Great story telling of a widow in her sixties coping with family, forming friends into family, gathering people tO be extended family. A lot of self analysis, developement, reflection. Very much enjoyed her discussions and thoughts.

The Physics of Relationships’ weaves an intimate tale of loss, aging, and the complexities of female friendship. Set against the backdrop of Lexi’s later life stages, this book offers a thoughtful exploration of personal growth and renewal.

While the premise is highly relatable, particularly in its portrayal of an older woman’s voice and experiences, the execution was a mixed bag for me. The story offers profound observations on human nature and the absurdities of aging, punctuated with humor and warmth. However, at times, the narrative pace and depth lacked the engagement I was hoping for, leaving me somewhat disconnected from the characters’ journeys.

The interplay of three distinct personalities in a shared living space provides a fertile ground for both humor and tension. Lexi’s reflections on life and relationships add a layer of introspection to the narrative. Yet, despite these strengths, the book didn’t entirely resonate with me, possibly due to my expectations or personal reading preferences at the time.

Overall, ‘The Physics of Relationships’ is a commendable portrayal of the complexities of female relationships and the pursuit of fulfillment at any age. It’s a recommendable read for those who enjoy character-driven stories about life’s second acts.

While the narrative presented a sweet and engaging story with an important message about human connections, I couldn't help but feel a sense of disconnect throughout my reading experience. The plot had all the elements of a heartwarming tale, exploring the theme that being alone and feeling lonely is not necessarily the same. Despite my appreciation for the underlying message, I felt like something was missing. I found myself struggling to connect with the characters and their emotions.

Despite its shortcomings, the story still managed to weave moments of sweetness and charm.

Thank you to NetGalley and Guernica Editions for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I went into this novel with very high hopes. The summary was intriguing....I wish I could say the same about the actual story.

From another Goodreads reviewer:
"Lexi, the story's main character, is bland and very pragmatic in her train of thought despite being a MAJOR pushover! Lexi is in no way assertive and does not acclimate to change well.

Seriously, she allows her daughter, Tasha, to nearly bully her into allowing Danielle to move in temporarily just for Trisha to become absolutely pissed that Danielle "is overstaying her welcome" in Lexi's home (even though Lexi clearly states she's fine with Danielle staying with her for as long as necessary as the two grow closer).

Amy all but demands to move in after her spur-of-the-moment decision to separate from her husband. (PLOT TWIST the two reconcile and Amy moves back in with her husband).

I also have MAJOR complaints about the way the author wrote Tasha, Lexi's daughter. Early on in the book (Chapter 3, pages 23-24 to be exact), It's been made clear to Lexi that her daughter prefers to go by the name "Sage" (beautiful name, by the way) and uses they/their pronouns. However, Lexi refuses to accommodate her daughter's wishes because her daughter "doesn't understand how a sixty-three-year-old brain works." Yes, this is an actual quote from the book. It's no shocker her daughter keeps her at arm's distance."


I was expecting more from this novel. More emotions on display, more heartfelt stories. This wasn't that novel.

To be honest, I had SUCH high hopes for this book! The blurb seemed intriguing, entertaining, and a breath of fresh air. I wish I could say the same about this story.

Lexi, the story's main character, is bland and very pragmatic in her train of thought despite being a MAJOR pushover! Lexi is in no way assertive and does not acclimate to change well.

Seriously, she allows her daughter, Tasha, to nearly bully her into allowing Danielle to move in temporarily just for Trisha to become absolutely pissed that Danielle "is overstaying her welcome" in Lexi's home (even though Lexi clearly states she's fine with Danielle staying with her for as long as necessary as the two grow closer).

Amy all but demands to move in after her spur-of-the-moment decision to separate from her husband. (<b> PLOT TWIST the two reconcile and Amy moves back in with her husband).

I also have MAJOR complaints about the way the author wrote Tasha, Lexi's daughter. Early on in the book (Chapter 3, pages 23-24 to be exact), It's been made clear to Lexi that her daughter prefers to go by the name "Sage" (beautiful name, by the way) and uses they/their pronouns. However, Lexi refuses to accommodate her daughter's wishes because her daughter "doesn't understand how a sixty-three-year-old brain works." Yes, this is an actual quote from the book. It's no shocker her daughter keeps her at arm's distance.

I was expecting more in terms of heart-felt writing and deep emotions on display as these women grow closer. This book did not live up to that in the slightest.

The feel of the book and the way it's written makes it very clear that the author has predominately worked in the tech field in any way, shape, or form (as described in the author blurb). This book could have been so much better if the author took the time to go into detail about the intricacies of human emotions and relationships.

First of all thank you #netgalley for granting my request to read this book, I really appreciate it alot🥰.

Thoughts&opinions: When I started the book, I thought Lexi was a pushover, that maybe people were using her but in a world like this we need more kind people like her.

I loved how Lexi character was represented well infact all the characters in this book was represented well👍. I also loved how Lexi forgived Greg, how she did not take Amy away from her husband, how she bought people together and how she finally went for her dream.

How ever,I didn't like how the book was slow paced and did Greg and Lexi get together again?

Kudos to the Author👏 @Chas Halpern

Wonderfully done, easy read yet cerebral with character depth. I enjoyed the main character's way of deeply thinking through the bigger concepts triggered in daily events.

A very easy book to read. The story had a nice flow to it. Ultimately though I found it to be just okay. I didn't dislike anything in particular but I also didn't love anything in particular. It didn't move me, essentially. It was just a nice simple story about an older woman navigating loneliness and new relationship dynamics after the death of her husband and how she comes to terms with herself, her loneliness, ad her life. Fine story with fine writing and fine character development. Nothing spectacular. Just a nice solid story.

A beautiful and thought-provoking read about ageing, friendship, love, and loss. Exceptionally well-drawn and complex characters create a gently humourous read. The voice of the older women is rare in literature and the author captures it beautifully. Lots of astute observations, a very enjoyable read.

This book was a beautiful, reflective story about loss, friendship, growing older, adult family relationships and openness to new experiences.
The characters were very likable and easy to relate to. It’s rare to find a book that captures an older woman during this stage of life in her early sixties. Her wisdom, kindness and acceptance of others while navigating life was lovely to read. I enjoyed the honesty and deep conversations that took place with women of different ages and personalities. The writing style flowed with subtle humor and made me reflect long after I finished reading it. I highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley and Guernica Editions for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Physics of Relationships was a breath of fresh air with an older protagonist, a recent widow in her 60s. It was entertaining watching her, and the people in her life, as she reexamines her place in the world and the people around her after the death of her husband.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

"The Physics of Relationships" is the story of a sixty-year-old widow who cultivates a life largely by finding herself and her people. Halpern makes the connection that as gravity holds the world together by pushing and pulling, the narrator's kindness also draws the people within her orbit together and inexplicably closer. This seemingly gentle story of an older woman's life drew me in and I could not stop reading until the very last word. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. #ThePhysicsofRelationships #NetGalley

The Physics of Relationships
A Novel
by Chas Halpern
The description of this book sounded soooo good. I really wanted to read this. I sadly could not. When I downloaded it on my computer it did not download in PDF, and tried several ways to change it for Kindle. I am sure I would have loved it. I will have to wait for it to come out in print. Thank you for the chance to review.