Marilyn Grimes is desperately frustrated with her life as a housewife and amateur crafts maker. The world seems to be conspiring against her, as she and her husband hit the emotional and physical rocks of middle age and her extended family keeps erupting in chaos. Emmy Award-winning Whitfield's attempt at husky male voices is awkward, but she does a great job with both older women (Marilyn's mother, who has Alzheimer's, and her sassy mother-in-law, who "elopes" with her new retirement home lover). Oddly, her voice as Marilyn is often not engaging. In some ways the weakness in her characterization is appropriate, as Marilyn claims her soul has been "in hiding" as she's catered to everyone else's needs. But some listeners may get bored by Marilyn's narration, especially compared to her lively girlfriends and family. Still, Whitfield was a natural choice for the part, and she mostly lives up to her reputation in delivering this journey of self-discovery. Also available unabridged on 10 CDs and narrated by Desiree Taylor. Simultaneous release with the Viking hardcover (Reviews, May 30). (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Forty-four-year-old Marilyn feels as if her life is spiraling out of control. She has a husband who is adrift in his career and is showing all the signs of having an affair. Marilyn is also juggling a troublesome live-in mother-in-law, a mother who may be developing Alzheimer's, and a foster sister who is battling drug addiction and neglecting her two children. Meanwhile, she must struggle with her own personal decisions: should she continue working part time at the craft store or heed her long-neglected dreams of a career in art? Should she stay married to boring Leon, the engineer, or take up again with her first husband, who is suddenly back on the scene and available? A pregnancy scare intensifies her need to separate her roles as a caregiver and as a woman with her own identity. She finds solace and help from her girlfriends and an unlikely source--her mother-in-law. McMillan's inimitable style is on display in this novel about a woman facing midlife crises on every front. --Vanessa Bush Copyright 2005 Booklist

Marilyn Grimes, a quintessential McMillan woman--loyal and honest friend, devoted wife and mother, dutiful daughter/daughter-in-law, upfront sister--is faced with a series of midlife crises. The author touches all bases, from menopause and recovering addictions to male midlife challenges and early Alzheimer's disease. As Marilyn questions her own career options, she must also juggle an extended family's struggles and life changes. Although the dialog doesn't always ring true in Desiree Taylor's delivery of some interactions, her portrayal of the heroine is genuinely felt with wit and wisdom. The ending may be forced, but adult women listeners will identify well enough to forgive the author's resolutions. Recommended for large fiction collections.--Joyce Kessel, Villa Maria Coll., Buffalo, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.