Summary
Jess Lawson, a forty-five-year-old healthcare consultant, wife, and mother of two, has spent most of her adulthood fostering the illusion of having a perfect life. Her impending empty-nest syndrome as her youngest child prepares to start college is troubling enough, but when her doctor husband, Arthur, announces his intention to take a prestigious new job on the other side of the country-and relocate without Jess-her world quickly crumbles. Amid their acrimonious divorce, revelations about…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781631524936 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1631524933 |
| Author: | Maren Cooper |
| Publisher: | She Writes Press |
| Imprint: | She Writes Press |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 256 |
| Release Date: | 28 May 2019 |
| Weight: | 363g |
| Dimensions: | 140mm x 216mm |
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Critics Review
2019 International Book Awards Finalist, Fiction: Chick-Lit/Women’s Lit
“Both sprightly and deeply felt, A Better Next captures the losses, trade-offs, and rewards of the contemporary career woman/wife/mother. Many are the women who will recognize themselves in Jess’ story.”
—Faith Sullivan, award-winning author of Good Night, Mr. Wodehouse
“Take a woman determined to move on from a failed marriage, give her the support of loyal women friends, and plunge her into a morally challenging, high-level business merger: now that’s a story that will keep you turning the pages late into the night!”
—Jenni Ogden, author of A Drop in the Ocean
“Maren Cooper has created memorable characters, especially in Jess, a smart, strong, and savvy hospital consultant who is blindsided by her husband’s affair. The situation may be universal but the story is unique, making for a page-turner tribute to friendships and families.”
—Romalyn Tilghman, author of Through the Stars with Difficulty
“Maren Cooper’s touching debut details one woman’s journey through divorce and professional challenge. Jess Lawson is devoted to her family and its veneer of perfection, but in her preoccupation with work, she fails to acknowledge her disintegrating marriage. Featuring a strong female protagonist who takes charge of her life, A Better Next would be a fitting and meaningful read for those entering new chapters in their lives.”
—Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg, author of Eden
“Jess Lawson is an expert multi-tasker, successfully juggling marriage, family, and career. Yet when her husband announces that he’s through, things threaten to spin out of control. Can she hang on, restore balance, and put everything right? Or must she accept what she can’t control? Maren Cooper’s debut novel takes the reader on Jess’s personal journey with skill, compassion, and insight. A Better Next is a lovely read.”
—Anne Leigh Parrish, author of The Amendment
“A Better Next is a sensitive drama that follows the day-by-day challenges of starting over.”
—Foreword Reviews
Maren Cooper
Maren Cooper is the author of A Better Next (She Writes Press, 2019) and Finding Grace (She Writes Press, 2022). She retreats frequently to the shore of Lake Superior, where she loves to hike and watch the deer devour her hosta. She grew up in the Midwest and now resides in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she serves as a volunteer for various nonprofits.
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