I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

2.5* rounded down.

One of the more bizarre books I have ever read; the narrative consists of an account of (many many) marriage counselling sessions for Gretchen and Steve, with asides from their counsellor Sandy. Steve and Gretchen are unlikeable and serially unfaithful to one another; Sandy is slightly less unlikeable.

Short and well-written, but I just didn't really care about the characters.

Fascinating read about a couple undergoing marriage counseling. The story is told from the perspective of the therapist and what she observes about each of her clients. Great read for ANYONE has been married! Loved it.

Although I thought it was a fabulous premise, this book didn't thrill me. Drawn out, it just seemed forced.
Thanks to author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free, it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

3 1/2 stars

Gretchen and Steve are separating. He's had an affair. They have two children and are both successful in their demanding careers (he recently made partner, she just received tenure).

This book is unique in that it explores their marriage in crisis. Over 10 months, they are in counseling. The entire novel takes place in their counselor's office. It's brutal. It's honest. It's heartbreaking.

It was hard for me to connect with Gretchen and Steve in this format. I appreciated how each one of them shed their layers as they worked through their problems and attempted to figure out what their next steps were going to be. However, I didn't quite feel I got an accurate picture because I was reading about certain events after the fact and only getting what they wanted to reveal to their counselor. On the other hand, sometimes you could feel their pain as they processed betrayal from the other partner. I also appreciated that the author gave us glimpses into the thoughts of the counselor as well. She plays a huge role in the story as she pulls things from the characters that they might not want to reveal. All in all, this book is worth reading to get an honest glimpse as two people try to figure out what they want from their marriage and if it's worth saving. Thank you to NetGalley Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.