The Opposite of Love

By: Julie Buxbaum

Narrated by: Emily Janice Card

When successful twenty-nine-year-old Manhattan attorney Emily Haxby ends her happy relationship just as her boyfriend is on the verge of proposing, she can’t explain to even her closest friends why she did it. Somewhere beneath her sense of fun, her bravado, and her independent exterior, Emily knows that her breakup with Andrew has less to do with him and more to do with...her.

As the holiday season looms and Emily contemplates whether she made a huge mistake, the rest of her world begins to unravel: she is assigned to a multimillion-dollar lawsuit where she must defend the very values she detests by a boss who can’t keep his hands to himself; her Grandpa Jack, a charming, feisty octogenarian and the person she cares most about in the world, is losing it, while her emotionally distant father has left her to cope with this alone; and underneath it all, fading memories of her deceased mother continue to remind her that love doesn’t last forever.

How this brave, original young heroine finally decides to take control of her life and face the fears that have long haunted her is the great achievement of Julie Buxbaum’s marvelous first novel.©2008 Julie Buxbaum; (P)2008 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

“In the character of Emily, Julie Buxbaum has created the quintessential motherless daughter: a woman who longs for the comfort of intimacy, yet fears its permanence. The Opposite of Love is a brilliant examination of loss, romance, and the jagged, imperfect, utterly realistic way we fall and stay in love. A stunning debut.”—Hope Edelman, author of Motherless Daughters "You’ll want to keep reading all night.”—Library Journal, Starred Review“A witty, touching debut novel rich with emotional truths. Women everywhere will relate to Julie Buxbaum's thoughtful, young heroine and her journey of loss and love.”—Emily Giffin, author of Love the One You’re With“Gripping, wise and extremely refreshing. I loved it.”—Marian Keyes, author of Sushi for Beginners and Angels"Buxbaum makes an appealing debut with this tale of...[a] single gal-in-the-city [who] finds her white-knuckle hold on life and love slowly slipping."—Publishers Weekly

A Poignant & Touching Novel

What did you love best about The Opposite of Love?

Initially, I thought I am going to be bored but as the story goes along, I begin to relate to the characters. I started relating to the journey of Emily. I begin to appreciate the struggles she encounter within herself on how to deal with love, lost and life. The story was told in a very realistic manner, with moments of humor, sadness and hope.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I like how the author built each characters of the story. There's a ring of truth for each one of them.

Have you listened to any of Emily Janice Card’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is the first book I listened to from narrator and I like her voice. It isn't irritating with exaggeration, without an accent and very clear in how she delivered the story.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The story is actually very simple if you summarized the plot but the author was able to tell the story in a very captivating way. She made the characters actions and reactions to situations, express their thoughts that make you relate to them in a very real way. It's not mushy and make you think about your own life. I heard myself laugh in some of the situations but, mostly, touched me a lot of times, especially when Emily visited her departed mother in the cemetery on Christmas Day.

Any additional comments?

I thought I will not enjoy the story on the first few chapters because initially it was a bit dragging but at the end of it, I realized it was the right pace and the author has turned a very simple story into something truly special and poignant because she has written it in a very real way. Highly recommend it.

Good but a bit Sad at times

Yeah, this was a bit of a sad story. I did like it. Did it keep me on the edge of my seat, no, but I liked the narrator a lot and did enjoy it.

Pretty good

I had listened to the teen books by Julie and loved them! I usually listen to teen books. I did like this book and listened to the end, but it did not have the wow factor like the other books of hers I have read. maybe I just need to stick to my typical YA/teen books.