Carolyn Moncel

5 Reasons to Leave a Lover, by Carolyn Moncel, consists of a novella and two short stories that are about relationships, love and losses. While the couples in each story are in different stages of life, they share a commonality. They will suffer the loss of their relationships with varying results. The book includes a section where the author is asked why she decided to explore the area of lost love and she states that "If you ask the average person why a relationship ends, it usually has to do with death, abuse, cheating, dishonesty or dissatisfaction." Her decision was based on this and she skillfully incorporates these reasons into the stories.The novella, Set Yourself Free, Ellery, is the story of Ellery and her husband Julien. Who would have thought that the omission of a postal code on an envelope would lead to the destruction of a marriage? In this case, the envelope held the letter that Julien had written to Katrine, his mistress, telling her that he was leaving Ellery and that he wants to marry her. The letter is returned and it is Ellery who intercepts and reads it. Ms. Moncel's method of telling the story is superb. Ellery, Julien and Katrine each give their version of their part in this complicated relationship. Also included is conversation between Julien and Katrine and then Ellery and Katrine and, finally, Ellery and Julien. Their stories are interwoven and their emotions described with clarity and introspection. This is the story of three losses and asks the question: Was it worth it?
The short story, Maybe Just Leave, Steve, is told by Cinnamon who has been in a long term relationship with Steve for a long time. She was the friend who saw him through relationships with various girlfriends. She understood his moods and eating habits and most of all, she was a loyal friend to him. Steve eventually marries Leah and unlike his relationship with Cinnamon, their relationship ends due to Steve's infidelity. Cinnamon expects to remain Steve's friend, but this is not to be. This is a story of loss that also becomes a story of new found love and loyalty.
Maybe In Death, Beth is about finality. Beth and Herman are in their nineties and it is Beth who dies first leaving Herman to reminisce about their decades together. Theirs was in imperfect marriage that endured the test of time. Particulary moving is the author's description of how Herman tends to Beth's body in order to preserve her dignity before calling the paramedics. Even though they both knew the end was inevitable, Herman can't help being impacted by the finality of his loss.
Ms. Moncel exhibits true understanding of human emotions. The characters are believable and easy to relate to. I recommend reading this book as there is much to be gained from doing so.
I received this book free of charge and I give this review of my own free will.… (altro)

After reading the first short story in Encounters in Paris by Carolyn Moncel I felt drawn into Ellery Roulet's world. She is the protagonist in all the stories and the reader comes to know her quite well. She is an American who married a Frenchman, has twin 10 year old daughters and lives in what has been called the most romantic city in the world-Paris. For Ellery, life in Paris is about a great deal more than romance.

The introduction to Ellery and her family comes in the first story, Pandora's Box Revisited. While preparing to drive her daughters to school she has an encounter with the woman who has been delivering her mail for ten years. She accepts her mail and continues on with her day. She realizes she does not know the woman's name and had she been in the US she would have known her mailman. "Like everything else, it was different back home in the States." This proves to be true as she reads her mail- she has been fired from her job. The author deftly gives voice to Ellery's outrage. "At least in the America, the boss would call you into the office and tell you in private." Julien, her husband, tries to console and comfort her the only way he really knows how and she finally succumbs to him. Then Ellery drops a bombshell.
In the story, A Haunting in Courbevoie, Ellery visits a Catholic church because her mother, who lived in Chicago, had died that morning. "What Ellery needed most was absolution from the guilt of living her own life." She has so many regrets-her daughters had not known her mother and she herself had not kept her own promise to care for her mother. A chance encounter with a stranger and prayer leads to a defining moment in her life.
In the story, A Brief Indiscretion, the author eloquently writes about matters of the heart. She provides incredible insight into what human relationships can be. After 15 years Ellery agrees to meet with an old love. An indiscretion does occur but this story is greater than the actual act. Ellery comes to terms with her husband's infidelities with surprising results.
Until It's Gone is the story of Ellery and Julien's meeting and Some Birds of a Feather finds her divorced but paying tribute to her parents.
Each story stands on it own. However, I found that after reading the first story I had to continue reading so that I could learn more about Ellery. The more I read the more I came to admire and respect her. I can only hope that there will be more stories about Ellery in the future. Ms. Moncel has crafted a special collection of stories. I highly recommend reading this book.
I received this book free of charge through Review The Book. I give this review of my own free will.… (altro)

Encounters in Paris explores a few key moments in the life of Ellery Roulet. Set in Paris, the woman's life is turned topsy-turvy as a result of two letters. The rest of the stories cover the ripples caused by those initial two events, exploring Ellery's emotional state and focusing on the decisions that she makes.

Described as a book of short stories, Encounters is more like a series of vignettes. What makes these scenes works is the author's ability to evoke emotion and create an ambiance with these short interludes; despite the limited amount of information given, I felt like I knew exactly what was going on, and I was connected to Ellery in those moments. There is something easily accessible about the experiences that are relayed; the setting of Paris is more incidental than anything else. With a few particulars altered, these stories may just as well have taken place elsewhere.

Perhaps what is most remarkable about this work is its ability to pull you into each story. In a matter of two or three paragraphs, one is drawn into Ellery's life just as surely as one would tumble into the world of a much longer tale. What is implied is as important, if not more so, as that which is stated outright. It's an effective reflection of a world in which most of our communication is nonverbal, and a single action can convey a mountain of words. Ellery's actions certainly speak volumes about her development as a character.

The book itself is only about twenty-seven pages long. I would have liked to have seen more scenes, as the everyday does as much to establish a character as do major life events. Additionally, the style took some getting used to. The sentences were a little overdone in terms of their content—that is, too much information was crammed in, and not necessarily in a logical manner. The attempts at lyricism felt forced, and the story flowed best when the author wasn't trying quite so hard.

Given the length of this work, there is only so much that I can say. It is a quick read, and the snapshots are easy to fit into a short wait at the doctor's office or the spin cycle on your washing machine. I managed to complete it in the course of a single lunch break. For those who want something that is easy to put down and to pick back up, this just may be the right fit for you.

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(Review copy provided by the author)… (altro)

Relationships are difficult. They are often fragile, especially when they are neglected. They end for a variety of different reasons, but how do you know when it's time to walk away? What's a deal breaker for one person may or may not be for another, while our limits may vary, the pain of heartbreak is universal.

5 Reasons to Leave a Lover explores five different relationships that have reached their breaking point. Carolyn Moncel has done a remarkable job of exploring the inevitable emotional turmoil that is experienced by all parties when a relationship ends. You will be captivated by the complexities of the characters and the simplicity of their raw feelings. Every story has a relatable character, whether you have experienced relationship peril firsthand or watched someone else go through it, you can't help but identify.… (altro)