Leo Tolstoy said it best in Anna Karenina ‘There are as many kinds of love, as there are hearts’. I love that author Susan Schoenberger dives right into the notion in this book. The was the number one thing that compelled me about this one, it promises to dissect and explore marriages, love, and secrets. All the things that I think make for interesting reads but there was one thing that stood out above the other reasons this one sounded great.
And that is how trauma impacts women not only in the moment but in their life long choices. I think this book will leave readers with a lot to reflect on and discuss with books clubs and/or friends. I have not read anything by Susan Schoenberger before but I think this book sounds like the most promising and interesting of her novels and I am looking forward to reading this one in the future.
I am eager to share a bit about this one even if my review calendar was full for the summer, I do plan on reading this one a little later in the year. But for now I am bringing you all a bit about the book itself. I am always on the look out for books that promise emotional reading and I think this particular book will bring the emotion, so if you are on the look out for a book with some substance and emotion, I think this would be a good option for you!
Summary
Margaret Carlyle is searching for an epic love as she heads to college in 1979 after the loss of her beloved mother to cancer. When a charismatic boy named Anders rapes her on their first date, she wants nothing more than to forget it ever happened. But as the years pass, each life decision she makes seems driven by what happened that night.
When Anders becomes famous as an actor, Margaret can no longer ignore her past–and she must make choices that will affect everyone around her, most notably her husband, Douglas, and Fitz, the man who has loved her patiently since college.
This deeply moving novel is a window into class and privilege, the mysteries of marriage, and the destructive power of secrets–and an examination of what happens when we try to bury the past, as well as the consequences of confronting it (summary from Goodreads)
Advanced Praise
- “In matter-of-fact prose studded with pithy observational gems. . . the various players can only get what they deserve by speaking their own truths. A keenly observed, compassionate, and absorbing work.”―Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review
- “A poignant tale of love, loss, and secrets, The Liability of Love is a heart-wrenching, compassionate portrayal of survival–of what happens when old wounds are left untended, when quiet pain refuses to stay silent any longer, and when we allow ourselves a second chance. Gorgeously written; Susan Schoenberger has crafted a story that will remain with you long after you turned the last page.” ―Amber Smith, New York Times best-selling author of The Way I Used to Be
About the Author
Susan Schoenberger is the award-winning author of A Watershed Year and The Virtues of Oxygen. With a linotypist as a grandfather, she has ink in her blood and worked as a journalist and copyeditor for many years, including The Baltimore Sun and 12 years with The Hartford Courant. She currently serves as Director of Communications at Hartford Seminary, a graduate school with a focus on interfaith dialogue. She lives in West Hartford, Connecticut, with her husband Kevin. They have three grown children and a small dog named Leo. Learn more at www.susanschoenberger.com.
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