THE SECRET LIVES OF WIVES Women Share What It Really Takes to Stay Married

Sounding mature and comfortable with who she is, Bernadette Dunne narrates this enlightening collection of interviews. Her voice is worldly but not condescending, and her empathetic interpretations of poignant quotes are well nuanced. The stories, selected from interviews with more than 200 women, show how at various stages of life each one came to understand who her husband is and is not, what she can expect and not expect from him. Coping strategies ranged from having affairs to connecting with friends or abandoned childhood passions; the open-minded author never judges. Her understated message is to individuate but not detach and to initiate honest communication when issues become intolerable. It’s eye-opening advice that a reliable romantic partnership is important but shouldn’t be the primary source of a woman’s happiness and fulfillment. T.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2011]