Say When

May 12, 2003
Husbands frequently tune out their spouses, but Frank Griffin makes valiant attempts to ignore Ellen, his wife of 10 years, when she announces she has a lover and wants a divorce in this endearing, undemanding novel by Berg (True to Form, etc.). Griffin (he goes by his last name) struggles to hold on to his normal life—namely his house and his eight-year-old daughter, Zoe—while repairing his relationship with Ellen. Refreshingly, Berg tells the story from Griffin's point of view: he refuses to leave home, insisting that he and Ellen live as roommates, and tries to wear her down with small acts of kindness. A decent man and a good provider, Griffin is also—he comes to realize—a less-than-exciting partner at times, dismissive of his wife's attempts to get him to read poetry and see art movies, or try anything new at all. Eccentric, shy Ellen, an isolated, stay-at-home mother whose only friend is the waitress at her regular diner, has her own flaws. In trying to live out her adolescence 20-plus years too late, she flaunts her new romance in ways that evoke either disdain or pity for her naïveté. Some readers may feel she gives up her quest for more freedom too quickly; others will appreciate the way she explores her complicated feelings about her marriage. Griffin, meanwhile, makes changes, too, trying a stint as a shopping mall Santa and winning a few dates. Berg has a talent for dialogue, and her skillfully crafted interactions between characters—scenes with tomboy Zoe are always a bright spot—are homey and convincing. These days, separation and divorce are commonplace, but a book that treats those subjects with Berg's tenderness and understanding is not. Agent, Lisa Bankoff. (June)Forecast:Berg's novels are high-quality comfort food, and sell accordingly. In returning to the theme of divorce, which she explored in the bestselling Oprah pick
Open House, she is on particularly solid ground.

May 1, 2003
Following up on True to Form, Berg's pleasant and eminently readable 13th novel explores a marriage in trouble. When Griffin's wife, Ellen, tells him that she's fallen in love with the teacher of her adult education class on basic auto mechanics and wants a divorce, he's stunned. Although he's been aware of her unhappiness over the past few years, he never expected it would come to this. Griffin refuses to move out, choosing to stay with Zoe, their school-age daughter, so Ellen rents an apartment and takes a job waitressing. As the weeks of separation turn into months, Griffin has his first date (they run into Ellen at the movies with her much younger lover) and gets an evening job as a Santa Claus at a local mall. Finally, for the first time he and Ellen begin to talk about their relationship. Although the novel is presented from Griffin's point of view, Berg makes sure that we get to hear Ellen's side of the story as well. While the tone is generally light, the insights presented are profound, and Berg has created realistic characters who are ultimately committed to making their marriage work despite the tough road that lies ahead. Sure to resonate with many readers, this is recommended for all public libraries. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 2/15/03.]-Nancy Pearl, Washington Ctr. for the Book, Seattle

Copyright 2003 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2003
Popular author Berg (" True to Life" [BKL Mr 1 02]) will thrill her fans with this sweet, often humorous novel about loss and reconciliation. Staid, routine-loving Frank Griffin is dealt a horrific blow when Ellen, his wife of 10 years, tells him she has been having an affair and wants a divorce. Who, he poignantly wonders, could know her as well as he does? He refuses to move out of the house and makes snide comments about her auto-mechanic lover (the "greasy paramour") as the two eventually settle into an awkward routine as roommates. Just so he will have somewhere to go on the nights she is not with her lover, he signs up to play Santa at the local shopping mall and meets Donna, an attractive photographer. He throws away his wedding ring and makes a halfhearted attempt to start up a relationship with her, but although she outwardly appears to have it all over his wife--Donna is a wealthy, talented, and classic beauty--he has to admit to himself that he has never met anyone who appealed to him more than Ellen. Berg keeps her story light and funny, shading in the particulars of their relationship with just the right kind of domestic detail. Her insights into the way marriage can sometimes make its partners feel safe and sometimes imprisoned are all the more effective for her deft touch.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)