The Other Woman

By: Jane Green

Narrated by: Josephine Bailey

Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

If opposites attract, Ellie and Dan are perfect for each other. She's impulsive; he follows all the rules. Ellie is a virtual orphan, whereas Dan's family is as close-knit as they come. At first, Ellie is thrilled to be accepted into the Cooper clan and embraces Dan's mom, Linda, as the mother she never had...until she begins to realize that Linda's "mothering" is far more intrusive than even the best daughter-in-law can handle. What can Dan and his mother possibly have to talk about on the phone twice a day? And how has the intimate civil ceremony Ellie always dreamed of turned into a black-tie affair that would rival a royal wedding? Suddenly, Ellie finds herself wondering if it's possible to get an annulment from Linda.

A hilarious yet touching look at mothers-in-law and what they teach us about ourselves, The Other Woman is a brilliant hit from a novelist whose star just continues to rise.

©2004 Jane Green (P)2005 Penguin Audio and Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Un-put-down-able.” (Cosmopolitan)

“A warm bath of a novel that draws you in...Green’s sympathetic portrayals - resonate.” (USA Today)

 “A smart, complex, character-driven read.” (The Washington Post)

Not Green's best

I've read most of Jane Green's novels and this one isn't as good as the others. The main character is a little too ridiculous. Green's ability to make her quirky characters lovable despite their faults is what makes her novels so wonderful and entertaining. In this one however, the main character is a little irritating. Her judgementalness often comes across as petty and very selfish. I like Green's work enough to stick with this to the end, but I was looking forward to it being over.

A Host of Unlikeable Characters

This book was a little confusing in that none of the main characters were likeable. Although, the beginning of the story rang true. The reader can easily imagine how the main character's back ground attracted her to this particular man and his seemingly perfect family. It seems authentic. In the beginning you sympathize with the main character's point of view, only to have her turn sort of ugly. Maybe the author is trying to illustrate that we all have our faults, but I find myself distracted by the fact that everyone is a little annoying in one way or another.

Still, someone with mother-in-law troubles may find some comfort in this one.

The all important narration is pretty good on this one, but took some getting used to. The accent seemed a little formal maybe?

Hard to listen to

This was a mistake for me to purchase so soon after losing my own mother-in-law to cancer. The relationship in the story was so ugly at times, and there was no clear person to root for, that it became frustrating at times. While I was blessed with a good relationship with my mother-in-law, this story perpetuated the ugly stigmas attached to most in-laws. While I try never to regret a book that I might not enjoy, assuming I can appreciate something about each one of them, I was relieved when this one finally ended.

ZZZZzzzzzzz!

Did Jane Green's editor go on vacation? Three quarters of this book needed to be deleted. That poor narrator --she must have been bored to tears! Aside from the length, unnecesary detail, and general dullness of the book, it had one major flaw: the protagonist is unlikable. She is juvenile and petty and every lesson she learns is something any thirteen-year old is figuring out. I enjoyed Jemima J. but I do not recommend this one.

left a lot to be desired

I am a huge fan of Jane Green. i feel in love with Jemima J. and i have listened to both this book and To Have and To Hold. i think this book jumped around a lot. you do feel her frustrations but sometimes it is hard to follow with all the different friends and family memembers. and this audio book is L O N G. if it is offereed in the abridged version i would recomend that. i found myself just waiting for it to be over so i could move on to the next audio book. not a good sign.

good, but lacked direction at times.

A good book to listen to... especially if you're bored. It's the story of a women's search for the happy family she was deprived of as a girl. The middle section, the family/friend crisis, lacked direction at times. It has a cute ending though. Probably most enjoyable for young women.

Enjoyable listen!

The story line, the narrator, and the characters were wonderful in this book. You couldn't help but love them all. This book has a well developed plot and quirky and lovable characters who you can't but help to relate to. Anyone, single or married with children will enjoy this light and fresh story. Jane Green is an incredible author!

Great Listen

This book was engaging from the first moment. The narration was great and the story kept me involved. I highly recommend it- touched me as a mother, wife and friend.

Enjoyed

Great story however Ellie did her on my nerves at times. Author did a great job with the detailing of each character at the end.

Excellent !!

What made the experience of listening to The Other Woman the most enjoyable?

Good story and excellent narration.

What other book might you compare The Other Woman to and why?

Cannot recall an actual comparison, but the author's writing style is similiar to Joanna Trollope's "Other People's Children."

Which character – as performed by Josephine Bailey – was your favorite?

Ellie.

If you could rename The Other Woman, what would you call it?

"Living With A Mama's Boy" ??

Any additional comments?

This was a thoroughly enjoyable audiobook, but from beginning to end this listerner was astonished over Ellie's attraction to Dan - apart from worshiping his mother, he displayed no emotion and possessed virtually no personality.