Domestic Pleasures

Domestic Pleasures by Beth Gutcheon
Contemporary Fiction
Finished on 3/30/06
Rating: B+ (7/10 Good)

After my previous read (Winter Prey by John Sandford), I decided to switch gears and pick something light and fluffy. I think I need more of a middle ground. I went from serial killers and child-porn rings to a bona fide soap opera. It took several chapters and lots of flipping back and forth before I finally got a handle on the confusing cast of characters. Gutcheon weaves a tangled web of intersecting lives with various family members and friends of friends crossing paths in New York City. The story was entertaining enough, but at times a bit predictable and far-fetched (I’ve never known or heard of anyone with a sixteen-year-old son or daughter as perfect as Jack!). All in all it was a satisfying read, particularly since I wasn’t expecting great literature. Easily read in a weekend, fans of Patricia Gaffney (The Saving Graces), Luanne Rice (Cloud Nine), and Kristin Hannah (Between Sisters) will most likely enjoy this “beach read.”