This wasn't as attention grabbing as I thought it would be but I did enjoy it. There are so many conflicting emotions throughout this book but it was interesting learning about Jane's issues and how she dealt with them and the deception she was put through. The storyline was promising but there are some pretty big plot holes.

I was given a copy through the First to Read program in exchange for my honest review. ( )

3.5 stars.

In She Poured Out Her Heart, Jean Thompson explores the intricate bonds of friendships.

Bonnie Abrams and Jane Nicholson have been friends since college and although their friendship has had its share of ups and downs, the two women still remain close nearly two decades later. After college, their lives go in completely different directions: Jane is married to Eric, a cardiologist, and she is a stay at home mom to their two kids whereas Bonnie has achieved professional success but continues her lifelong pattern of sleeping with unavailable men. Jane is rather shy and unable to give voice to her growing unhappiness while Bonnie is self-confident and quite outgoing. When life gets too difficult for Jane to deal with, she welcomes the "white" space she disappears into and after one of these incidents lands her in the hospital, Eric and Bonnie find comfort in one another's arms. When Jane discovers the affair, neither Bonnie nor Eric is prepared for her rather unconventional reaction.

Jane is content to coast through life doing what is expected of her. She is not especially passionate about Eric and she is often overwhelmed by the demands of her children. Jane downplays Eric's suggestion she get professional help for her depression but to avoid conflict, she agrees to see a therapist. Jane makes an attempt to describe what she is experiencing to her doctor, but since she is not completely honest, she does not receive adequate treatment. Fast forward a few years and Jane's coping mechanism takes a dangerous turn and leaves no one in doubt about her fragile mental state.

Although Bonnie puts a positive spin on her dating life, she is growing increasingly unhappy with her single status. She continually chooses emotionally unavailable men or men with commitment issues, but she cannot seem to break free from this unhealthy pattern. It takes Bonnie a long time to understand what motivates these poor choices but by the time she figures this out, she is already emotionally invested in her relationship with Eric. It is not until Jane makes an extremely out of character decision that Bonnie re-evaluates her life but will she truly commit to the changes she has decided to make?

None of the relationships or characters in She Poured Out Her Heart are particularly healthy or happy. Bonnie, Jane and Eric are deeply flawed and they each have different coping mechanisms for dealing with their problems. Eric hides behind work, Bonnie drinks too much and Jane is never fully invested in any part of her life. Jean Thompson does a wonderful job keeping the plot realistic and unique but there is little character growth or real progress overcoming their issues. Despite the novel's surprisingly hopeful conclusion, the lack of resolution with any of the storylines is extremely frustrating. ( )

I really enjoyed Jean Thompson's previous novels, but this one was not for me. Couldn't get my footing, and the story wandered about for so very many pages. (400-plus!)

The New York Times review sums up my feelings exactly:
“The good thing about you,” Jane very perceptively says to Bonnie, “is that you own up to all kinds of awful behavior. The bad thing is, you think that owning up is enough.” It’s tempting to feel there’s a similar tension at work in this novel: a little too much of the writing and not quite enough of the subtext that ought to lurk beneath. ( )

I am struggling for words to describe this book. The cover blurb says it's a "haunting story of female friendship and deception" - I didn't find it "haunting" but the rest is true. If you like character-driven stories, which I do, this may appeal to you. When Bonnie has an affair with Jane's husband, Jane, for the most part, doesn't really care; and Bonnie doesn't exhibit a great deal of remorse for doing so. The two male characters - Eric and Patrick - act more like what you would expect from real-life men. It was just kind of an odd story, and I found the ending to be unsatisfactory. ( )

I wasn’t crazy about this book but something kept me reading it. It is well written, but the characters were just not likeable. ; Patrick was the only character I found likeable.

Jane and Bonnie have been friends since college. Bonnie is wild and unpredictable, while Jane is the exact opposite. Jane marries Eric, a doctor, and has two children, as she is expected. Bonnie becomes a crisis worker. All three are dysfunctional. Jane has moments when she totally zones out. It is never explained why she does.

One Christmas evening during a dinner party held at Eric and Jane’s house Jane suddenly goes outside, removes she clothes and lies down in the snow. In the aftermath of this event, Eric and Bonnie begin to bond which then leads to an affair between them.

I ask myself why I kept reading. It had to be become the writing itself was excellent and, as messed up as the characters were, they were realistic.

I received the book through GoodReads’ First Reads program for an honest review. ( )