Review: Not "inspiring" at all
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 02 26, 2014
There were so many inconsistencies, problems with the time line, inane banter, unlikely events - I just have trouble giving any credibility to this book at all.Melanie is 65 at the start of the book, has her 66th birthday during the year the story is supposed to cover.  In the early pages, she and Lois are talking about the email from an old classmate Melanie doesn't even remember, and they mention their 50th class reunion is going to be next June, so she will have a whole year to think about him.  So she is 66 at her 50th reunion, meaning she was 16 when she graduated from high school?  There is mention of Mark being a bright student, and being in a class with older students, but the same wasn't said about Melanie.Her daughter, Meaghan, proudly announces that her husband has a transfer to NASA, and they are moving to Florida - Delray Beach, specifically, right up the road from Boca.  Well that part is true, but NASA basically operated around Cape Canaveral, which is NOT close to Delray.She is a Cardiac nurse - lightly touched on, but still was able to afford 3 major trips, including one to Paris, during this one year, and seemed to pick up and go when the mood or opportunity for another clandestine meeting struck.I understand what the author's objective was for the story, but It was all just too improbable.  The frequent mention of how perfect Melanie looks, how she turns heads, is in perfect shape, beautiful skin, hair, skin, etc. keeps 90% of women in that decade of life from relating to her.  Lenny was described in a negative manner, therefore making the whole thing become very shallow, and ego driven.  The author attempts to show that Melanie and Mark are a "true love", apparently justifying their adultery.  But they were victims of lust first, and frankly, I never saw the solid relationship build beyond lust, and the lavish lifestyle.  These circumstances do not inspire me in any way at all.  As a matter of fact, if you pay careful attention, you see where her efforts at impressing Mark also had a positive effect on Lenny, yet she would not give him the honor and respect of putting as much into her marriage as she did into her affair.Sorry - but I cannot recommend this for anyone.  I found it more depressing than inspiring.