A book set in New York City featuring academic types (at the fictional “Manhattan U”)? About a group of women friends? Do I need anything more in a novel?
The Professors’ Wives’ Club by Joanne Rendell features four women of different ages and from different backgrounds who come together to fight for a common cause, and in the process help each other to grow. I think that their differences work for them — allowing them to accept the others at face value, instead of who they are “supposed” to be.
All of the women live together in the same campus apartment building. They each use the beautiful walled garden as a kind of retreat, and they come together rallying to protect it when it’s threatened to be destroyed.
Mary is the oldest in the group. She’s a professor herself, and married to the dean who is planning to destroy the green space. She’s been trying to find the courage to escape from her abusive husband, but something keeps holding her back.
Hannah is a former model who is dissatisfied with her marriage and disappointed with a choice she made in an effort to find love. She is trying to break away from the model image and break into the art world, but without her husband’s support, she is finding it difficult.
Sofia has a supportive husband, but she still feels as if she’s lost herself in the whirlwind of motherhood with two young children. She serves as the heartbeat of the group as she taps into her natural skills and proclivities.
Ashleigh is the youngest of the group — an attorney on the way up the career ladder, but still living in the shadow of her successful and overbearing father. As she seeks to break free, she wonders how she can be true to herself without disappointing him.
It sounds like typical chick lit, but the story definitely has some surprising moments. I found myself analyzing the women and rooting for them (even as I sometimes wondered what the “right” choice for them really was). Sometimes heavy topics are written without bogging the reader down, and within context of a good old fashioned caper as the four women bind together to defeat the evil giant.
We have five copies to give away! If you’d like to win one, please leave a comment. We’ll announce the winners in next week’s column.
The winners of What Happy Parents Do are
#2 Moriah@Please Pass the Salt
#58 K. Cleaver
#113 Corrie C.
Sounds like a fun read.
It sounds like an interesting read~thanks for the giveaway.
I’ve heard about this book and would LOVE to read it!
I would love to win – I think the book would be enjoyable and fun to read
I love the idea of women getting together to defeat the unjust or uncovering the truth. It is inspiring.
I need a good book to read, sounds like it’s for me!
Sounds good, count me in!
Sounds like a good book! Thanks for the entry!!
I wanna win!!
This sounds like a fun read that I am going to share with my book club! We love books with fun, strong women in them!
cool
This is nice!
It sounds interesting enough to give it a try.
This sounds good
Please enter me. Thanks!
PLEASE COUNT ME IN ON THIS AWESOME GIVEAWAY 🙂
great prize, thank you for the chance to win
Nice prize! I would love to win! Thanks so much for the giveaway!
Sounds like a fun read!
Sounds like a fun read. Hope I win.
I always like to read good books about women. Count me in!
Looks great, please enter me! Thanks!
Great prize, enter me please.
I’d love to read about the wives!
Hope I win and that it comes on a cold day when I have time to just curl up with it and a mug of hot cocoa.
This book sounds fun!!!!! I would love to read it!!!
I’d love to read this.
I would love to read this, thanks for the giveaway
Sounds like a great read! Thank you so much for the contest!
I’d like to win.
Count me in, Please
Sounds great! I’m in!
Jen
Sounds interesting! Enter me please!
I’ve definitely added this to my “must read” list. It sounds like a great story line.
Great giveaway!
Fantastic
gkstratos@yahoo.com
sounds like a good read
I love to read
Looks like a good book to read!!
Sounds good!
I’ve wanted to read this. I blogged the giveaway here: http://2kidsandtiredbooks.blogspot.com/2008/10/giveaways_22.html
I’m always looking for a new book or author!
Sounds like a fun read!
I would love to read this! Thanks for the contest.
Would love to read this, looks fun.
Great Giveaway!I would love to win this!
Thanks for the opportunity!
Thanks for the giveaway!
good read thanks
I love to read, and would love to win
I am such a book maniac! This giveaway is awesome 🙂
I heard about this book. IT sounds great!
I love reading all kinds of books, thanks!
Sounds good, count me in.
Sounds like a great read. Thanks for the chance to win it. Happy Halloween!
I am always traveling for work – this would be a super read for my next trip.
Thanks for this great giveaway – I would love to win this book.
Thanks for the chance to win another great book!
I have been wanting to read this one!
I’d love to read this 🙂 *Thanks* for the giveaway!
sounds like a good read!
Sounds like a fun book.
this sounds really, REALLY interesting! Please enter me!
Enter me
I like to read! Sounds like an interesting book!
Looks good.
Looks like a fun read.
This sounds like a great book! I’d love to win!
I am a chick lit addict! Id love to read this
enter me!
Not that I really need to add to my TBR pile, but this one sounds like it should be there!
Sounds like an awesome book!
Someday I’ll have time to read again. I’m sure of it!
Wooo Hooo Make me a winner!
I’d love a chance to win! Thank you!
Since my husband really IS a professor, I’d say I would probably enjoy this book a lot!! Hope I win!!
Would love to win as a gift for my mother.
Fun! Count me in, I’ve been on a reading kick lately.
sounds like a good book
Sounds delicious! I just finished a book — I need a new one to get lost in! Thanks!
Megret
musesofmegret (at) gmail (dot) com
This would be a good break from my usual historical romance.
This book sounds great. Would love to read it. Thank you!
Nice!
Thanks for the review, I may not have given the title a second look. Sounds like a great read.
The story line caught me more than the actual title. I think it would definately be an interesting read
Oooh, fresh reading material! Sign me up! 🙂
Sounds like a good book. Would love to read it.
ayancey@dishmail.net
I’m always up for a new book/author.
Always up for a good book!!
I want to win
This sounds like a really great book and one that I would love to read. Thanks so much for such a wonderful opportunity!
furygirl3132[at]comcast[dot]net
I love to read! I would love to read this book! Thanks for telling us about it!!
I’d love a chance to win this, I can always read a good book. Thanks!
My wonderful but disabled wife of more than 38 years just LOVES to read – one of the pleasures she still enjoys! Thank you for this great contest and prize!
I love to read books and especially with a story lone like this.
Great Contest !
I love books about women who overcome.
Sounds like a great book.
I’d like this
Sounds fun! I’d love to win !
This sounds liek a great book for all us ladies.
want to win this
Sounds like a great read!
I’d love the chance to read this…
I would love this
This sounds good. Thanks for the contest.
Sounds very interesting.
sounds like a great book.
I would love to win this book! From your review, it sounds as if it’ll suck you in!
I love stories about the friendship of women!
I’d love to win!
would love to read her first novel!
This sounds like a great book. Thanks for a chance to win.
Sounds really good! Please enter me!
sounds great
This is SO my kind of book!
I would like to read this book.
Cheers!
I’d like to read this book.
I love to read, and this book sounds like it’s right up my alley–thanks for the offer!
Sounds great, I would love to read it.
I need a new book; I’m almost done with the latest stack.
Thanx for the contest
I love to read and would be interested in reading this one. Thanks for the review.
This sounds like a great book. Thank you for having this giveaway.
This sounds like a book right up my alley. Please enter me in the giveaway! Thanks for giving away such a fun book.
Sounds like a good read, would love a try at winning this!!
Sounds like a great book. Please enter me! Thanks 🙂
I want to read it please enter me.
I almost picked this up at the bookstore last week. I’m glad that you gave it a good review!
looks like a good read
Sounds like a really fun read! My mom and I would love it!
Good Luck to all
I would love to win the book. Sounds very interesting.
looks like a great read ! thanks for the opp!
Looks like a fun interesting read. Thaks for the contest!
That sounds like a great read!
Sounds very interesting. 🙂
Looks like a fun read.
count me in please
We’d love to have this.
Sounds good — I love to read, and my husband is hoping to teach in several years once his PhD is done…thus making ME a professor’s wife. 🙂
Thank you
This sounds right up my alley!
i love to read everything
Can’t have too many books. I’d love to win, thanks!
Sounds like a great read. Add my name to the drawing!
Rachel Langston
Please enter me
This is sorta like a desperate housewives in a book form lol, or atleast it reminds me of it with all the different women and they each have different problems. Sounds like a good book to read thanks for entering me.!
Looks like an interesting read. Please sign me up for your contest.
Sounds like a great read! I would love to win this!
love to read
Sounds like a great book
sounds like an interesting read… thanks for the chance to win a copy.
You won’t catch me passing up a free book!
sounds like a really good book to read….. thanks for the contest….
This looks like a great book. I’d love to read it. Count me in.
great website!
Sadly, I don’t make much time to read. This book sounds pretty good. Kind of book that I used to read. 🙂
This sounds right up my alley! Thanks for the chance to win!
sounds good
I would love to win this! Please enter me
I love a good chick lit book! count me in!
Sounds like a very diverse group of women, I would love to check ’em out. Thanks for the giveaway!
Sounds like a great book, I would love to win one!
Ooooh, the colder days are just begging for a good book like this to dive into while the Li’l Empress naps!
Sorry I meant to say I’m always looking for new things to read.
I’m always looking for new things to win. I’d love to win a copy!
would love to read this
I would love to win a copy. Great review!!!
sounds good to me!
I am always looking for good books to read. This one looks interesting.
Sounds like a fun read. Thanks!
I love to read and would like to read this
This sounds like my kind of book. Thanks for offering this contest!
I would love to win this prize.
This sounds really good!
I would like to read this.
This sounds great – Thank you!
I would love to read this – thanks so much for the review and giveaway!
Lindsey
Would love to read this, looks fun. Thanks for the chance.
I would love to read this-thank you!
I just finished a series and need a new book!
Sounds like a fun book to ready
This sounds like a good book. I like chick lit that has a little extra!
Sounds like a great read!
I want it…i want it…pick me..pick me…lol!it sounds like a very good read!!!
I’ve had this book on my to read list for a while. I’d love to win it! Thanks
sounds fun
Looks like a great read.
I would like to see this – thank you for the contest!
I’ve heard this is a good book and would love to win a copy. Thanks.
I would love to win a copy!
Sounds like a fun book to read 🙂
Chick lit – perfect for a night in by myself. Thanks!
I love chic lit! Pick me!
This sounds like a wonderful read. Thanks for this opportunity.
I’ve had this on my wishlist for a while – I’ve read so many good review. I’d love to win a copy!
a good book to escape into is always welcomed!
sounds great!
Sounds interesting! Enter me please!
Sounds like a fun read!