This Is Not The Story You Think It Is: A Season of Unlikely Happiness

When Laura Munson’s husband told her that he wasn’t sure he was in love with her anymore, she didn’t overreact. She didn’t scream or shove him or replace his aftershave with Pine-Sol. Instead, she chose to not believe him and wait out whatever was making him push her away. She kept her eyes, ears and heart open. She did what came naturally and kept a journal that eventually became the New York Times Best Selling book This Is Not The Story You Think It Is: A Season of Unlikely Happiness.

While I will admit that as I read this book, I was alternately embarrassed and defensive about how little interior life I have – I don’t quote Rumi and when I’m bent out of shape, I let my mind go to white noise a bit too often. There were moments when reading the book made me feel shallow.

For example, if I asked my husband if we had a “shared philosophy,” he would give me that pained look where the crease between his eyebrows goes really deep. He’d ask me if I’ve been reading relationship books while he plots his way out of the room before I corner him into an awkward discussion about meaningful things.

Either that or he’d check my breath for alcohol.

And the funny thing about that is that my husband did exactly what Laura Munson did when I decided that I no longer wanted to be married. I wasn’t sure if I loved my husband, if I’d ever really loved him in the first place and was certain I’d married him for all the wrong reasons.

His reaction was mirrored Munson’s. He didn’t react. He waited and listened and gave me enough rope with which to hang myself and then, as I metaphorically dangled – kicking my feet and struggling against that rope, he reached up and cut the noose I’d drawn around my own neck.

And he gave me a soft landing.

My husband and I don’t talk much about those rough days, but Munson’s book reminded me of those scary, confusing times. When I delivered my verbal surgical strikes to my husband’s heart and mind, I meant what I said. But underneath that confidence were motivations similar to those of Munson’s husband. But I don’t want to give away to the story.

Munson is a talented, entertaining writer. The story moves quickly as she writes about how she spent the summer quietly dealing with the potential end of her marriage. When asked why she wanted to share this story, Munson noted that she wanted to help others, to give them some framework for hope and for breaking out of a reactionary habit to face any situation and find an “end to the pain.”

While my marriage is back on solid footing, other areas of my life remain in flux. I found Munson’s story just what I needed to help me remember what matters, to look for the light instead of the dark and to make a conscious decision to say fuck you to self-pity and to say no to the pain.

Featured photo by: Darwin Bell/Flickr

Posted by Lisahgolden for Buy-Her.com.

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This Book Really Is Good Enough To Eat!

Allow me to introduce you to Stacey Ballis.  Besides blogging at The Polymath Chronicles, Stacey is a fabulous author.  She is the partner in crime to another of my beloved authors and bloggers, Jen Lancaster and I tell you no lie, I would gladly give up just about any vice to be a fly on the wall when those two get going. Stacey has a new book, Good Enough To Eat.

I have a special place in my heart for books by bloggers but my literary tastes are vast, I’ll read anything as long as it isn’t a bodice-ripping Harlequin romance, a Western, a Sci-Fi book or anything that Stephen King has touched.  And aside from my love of Chick Lit, Memoirs, Forensic Thrillers and True Crime, Not to mention, I’m a book-a-holic.  I read about 3 books a week.  I devour them at an inhuman pace and my computer pretty much just points itself to Amazon without any prompting.  (Although much to my husband’s delight, I have recently procured a library card.)

Having read three of Stacey’s previous books, Inappropriate Men, Room for Improvement and The Spinster Sisters, I was so excited to hear about her newest release and pre-ordered it on Amazon months and months before it was released.  When it showed up, it was all I could do to keep myself from feigning a pathetic cough and rushing home to curl up on the back porch with my new treasure.

Stacey’s protagonists are always strong, powerful and unapologetic women and the latest, Melanie Hoffman, is no exception.  After working hard for nearly two years to lose half her body weight, Melanie has gone to culinary school and now runs a take-out business specializing in healthy gourmet food.  Then one day, with no warning,  her previously supportive husband up and leaves her for a woman twice her size.

I could not put this book down for the two days it took me to finish it.  Stacey Ballis has surrounded Melanie (who I adored secondly only to Sidney, the witty, sexy plus-sized star of “Inappropriate Men”) with intriguing friends and family and weaves a really wonderful story of a woman who thought she’s come to the end of a journey, when in fact, she’s only at the beginning.   I’d call it a beach read if it weren’t so freaking cold outside.  And yet… it has more to it than a normal beach book… more heart.

Stacey’s books are refreshing because they are about REAL women.  These aren’t supermodels skipping around Manhattan in 4-inch heels with mysterious unlimited funds (although I do profess a guilty pleasure for those books as well).  Her subjects are smart, witty, accomplished women who aren’t afraid of their faults and love themselves just the way they are.  Just between you and me?  That’s the kind of role model I would want for myself and my daughter… if I had one.

Find Good Enough to Eat, along with all Stacey Ballis’s books, on Amazon.

Featured photo by Horia Varlan

Posted by PaintingChef for Buy-Her.com.

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Comes in five colors

This post is brought to you by the lovely Finn.  She is my personal shopping guru, so I’m beyond excited to have her pitching in here at Buy-Her!!

There are two things you should know about me: 1. I’ll read just about anything I can get my hands on. 2. I’m rarely at home when I have time to read.

I spend a lot of time in waiting rooms. Waiting. Books are great company, but I found out the hard way that my favorite metal bookmark with the inspirational quote and the leather tail really sucked outside the relative safety and calm of my house. And by that I mean the stupid thing fell out all of the time. It’s really hard to keep up with the continual stopping and starting of trying to read in between appointments when you keep losing your place.

Last year I had a little bit of money left over on a gift card, so I decided to give the Book Bungee from Levenger a try. It’s a hard plastic bookmark with a thick, flat bungee cord attached. You mark your place with the plastic part, then wrap the bungee around your book. And lo and behold it keeps your place AND keeps the book closed. It makes my heart happy. You just don’t know.

I don’t have to remember to take the book out of the car anymore; I can toss a book in my tote in the morning and have it with me whenever I have time to read. It never falls out and I never lose my page. You can use it horizontally or vertically and it fits all sizes of books: hardcover, trade paperback (my favorite) or regular paperback. The best part is that it’s cheap inexpensive at $6. And it comes in several different colors.

Two words: Stocking stuffer.

Legal nonsense: Although I’ve done freelance work for Levenger and my brother currently works there, no consideration was (or will be) provided to me (or my family) by Levenger for this review. I purchased the item myself and wanted to share it with others.

Posted by Megan G. for Buy-Her.com.

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