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The French Lover's Wife

A Novel

Published by SparkPress
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

LIST PRICE ₹741.00

PRICE MAY VARY BY RETAILER

About The Book

When Lucie, a smart and sassy girl from NYC, meets Pierre, a dashing Frenchman, at a grad school party in 1973, she abandons her PhD program to run off with him. It’s the start of the sexual revolution, and she doesn’t intend to miss a thing. They first land in Mexico, then marry and settle in Paris to live the dream. But not long into their marriage, Pierre becomes an intolerant critic of her wifely imperfections; Lucie just can’t seem to measure up to French standards.
Instead of settling into her new life, she balks at French customs. As planned, she has their baby son in 1976, but far from succeeding in settling her down, the baby highlights her inability to depend on Pierre and precipitates a meltdown. Finally, she makes two friends, young mothers she’s met at the playground. When one of them tries to commit suicide, Lucie panics and considers returning to the U.S. but fears the impact on her young son. An English-speaking women’s writing group sets her on the right path. Ultimately, those women help her realize what she truly needs and wants out of life: to be a mother, a career woman, and a writer.

About The Author

Janet Garber holds an MA in English from the University of Rochester. Her work has been published in the Wall Street Journal’s Vertical Network, The New York Times, New York Post, Working Mother Magazine, HR Magazine, Chicken Soup for the Soul, dozens of literary journals (The Raven’s Perch, Forge Literary Magazine, Tigershark Publishing), several anthologies, and elsewhere. She’s published two books: I Need a Job, Now What? (Silver Lining Books, 2001), rereleased as Getting a Job (Barnes & Noble Books, 2003), and Dream Job: Wacky Adventures of an HR Manager. She continues to publish in multiple genres, from humor to horror. Garber lives fifty miles north of the Big Apple; when she’s not writing, you can find her hiking in the Gunks with her hubby, in the audience at live music events, or trying to talk some sense into her two charming rescue cats. She lives in Somers, NY.

Product Details

  • Publisher: SparkPress (April 11, 2023)
  • Length: 366 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781684631827

Raves and Reviews

2024 Independent Press Awards Distinguished Favorite in Women's Fiction

“By focusing on a protagonist who struggles with discontentment despite having the trappings of joy in her life, Garber takes a fresh approach to exploring what constitutes happiness.”
—Booklife Reviews

“Garber paints her protagonist vividly and sympathetically, as she begins to accept that her evolving sense of self won't fit into the confines of her seemingly ideal life.”
—Ursula De Young, founding editor of Embark Literary Journal

“It’s a good, strong read, the kind of book that’s a lot of fun and also has solid literary values—not such an ordinary thing these days. I can easily see people taking it on a plane or train or vacation and really enjoying the ride.”
—David Landau, Independent Publishing Executive/Editor, Publisher PurePlay Press

“Janet Garber has written a moving and beautiful novel that is both heartbreaking and inspiring at times. The French Lover’s Wife is richer than French food and more romantic and tragic than a classic French film. The writing is gorgeous and the setting, a character unto itself, is visceral. I can’t recommend this book enough.”
—Pat Dunn, author of Rebels by Accident, Last Stop on the 6, and Her Father’s Daughter

The French Lover’s Wife is a thrilling book to read, complete with adventure, love, disappointments and perseverance—a must read!”
—ILoveUniqueBooks.com, 5-star review

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