Split-Level is an entertaining and bittersweet story of a marriage coming apart in suburban New Jersey in the 1970's. Alex Pearl is married to Donny. Donny resents working at his father's lingerie business, and thinks he deserves more. Alex knows Donny is untrustworthy, but this at a time when men are expected to stray, and women are expected to put up with it.
Donny starts pushing for an open marriage with no understanding of the consequences. Alex has to learn to trust her own wants and needs. When they meet Paula and Charlie Bell, it seems like manna from heaven for Donny but he cannot plan for what happens when real life gets messy, and his wife stops being in thrall to him. Four stars.

Split-Level captured my attention because of the way it's written. It's from the point of view of Alex Pearl, a housewife whose relationship with her husband is turbulent at best. Although it is a little slow paced, I didn't mind spending the time with Alex's thoughts. It's extremely well-written. I didn't live through the 70s, but I could vividly picture every moment with the minute details that add just the right amount of description. It has a small number of characters and they leave strong impressions. These are the characters that you get to know deeply and understand on some level, even to the point where you can see what decisions they'll make before it's revealed.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a peek at a complicated relationship written with beautiful prose. It was a quick read and the ending was extremely satisfying.

Split-Level, set in my favorite decade promised to be an interesting romp through 1970s married life. Unfortunately, I had to put this book down after 31%, as it was merely a slow narrative of some things that happened. I was looking for a story-line of some nature, but was disappointed. Thank you, NetGalley for allowing me to give it a try - I just couldn't do this one.

Also, I would highly recommend a cover change - we '70s girls really looked better than that.

Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals...
--Anais Nin

This was such an interesting, captivating read...one I won't quickly forget. The emotional upheaval it caused almost made me feel like an angsty teenager in high school. Come on, don't play coy--you know exactly what I mean. Those moments when everything felt so very important and life-altering. Those moments when you felt your emotions so deeply and intensely. Those moments when you just knew your life was ruined because of some guy/girl/friend/lover/parent/teacher.

Split-Level brings all those feelings (and more) to the surface. I can't say it was an enjoyable read because frankly, I actually felt dreadfully uncomfortable reading certain sections. I kept thinking to myself, "Why are you doing this? Why are you allowing him to do this? What good could possibly come from this?" Yet the book kept chugging along, satisfyingly engrossing, while the characters kept making one poor decision after another.

Normally...the characters' actions would have ruined the book for me...but, because this was set in the 70s (which I loved), it absolutely worked. Attitudes were different then. Life was different then. Marriages were different then. Having said that, I felt intense dislike for Donny, his parents, Paula...even poor Rona. And while I found many of Alex's thoughts and choices to be ridiculous, I found myself understanding her at the same time.

I guess, what I'm trying to say with this long, rambling review thus far...the writing is fantastic.

This is a slow-burning, very character driven novel, told strictly in first person by our protagonist, Alex (short for Alexandria). Set in an affluent New Jersey community, the entire cast is complex and flawed--maybe even dysfunctional?

I'd recommend this to any reader who enjoys a thought-provoking novel, and appreciates the blatantly honest dissection of marriage.

**Thanks to NetGalley, She Writes Press, and Sande Boritz Berger for the ARC.

Alex Pearl is a Jewish housewife of the 1970’s. I was married and raising children in the 70’s, so I was able to relate to Alex and her story. A conflicted women searching for an identity. I found Alex and her story to be realistic. I enjoyed this novel, , good story line, well developed characters. Thanks for my advanced copy.

What makes a book “wow, what an amazing story! You have to read this!” For me, it can be an unforgettable character, a page-turning thriller, or a creative non-fiction that teaches me something new. Then there are those special books that delight me because of the writing- the fresh way the author chooses each word, unexpected, new and keenly correct. Words that open me up to both old memories and new feelings and thoughts. This is such a book- a story where word gems create a treasure chest of riches for the reader. this book is good on so many levels.

Alex, short for Alexandra, tells us her story in the first person. The way she thinks and shares her life is similar to her artwork- filled with carefully selected details that both charm and alarm us. The 1970’s, a time of swift cultural changes, is when we meet Alex in suburban New Jersey as she deals with the day-to-day of her married-with-two-kids life. Will an unexpected phone call disrupt everything?

The title of this book got me thinking. A split-level reminds me of the Brady Bunch house- happy kids, happy wife, happy life. This doesn’t seem to describe the real life of Alex. As Alex shares her past and copes with her runaway present, I could see that there were many ways that Alex was “split”. She is a daughter, wife, mother, friend, Jewish woman. She is split by her roles and she is split by her feelings and her desires. Will she split from her marriage? Will she put herself back together?

I don’t mean to make this story sound too heavy. As I read it, I was laughing, entertained and captivated. Alex’s words and observations are so creative and unexpected. One humorous scene is when Alex recalls meeting her husband’s parents for the first time. Her husband works in the family women’s foundations business. As Alex is introduced, her husband and father immediately remark on her bra cup size. That’s what they do! So funny! Or is it?

Yes, there are many layers to this story and much to ponder. Highly recommend.

I received a digital review copy, thanks to NetGalley and She Writes Press. This is my honest review.

A great nostalgic read. Although before my time, the book and setting were so well written that I felt like I was there. A good story, looking at family dynamics.

This was a good, quick read with some fun 1970's nostalgia. The author touched on the popular trends of couples retreats to strengthen relationships and "swinging" parties to swap spouses.
The characters and dialogue was realistic - I grew up in NJ & NY around that time period, so I can attest to that.
It was interesting to see how the protagonist grew from a young newly wed and matured into an independent woman in the '70's.
Overall, it was a good book, but I couldn't help thinking that if she had a real job instead of painting t shirts when she felt like it, she might have had a better perspective on her life and perhaps would have matured a little sooner.
Also, I don't want to give anything away, but the outcome of the spouse swapping seemed pretty unbelievable to me, but it was a fun read.

Incredibly slow-paced, I waited for something to jump and, unfortunately, this book left me unsatisfied. Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this story.

A well written book that is full of interesting reflections and with a dysfunctional cast of characters.
Even if I liked the style of writing and the plot I didn't feel connected to any of the characters that were not really likable.
It's an interesting read.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Linda's Book Obsession Reviews "Split Level" by Sande Boritz Berger, She Writes Press, May 2019

Sande Boritz Berger , Author of "Split-Level" has written a unique, thought-provoking and entertaining novel. The Genres for this Novel are Fiction and Women's Fiction. The timeline for this story is in the 1970s after Nixon was President. The story takes place mostly in an affluent community in New Jersey. The author describes her dysfunctional cast of characters as complex and complicated.

This is a Novel that questions what marriage should be. Alex Pearl will soon be thirty, has two young children, is very artistic, and seems to have it all. She has a family, a beautiful house, yet there are certain questions that are bothering her. Somehow, she has doubts about her husband Donny.  After a certain incident, Alex insists that she and Donny go to a Marriage Encounter of sorts. It appears that  Donny is obsessed with the idea of more of an open marriage. Alex is conflicted what she wants.

I appreciate that the author discusses the concept of marriage, communication, honesty. family, friends, love, and hope. The author also mentions the use of alcohol and drugs, which seems to play a part in decision-making. When is it time to grow up and take responsibility? What happens if you try to change tradition? I would recommend this novel to readers who enjoy a though-provoking novel.

What I liked best about this novel was the early 1970s setting. But aside from a few random mentions of Tab and Fresca, the venue could have been in any decade of the last forty years. Alex is a housewife who is dissatisfied in her marriage. She and her husband decide to swap partners with another married couple and something very significant happens to change the dynamics of their arrangement. Although I read this book very quickly, I didn't really care for any of the characters. They all seem very self absorbed and uncaring about the consequences of their actions. I liked the two Pearl girls the best.