Janet_M

Victoria Schorr recreates the 1950's in suburban Ohio with live- in help, country club dinners, department store shopping and the awful conformity of fitting in. When Lora Brier realizes her husband Martin has left her without any money, she tries to cover it up. For weeks she lives with pretenses, anything rather than acknowledging abandonment. Schorr shifts POV from the help to Lora, to her eldest child, Josie. As Lora's parents move in to fill the void created by Martin's absence Lora takes a degree then begins life as a teacher.

The author describes Martin, who having abandoned his wife, forges her name on documents using the family house on which Lora's father has made the down payment to buy a house for his new wife. Josie's growing awareness of her father's serial lying, along with her fervent wish that he love her as she longs to be loved by him form the basis of this story. The occasional literary references are a bit forced.