Slightly Suburban

Slightly #5

by Wendy Markham

It seemed exciting at first, but after two and a half years in New York, Tracey has to admit her life…well, sucks. Sure, she makes a decent living as a copywriter, but Blaire Barnett Advertising is a cutthroat world that basically swallows her life. If she does manage to get home before nine, she's usually greeted by husband Jack's best bud, an almost�permanent fixture in their tiny, unaffordable apartment. Add the circus freaks stomping around upstairs, and Tracey decides it's time to move.

After quitting her job, she and Jack take the plunge into the nearby suburbs of Westchester and quickly discover they're in way over their heads. Their fixer-upper is unfixable, the stay-at-home yoga moms are a bore and Tracey yearns for her old friends�she even misses work!

So which life does she really want? Other than Jack's wife, who is she? If Tracey merely has to find her own Slightly Suburban niche, it had better be just around the corner, because there're no subways here!

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Romance, Adult, Contemporary Romance, New York, Contemporary

336 pages, Paperback

First published June 17, 2008

About the author

New York Times bestseller Wendy Corsi Staub is the award-winning author of more than seventy published novels and has sold more than three million books worldwide. Under her own name, Wendy achieved New York Times bestselling status with her single title psychological suspense novels. Those novels and the women's fiction she writes under the pseudonym Wendy Markham have also frequently appeared on the USA Today, Barnes and Noble Top Ten, and Bookscan bestseller lists.

Wendy grew up in a large, close-knit family in rural southwestern New York State and decided she wanted to become an author while in third grade. She worked in two independent bookstores during college, then moved alone to New York City at 21 to pursue her dream. After stints as a book editor for a Manhattan publishing house and an account coordinator for a major advertising agency, she sold her first novel, the supernatural young adult thriller SUMMER LIGHTNING. Early in her writing career, she published in various genres including suspense, horror, historical and contemporary romance, television and movie tie-in, and biography. She also co-authored a mystery series with former New York City mayor Ed Koch and has ghost-written for a number of bestselling authors and celebrities.

Wendy now lives in the New York City suburbs with her husband of nineteen years and their two children. A 1986 graduate of the State University of New York at Fredonia, she proudly delivered the keynote commencement address at her alma mater in May 2008 and is serving a three-year appointment to the Dean's Advisory Council for the College of Arts and Sciences.

Reviews

[Stacy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was, by far, my least favorite book in the "Slightly..." series. I felt that this book served no real purpose. Tracey seemed even more neurotic, whiny and lost than she had in previous books and there was very little of what made the first book good--the other characters (Raphael, Kate, Buckley, Yvonne, Brenda & Latisha). I felt that most of this book was left open ended--I mean, what was the purpose of giving Tracey's mom an illness? What was the purpose of Stefania in general? What was the purpose of Stefania and Grandma's trip to Westchester? What was the purpose of Wilma's trip with Tracey to Brookside? And what was the purpose of the last chapter in general? It seemed like an, "Oh crap, I have to end the book and I just wasted over 200 pages whining about moving and not advancing the story, so...well, I'll throw a new friend here, a pregnancy there, and, voila! In 5 pages, the book has been all tied up." It just seemed...a waste of paper. Don't bother.

[Chloe (Always Booked) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gosh I love this series and I'm so sad that its over! In this book, Jack and Tracey move to the suburbs where his family lives. They buy a house and Tracey is so excited, until she realizes she's an hour from her friends, she has no job and her in laws are a little suffocating. Just after they moved, Jack got promoted and Tracey got the ax, leaving her with too much time on her hands. She takes the 500 mile trip up to Brookside with her mother in law then brings back her grandma and a foreign exchange student that has kind of taken over her spot. Her mom is having some health issues (which I feel need to be addressed in book 6) and there are lots of hijinks with the house and in laws. However, the main reason this NEEDS another book is because in the end we find out she's pregnant. PLEASE WRITE MORE!

[Ellenjsmellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first Slightly book by Markham and I'm a little bummed that I missed Slightly Married. I liked where this was going, but the last 30 pages where blech. I might give her another try though.

[Gena · Rating 1 out of 5]

couldn't get into this book.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book was ok. I don't know if it was necessarily crucial to read even though I read all the other books in the series though. It was a rather fast read, but I thought it fell a little short of the other books.

This review is also posted on the LibraryThing website.

[Alicia Prevost · Rating 2 out of 5]

Speed reading still...

Of all the books in the series, while this one might have been the strongest writing, it's all the one I liked least and has finally convinced me that if any more come out, I'm ignoring them.

I just...don't like Tracey. She's...never happy. She's one of those people that no matter what she gets out of life, it's not enough. She pushes for things and the second she gets them, it's not enough and she wants something different. She got the dream house and suddenly was entirely miserable and wanted to move back to the city or even more insane move back to her hometown because she was suddenly randomly nostalgic out of the blue.

Which I really didn't understand at all. She was building her own life and then...bam.

Yet again, she just mainly came off as whiny and angry and a million other things that just made me want to tell her to shut up. I'm her age and I'd love to be in the place she is and she just seemed so freaking miserable.

And the one thing she had a right to be upset about never seemed to bother her...losing her job.

Also I felt like the end was rushed. One second she's crying about living in the suburbs, the next it jumps to later in the year and she was suddenly happy as hell, had friends and was building a life but we didn't actually see any of that. Which seemed to be something that one would think had some importance to the story but apparently not.

Oh and the road trip? What the hell was the point of that?

Honestly, I still want to like the series. I might even check out some other books from the writer because I see a lot I like...just...not the main character.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slightly Suburban is part of a series of books focusing on a woman named Tracey. In this book, she is married and living in an apartment in NYC and wanting to move out to the suburbs. It was an ok book but I thought the previous ones were better. I feel like it would have been better if this book focused more on the move to the suburbs and the transition between living in NYC and the suburbs and dealing with still being able to see your friends, etc. Instead, most of this book was her realizing she doesn't want to live in NYC anymore and trying to convince her husband to move, etc. I was getting towards the end of the book and realized that they still hadn't moved yet and I started to get worried that it would never happen! I realized when I got to the end of the book that I had missed a book in the series (Slightly Married) so I might go back and read that. Maybe it will make me appreciate this one more. But I doubt it. It was just a little too slow for me and nothing really happened.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute tale. Turns out the author has written a few other books before this one, all centering on the same character.

The good news is that you don't have to read the previous novels to read this one. You can just jump in and not feel like you've missed anything.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The relationship between the two main characters is believable and the events of their lives are events that are pretty typical of many young-ish newlyweds who branch out to the suburbs.

I am actually hoping the author has another installment of this storyline coming as I'm eager to read what happens next.

[Vicki M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is seriously THE BEST SERIES I have ever read! I highly recommend it to everyone! I love the characters, especially Tracey. I could relate to her on so many levels it was scary, at some points I was convinced author Wendy Markham had somehow gotten into my brain and wrote about my life! I breezed through the book and was eager to start the next, and the next - by the time Suburban ended I was so sad to have to say goodbye to the storyline and characters! I still say there needs to be a final book Slightly Parents or Slightly Pregnant ... so far no luck!!! :-)

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute book, and the author definitely left it open to add to the series. I was a little sad that many of the other characters in the series that I came to really like (Buckley, Raphael, for instance) played a much smaller role in this story than in past books. But as Tracey points out, that's what happens: people grow up and move on. When you think that this will eventually happen in our own lives, the book got a little depressing, but overall, an enjoyable enough read.

[Madz H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing insanely world-changing, but I found it funny and quirky. A fun read, with light drama and decent characters. It was nice to have a more realistic relationship in a story. The bar is low, with the lack of good marriages in media now, but it was a nice change! I was hoping for a lot more suburban-mom drama like what was teased in the blurb, but it really didn't happen. Still, a cute little read for a car trip or quiet afternoon by the pool.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this series. This book wasn't as fun as the others because the life event was buying a home in the suburbs as opposed to getting engaged or married. I love the main character and her wacky family though. Also, the book ended with her finding out she's pregnant so I'm hoping for a sequel eventually. Fun and quick read. Very funny.

[Marissa Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book more than the previous "Slightly Married" book. Tracey isn't as whiny in this book although, she still has moments where she is a little dramatic. But, in this book, she recognizes those moments. Of course, the book ends a little too perfectly but that's pretty common for this genre.

[Elissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Out of the whole series, I probably liked this one the most. Maybe second to the first book. My issue with this series is that Tracey whines....a lot. About everything. She is never confident in her decisions until the very last page of the book, and by then I'm over her story. Not sure if there will be any additional books in the series but I most likely will not read them.

[Melgogs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to finish this book in one day. Just like the other slightly books, Markham brings her characters to life and creates a wonderful reading experience. I throughly enjoy reading Markhams books and look forward to more books in this series.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Slightly Suburban. It seemed a little more "hey this could really happen" than some of the previous books which was really nice. It seems like she left room for a final book which would be pretty cool. I'd like to see a little more closure with all of the characters.

[Terrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. For a desperate "I have nothing to read" purchase at Target, it was OK. The last chapter wrapped everything up too neatly and some of the main plot points never went anywhere. Still, I may be compelled to go back and read the earlier ones in the series.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

After being slightly disappointed by Slightly Engaged and Slightly Married, I was happy with Slightly Suburban. The story was cute, and not nearly as whiny as the last two. I believe this is the last book in the series, but I would read more if the author wrote them.

[Melea Rose-Waters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, fun chick-lit. Nothing earth shattering, but not disappointed that I read it. And, I always feel a little triumph when I finish a book in about 24 hours. It was an easy read, and enjoyable.

[Michelle Palmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing was good but I had trouble caring about the story. I think it is too alien to me (although I love fantasy and SciFi and that is really alien.) The characters were okay but I just didn't get into the troubles of moving to the suburbs when you live in NYC.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

My love affair with this series continues... so great. I can't wait for the next one!

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the first four in the series, but this one did not do it for me.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good entry in the 'Slightly' series. I wished for more of the novel to have actually taken place once Tracy and Jack moved to the suburbs though.

[Ruby halliburton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fifth in a series of "Slightly" books. Have not readd the first four, and won't.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny read, light and easy. But not much of a story. Good book for those buying a house (sort of).

[Darlene · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was expecting fluff, I wasn't expecting glaring editing mistakes. eek! The story was something I could relate to, the writing was just so-so.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Next one in the series, but I'm reading them out of order!

[Holly Jenkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute, easy-read - but nothing to write home about. Maybe I would've enjoyed more if I were back in the newly-married, without-children, house-buying stage.

[Taksony · Rating 2 out of 5]

I kept waiting for this book to get better. I felt like it was missing something, like I kept waiting for something to happen.
It was hard to finish.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

cute, easy read, fun story.