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There are currently 60 member reviews
for Mating for Life
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Caryl L. (Williamsburg, VA)
Mating for Life
A lovely book - the story of Mother, Helen, and her three daughters and their marital problems.
Helen has led a bohemian life; wild, opinionated, three children by three different men. She is contemplating marriage to a very traditional man and wonders if she can be happy and supportive in this role.
Fiona, the eldest daughter lives a very traditional life with her husband and two children. When her husband reveals a terrible secret he has been harboring all these years, Fiona feels her life falling apart. She must deal with this secret and with her own problems and secrets. She is fighting to keep her ordered life and marriage together.
Ilsa. middle child and artist, feels unhappy and unfulfilled. Her art is suffering and her husband is very busy with work and barely pays attention to her. She has two small children whom she must consider.
Liane, the youngest, is in love with a man who has an ex-wife and two children. She is not sure how she is going to deal with this situation and feels fearful about going ahead with this marriage.
Marissa Stapley has been able to, through her beautiful prose with great understanding, bring together a book that could have been depressing. This is very pleasant read.
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Rebecca R.
Enjoyed This A Lot
For the first two chapters I found myself struggling a little bit to get into the book. For some reason, I could not quite keep straight who all of the different women were. However, there was something compelling about these realistic, less-than-perfect women that made me want to know what was going to happen. I think that the author captured well the mistakes people make as they search for happiness and fulfillment. This book might provide some good soul searching to people who think they are ready to leave a relationship or do something that would endanger one which they do not really want to lose.I particularly enjoyed one passage in which a daughter bemoans the fact that her mother is more like a girlfriend, as the mother joins in on a conversation about a short but passionate fling after a party. It brought a smile to my face; I think many daughters are overly critical of their mothers - as long as the mothers are alive. As a side note - I'm not sure that the introductory paragraphs about the mating habits of various animals ads anything to this book (and I am an animal lover.)
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Linda W. (Summit, NJ)
Great Expectations
All of the women in this book have great expectations for the men in their lives and all are at first disappointed and even devastated by the reality of relationships. Marissa Stapley artfully weaves their lives together then rips them apart only to be darned together again. I loved following the lives of these women and how each one had to discover their own inner strength and beauty before they could have meaningful relationships with the men in their lives.
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Marjorie W. (Bonita Springs, FL)
Mating for Life
I really enjoyed this story - a bit slow at the start but after the first chapter it held my attention. The introduction for each chapter with a paragraph about an animal and their mating habits was a fun lead in to the woman in the chapter. Might be an interesting book club read.
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Christine P. (Gig Harbor, WA)
Mating for Life?
This book is like sitting down and having a great conversation with a lifelong girlfriend. It encompasses all parts of women's lives and their relationships. This novel is guaranteed to make you laugh and cry, and have every other emotion in between. I loved it because of the relationships and the emotions, its characters and their stories. I felt like the author made me an active part of the story, not someone who was watching the action from a distance. I loved that the chapters wove the different characters into a tapestry made from their challenges and triumphs, and above all the love they have for each other. Stapley obviously loves to read with her references to books and the reading life. I also found interesting that at the beginning of each chapter, she included how different animals mate. It's a book that touched my heart and I will remember it for a long time.
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Mary Lou F. (Naples, FL)
Mating
This is an excellent book, characters are very realistic and have very real problems which anyone can relate to. Also, you get to learn the mating habits of various birds and animals which are similar to humans at times. A very worthwhile and easy read.
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Elizabeth L. (Beavercreek, OH)
A Joy to Read
Okay, I admit. I was skeptical. Aging hippie and her daughters? It didn't sound like my usual cup of tea but I was wrong. This was a lovely book. The characters were engaging and finely drawn. They seemed like real people, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. I genuinely cared what happened to Helen, Fiona, Lianne and Ilsa and the secondary characters like Myra and Johnny. This would be an excellent book club novel with much to discuss about how the various women handled their personal relationships. Highly recommend.
