to keep her life on track, but because they're so crazy and have so many problems themselves, this doesn't exactly go smoothly. Complicating matters, both Hannah and her three-year-old daughter start to see ghosts, and although Hannah wants to help the ghosts (and perhaps see her husband as a ghost), she can't seem to do this in a manner that makes other people believe she's still sane.

This book was definitely different from what I expected. The back cover gives no indication of the whole ghost plot, although I don't feel like this is much of a spoiler because it happens very early in the book, so I thought the plot would focus more on Hannah's crazy journey in her new life. That said, I really loved the whole ghost plot. I thought it made the book a whole lot more enjoyable and added plenty of humor throughout. The ghosts seemed to pop up whenever they felt like it, some wanting a favor, others okay with just talking to Hannah and offering her some sort of comfort or sympathy.

The main characters were all different from each other, making it easy to keep straight, although they weren't all developed in depth. Everyone had their own traits - Jay was Hannah's fashion-obsessed gay business partner; Chloe was the all-organic yuppie mom; Aimee was the actress continually waiting for her big break. Because of their shallow personalities, there was never any real depth to their conversation, although there were multiple funny exchanges because of their different character traits.

The plot was fairly light and shallow as well. A few chapters at the beginning, right after Hannah's husband dies, dealt with Hannah's grief and sadness, but because these sort of emotions don't usually work well in a light, funny book, they almost disappeared when Hannah began seeing ghosts. Obviously, his death was the catalyst for Hannah beginning to see ghosts, but it almost faded into the background as the story went on. There was very little emotion to it, and while this was a light, fluffy book, adding some real emotion could have definitely gives multiple layers to this story.

I really enjoyed a number of situations Hannah found herself in, and I actually laughed out loud at one funny exchange. The Grief Team put Hannah in ridiculous positions, and those characters actually grew on me after the beginning of the book, when they felt more like caricatures than real people; they never came full circle as characters, but they did get more entertaining than irritating as the book went on.

Now that I've finished the book, I'm not quite sure what the point of it was, since it ended so suddenly and without a real "ending" to it. I'm disappointed that there was no "real" resolution to any of the issues touched upon in the book; some of them were concluded, but it was very sudden and without much fanfare. I suppose, based on the rest of the book, I should have foreseen as much. But although that was a disappointment, there were definitely a number of good qualities about the book too. There were funny parts and one-liners, and I enjoyed Hannah's narration. All in all, it was amusing and made me laugh, and sometimes that's all you can ask for from a book.

I received a free advanced copy of this book through the First Reads program.(less)

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About Gigi Levangie Grazer

Gigi Levangie Grazer is the author of three prior novels: Rescue Me (2000), Maneater (2003), and The Starter Wife (2006). The Starter Wife was adapted for an Emmy Award–winning USA Network miniseries starring Debra Messing, and later for a television series; Maneater was adapted for a Lifetime miniseries starring Sarah Chalke in May 2009. In addition, Gigi wrote the screenplay for Stepmom, starrin...more

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