I like the domestic, real-life touches in books like these (I've read several of this author's books over the years), but I had a hard time liking any of the three main female characters, particularly two of them. One was obsessive and a little crazy, and the other was a huge hypocrite -- she had many, many affairs but then got upset when her husband had one, because he did it in their hometown while her dozens of flings were in another city. Maybe it makes a big difference in her mind, but in my mind, that's just her deluding herself. Even the nicest of the three characters occasionally talks about men cheating, but she was the "other woman" too before her lover left his wife to marry her. Plus some of the male characters, and almost all of the children these women eventually have, are cardboard characters. I'm not sure, looking back, that I like a single character in this book.

We also follow these women well into their sixties, and their lovers and husbands into their seventies and eighties, and not a single one of them has a serious health issue.

Finally, it bugs me that Rona Jaffe treats plastic surgery so casually. I don't want to judge people who go that route, but Jaffe writes every one of her female characters as just assuming every woman naturally has plastic surgery. ( )

on Saturday, April 16, 2005 I wrote on bookcrossing about this book:


Hi sandy Right now reading this book, have read about 2/3rd of it and enjoying the read. This book is much more like some of her older books, for instance like reunion and stuff. venus envy is more chick lit from the twenties :-) from this century.

I do not think this is one of her best books, but definitely a great read.
will update more when i am done.


Oops forgot to update
yes i can see your point sand. The women were a lot alike. It was a bit boring. i don't understand why they were all dating older men. I do not believe that is very logic. 4 girls live together and 3 of them end up with an older men.

I have read better books by Rona.

This sounds like a take off of The Group but the Amazon reviewer really pan it, in spite of the author's reputation.

Amazon reviews
http://www.amazon.com/review/product/0778320316/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?%5Fenco...

http://allthingsjennifer.blogspot.com/2006/01/curled-up-and-content-with-her-cat... ( )