Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Book Review

Some books are pure escapist reads, plunging the reader into a dream situation or other world. Other books force you to confront your worst nightmare, not necessarily a bad thing if the process makes you grow. I just finished reading Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough by Ruth Pennebaker, a novel that definitely falls in the second category.

Novel Summary:
Joanie is a divorced woman in her early 50s living with her mother and her daughter. She's falling apart under the strain of financial stress, anger over her divorce and the fact that her ex-husband and his new young girlfriend are expecting a baby and the tension in her home. Her mother can't speak to her without criticizing her and her daughter won't speak to her, period. Her divorced women support group are the highlight of her week.

Conclusion:
Although I can't say I enjoyed reading about such stark, depressing lives, I'm still glad I read Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough. Taking a peek at Joanie's lonely and difficult life made me appreciate all the joy in mine. As the three generations of women struggle to come to terms with each other, the book made me better appreciate the bonds of family. I can definitely relate to the difficult, yet empowering message of the book: sometimes life has to reach rock bottom before soaring to new, unexpected heights.

This isn't a beach read, but if your family sometimes drives you crazy, you should definitely read Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough. It will inspire you to endure all that your family throws your way.

This book review is part of a book tour coordinated by TLC Book tours. I received a review copy of the novel to write this post.