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A Novel
by Alex Kiester
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Alex Kiester, a heartfelt debut that explores the complexity of a modern-day marriage when a new mother vanishes one morning.
From the moment Ben and June met in a hospital waiting room on New Year's Eve, their love has seemed fated. Looking back at all the tiny, unlikely decisions that brought them together, it was easy to believe their relationship was special. But now, after several years of marriage, June is struggling as a new mom. At times, she wonders about the life she didn't choose—what might have been if she hadn't given up the lead role in a famous ballet to start a family. Feeling like a bad mom and more alone than ever, she writes to her deceased mother, hoping for a sign of what she should do next.
One morning, Ben wakes to the sound of his baby and quickly realizes that June is gone, along with her suitcase. As Ben attempts to piece together June's disappearance, her new friends mention things he knows nothing about—a mysterious petition, June's falling-out with another mom, her strange fixation on a Greek myth. The more Ben uncovers about June, the more he realizes how little he actually knows her. And now the only way to bring June home is to understand why she left.
Told through alternating perspectives of husband and wife, The Truth About Ben and June is a witty and wise page-turner about life's many crossroads and a heartfelt reminder that we create our own destiny.
"In her debut novel, Kiester dives inside the murky, muddled world of postpartum emotions. Never blaming June or Ben for the problems in their relationship, Kiester allows each character to explore the allure of alternate paths and the pain of missed opportunities…a touching portrait of parenthood." —Booklist
"This powerful novel takes an honest, unflinching look at the challenges of modern parenthood from both sides of a marriage, including the profound shame that can come from not living up to expectations. Through the eyes of Ben and June—a couple you will root for from the beginning—Alex Keister confidently explores the tragedy that comes with hiding our fears from each other, and the healing that can come with sharing them." —Tracey Lange, New York Times bestselling author of We Are the Brennans
"In this smart and heartfelt novel, Alex Kiester tells the story of a marriage, from the heady days of new love to the disorienting transformation into parents, and in doing so tenderly reveals the complexities of sharing one's life with another person. But perhaps even more importantly, Kiester, with clear-eyed empathy, gives voice to the mothers struggling in the postpartum period, offering a nuanced look into something that is often stigmatized. Written with humor, warmth, and tremendous insight, The Truth About Ben and June is an immersive, important work." —Alison Wisdom, author of We Can Only Save Ourselves
This information about The Truth About Ben and June was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
After graduating from Rhodes College with a degree in creative writing, Alex worked as a copy editor for the Journal of the Texas House of Representatives, then as a book editor for a boutique publisher. She lives with her husband in Austin, TX, and when she's not writing, she can be found reading in the bath, talking on the phone with her mom, taking long walks, curating pizza toppings, or getting distracted by the squirrels beyond the window at her writing desk.
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