LADIES' NIGHT (Mary Kay Andrews)

I don't know how Mary Kay Andrews (whose real name is Kathy Hogan Trocheck) manages to do this over and over again.  Some people that I know (yes, a couple of you BookBuggs!) would describe Andrews' novels as "fluff" because they feature women's friendships, humor, and, yes, romance, but I find Andrews' writing to be insightful and entertaining in novel after novel.  I don't believe that to be "worthwhile" a novel has to feature dark themes, angst, and unhappy endings.  We all strive, successfully or not, for happy endings in our own lives, don't we?  If we achieve happiness or enjoy waking up to a new day does that make us less worthy of interest or respect?  People love to laugh and for those of us who see life as a half (or maybe even 3/4) full glass, being able to see the humor in life is what makes it worth living.  Debbie Downer, get away from me!

That being said, "Ladies Night" is a book about infidelity, divorce, anger, and consequences.  Sounds hilarious so far, right?  Stay with me.  Grace Davenport Stanton is an interior designer and blogger.  She and her husband Ben have parlayed her lifestyle blog, Gracenotes, into a very successful career for both of them, with more than 200,000 followers, important sponsors, and a substantial income.  When Grace discovers Ben and her assistant, J'Aimee, in a compromising position in his $175,000 car, she does what any betrayed wife would do: she chases J'Aimee and Ben out of the garage and drives the expensive car into the pool. After fleeing her palatial home for the comfort of her mother's apartment, Grace discovers that she has not only been locked out of her home and her finances, but out of her blog as well.  The judge assigned to their case is notoriously hard on women in divorce cases and some consider him to be a woman hater.  He allows Ben to maintain control of all of their joint assets until Grace completes six weeks in a divorce therapy group to prove that she is over her anger at Ben.  It is here that she meets a diverse group of women (and one man), all of whom have let their anger over their spouse's infidelity get the best of them in ways that can't but make you chuckle.

I won't tell you much more about the plot, except that it will hold your interest and that it does have a happy, satisfying ending.  Real life is not simple and straightforward.  You will meet people that you love and others that you hate, plus a whole bunch that will fill in the in-between spaces with or without impact.  We all deal with frustration, helplessness, anger, joy, sadness, love, and hate, sometimes all in the same day and with the same people.   That's life!  Andrews does a wonderful job of bringing her characters to life in ways that many writers do not. You feel their desperation and celebrate their resilience, but most of all, you like them.  I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did!