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The Two-Family House

Lynda Cohen Loigman (Goodreads Author)

3.93 · Rating details · 24,874 ratings · 2,790 reviews

Brooklyn, 1947: in the midst of a blizzard, in a two-family brownstone, two babies are born minutes apart to two women. They are sisters by marriage with an impenetrable bond forged before and during that dramatic night; but as the years progress, small cracks start to appear and their once deep friendship begins to unravel. No one knows why, and no one can stop it. One mi ...more

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Hardcover, 290 pages

Published March 8th 2016 by St. Martin's Press

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Dec 11, 2015 Elyse Walters rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley

I'm proud to be writing this review on the morning of my 37th wedding anniversary.

The two married couples in this novel are Rose and Mort & Helen and Abe.
They are Jewish couples like my husband and I.
I remember the stories my own mother told me of living in a 2- family house, upstairs/downstairs, before I was born. My mom wasn't happy with her situation...and I know I'd rather live in a tent with my husband than share the same building with his brother.
Reading this book made me very grateful ...more

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Dec 11, 2015 Christine rated it it was amazing

Shelves: net-galley, historical-fiction, new-authors

I wish to thank Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press and Lynda Cohen Loigman for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an unbiased review.

Ohhhh, I really did not want this book to end. I absolutely loved it. The Two-Family House is the debut novel of Lynda Cohen Loigman. Ms. Loigman, may you have a very long career, as I want to read everything you write.

This is a 100% character-driven novel about the lives of the families of two brothers living on separate floors of the same house in Brooklyn, NY. It I wish to thank Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press and Lynda Cohen Loigman for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an unbiased review.

Ohhhh, I really did not want this book to end. I absolutely loved it. The Two-Family House is the debut novel of Lynda Cohen Loigman. Ms. Loigman, may you have a very long career, as I want to read everything you write.

This is a 100% character-driven novel about the lives of the families of two brothers living on separate floors of the same house in Brooklyn, NY. It is a saga of sorts, covering the years between 1947 and 1970. The book has short chapters, each one featuring the perspective of an individual family member. The tale is told from, I believe, six points of view; this is done extremely well. I was all in on this one, being thoroughly captivated the entire way. There is not much of a mystery. The event that triggers the deterioration of the relationship between the wives of the two brothers is fairly obvious early on, but this, in my opinion, did not detract from the story at all.

The characters evolve beautifully in this rich, complex tale. There is so much substance. We see how an impulsive decision can totally change the course of many lives, and how differently the decision makers react. We see tragedy, unfortunately, more than once. We observe bargaining with God, steadfast loyalty, rejection, and redemption. Heartbreaking loss is depicted, along with love, forgiveness and understanding. The stories of Natalie and Judith are favorites of mine, but the evolution of Mort, one of the brothers, is particularly gratifying.

Some readers may find this a slow go as there are no murders and not a lot of suspense, but as I say, I was totally engrossed in the lives of these people. Other reviewers have called the story predictable; perhaps so, but not in a detrimental way. It’s the journey that captured me, not the twists and turns per se.

Do I recommend The Two-Family House? I cannot recommend it more strongly to those who favor character-driven novels. If you are looking for a lot of suspense or action, this one is not for you. But if you are searching for a moving story, a very satisfying story, please give this one a chance. I, for one, am so pleased to have discovered this fine new author.
...more

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Oct 05, 2015 Diane S ☔ rated it really liked it

3.5 From the very beginning we are privy to what actually happens, so even though that is no surprise the magic in the book is how some of these characters change due to this event. Very memorable characters and it was interesting to see different ways this was handled. Many of these characters were just so darn endearing and the author has such a natural way of writing this was a pleasure to read.

The atmosphere of the novel was spot on for the fifties, the closeness of families unlike now when ...more

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Oct 19, 2015 Jessica Jeffers rated it it was ok

Shelves: historical-fiction

I always hate logging into Goodreads after I finish a book and finding that almost no one has written a negative review of something. I hate feeling like I'm the only one or the first one to dislike something. But this book genuinely frustrated and disappointed me on a lot of levels. I might have actually given up on it, except that I had chosen it for a trip to Philadelphia for Mother's Day and I didn't have anything else to read.

This is a pretty standard "family secrets" novel, about two Jewi I always hate logging into Goodreads after I finish a book and finding that almost no one has written a negative review of something. I hate feeling like I'm the only one or the first one to dislike something. But this book genuinely frustrated and disappointed me on a lot of levels. I might have actually given up on it, except that I had chosen it for a trip to Philadelphia for Mother's Day and I didn't have anything else to read.

This is a pretty standard "family secrets" novel, about two Jewish couples sharing a two-family home in post-war Brooklyn. The home is owned by two brothers, Abe and Mort, who also work together, running the family box business that they inherited from their late father. Abe and Helen are raising four boys upstairs, and seem to have a relatively happy little life. Rose and Mort have three daughters downstairs, and their marriage is marked by tension and dissatisfaction: Mort never wanted to take on the family business but his mother talked him into abandoning college to do so, and he's disappointed that Rose has never borne him a son.

The two wives are fairly close friends, raising their families together and sharing in a lot of the 1940s Jewish housewives trials and tribulations. By coincidence, the Rose and Helen become pregnant with their fourth and fifth child, respectively, due at roughly the same time. When a blizzard strands the two men out of town on a business trip, Helen and Rose go into labor on the same night and deliver their babies with the help of a midwife. After that night, tensions between the two women grow and their relationship deteriorates over the years.

I'd love to talk to the Loigman about this book, mostly because I want to ask her at what point she expects her audience to figure out the primary plot twist. It seemed super obvious to me from pretty early on, but she keeps her language vague and doesn't have any of the characters in the know come right out and say it until pretty far along in the book. To me, that suggests she maybe thinks that the readers are being kept in the dark. Figuring things out so easily and feeling like the author didn't expect that to be the case was a little frustrating. I wanted some more suspense.

Perhaps the point wasn't subterfuge, but to explore how the family dynamics change and grow because of single event. There certainly is a lot of that, and you're never really sure how the reveal of the secret is going to play out or how it would affect the two families.

The real problem with this book, though, isn't even in the secrets of the plots, but how poorly developed the characters are. For most of the book, I struggled to distinguish Rose and Helen from each other. I'd see Rose interacting with another character and have to think to myself This is important because she's the one married to Mort who is surly and distant from their three daughters. None of the Brady Bunch assortment of children are fleshed out to any extent, with the exception of oldest daughter Judith. And I'd have to remind myself which wife each of the third-tier characters (a brother, a wealthy aunt) "belonged" to.

The third-person narration switches focus between the four adults and Judith, later incorporating the perspective of the children born during the blizzard. But most of the chapters are fewer than five pages and we often jump months or years between chapters, not spending significant amounts of time with any given character or on given moment in their lives post-rift. I know that this was done to speed up the aging process for the two children, to get both families to a point where the rift between the mothers has had long-lasting effects, but it ultimately made things feel less developed to me. It only added to how difficult it was to distinguish between the two women and their various family members. Oh, Helen's present in this scene instead of Rose and that's problematic because...

Part of me really wishes the entire story had been narrated from Judith's perspective. I think a single point of view would have strengthened both the tension of learning the families' secrets and the character development. Judith was easily the most interesting of the whole clan, and I would've loved to see her rounded out more thoroughly.

This book has so much promise, but the execution just fell flat to me. 2.5 stars ...more

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Jun 26, 2016 Veronica ⭐️ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: a, 2016

The Two-Family House is a story of two brothers, Abe and Mort Berman. Abe lives upstairs with his wife and four sons while Mort lives downstairs with his wife and three daughters. The brothers have very similar lives. They both have loving wives and both work as part owners of the box manufacturing company their father founded. There the similarity ends. Abe is jovial and readily shows affection to all, doesn’t hold a grudge and finds forgiveness comes easy to him. Mort is morose and socially in ...more

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Mar 24, 2017 Nat rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

“Love is always forgiving.”

The main reasons I felt compelled to give The Two-Family House a try was thanks to the promise of Jewish families, friendships between women, pregnancy, and so much more being the center in this family saga.

Brooklyn, 1947: In the midst of a blizzard, in a two-family brownstone, two babies are born, minutes apart. The mothers are sisters by marriage: dutiful, quiet Rose, who wants nothing more than to please her difficult husband; and warm, generous Helen, the exhausted ...more

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Dec 05, 2016 Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2-star, audio, new-to-me-author, 2016

I am afraid that The Two-Family House by Lynda Cohen Loigman just did nothing for me.

The premise was interesting, but it was also rather obvious what had happened. That's okay, I can work with that as long as the book keeps me interested, which this failed to do. The first third I found interesting, but from there on it began to flag to the point where I just wanted it to be over.

I listened to this on audio, perhaps it may have been a better read than a listen. Rose's constant whining irritated ...more

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Feb 24, 2016 Dem rated it liked it

3.5 Stars

A Touching story about two families living in Brooklyn in 1947. Its the sort of good old fashioned story that you just want to curl up on the couch with.

I really enjoyed this debut novel by Lynda Cohen Loigman. I listened to this one on audible and the narrator was excellent and I loved putting on my headphones and stepping into the lives of Abe, Mort, Helen and Rose and their families. And I really did feel like I was a fly on the wall in The Two family house in Brooklyn as the writin ...more

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Mar 24, 2016 Suzanne Leopold (Suzy Approved Book Reviews) rated it really liked it

https://www.facebook.com/suzyapproved

This book is $2.99 on digital platforms 2/19 https://www.facebook.com/suzyapproved... ...more

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Dec 24, 2020 Terrie Robinson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: family-fiction, library, historical-fiction, audiobook, read-in-2020

"The Two-Family House" by Lynda Cohen Loigman is such a beautiful story!

It's 1947 in a Two-Family Brownstone in Brooklyn, New York.

Abe & Helen live upstairs with their four sons. Both fun, loving and involved parents. All driven by Abe's outgoing and welcoming nature!

Mort and Rose live downstairs with their three daughters. Both distant, distracted and indifferent parents. All driven by Mort's unemotional and unwelcoming nature!

Even though Abe and Mort are brothers, they're relationship is no "The Two-Family House" by Lynda Cohen Loigman is such a beautiful story!

It's 1947 in a Two-Family Brownstone in Brooklyn, New York.

Abe & Helen live upstairs with their four sons. Both fun, loving and involved parents. All driven by Abe's outgoing and welcoming nature!

Mort and Rose live downstairs with their three daughters. Both distant, distracted and indifferent parents. All driven by Mort's unemotional and unwelcoming nature!

Even though Abe and Mort are brothers, they're relationship is not friendly, not even close! Helen and Rose are sisters by marriage, and have built a strong bond and supportive friendship.

Helen and Rose are also pregnant at the same time, deliver their babies on the same day, minutes apart, with the aid of a mid-wife during a blizzard, in their two-family brownstone! Unfortunately, Mort and Abe are miles away unable to travel home, because of the storm.

As the years pass, the strong bond between Helen and Rose begins breaking down, chipping away as if the closeness these two women shared never existed. Rose is cold, unfriendly and barely speaks to Helen. Helen is disturbed by Rose's behavior, and because of it she's angry and hurt. Others have noticed the changes between Helen and Rose but no one in the family understands why it's happening. What has caused the sudden shift in their relationship?

A story that offers diverse, well developed characters you become emotionally invested in, that's this book! This beautiful family story told over the span of 23 years, 1947 - 1970 is about the decisions we make and how those decisions impact ourselves and our families. It shows how we either nurture the connections we make or let them dissolve through neglect. This story is full of lessons on the willingness to change, showing empathy to others, understanding the past and offering acceptance to those we love.

This audiobook was so vivid, the voicing so animated, the accents so spot on, it was like I was listening to the characters right there in front of me. The family drama was so emotionally addicting, I pictured everything they were doing and felt both their pain and elation. My favorite characters were Natalie, Janice and Mort and I loved how each impacted this family story in such positive ways! Each had an influence, a little different from one another, but all three created a memorable and important balance to this story.

I loved this book and highly recommend it to those who enjoy Historical Fiction and/or Family Saga genres. ...more

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Mar 11, 2016 Victoria rated it it was ok

Oy vey. This is a fershtinkiner.

I interrupted my reading of this novel to pick up three other books, books with big plot lines and multiple characters, and never lost the thread of this one. What that illustrates is the utter boredom I felt reading this novel and also its thorough predictability. The author’s use of foretelling is so blatant that I eventually started guessing just to entertain myself. Oh, that guy is eating a lamb chop and his wife says he needs to watch his health, there’s goin ...more

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Oct 11, 2015 Sandra rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2015, arc, from-publisher, netgalley, award-goodreads-choice-nominee, debut

When I was a teeny tiny toddler we used to live in a multiple story house with my mother's sister living on the floor above us. The ground floor was where my grandparents had their mom and pop convenience shop. Before the building was sold, there was a falling out of which I still don't know (or don't remember) the details.
To this day I haven't really warmed up to my cousins eventhough we were too young to understand things.

In The Two-Family House two brothers live with their respective wives an ...more

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Dec 21, 2016 Helene Jeppesen rated it it was amazing

4.5/5 stars.
This book was pretty damn near perfection! It deals with two families, two babies who were born on the same day and one house in Brooklyn. Both families live in this same house because the husbands are related and the wives have become close friends.
I love books that are written from several perspectives and this was one of them. Even though the chapters were on the shorter side, I enjoyed getting a personal insight into so many of the characters, and I was amused to see how differ ...more

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Dec 11, 2015 Jennifer rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobooks, historical-fiction, 2016-books

Compulsively readable debut about two brothers, their wives, and their families sharing a two-family house in Brooklyn just after World War II. Loigman draws in readers with a pitch perfect description of time and place, as well as uniquely drawn characters who are all-too human.

This book is an excellent choice for those who enjoy family dramas. Loigman deftly explores the relationships between the brothers, husbands and wives, parents and children, cousins, aunts/uncles with their nieces/nephe ...more

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Mar 22, 2016 Lori rated it liked it · review of another edition

I wasn't blown away by this novel. I enjoyed the first half a lot better than the second. The last parts of the story seemed to move too quickly for me and the ending felt a bit neat and unrealistic. I really liked the development of the characters which helped me to empathize with the feelings each character was dealing with. The choices these women made and the resulting conflict was very well played out. I am left wondering if the choices had been different would things have still turned out ...more

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Mar 15, 2016 RoseMary Achey rated it it was ok

Great premise but poorly executed. The characters were one dimensional and the story line beyond predictable. I finished this book...but if I had other books to read, I would have put this one aside.

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Feb 09, 2016 Cheri rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, 2016, historical-fiction, family-relationships, debut-novel, netgalley

May 1947, Rose and Mort live downstairs from Helen and Abe, in a two-family house in Brooklyn. Mort and Abe are brothers. Rose and Helen are very close as sister-in-laws, the best of friends, and are in and out of each other’s homes and lives frequently throughout the days. Rose and Mort have three fairly quiet girls, Abe and Helen have a houseful of four rambunctious boys.

Just as Rose is beginning to notice she’s not feeling well lately, Helen notices those same symptoms, and as luck has it, t May 1947, Rose and Mort live downstairs from Helen and Abe, in a two-family house in Brooklyn. Mort and Abe are brothers. Rose and Helen are very close as sister-in-laws, the best of friends, and are in and out of each other’s homes and lives frequently throughout the days. Rose and Mort have three fairly quiet girls, Abe and Helen have a houseful of four rambunctious boys.

Just as Rose is beginning to notice she’s not feeling well lately, Helen notices those same symptoms, and as luck has it, their due dates are right around the same time. Rose goes into labor while the city is knee deep in howling winds and snow, and then Helen. Both Mort and Abe, who work together at their family business, are out of town for work, and a mild panic is building. Rose can’t seem to accept that there is no way to get to the hospital to deliver her baby despite Helen’s numerous phone calls. The ambulance can’t make it through, and no cabs are running. Only a nearby midwife is available and able to walk the few blocks to their brownstone, and both babies are safely born at home.

Mort is not a warm and fuzzy kind of guy, he borders, perhaps, on being perpetually cranky, stricter as a father, maybe even as a husband. Abe, on the other hand, is the dreamer, accepts the occasional upsets life tends to hand you more gracefully. Rose feels the pressure of Mort’s need for perfection in work and home. With the birth of this latest child, she then falls apart fairly quickly after the birth, and Helen, who is busy enough with her own newborn, tries to help out as much as she can. Still, Helen can’t accept Rose’s behavior, can’t relate to it, and their friendship suffers. Helen still goes the extra mile, and Rose rebuffs every attempt Helen makes.

There are a number of family-related themes throughout, as the children grow up, as the years pass there are changes, growth in individuals and in couples. There are new couples along with the old as the children grow up. The question is whether they will grow together or apart.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and the author, Lynda Cohen Loigman.
...more

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Feb 24, 2016 Jenny rated it it was amazing

AUDIOBOOK
Great characters. I have been sucked right in to this story
I loved listening to this story about two brothers and their families who lived in the one house... one family upstairs and one downstairs.
It was a roller coaster ride of the ups and downs in life and a secret the two mothers kept

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Oct 06, 2015 ReadAlongWithSue rated it really liked it

Shelves: net-galley, family-saga

This is a really remarkable memorable read.

Anyone that loves a family drama book, family dysfunctional or just a plain ole moving gut wrenching moments should read this book, its full of emotions.

There are still some houses that home 2 families, one up, one down and of course you live in very close proximity of each other which isn't always easy. As we see in this case.

Both the husbands are brothers. They own a company too which means even more proximity.

What about they're wives?
Yes they are fri ...more

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Nov 03, 2015 Paromjit rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, historical-fiction, literary-fiction

This is an impressive debut novel which focuses on that trickiest of subjects - complex family dynamics and relationships over a considerable period of time. Helen and Rose are friends that share lives, bring up families and live in the same house. They are married to two brothers who are in business together.

After having a wonderful relationship, strains begin to appear between Helen and Rose due to decisions made. Secrets are revealed and heartbreak comes in the form of tragedy. Cultural norms ...more

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Jan 22, 2016 Susan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, review-for-fresh-fiction

I still can't believe THE TWO-FAMILY HOUSE is a debut novel. The characters are so real and believable, they feel as if they are people you know and really care about. They made me laugh and they made me cry and all the while I was holding my breath, afraid of what was going to come next. Secrets will be revealed and heartbreak comes along with tragedy which had me going through so many different emotions and feelings. Lynda Cohen Loigman sure knows how families work and she was spot on with the ...more

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Mar 26, 2016 Tania rated it liked it

Shelves: favorite-books, fiction

Sometimes you can't predict what a person is capable of

I really enjoyed this debut novel. The first 30% was a bit slow, as the author tells you what will be happening in the opening chapter, and then proceeds share the build-up to this event with you. I personally think she should have left the opening chapter, as the first third of the book would have been much more suspenseful. The rest of the book is amazing, as you realize that the story is actually not about the event but about the conseque ...more

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Jan 30, 2016 Ann Marie (Lit·Wit·Wine·Dine) rated it really liked it

Shelves: family-dynamics, arc, great-for-book-club, historical-fiction, netgalley

I must admit that The Two-Family House surprised me in the end. It started off quite slowly. Initially, I found the writing to be clinical and I thought I knew just where it was going when I was 9% through. This all changed dramatically at about the 60% mark.

Rose and Helen are sisters-in-law living in the same Brooklyn brownstone. They have always been very close; more like sisters than in-laws. During a blizzard, while their husbands are out of town on a family business matter, they both go int I must admit that The Two-Family House surprised me in the end. It started off quite slowly. Initially, I found the writing to be clinical and I thought I knew just where it was going when I was 9% through. This all changed dramatically at about the 60% mark.

Rose and Helen are sisters-in-law living in the same Brooklyn brownstone. They have always been very close; more like sisters than in-laws. During a blizzard, while their husbands are out of town on a family business matter, they both go into labor. Travel to the hospital is impossible. Cab companies aren’t even answering the phone. Helen can’t persuade the ambulance to come for them. Luckily, there is a midwife who is only a few blocks away after having attended another delivery. She comes to their rescue and they each delivery a healthy baby; Helen’s 5th and Roses 4th.

As time passes, the close friendship between Rose and Helen shifts to a relationship full of jealousy and resentment. Rose has become somewhat unstable. Helen does everything she can to mend the relationship to no avail. Ultimately, I found it a little sad that this was so. After all, the decision that led to the breakdown of their relationship was made by both of them. At the same time, I thought this was one of the most realistic aspects of the book as it demonstrated how two people can react so differently to the same set of circumstances. At times I thought it was Rose’s character that made her behave in a way I didn’t care for. At other times, I thought it was some sort of response to guilt, depression, or other type of mental illness. Perhaps it was all of those. The bottom line is that we never really know exactly why people are the way there.

There were other themes running through this book as well. As we watch Rose’s husband, Mort, evolve through the years, we are reminded of the importance of our interactions with family and friends and keeping perspective on what’s really important in life.

While there are too many characters to comment on individually, Rose’s daughter Judith certainly deserves a mention. In her, Lynda Cohen Loigman gives us a girl, who turns into a woman, of substance. If I had to be one of the character’s in this book or choose one to be my best friend, I’d want it to be her.

Overall, I think this is a very solid first novel.

My rating: 3.75 stars

www.litwitwineanddine.com

Thanks to St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for proving me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Dec 29, 2015 TamElaine rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favourites, read-in-2016, netgalley, my-top-10-read-in-2016

Thank you so so so much NetGalley, Lynda Cohen Loigman, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this exceptional story !

I almost always start with the positives, but I only have one critique that actually isn't so much of a critique....you'll see....so I'm going to start there and then tell you all how much I loved this book.

Predictability. I figured out pretty quickly, and probably many readers will, exactly what happened that one night....the night you read about first from the per Thank you so so so much NetGalley, Lynda Cohen Loigman, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this exceptional story !

I almost always start with the positives, but I only have one critique that actually isn't so much of a critique....you'll see....so I'm going to start there and then tell you all how much I loved this book.

Predictability. I figured out pretty quickly, and probably many readers will, exactly what happened that one night....the night you read about first from the perspective of the midwife in very impactful and engaging prologue.....and yet it didn't seem to matter...an element of suspense was still there in a way - it was so brilliantly written that it felt less like a blatant predictability than like a secret that the reader holds with two of the main characters - and the suspense remained in 'when will it be revealed?" "will it ever be revealed?" "does it need to be revealed?" "can they keep this a secret to the end?"

Just a couple of the many reasons I loved this book? For one, the person growth of the families together and separate, of individual family members, and perhaps even of the reader....I felt like I grew a little reading this book - perhaps because I formed an opinion of a character that evoked such raw disgust and hatred, and learned to be compassionate - perhaps because another character held my compassion no matter how terrible she became, understanding from the beginning this was a story of mental health issues, caused by.....well, I'll leave it there - this is a great point of discussion.

And while I'm talking about points of discussion, I would highly recommend this novel for book club readings !

Another reason I loved this book was the depth to which the characters were created. My goodness, one of the characters even had a point system, scoring himself as he went throughout the day. The loving, then restrained relationship between the sisters-in-law, was intricately written, to the point where you could see that neither of them really understood (Helen couldn't have possibly understood what was going on in Rose's mind, but knew what put it there....regardless, she tried relentlessly to have compassion. And Rose obviously couldn't make sense of her own bottled emotion and thoughts, but could never be right with a decision they made together) I loved Helen and Abe's relationship....I loved Judith and Natalie and Teddy....oh I loved them all, even if I didn't like them at some point.

The writing style - the differing points of view from which the story was being told changing from chapter to chapter, the easy, comfortable writing, the pacing, the word choice - powerful and brilliant.

This one goes immediately into my favourites category for the year ! I highly recommend it ! I've used these words throughout my review, but to summarize: Brilliantly and Powerfully written impactful story that the reader can find personal growth in while watching the growth of all it's characters. Hard to believe this is Lynda's first novel. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author ! ...more

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Feb 28, 2016 Tucker rated it liked it

Told over a period from the 1940’s to the 1970’s, this is an absorbing, intelligent story of two related families living in a brownstone in Brooklyn. Although portions of the plot are somewhat predictable, that doesn’t detract in any way from the book. Lynda Loigman has such richly developed characters that the reader quickly becomes emotionally involved with them and the unfolding of their lives. Her understanding of families, and in this case, those that live and work in very close proximity, ...more

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Sep 09, 2015 Carole rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-2016, first-reads-giveaways

I won this as a Goodreads Giveaway
I enjoyed this character driven book. The story is set in 1950s Brooklyn. Two brothers and their families share a home. Abe and his wife Helen have all boys, and Mort and his wife Rose, all girls. They have babies on the same winter night, and the 2 become best of friends. I enjoyed the development of the characters, though it was hard to like Rose.
I'm already hoping this debut author will have another book out soon. ...more

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Nov 06, 2017 Kim rated it really liked it

4.5 stars. You know when you're reading a book and you don't want it to end? Yeah, this book was one of those times. ...more

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Oct 06, 2015 Fictionophile rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-read, family-sagas, st-martin-s-press

Abe and Mort Berman are brothers who are as different as night and day. Abe is personable and gregarious. Mort is anti-social and acerbic. Together they run a company that makes cardboard boxes. When their father passed away they took over the business – much to Mort’s chagrin. He wanted to pursue his love of mathematics by going on to university – but his mother insisted that his math expertise was needed by Abe and the family business. Hence, they work together – and they live together in a tw Abe and Mort Berman are brothers who are as different as night and day. Abe is personable and gregarious. Mort is anti-social and acerbic. Together they run a company that makes cardboard boxes. When their father passed away they took over the business – much to Mort’s chagrin. He wanted to pursue his love of mathematics by going on to university – but his mother insisted that his math expertise was needed by Abe and the family business. Hence, they work together – and they live together in a two-family house of upper and lower flats in Brooklyn, New York.

Mort and his wife, Rose live in the lower flat with their three daughters. Though Mort loves his wife, he is extremely critical and judgmental and she feels she does not live up to his expectations of her. She loves him dearly but fears that she will never be able to make him happy. He is jealous of the fact that his brother has sons while Rose presents him with daughter after daughter…

Abe and his wife, Helen live above them with their four sons. The wives get along better than the men do. In fact they are as close as sisters. That is they did… until one stormy winter night in 1947 when they both give birth. With their husbands away on business in Philadelphia, and the storm making it impossible to reach the hospital, they procure the help of a midwife and give birth to their babies at home – on the same night. Helen has the girl she has always longed for. They name her Natalie. Grace has a baby boy at long last, whom they name Teddy.

Since that fateful night the women are no longer the close friends and confidants they once were. There is a palpable tension between them. The companionship that they both once cherished has eroded until the proximity of their houses feels claustrophobic and cloying.

Helen would like to still be friends, but Rose doesn’t want any part of it. Rose has become more and more despondent and almost psychotic. Bearing the brunt of her mother’s increasingly stifling behavior falls to Rose’s eldest daughter, Judith. Judith feels torn because she misses the close relationship she once had with her aunt Helen. Spending time with Helen now would feel like a betrayal to her mother… Very intelligent and mature for her age, Judith cannot seem to make her parents proud of her. Even when she is made the valedictorian of her graduating class, Mort feels unable to give her any kind of approval or acknowledgment.

With the continued success of their business the brothers finally feel able to move to separate houses on Long Island. The families are traumatized by this move. Helen and her sons want to stay in Brooklyn. Rose is eager to put some distance between the families at last… The youngest children, now five years old, miss each other dreadfully. Strangely Helen dotes on both Natalie and Teddy, whereas Rose ignores Natalie at every opportunity. A deal is made that the two youngest children can see each other at alternating houses every Tuesday and Thursday. This seems to suffice. It is at one of these meetings that the children find an old math text of Mort’s which brings about a closeness between Mort and the two kids. Though he had never been close to his three daughters, he has become quite fond of his little niece. They seem to understand each other…

A character-rich novel of the secrets held by two Jewish families, “The Two-Family House” is a debut that will be cherished by many. It expounds on the losses, deceptions, betrayals, torments, forgiveness, complications and misunderstandings encountered by families everywhere. It explores the whole “two sides to every story” adage with aplomb.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Macmillan Publishers via NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this novel in exchange for my candid review which was originally published on my blog: https://fictionophile.wordpress.com/ ...more

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Jan 19, 2016 Cindy Burnett rated it really liked it

Shelves: net-galley

What a wonderful debut novel! The Two-Family House focuses on the choices we make and the potential repercussions. I had to read 30 or so pages before it hooked me, but after that I could not put the book down. The characters and the plot are well developed, and I did not want the story to end.

The story begins in 1947 in Brooklyn and focuses on two brothers, Abe and Mort, and their families. Abe and his family live upstairs, and Mort’s family resides on the first floor. Abe and his wife Helen ar ...more

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Sep 22, 2016 Terris rated it really liked it

This was SO good! It is about two families in 1947 in Brooklyn, NY, that live in the same house, one family upstairs and one family downstairs. The husbands are brothers and are in business together. Both wives become pregnant and are due at the same time. One family already has 4 boys & would like a girl this time, and the other family has 3 girls & would like a boy this time (the husband especially wants a boy & is putting pressure on the wife -- like that's going to do any good!). So on a sno ...more

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About Lynda Cohen Loigman

Lynda Cohen Loigman

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Lynda Cohen Loigman grew up in Longmeadow, MA. She received a B.A. in English and American Literature from Harvard College and a J.D. from Columbia Law School. Her debut novel, The Two-Family House, was a USA Today bestseller and a nominee for the Goodreads 2016 Choice Awards in Historical Fiction. Her second novel, The Wartime Sisters, was selected as a Woman's World Book Club pick and a Best Boo ...more

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“We always think our own grief is the worst—worse than everybody else’s. But the truth is, we never know for sure what the people around us are feeling.” — 16 likes

“The daily dread of being judged, of being measured and found lacking in some way, no matter how small, was a burden she carried, compact and profound. It was a too-heavy purse, worn and comfortable on her shoulder, which she did not know the weight of until she set it down.” — 5 likes

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