Review: The Real Liddy James by Anne-Marie Casey

Title: The Real Liddy James
Author: Anne-Marie Casey
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Date: September 20th, 2016
ISBN: 9780399160226
Number of Pages: 336
How I Got It: from publicist
Format: hardback
Publicist's Description:

In a world full of “#girlbosses” who are all “leaning in” together, Anne-Marie Caseyoffers a glimpse into the demanding world of New York’s fast-paced career women while tackling the polarizing yet perennial question: Can women really have it all? Sharply written and deftly observed, THE REAL LIDDY JAMES was actually inspired by Anne-Marie Slaughter’s Atlantic article, “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All” and the author Anne-Marie Casey has much to contribute to the controversial topic. Her writing is fresh, hitting the perfect balance between hilarious and heart-felt, and people are buzzing about it.

 

New York Times­-bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand raved, “The Real Liddy James had me stopping nearly every page to read paragraphs out loud to anyone who would listen. A true delight!” Her praise was echoed by Rosamund Lupton, “Wonderfully funny, brilliantly observed and completely addictive” and Adriana Trigiani, "Original, sharp, funny and timely, The Real Liddy James is a spectacular novel from Anne-Marie Casey, who understands the high wire act every working mother attempts in the circus of life.”

 

Here’s a quick take: Liddy James is forty-four, fit, and fabulous. One of New York's top divorce attorneys, a bestselling author, and a mother of two, she glides through the courtrooms and salons of the Manhattan elite with ease. Despite a devastating divorce from her first love, literature professor Peter James, Liddy, Peter and Peter's sympathetic new partner, Rose, have formed a modern family to raise Liddy and Peter's truculent teen and Liddy's adorable, if fatherless, six-year-old son. With her lonely and impoverished New Jersey childhood far behind her, to the outside world Liddy's life is perfect. Until it isn't.

My Review:
This jumped on my radar as soon as I saw it. I tried to request a copy and let's just say it was one of the longest, weirdest, and funniest go-rounds I have had in book blogging. Originally, the cover caught my eye (just like The Guineveres) and the topic always intrigues me, "working mothers." I liked that this novel wasn't the same old formula of the mother "having it all," then being overwhelmed and deciding that she's going to stay home with her kids (too martyr-y to me.) This story was great because we get an inside look at the lives of the people around "the working mother" to see how everything is really being juggled by multiple people, plus the sacrifices everyone is making in a complex (yet very amicable) family. I didn't really love the ending (but no spoilers!) so I can't say I would really recommend this book to anyone. However, if you want to know that you're not alone in your quest to pretty much be two places at once when you have a job outside the home and are a mother, this book had some good laughs. 

***Disclaimer:: I was given a copy of this release in exchange for an honest review. I received no additional compensation. ***