Book Description
As the family attorney scours emptied bank accounts, Georgia must not only look for a way to support her family, she needs to face the revelation that Ben was not the perfect husband he appeared to be, just as her daughters—now ensconced back at home with secrets of their own—have to accept that they may not be returning to their lives in Paris and at Stanford subsidized by the Bank of Mom and Dad. As she uncovers hidden resilience, Georgia’s sudden midlife shift forces her to consider who she is and what she truly values. That Georgia may also find new love in the land of Spanx and stretch marks surprises everyone—most of all, her.
Sally Koslow’s fourth novel is deftly told through the alternating viewpoints of her remarkable female protagonists as they plumb for the grit required to reinvent their lives. Inspiring, funny, and deeply satisfying, The Widow Waltz explores in a profound way the bonds between mothers and daughters, belligerent siblings, skittish lovers, and bitter rivals as they discover the power of forgiveness, and healing, all while asking, “What is family, really?”
Biography
Sally Koslow is the author of THE WIDOW WALTZ, her recently released fourth novel, which Library Journal recently called “page-turning” and “well-written,” and SLOUCHING TOWARD ADULTHOOD: How To Let Go So Your Kids Can Grow Up, now available in paperback, which has been optioned by NBC for sitcom development.
Sally’s second novel, THE LATE, LAMENTED MOLLY MARX, became a besteller in Germany (ICH, MOLLY MARX, KURZLICH VERSTORBEN) as well as a Book Pick by Target, who selected her third novel, WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE, as an Emerging Writer Book. Her debut novel, LITTLE PINK SLIPS, was inspired by her long career as the editor-in-chief of iconic McCalls Magazine, which was taken over by Rosie O’Donnell. Her books have been published in a dozen countries. Most are available on Kindle as well as in audiobook form.
Sally often writes essays and articles for magazine including More, O, the Oprah Magazine; Real Simple; Ladies Home Journal; Good Housekeeping and Reader’s Digest as well as websites including the Huffington Post, Next, and Grandpaents.com. She teaches creative writing at Sarah Lawrence College’s Writing Institute, helps to facilitate writing pitch conferences with New York Writers Workshop and works independently to help aspiring writers polish their manuscripts and book proposals.
To arrange a book club visit, inquire about independent writing coaching online or in person, or just to say hello,
please contact Sally via her website: www.sallykoslow.com, on Twitter: @sallykoslow or her Facebook Author Page, which she hopes you’ll “like.”
Webiste * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads
1. What is the first book you remember reading by yourself as a child?
2. What are you reading right now?
3. How does your garden grow?
4. What is the last thing you Googled?
5. What makes you cringe?
SOURCE: PUBLISHER
MY THOUGHTS LOVED IT
Georgia thinks her marriage is in pretty good shape. Her husband, Ben, is a successful lawyer and they have a lovely apartment in New York City, a county house as well as a Hampton beach house. She quit working as a high school English teacher soon after they adopted an adorable little girl from Korea named Nicola. Soon after, Georgia discovers she is pregnant with another daughter, Louisa. Raising the girls, volunteering and a bit of gardening have become a way of life for Georgia. She thinks she has the perfect life until her husband drops dead from a heart attack while our for a run. When the estate lawyer tells her she is broke and that Ben has mortgaged everything, she gathers her girls around her and starts to dig her way out of the mess. Her pampered girls rally to her side and start to give up their selfish ways.
Even though Georgia is devastated that her husband could have left her in such dire straights, she knows she must act and she starts selling off anything not nailed down to avoid bankruptcy. She also unravels a mysterious life that her husband was leading and it is nothing that she could ever having possibly imaged. Nicola, her eldest, has never quite fit in with the social set her sister runs in, so she has traveled the world in search of herself. Louisa, has dropped out of Stanford after hooking up a successful DJ one night, only to turn up pregnant. All of this drama is dumped on Georgia. who seems to stoically sort through the messes while reconnecting with her lost girls. At the same time, her daughters encourage her to start her own business sorting out rich kids and their college essays.
I know most women have thought about their husbands dying, either peacefully in their sleep or some other messy form, but if it actually happened to them, they would still be devastated. This is the case for Georgia, she had no inkling there was anything wrong in her marriage and that the money situation was all taken care of. She tells her girls, she saw the investment portfolio but later admits that it was years prior and then she stopped paying attention. Ladies: Pay Attention! She also meets a man that ultimately brings her happiness, even though he is the exact opposite of what Ben was in the looks department. I got the biggest kick out of her brother, Stephan and his partner Daniel, who pulled her through her darkest times. *Minor Spoiler Alert: There is one devastating moment for Georgia when she meets the “other woman” and when all the fact start to overwhelm her, she discovers a strength that allows her to move on. A true BRAVO moment for me. Overall, a quick and easy read that is the definition of “beachy”.
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Many thanks for the wonderful review of THE WIDOW WALTZ. As an author, I am grateful when a reader recognizes and appreciates my intentions and efforts. I am delighted that you are running a book giveaway. Also, I must say I love the dachshund visuals, Ms. Bookhound.
All best,
Sally Koslsow
Sally – I met you last year at BEA and had a total fan girl reaction. I could have written pages about how wonderful this book is, but I lose readers that way.
Cutting Teeth Julie fierro
I should have known
In my beach bag, I plan to carry THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HARRY QUEBERT AFFAIR by Joel Dicker, Emily Giffin’s THE ONE & ONLY, Liane Moriarty’s BIG LITTLE LIES, and I AM PILGRIM by Terry Hayes (but not at the same time lest the straps give way).
Such an adorable cover on this one!
I am in the process of making my way through the Nalini Singh series 🙂
I plan to read The One & Only.
Seeds Of Plenty and Shoeshine Boy will be my beach reads.
Leigh Talbert Moore’s Dragonfly series.
I’d really like to read The Nanny Diaries this summer.
I plan to read Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand. Thanks for having the giveaway.
I want to read Fever.
I want to read “Beneath the Navajo Moon” by Lisa Carter
I want to be reading The Widow Waltz on the beach…and soon. 🙂 Thanks for such a lovely review.
i want to read Something About You
by Julie James
I haven’t ever been able to read Ten Beach Road by Wendy Wax, so I would love to read it this summer.
Really want to get Fever and take it to Monterey when we go in August. 🙂
So many books, so little time.
I’m planning to read all of the books I can find by Barbara O’Neal. Still waiting for beach weather here!!