The {Re}Model Marriage

by Maria Hoagland

[sstaley]

This was such a wonderful and fulfilling read. It made you think, laugh, cry and feel very happy.

There were so many times as I read about main characters Jamie and Kirk I wondered if they would really be able to save their marriage. Through the years their old house has been falling apart, and to their dismay their marriage had been decaying too. With their only child getting ready to graduate from high school, Jamie felt like she had no life and had given her all the past eighteen years to her child. She didn't know who she was supposed to be now. Kirk felt that Jamie didn't love him anymore and wanted out of the marriage. The lacking communication and mixed signals they gave one another only managed to widen the divide between the couple. They would start working on their house to get it ready to sell, and they'd divorce when their daughter Kerrigan graduated and left home.

The heart of the story was in the house and how Jamie and Kirk found each other again as they worked on rebuilding their home. Through this process they also found the love that had been lost the past twenty or so years. There were hidden secrets within the house that worked as magic to help this process move along. It was fun to read about all of the changes they made in the renovation of their home, but it was equally satisfying to see the changes that the couple made within themselves.

There is a subplot about a fertility clinic that I won't get into, but it is one that brought some stress to the couple. I wish that this plot device had fully been resolved so they had known the truth. I know that Jamie, Kirk and Kerrigan decided against investigating the truth, but personally I wouldn't be able to rest unless I knew. My favorite part of the story had to do with love letters and I won't say anymore so as not to spoil the wonder and surprise when they appear in the story.

This novel was a fast read and has characters that your heart will ache and cheer for from the beginning. It's well written and will make you think about your own life, marriage, and family. The author doesn't shy away from real life happenings, but this adds to the authenticity of the plot. This women's fiction/romance is one you will want to put on your reading list for your Spring reading