Happiness Sold Separately
by Lolly Winston
|
|
Sign in to Goodreads to see your friends' reviews of Happiness Sold Separately.
discuss this book
friend reviews (0)
To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.
lists with this book
This book is not in any lists. Go add it to a list.
other reviews (showing 1-20 of 891)
I was disappointed with this book. After reading the first few chapters of "Good Grief" (before it mysteriously disappeared), I thought I would read all of Lolly Winston's work and she could become a new favorite author.
After reading "Happiness Sold Separately", I came to the following conclusions. One, unless an author really understands both the male and female psyche, at least enough to write from the vantage point of both men and woman, he/she just shouldn't do it. O...more
After reading "Happiness Sold Separately", I came to the following conclusions. One, unless an author really understands both the male and female psyche, at least enough to write from the vantage point of both men and woman, he/she just shouldn't do it. O...more
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
add a comment
Read in November, 2007
Eleanor and Ted's marriage is pushed to a straining point when Eleanor finds out that Ted has been having an affair with his personal assistant Gina. The feelings between the characters are complicated. Eleanor and Ted have been struggling with infertility for years. Gina is a single mother whose son Toby has just come to live with her and who hates her guts. Although Ted breaks off his affair with Gina when Eleanor finally becomes pregnant, he can't turn his back on the boy, and when Eleanor mi...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in September, 2007
The characters in this book were amazing. I could empathize with all three of the main characters, even though at times they were at odds with each other. I admired Elinor's boldness and humor and related to her anger upon discovering her husband's affair. I felt bad for Ted, who felt helpless while watching his wife go through the trauma of miscarriage and realizing she wouldn't be able to have children. I also empathized with Gina, who was frustrated with Ted's inability to commit to her e...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
This is not a cheerful book. There are moments when the characters seem to rise above their depression but these are not happy people.
The title comes from from one of the character's observation about her neighborhood. She lives in Silicon Valley and among very successful people. The homes and yards are nice but do not make her happy. That is not an available upgrade. The two main characters are struggling with infertility and then infidelity.
Mostly a character driven book, the author ...more
The title comes from from one of the character's observation about her neighborhood. She lives in Silicon Valley and among very successful people. The homes and yards are nice but do not make her happy. That is not an available upgrade. The two main characters are struggling with infertility and then infidelity.
Mostly a character driven book, the author ...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Like many others, I read "Good Grief" and loved it. However this book was just plain depressing. It was somewhat refreshing to have a book about infertility that didn't end up with the couple taking a vacation and suddenly getting pregnant and having a baby and living happily ever after. It also portrayed some of the realities of infertility very well. I also thought the plot showed the really sticky messes we can get in to and the disturbing realities of life. However, I would like to...more
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
1 comments
Read in April, 2008
recommended to Suzi by:
Mom
After reading (and thoroughly enjoying) Lolly Winston's first book, Good Grief, I couldn't wait to get my hands on her second, Happiness Sold Separately. This story is told from three perspectives: Elinor (the wife), Ted (the husband), and Gina (the other woman). Somehow, Winston manages to make all three characters understandable - even though I didn't agree with the choices that the characters made, I found myself empathizing with their motivations. The heartache of infertilit...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in December, 2007
recommends it for:
people who think someone else has it all
I didn't like this one quite as much as Winston's previous book, Good Grief, but that's not necessarily the book's fault. I always root for happy endings, and this book's ending, while not unhappy, was real rather than pat. That's a good thing, but maybe not as fun to read.
The book is also a good reminder that those people who seem to "have it all" most likely don't. The hot gym instructor keeps falling for the wrong guys, and her 10-year-old son despises her. That succe...more
The book is also a good reminder that those people who seem to "have it all" most likely don't. The hot gym instructor keeps falling for the wrong guys, and her 10-year-old son despises her. That succe...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in January, 2008
I liked this book but not as much as "Good Grief." The style and structure of both books are very similiar...The climatic mall scene in this book is similiar to the chaos that happens in Sophia's bakery at the end of "Good Grief." The juvenile characters Toby here and the young teenager that Sophia is a big sister to in "Good Grief" are the weakest characters in both books...They don't seem like real kids and they say and do things that seem forced and un-kid-like. ...more
Like this review?
yes
2 comments
Read in August, 2007
I loved watching the journey, but it was heartbreaking at times. I've watched friends go through infertility, but never realized the toll that it can take on the relationship. And it didn't end the way I expected, which was refreshing and sad.
Was interesting the way she told the story from three different voices. Left me not able to really "side" with any of the characters, or frankly really like any of them. But the end would have been more shocking to me if that was the cas...more
Was interesting the way she told the story from three different voices. Left me not able to really "side" with any of the characters, or frankly really like any of them. But the end would have been more shocking to me if that was the cas...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
I bought this book on a whim with my mad money. Then I got mad at Lolly's obvious disregard for morals and ethics. It was like she was making a statement and I completely disagree with her perspective. I finished this book just out of curiosity, to see if any of the characters redeemed themselves. Nope, I was out of luck. Each character was self-absorbed and didn't give a rat's you-know-what that they were ruining a kid's life in the process. Hate this book something awful.
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
add a comment
Read in December, 2007
recommended to Christina by:
Momrecommends it for: women, those dealing with infertility
I think a good book should give you perspective on your own life, even when it's fiction and even when you don't relate to everything that happens to the protagonist. That is certainly the case here. Besides loving Ms. Winston's clean, yet quirky, writing style, I felt inspired by this book to appreciate my life and my family more. I ached and laughed with Elinor, the main character, and made a vow not to make some of the mistakes she did, all the while seeing bits of myself in her. I highly...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in April, 2008
I adored Lolly Winston's first novel, Good Grief, and I thought that this book was strongest when it was most similar to Good Grief - i.e. scenes where the lead character was struggling with loss or scenes that depicted strong female friendship. In contrast, I thought the sections that dealt with the leads' marriage were unconvincing and slightly wooden, and I didn't care for any section of the book involving Gina and her son - both of their characters were too one-dimensional. I don't feel ba...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in May, 2008
Happiness Sold Separately was an amazing story. I felt the characters' hurt and desperation in the search for love and happiness within a marriage that was fractured by infertility and later, infidelity. The characters were real, troubled and trying to cope with life as it was presented to them. There were several twists and turns, and until the end, I wasn't sure how the story was going to end. It was a great, quick read with depth and a sense of wonder that was carried with me for a time a...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in February, 2008
I really liked the plot of this book, I found Elinor to be a very likeable character...someone I could see a lot of myself in. Which in turn of course scares me as, I could see myself reacting to infertility the way Elinor does shutting her husband out.
I wish there had been closure for all of the characters before the book ended, but I could also see a sequel of this story...hint, hint Lolly Winston...
I wish there had been closure for all of the characters before the book ended, but I could also see a sequel of this story...hint, hint Lolly Winston...
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
add a comment
Read in November, 2006
I found Elinor to be grating and weak. Although I can comprehend the idea of her pain at the events of her life, especially her inability to have children, I found her to be very unredeeming and unlikable as a person. There was never a time I felt pity for her or her situation, rather just annoyance at her constant depression. Additionally, the character of the husband was unappealing and so dry and bland that I couldn’t work up any emotion for these characters.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in February, 2008
I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters were so real it was almost like they were my next door neighbors. Since it felt i knew them personally there were some things i just wanted to say "i really didn't need to know that." that was the only reason i didn't give it 5 stars. I could relate to this book on a few different levels which made it more enjoyable. i would suggest it if you want a quick read that has all the emotions wrapped up under one cover.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in September, 2007
I liked Ms. Winston's other book better. Somehow with this book I feel like I've both jumped into the story in the middle (after the family has jumped on the infertility train) and that I don't get complete the journey (the ending left me unsatisfied). I read in the author interview at the back of the book that she was trying to write a love triangle with three sympathetic characters. I think she achieved this, but somehow I didn't come away very satisfied.
Like this review?
yes
1 comments
Read in May, 2008
Loved her first book (Good Grief) - and this one was almost as good. A couple trying to get pregnant goes through so much stress that the husband cheats. When his wife discovers his infidelity, she is understandably upset and has a hard time trusting him again. After much counseling, they reunite, but the poor guy can't get the women he had the affair with - and her son - off his mind or out of his life. GREAT ending! This one is a perfect beach read.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in December, 2007
I loved the fact that I couldn't put this book down until I actually had to put it down. I usually love stories with open endings that allow the reader to take the characters further down the road of their own imaginings but I REALLY wanted an ending for these guys!!! I agree with one of the reviewers here that after being exposed to so many different character's viewpoints I felt cheated by being given closure from only one at the end of it all.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in August, 2007
I read Lolly Winston's first novel and really enjoyed the plot and character development. As a result, I was looking forward to this second novel about the difficulty and complications that can arise in marriage. It was a good idea but not developed as well as I'd hope. The dialogue tended to be pretty silly at times and the writing style a little too simplistic. It's a good beach read but definitely not one to put on my favorites list.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
