The Home for Broken Hearts
is about a middle-aged British widow who, in order to make ends meet, turns her home into a boarding house. She takes in three tenants: an elderly woman who writes bodice-buster romances, a young woman banker who works with her sister, and who is separated from her husband because she caught him writing love letters to an old flame and a man who writes a column about sexual conquests for a porno magazine.
is about a middle-aged British widow who, in order to make ends meet, turns her home into a boarding house. She takes in three tenants: an elderly woman who writes bodice-buster romances, a young woman banker who works with her sister, and who is separated from her husband because she caught him writing love letters to an old flame and a man who writes a column about sexual conquests for a porno magazine. Ellen is devastated by her husband's death and as the first anniversary approaches she learns that his life insurance isn't going to pay and that she is going to have to make it on her own financially. However, she hasn't worked since before their twelve year old son was born. It doesn't take long for the reader to suspect something is wrong with Ellen and/or her memories of her marriage, and it turns out there were real problems, problems Ellen learns about along with the reader.
In a lot of ways, this book is about fantasy vs. reality. Ellen ends up as the author's assistant, and as we know, bodice-buster romances cater to women's sexual fantasies. Of course the columnist caters to men's sexual fantasies. Reality, of course, is like neither one, and in the course of the story, the characters learn that while real life is messy, it is preferable to a fantasy.
I learned about this book by reading Mailbox Monday posts and was able to find it at my library.
Broken Hearts sounds like a great book - I'll have to grab a copy. Thanks for stopping by my blog and to answer your question I've tried the glass cleaner so far and it works just as well and it's just vinegar and water! Cool, right? :)
ReplyDeleteI really loved this book, too...I was frustrated at how Ellen allowed her husband to change her into someone else along the way...
ReplyDeleteBut I also enjoyed how she gradually came to know who she really is.