Other People's Houses
At any given moment in other people's houses, you can find...
...repressed hopes and dreams...moments of unexpected joy...someone making love on the floor to a man who is most definitely not her husband...
*record scratch*
As the longtime local carpool mom, Frances Bloom is sometimes an unwilling witness to her neighbors' private lives. She knows her cousin is hiding her desire for another baby from her spouse, Bill Horton's wife is mysteriously missing, and now this...
After the shock of seeing Anne Porter in all her extramarital glory, Frances vows to stay in her own lane. But that's a notion easier said than done when Anne's husband throws her out a couple of days later. The repercussions of the affair reverberate through the four carpool families--and Frances finds herself navigating a moral minefield that could make or break a marriage.
Reviews
“We absolutely adored Abbi Waxman’s The Garden of Small Beginnings. And if it’s possible, we’re even more in love with her much-anticipated follow-up, Other People’s Houses. April’s book club pick is set in stone.”
—Hello Giggles
“We can’t wait to read”
—InStyle.com
“…charming yet provocative….This is a voyeuristic (in a nice way) and humorous trip through what is usually hidden behind closed doors. Waxman is a master at purveying the wry humor that rides just below the surface of even the tough times. An immensely enjoyable read.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“A smart, thoughtful look at marriage and suburbia.”
—PopSugar
“Part Desperate Housewives and part Peyton Place, Waxman’s latest novel still remains wholly original. The compelling peek behind closed doors is simultaneously witty and wince-inducing, and potentially heavy themes are handled with authenticity, charm, and a healthy dose of irreverence…. None of the carpool crows is left unscathed and nearly no topic is off limits…the realistic characters and laugh-out-loud moments keep you reading.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Hilarious ruminations about child-rearing, shopping, and other parents give this broad appeal that should extend beyond fans of Waxman’s first novel.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Meet your new favorite wry writer…. Even when tackling themes like trust, betrayal, raising children and keeping friends, Waxman manages to inject humor and compassion into every situation she writes about.”
—The Daily Beast
“[A] fun and sexy novel…. Packed with scintillating drama and plenty of humor, this juicy novel is perfect for fans of Modern Lovers.”
—RealSimple.com
“What is it about small suburban towns, carpools, soccer games, and culs-de-sac that make for really fun beach reads? While there isn’t the murderous twist of Big Little Lies, there are still plenty of secrets to be uncovered in the neighborhood.”
—Apartment Therapy
“Waxman's take on the drudgery of parenting is fantastic. Anyone who has ever unintentionally memorized an episode of ‘Dora the Explorer’ or attempted to awaken a sleeping teenager will find comradery with the comically flawed folks residing in Other People's Houses.”
—Associated Press
“Other People’s Houses will remind readers of Liane Moriarty’s work, albeit without murders, and Moriarty’s fans will enjoy the book.”
—Chick Lit Central
“Other People’s Houses is a domestic drama with a healthy side of comedy. It’s about four families, carpool mom drama, and all the interesting and unexpected things that go on inside, well, other people’s houses. Abbi Waxman never fails to make us laugh out loud.”
—HelloGiggles
“[Waxman is] putting the mess in domestic.”
—WFAA-TV (ABC8 Dallas)
“[Waxman is] adept at fleshing out the fine details that comprise a life, and leave readers reflecting on the intimacy and risk of finding your community within a larger land.”
—BookPage
“A story that illustrates you never know what goes on behind closed doors, this is one that will make you look at your neighbors a bit more closely.”
—Parkersburg News & Sentinel
“Reading Waxman’s fluffy, rom-com-type story will feel like brain candy. The pages turn easily, and the characters remain interesting. Soon enough, though, you’ll realize that there’s also meaning tucked in among the humor and fun. Relationships need attention and careful tending or they’ll derail. As Frances tells her children, once something is broken, be it a plate or a relationship, it can be difficult to repair and will never be the same afterward.”
—Richmond Times-Dispatch
“Waxman is a gifted storyteller with an impressive talent for penning realistic dialog for adults and children: no easy feat. For fans of fast-moving contemporary humorous fiction about women and families.”
—Library Journal
“…everyday domestic worries are thrown into sharper relief, to often hilarious (if cringe-worthy) effect….Waxman’s sharp, witty second novel traces the aftershocks of a woman's affair on a group of intertwined families.”
—Shelf Awareness
“I was immediately drawn in by the strong characters and hilarious dialogue…. In the end, it had just the right amount of spice to start off my summer with a dramatic bang!”
—First for Women
“This is a light, funny read, with spot-on observations about life in the suburban bubble, but Waxman offers many moments of genuine pain as well.”
—Seattle Book Review