The Longest Date

Life as a Wife

By: Cindy Chupack

Narrated by: Cindy Chupack, Ian Wallach

Length: 4 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

After having endured enough emotional wreckage in her search for true love to fill a book (The New York Times bestseller The Between Boyfriends Book), two magazine columns, and five seasons of scripts for Sex and the City, Cindy Chupack finally, mercifully, at the age of thirty-nine, met the Perfect Man.

He did not seem to Cindy like the Perfect Man. Ian, with his bad-boy ways, struck her as someone whom she absolutely did not want as a husband, but he soon proved his worth with wit, warmth, a series of spectacularly cooked meals, and a marriage proposal made on a beautiful beach, the prospective groom perched heroically on a white stallion.

Unable to resist the romance, Cindy married him and settled in contentedly for the long and gratifying happily ever after…or so she thought. Being a wife, Cindy discovers soon enough, is not so different from being a girlfriend, only now you have a permanent houseguest. Ian’s endearing quirks became impossible-to-ignore and slightly irksome habits; what was once charming adventurousness now seems like recklessness (just why was he rappelling down the side of a building on a garden hose?); and his impossibly big heart has space enough for an impossibly big dog, a St. Bernard that looks, as Cindy realizes once it has taken possession of her home, “like a person in a dog suit.” And then there’s all his stuff.

The Longest Date is the wonderfully funny, and ultimately, deeply moving story of a marriage, of the daily negotiations and accommodations about matters like cooking, holidays, space, money, and sex that every (newly or otherwise) wedded couple faces in the course of figuring out exactly who they are together and where they are headed. Cindy and Ian’s own ongoing courtship takes a surprising turn when they decide to have a baby — a plan that turns out to be far more complicated than they ever could have anticipated and that tests and strengthens their love for each other.

The perfect companion for anyone navigating a marriage (or even just contemplating one), The Longest Date marks the welcome return of one of our most gifted and captivating comic writers.

©2014 Cindy Chupack (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved. Recorded by arrangement with Viking, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, a Penguin Random House Company.

Heartwarming, honest, and funny.

Cindy is a refreshing voice for me. She's brutally honest and has an effortless sense of humor that made for an enjoyable listen. Would definitely recommend the audiobook version of this book. Her voice is pleasant and adds authenticity to her words. Listening to the book felt more "girlfriend sharing intimate stories with you" than "narrator speaking at you." Great.

More moving than I thought

Nice Story, funny And warm. Being a wife is a big Job, is nice to read from others in the same boat.

Witty and warm and wonderful

Why the negative reviews? I giggled all through this book until it enveloped me in warmth. Cindy is charming and witty and wonderful. And I'm just sad there's not another audible book by her that I can devour to feel connected and humored and a little more in love with life. It's a gold nugget.

Slow start, great finish

Big fan of Cindy's and enjoy her stories. I appreciate her raw, unfiltered honesty but there were some details in this book that were excessive and drawn out. (Like the snow machine)

It wasn't until the end of the book, just before Ian's letter, where the tone became more serious and authentic, allowing the reader to empathize with the family and the story being told.

Also, love when authors narrate their own books. It sets a true tone for how the book is intended to be read and understood.

The BEST book I have listened to!

What made the experience of listening to The Longest Date the most enjoyable?

The story was hilarious at points, touching at other times.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The main character, Cindy, was so relatable to what we have all been through.

What does Cindy Chupack and Ian Wallach bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

It was great hearing her read her own book - I love when authors read their own books.

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

I literally was laughing out loud at points. There were other points that I was crying as I was relating to the author. This was an amazingly well written book that brings the reader into the story.

Any additional comments?

I would STRONGLY recommend this book. I couldn't stop listening and wanted to turn it on at every free second I had. She is an amazing and talented writer (former Sex in the City writer) and writes about the real part of dating/marriage/trying to get pregnant. This was a fabulous book and I highly recommend it.

A nice read

Where does The Longest Date rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Certainly not at the top as I listen to many. It was a nice listen during my work commute.

Any additional comments?

Cindy is a good storyteller in both her writing and narration. It felt genuine and warm.

Glad I didn't listen to the bad reviews!

After reading other reviews, I almost didn't buy this book. I'm so glad I did anyways..it was great! If you like discussing relationships and you liked Carrie-type sex and the city articles/commentary, you'll like this book. My only complaint is that it was too short. To address some reviews that made me not want to listen to this: the narrator does not have a lisp and I really liked hearing her read how she meant it to be read. She does talk about her wonderful marriage, which is refreshing and put me in a good mood and made me think about things I like in my own husband. Would those readers prefer she complain nonstop? I laughed out loud at some parts, particularly when her husband wants her to get a breast reduction because of her witty comments and writing style.

Great listen!

If you could sum up The Longest Date in three words, what would they be?

Funny, heartwarming and ....er...good.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Longest Date?

Without giving it away she describes a very personal and tragic thing that happened to her and her husband while on their journey to becoming parents. Gripping.

Which scene was your favorite?

I liked the chapter titled Ian's page. Its actually narrated by her husband and is so honest. Loved it.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Her relationship with her dog Tink and how she became a dog person over time. So sweet.

Any additional comments?

It was more heartwarming than fumy but definitely worth the listen. I will probably listen to it again. I also love listening to books that are narrated by the author. This one is a treat!

Meh...

I found this book to be trite and outdated. Except for the heavier part about her unfortunate miscarriage, this book was closer to a Sex and The City spin off than I wanted. Cutsie, simplistic, and with a stuck-in-the-nineties mindset, this is a collection of short stories written by a rich lady in LA. I gave two stars for performance because her mouth made, well, a lot of noise. Lots of clammy smacking noises in her speaking, especially towards the beginning (or maybe I got used to it?). Anyway, a solid meh.

Not for me.

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I love books about women taking the plunge into marriage or contemplating babies, I thought I would be into this book. I was also a huge fan of Sex and the City and thought Cindy Chupack would be entertaining. This book annoyed me so badly that I reached a point where I decided I can't listen to the rest. First of all Cindy Chupack has a really irritating voice to listen to, and sounds like she has a speech impediment. Not to judge anyone with a lisp, but honestly, if you know you have this issue, hire someone to read your book! Secondly, the whole book is just her gushing about how perfect her husband is and how well they get along. It's boring, and the tale is not unique. Congrats on being in love Cindy. Not sure we needed a whole book about it....

How could the performance have been better?

Read by someone else.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Annoyance.