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128th out of 1,228 books
—
2,998 voters
The Other Woman
by
Jane Green
When Ellie Black meets Dan Cooper, she feels as though she's found her best friend and soul mate. After an idyllic courtship, Dan proposes and Ellie happily accepts. She loves everything about Dan, even his family: his sister, Emma, has become her good friend, and his mother, Linda, might end up being the mother Ellie never had when she was growing up. Ellie's own family w...more
Paperback, 389 pages
Published
June 6th 2006
by Plume
(first published March 8th 2005)
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I thought this would be a light, easy, fun read. Instead, depressing and a little annoying.
The gist of the story is that Ellie marries Dan knowing that his mother is a control freak and that her son is still connected by the apron strings. Ellie and Dan have a child and the mother-in-law interferes in every aspect of their lives to the point of causing an accident with said grandchild. Ellie and Dan separate. Ellie learns a lot about life.
Ellie is whiny. There were way too many times that she sh...more
The gist of the story is that Ellie marries Dan knowing that his mother is a control freak and that her son is still connected by the apron strings. Ellie and Dan have a child and the mother-in-law interferes in every aspect of their lives to the point of causing an accident with said grandchild. Ellie and Dan separate. Ellie learns a lot about life.
Ellie is whiny. There were way too many times that she sh...more
Ellie Black believes she has found the perfect man for her in Dan Cooper, and is thrilled when he asks her to marry him. She is relieved that his family seems to like her, and believes that she is finally going to feel a part of a loving family. Things start to go awry when Dan's mother completely takes over wedding preparations, leaving Ellie to feel like a spectator at her own wedding. After the wedding, Dan's mother's manipulations begin to really bother Ellie, and she doesn't feel like Dan i...more
Een aardig tussendoortje, meer was Schone schijn niet voor mij. Pas over de helft trok het boek pas mijn aandacht, doordat er meer verhaal in kwam. Ellie trouwt met Dan en krijgen een zoontje Tom. Ze zijn ontzettend gelukkig op een klein dingetje na,… haar schoonmoeder. Ellie vindt dat haar schoonmoeder zich teveel bemoeid met hun leven en langzaam aan ontstaat er een wrok naar haar schoonmoeder toe. Ze kan werkelijk niets meer goed doen. Eigenlijk heb ik toch ook wel enig begrip voor de schoonm...more
Another chicklit Jane Green Novel. Ellie works in PR at a chain of hotels and meets her dream man. The only problem is his mother is involved in a lot of his life. Ellie's mother died in a drunk driving accident (she was the drunk) when she was a teenager and has always wanted a mother to love her. She misinterprets her man's mother for her own and when things don't work out all fairy book like she imagines, she gets very frustrated. Time moved very fast in this book. She starts dating Dan and s...more
I have to say I am a fan of most of Jane Green books. There have only been two in which I cannot say I was impressed. I brought The Other Woman by Jane Green and took it away with me for the weekend to read and I have to say I couldn't put it down, I was very impressed and thoroughly enjoyed this book. I will tell you a little about the plot and what I liked and disliked about this book.
*******PLOT********
This book is told from the main character, Ellie's point of view. Ellie has had quite a i...more
*******PLOT********
This book is told from the main character, Ellie's point of view. Ellie has had quite a i...more
This review contains spoilers.
Green's writing style and handle on family dynamics are excellent. However, by half way through the novel, even we are sick of the continually played, dysfunctional dynamics. Ideally, one would split this book into two; the first book could cover the wedding and the second, the baby and the separation. (skipped from about 230-364)
Obviously, I missed the section where any self-reflection or growth of the characters took place. From the ending, it seems the only one w...more
Green's writing style and handle on family dynamics are excellent. However, by half way through the novel, even we are sick of the continually played, dysfunctional dynamics. Ideally, one would split this book into two; the first book could cover the wedding and the second, the baby and the separation. (skipped from about 230-364)
Obviously, I missed the section where any self-reflection or growth of the characters took place. From the ending, it seems the only one w...more
Re: _The Other Woman_ by Jane Green
The word for this book is "banal". By that I mean it had no depth. It was what I call "house-wifey". The writing style did nothing to redeem the boring plot which boiled down to an over-bearing mother-in-law.
I agreed with Anna's GR review of this book at:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
It was in Anna's review that I came across the word "banal" and said to myself that it was a perfect name for one of my GR book shelves. So I created that shelf to includ...more
The word for this book is "banal". By that I mean it had no depth. It was what I call "house-wifey". The writing style did nothing to redeem the boring plot which boiled down to an over-bearing mother-in-law.
I agreed with Anna's GR review of this book at:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
It was in Anna's review that I came across the word "banal" and said to myself that it was a perfect name for one of my GR book shelves. So I created that shelf to includ...more
This is the first Jane Green novel that I have read, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Ellie, the main character in this book, falls in love with her perfect soulmate, Dan. As their relationship blossoms and they decide to get married, Dan takes Ellie home to meet his family. At first, Ellie envisions what it will be like to finally belong to the perfect family, something she has missed in her own life. Sure, Dan is a little too involved and devoted to his mother for someone his age, bu...more
I did not get disappointed, this sure was a nice book. I especially loved how it made me switch sides again and again. Sometimes I was totally on Ellies' side, wanting to scream at her why she doesn't put her foot down. At other times I also could relate to Linda, and how she just wants to be nice, helpful and involved. I thought about how I would feel as a young mother, and on the other hand I thought about my own mother who is a mother-in-law and myself being an aunt. And when we buy things fo...more
Spoiler Alert
With respect to the subject (the mother in law), I hoped that Other Woman would cover 'valid' annoyances about the mothers in law that we hear about. Linda (the mother in law in the story) isn't THAT bad compared to most of the horrid ones I've heard of. She may have been overbearing and too involved but that's about it. I expected a psychotic monster, so I guess I was a bit disappointed there. Seriously, Ellie was too fussy to my liking, she could have faced a worse situation.
I lik...more
With respect to the subject (the mother in law), I hoped that Other Woman would cover 'valid' annoyances about the mothers in law that we hear about. Linda (the mother in law in the story) isn't THAT bad compared to most of the horrid ones I've heard of. She may have been overbearing and too involved but that's about it. I expected a psychotic monster, so I guess I was a bit disappointed there. Seriously, Ellie was too fussy to my liking, she could have faced a worse situation.
I lik...more
Tedious, predictable story of a British woman, motherless, who deals with an overbearing mother-in-law. Presented as light, humorous chick lit, but isn't funny or entertaining at all.
Not one of her best. Too much moaning about the mother in law for me and the husband was a bit wimpy - Jane usually writes such strong, gorgeous men
Irrational behavior stresses me out. Consequently, this book totally stressed me out in the middle. Don't worry, though. By the end everyone had stopped acting like idiots. Despite the stress of the middle, I really enjoyed this book. Jane Green is a favorite author of mine - and this didn't disappoint!
Jane Green's books are so captivating, you find yourself bringing your current read with you everywhere...just in case you get a few minutes to check back in with the heroine of the story. "The Other Woman" is no exception, especially for those of us who have struggled with the adjustment of entering our husband's family and dealing with a new set of rules and, often, conflicting personalities. This thoughtful, heart-rending tale will allow you to step back and consider what is truly important...more
I only picked up this book because we were banned from using the internet at work and it was a very slow week. This has to be one of the most depressing, frustrating, banal and predictable books I've ever read. Ellie is whiney and much more like her mother in law than she thinks. Dan is a pushover mama's-boy. Dan's mother is controlling. There you have it. The plot practically writes itself. This could have been any family in any country. Many women have overbearing mothers-in-law, but they lear...more
It's weird how some books start well and end in a rubbish way.
I mean, this book was so promising! I really liked the female character, I really liked her conflict with her mother in law, and then, BOOM, all ends in a happy, cheerful, sickening way.
Daaaamn! Why did it have to be all cute and family? I'd have appreaciated it more if the conflict had ended in a different way, in a more powerful way, as the action had all the time promised.
Anyhow, the writing was a bit simple, but in a way effect...more
I mean, this book was so promising! I really liked the female character, I really liked her conflict with her mother in law, and then, BOOM, all ends in a happy, cheerful, sickening way.
Daaaamn! Why did it have to be all cute and family? I'd have appreaciated it more if the conflict had ended in a different way, in a more powerful way, as the action had all the time promised.
Anyhow, the writing was a bit simple, but in a way effect...more
Maybe it's my pregnancy hormones but I really fet, through most of the book, that the main character was over reating. Now that I've finished the book -- I realize that was the whole point! LOL
I continuously read Jane Green books because they are light and easy to read and make great audiobooks for long commutes. However, whenever I read her books there comes a point when the characters are so one dimensional and the plot so ridiculous that I can't take it. I kept thinking how ridiculous the main character sounded the entire time. The husbands family sounded perfectly nice if you ask me and she seemed slightly mentally ill. Oh well. The book passed the time but I wouldn't recommend it...more
Being the first Jane Green book I read, it didn't really impressed me. It is light and very readable, although I didn't find the characters engaging enough, at times I felt like strangling Ellie with all her contradictions and overreactions. We don't get to see as much of Dan as I'd like to and eventhough Ellie's friends are an important part of the story, I found myself going from old to new friendships and trying to remember wether I read of them recently, honestly, you lose track of all the c...more
This book was funny at times, but it was also frustrating and quite sad at other times. A nice, "full of fluff" book.
A really engaging take on the other woman, when she just so happens to be your mother-in-law. While certainly within the realm of 'chick-lit', Green's characters are well developed; we all know someone like Ellie, Linda, Lisa, and Trish. Throughout the course of the book, we learn the individual struggles each woman faces as they deal with marriage, motherhood and friendship. As someone within the same age bracket as the characters, I found the story to be completely realistic of the transition...more
I liked this book. It wasn't meant to be funny and uplifting. It was meant to show that relationships aren't perfect but if you can find a way to work through them its worth it. Jane Green wrote it in a way that made me feel Ellie's pain/anger. Its easy to say that if it were me I would have stood up to Linda but you never really know until you are in that situation. I'm fortunate to have a wonderful mother-in-law but there have been times when I've bit my tongue where I normally wouldn't have j...more
I decided I needed something fun and 'fluffy' after reading the book about The Troubles. Well, I can't say 1 out of 2 ain't bad - this was fluffy alright, but it was not fun. I have read one other of Jane Green's books (Jemima J) and I enjoyed it, so I thought I'd give this a go (did the book on CD for my commute) - bad choice. The writing was bad - annoyingly bad - and the story was not engaging. I didn't like the main character - I thought she made stupid choices and did not agree when she tho...more
This book was a fast weekend read. Once I got my mometum going it was easy reading and I was enjoying myself but about 200 pages in the main character started to get on my nerves whining about her mother-in-law. I couldn't sympathize with the main characters complaints, instead I just wanted to say "get over it!" sort of in the same way I got frustrated with Confessions of a Shopaholic.
I stuck with it though for the second half of the book and the story takes a turn and picks up again with some...more
I stuck with it though for the second half of the book and the story takes a turn and picks up again with some...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I read this book, and I wasn't impressed. R-P-C, repetitive, predictable, cheesy, that is. Repetitive because it keeps going on and on and on and on about Ellie's mother in law, and horrible she is. Predictable, because you could see where things were going. Even with Lisa's 'secret affair' you could work this out too, if you put 2+2 together. As for cheesiness.... The epilogue is full of cheese, where aall the arguments and the fall outs of the past, suddenly disappeared and ....they lived happ...more
Read a couple of the reviews and some were quite negative. Most thought it was too depressing. Jane Green did a fantastic job of capturing the essence of marriage. She kept it real.
Every day is not going to be rosy. And you're not going to always like your mother-in-law. Green took us from the beginning of the relationship, to the middle and end. You really began to wonder if this couple will make it. It's hard to be in a relationship with a man who is a "mamas boy."
I've never heard of Jane Gr...more
Every day is not going to be rosy. And you're not going to always like your mother-in-law. Green took us from the beginning of the relationship, to the middle and end. You really began to wonder if this couple will make it. It's hard to be in a relationship with a man who is a "mamas boy."
I've never heard of Jane Gr...more
I am a member of Bookcrossing.com and was pleasantly surprised to receive this book in my mail as someone saw I had it on my wish list, and as a Random Act of Book Kindness, fulfilled my wish.
I've read a lot of reviews on this book, both the positive and the negative ones, and I agree with so much of what was said, but I judge a book by how I feel about it, and not everyone else and found this to be a pretty quick read because I didn't want to put it down. Sure, there were aspects of the story t...more
I've read a lot of reviews on this book, both the positive and the negative ones, and I agree with so much of what was said, but I judge a book by how I feel about it, and not everyone else and found this to be a pretty quick read because I didn't want to put it down. Sure, there were aspects of the story t...more
While I liked this book, I didn't exactly love it, though I can't put my finger on why exactly that happened.
I can say, however, that Ellie is a lovely, lovely woman, who I could fully relate to. I adored her character in many ways, and I could understand her relationship with her mother-in-law. I also found her to be rather funny on occasions, which is a bonus.
The book per whole is an entertaining read, easy to go through and not particularly profound, so if you pick it up as a read-on-the-beac...more
I can say, however, that Ellie is a lovely, lovely woman, who I could fully relate to. I adored her character in many ways, and I could understand her relationship with her mother-in-law. I also found her to be rather funny on occasions, which is a bonus.
The book per whole is an entertaining read, easy to go through and not particularly profound, so if you pick it up as a read-on-the-beac...more
I knew I'd love this and I did. I was rather skeptical, as my first book by this author was Mr. maybe, and it was just ok. So glad i gave this author another chance, and look forward to reading her books! I actually really liked Linda. Maybe because she was a lot like me, or maybe its the R A in me thinking that if Ellie had told her how she felt in the first place, a lot of crisis could've been avoided. then I realize that not all humans are put threw a bunch of communication and conflict resol...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| Ellie | 3 | 15 | Aug 16, 2012 10:52am |
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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May 22, 2012 07:08pm