Tom Perrotta is a prolific author who thinks a lot about identity and it becomes the subject for most of his books. “Mrs. Fletcher” continues in that vein. Identity seems to be a subject much written about these days and I admit that I’ve grown a little tired of it all. My over-stuffed mind is mainly unimpressed with this latest effort, although Perrotta tries his best to free my narrow mind.

Eve Fletcher, a forty-six-year-old divorcee, is struggling to get her life in order as her precious son leaves for college. Most things about the departure trouble her and she piles on every other misfortune in her life to make it even more intense. Brendon, the object of her affection, starts his college life okay but he’s more interested in fun and games than he is in school. The rowdy life he expected rapidly becomes ordinary and mundane and he becomes disoriented about his life, as does his mother.

The story is told from both Mrs. Fletcher’s and Brandon viewpoint and eventually the two situations collide without many fireworks. It’s almost as if no one cares. The story is indeed sharp, witty, and provocative, as the blurbs proclaim, but it is also a well used one with nothing new to stir it up. Characters abound. Self-examination runs rampant. Sexual situations are bountiful. Mrs. Fletcher’s attraction to online porn is as disturbing as Brendon’s lack of focus and inability to catch on at college. Both plights seem contrived and unrealistic.

So I’m left to come up with a rating and a reason I finished the book. Sorry to say I don’t have an answer and only a pitiful two-star opinion. Perrotta is a good enough writer to keep me in his story but, after finishing it, I am largely lacking for any high praise.

This has been the most enjoyable novel of the summer so far. Great for a beach read. Great for stressed out moms who need a night off. The writing was good, great in some parts. It felt real.

This was a fun and fast read. Mrs. Fletcher is a 46 year old divorced mother. Her son Brendan has just left to go to college and she's alone for the first time. When she gets a lewd text on her phone, she starts checking out porn on a daily basis. By day she's the Director of a seniors center, and takes a course at the local community college. Here she meets some new people who figure in her life for the next few months.

Brandon is excited to get away to college and intends to party to the fullest. He and his roommate are ideally matched, drinking and smoking dope and playing video games and rarely attending classes. But when he meets a pretty girl named Angela, he starts to become disillusioned with the party lifestyle.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy.

I gave up on this without finishing it. Sorry, but I'm not interested in being inside a teenage dudebro's head. Yuck.

Tom Perrotta always makes me think with the books he writes, and this book is no different. The speed at which I read a book tells a lot about the book. This book I read quickly, because it was hard to put down. The book focuses on sexuality, sex, and how the choices you make may shape your life and relationships in unexpected ways. The main characters are a Mother, Eve Fletcher and her son, Brendan. Most of heir stories are told as the book shifts back and forth from their perspectives. The son heads off to college and learns a huge lesson about how to behave with women... or how not to behave. Meanwhile, Mom is spreading her wings, so her empty nest is not as empty, by taking a class at the community college on gender. Her class begins to enhance her social circle a bit, and it helps her to try something different at her senior center, where she is the director. This book is both comical and sad. Most importantly, it opened my mind to think about topics that are tremendous in today's changing society.

The cover of this book is deceiving. If we were to literally judge a book by it's cover, Mrs Fletcher would come off as just another 'chick lit' type novel to read on the beach. What Mrs Fletcher actually is, is a smart look at how someone grows and how attitudes and beliefs change.

Tom Perrotta is a well respected writer with hits such as Election, The Leftovers and Little Children. His writing draws readers in. Mrs Fletcher is no exception. We follow Eve, a divorcee on the cusp of a change. Her only child is leaving for college and she's going to be along for the first time in many, many years.

The cast of characters covers the spectrum. Eve, her son Brendan, Amanda, Julian and Margo. We follow this enlightening year in Eve's life. This isn't a book for someone looking for straight up smut. This isn't a book for someone looking for conventional romance. This is a book about loving yourself.

Thanks to NetGalley, Tom Perrotta and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for this review.

I've read a couple of Tom Perrotta books, so I was excited about this one. I wanted to enjoy the book, but was bothered by the pornography aspect. The book really wasn't for me.

I really liked this book! It's written in alternating chapters, one from Mrs. Fletcher as an empty-nester alone at home then one from her son Brendan away at college. They are both having experiences neither one expected nor could imagine of one other. I have a son in college, and I have a feeling some of the college scenes Tom Perrota describes might be uncomfortably close to my son's experiences.

Mrs. Eve Fletcher, a divorced mom and director of a senior center, takes her son to college and experiences a lot of loneliness. She turns to porn, specifically MILF porn, for boredom relief. She also enrolls in a gender equality class to get out of the house and meet new people. Eve has a young woman assistant named Amanda who is covered in tattoos but having regrets about her life choices.

At the same time, her son Brendan is off at college partying, meeting new people, and trying to find his way. He's a stereotypical frat bro, and thinks that college will be one long party with a lot of sex in between a few classes. As the book progresses, he discovers that maybe college isn't all he thought it would be.

There are a lot of very funny scenes in this book. If you're easily offended by sex and drugs, its not for you. The characters are rich and well drawn, and the plot moves along swiftly. The ending wraps up in an unexpected but ultimately satisfying way.

I recommend this book, it's a great read and a real eye opener!

“Birthdays, holidays, weddings, graduations, funerals – they were all too loaded with expectations, and the important people in her life rarely acted the way they were supposed to.”

The above quote could be true for any of us and the people in our lives. Things never seem to go just as we expect them to. The story begins with Eve and the last day with her son before he leaves for college. 46, divorcee and her only child is flying the coop leaving her to herself and just what the heck is she going to do with that ‘self’? Who is that self when she isn’t mother? Apparently, she is a total MILF, according to a text message. Her life feels stagnant, what is more dusty and depressing than working as an Executive Director for a senior center, how is someone her age to feel taking college classes surrounded by fresh young students? But not everyone finds her crusty and old, not by far. That the class she is taking is taught by a transgender professor takes this novel to even stranger territory but it works! How does Eve become addicted to MILFateria.com, a porn site dedicated to the erotic side of middle aged women? Well you have to read, because before long these ‘fantasies’ become more reality. Eve is going to explore and re-discover she is still a sexual being. Some of these moments are downright embarrassing, as she seems to read signals wrong and later feels shame for letting her freak flag fly. Some people will be terribly embarrassed by her sexuality, it has something to do with how we see mothers, I think. Old women (which at 41 and a mother of college aged young adults I suppose I now am) aren’t supposed to be sexual creatures, right? Something to question there, I think.

Brendan is waking up to the real world while at college, discovering it’s not going to be all wild times, the days of partying hard, discarding girls and acting like a general pig isn’t going to work anymore. Times they are changing and this isn’t the college experience he hungered for. He is the sort of guy we warn our daughters about, the ones we regret ever being attracted to. The reader is privy to his attitude early on when Eve overhears a sexual encounter between him and his current (maybe ex) girlfriend.

With a full of cast characters, as his novels always are, no one exposes all the things we don’t want others to know about ourselves quite like Perrotta. My favorite novel by him is still Little Children because damn if everyone isn’t a wreck. It’s strangely comforting to realize that inside, the majority are sloppy and disturbed. I personally loved Eve’s thoughts when her ex and his new woman have a child with Autism, because her initial feeling is so ugly, petty… human. It’s such a small moment in the novel but yes, I imagine that is exactly the sort of reaction many burned women would have.

This porn site is really confusing her, and to make things more complicated a 19 year old boy, a kid her own son went to school with is hot for her. For a lonely woman, the temptation is such a taboo (forget that men have been hooking up just in this very way since the dawn of time) and yet… “His desire- the simple fact of it- exerted a kind of gravity on her that she hadn’t anticipated, and found surprisingly difficult to resist.” Will she or won’t she? Hmmmmm…… Some people are going to stop reading once they touch on the sexuality. It just makes some people incredibly uncomfortable and hey, that’s okay. I can’t fathom being remotely attracted to ‘boys’ my children’s age, yeah they’re adults at 18 but that’s a flimsy argument. But that’s me. She explores an attraction to a woman too. Yet it’s a provocative subject and that a man has taken a woman and written from her ‘sexual’ perspective makes the novel that much more interesting. More so with her being middle aged, not such an easy character for a man to possess. We women are complicated, darn it we are! So how did he get into the female psyche? I do not relate to her mess, per say but I could easily get into her head and understand why she is doing everything she is. I think this book is more an exploration on sexuality than some big moving metamorphosis. I didn’t love it, but I wanted to see where Eve would end up. Brendan is a bit of a depressing character, because if he represents all young men of this current generation, then lock up your daughters.

I couldn’t help but laugh at Eve’s desire/repulsion for Julian- because it’s so ridiculous and yet, how come it’s not seen as such when the sexes are reversed? There were parts of the novel that pulled me in and yet, I felt equally disinterested in others. It was always humorous, but I didn’t particularly like anyone. He writes the hell out of characters, that cannot be denied. I think I wanted more story, and it sometimes felt more about being taboo with too much thrown in. It’s still good just not quite what I like to read. Eve isn’t so shocking, which is hard to believe for some. The world is full of all sorts of sexual proclivities that would disturb others, she is just a woman who is suddenly alone and ill defined in herself. In fact, her son is more of a shock than anything she can get up to. What people decide to do behind closed doors… well, I am far more offended by his disgusting behavior towards women.

With the subject of the transgender character… I wonder how differently people will read this book say… 15 years from now. I won’t reveal much more about this novel, there are deeper reviews on goodreads and with this book not out until August, I don’t want to spoil anything. This book is one for the adults.

Publication Date: August 1, 2017

Scribner

I adore Tom Perrotta. I have enjoyed many of his earlier books, and his plotlines are often completely warped (in the best possible way). Indeed, the more off-kilter the story, the better I tend to like them. Which leads me to the current book. I enjoyed the read, certainly. And the characters give the reader plenty to chew on and consider. However, the underlying story of a middle-aged, divorcee, empty nester trying to find her way, is a little banal. Not my favorite Perotta, but still a recommended summer read. Release date August 1, 2017.

I received an advanced copy of this novel from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!

Great book, easy read… Held my attention and was sad to see it end. Thanks for the opportunity to read it!

Nearly didn't get past the first page but i am so glad i did! This was hilarious from start to finish!!

Oh how I've missed Tom Perotta. Having been a fan since picking up Little Children and being unable to put it down and then quickly reading every other novel he's written, I was anticipating Mrs. Fletcher quite a bit. I'm happy to say I wasn't the slightest bit disappointed. I read the book in less than 12 hours. I recommend it highly.

I've always loved Perrotta's novels and this one is no exception! Divorced mother, Eve has just dropped her son, Brendan off at college and has no idea what to do with her life. But a new world opens up as she enrolls in a Gender and Society class at the local community college and sees many sides of culture she has never seen before. Secretly visiting a digital porn site at night, unspoken possibilities open up to her and she begins to explore friendship and relationships foreign to her. Perrotta's often understated prose and humor speaks to marriage and family, newly-recognized gender roles, and as always, the ways our daily lives can come into conflict with societal mores.

Perrotta has a knack for displaying the crux of real life. His characters always have a deep emotional side which maintains the drama and interest. The stories are never too outlandish or unbelievable. I can't recommend his work enough. Another great read. Highly recommended!!!

Tom Perrotta is one of my favorite contemporary authors. Mrs. Fletcher further cements that placement. The tale of one woman's singular foray into navigating her newly "empty nest," Mrs. Fletcher vibrates with humanity. Even what should be by all rights a detestable college bro is ultimately truly sympathetic. Loneliness&the right to happiness however ridiculous that may look from the outside play central themes.

Mrs. Fletcher is a character that many can relate too. She is a middle aged divorced mom of a teenage son. She becomes obsessed with internet porn sites and ends up hooking up with someone the same age as her own son. Its a witty read with many laugh-out loud moments. It was a fun enjoyable read!

I was halfway through the novel when I realised a story wasn’t on the cards. Not that that bothered me too much (though it did a bit) – Mrs Fletcher is all about the characters, reflecting contemporary middle-class American culture, all of which is written pretty well – but, like the only other Tom Perrotta novel I’ve read, Election, I was left wondering what the author was trying to say; what’s the point of this book?

Eve Fletcher is a 46 year-old divorcee dealing with life after her only son, stereotypical meathead jock Brendan, leaves home for college. She discovers porn and starts taking a class on sexuality at the local community college taught by a transgender woman, only to be pursued via text from an anonymous horndog who thinks she’s a total MILF. Meanwhile Brendan discovers college politics to be quite different from what he thought. Perrotta’s book follows these characters as they live their lives until a certain quota of pages is met and then the book just sorta peters out.

Perrotta is clearly a talented writer with a knack for skilfully touching on complex social issues like autism and transgenderism and portraying them empathetically and fairly. The characters, while not especially distinctive, are convincing for the most part but I did wonder where Eve’s attraction to women came from. She watches some girl-on-girl porn and suddenly she’s gay? Then towards the end she’s back to being straight. Er…

It’s because Perrotta’s such a capable writer that I wouldn’t say I was ever truly bored with the book but it’s such an aimless, meandering novel that I also found it easy to put down. The only point I could suss out was Perrotta’s observation that young men these days have a warped view of sex having grown up with online porn – Brendan and Julian, both 19, view women as objects and sex as scripted scenarios where they have to say things they’ve heard men in porn say. Other than that… eh. Nowt much happens, the characters go through some gentle, unremarkable changes and the novel ends. It's just weirdly banal - why write about these very specific things then?

Mrs. Fletcher is well-written, mildly entertaining in parts and it does feel very “now” in terms of the myriad sexuality issues occupying (too many) people’s attention today. But because it doesn’t have much of a story or anything unique or insightful to say about its subjects, ultimately it’s an unimpressive, forgettable read.