Her by Laura Zigman

Her
by Laura Zigman
Pub. Date: July 2002
Genre: Fiction
210pp

Synopsis from BN.com:
Elise meets Donald on a flight to Washington, D.C., where he teaches and she edits self-help books. He is dreamy: 6’6” with unflinching green eyes and a proclivity for speaking frankly. Incredibly, they fall in love, get engaged, and start discussing wedding invitations. And then Elise meets her—Adrienne—Donald’s stunning, leggy ex-fiancée. Adrienne is newly single and planning a move to D.C. Cleavage-baring, half-French, and with a degree from Yale, she seduces men with one flick of her hair. Worst of all, she and Donald have remained “good friends” since they broke up. Convinced that Adrienne is out to win Donald back, Elise begins stalking both of them obsessively . . . and starts adding up clues to what looks like a brazen affair.

Why I Picked It:
I read Piece of Work last year, and enjoyed how much I related to her characters. One day I was wandering a bargain book store with the kids, and saw this one. It cost $1 so I bought it.

My Review:
Totally supposed to be reading Dead Lucky for the local book club I found. But it's just going soooo slow. Like reading a really boring man's journal. I'm hoping it picks up soon. Anyway, Dead Lucky was (oh darn) upstairs, I was downstairs, and the kids were playing nicely. I desperately wanted something to read so I could avoid the mess the kids had been making.

From page one I was totally sucked into the intensity of the jealous insanity of the main character. Donald has given Elise absolutely no reason to be jealous unless simply mentioning someone is reason enough. For Elise, apparently, that's all it takes. From her very first sleepover at Donald's place, she starts rooting around looking for "evidence", finding pictures and then the real obsessive behavior begins.

I admit to wondering about people my husband has been with in the past (don't we all?), but, come on, he married ME. I win! So the hilarious lengths that Elise goes to to measure up, to "compete", to catch Donald and Adrienne in the act of having the affair she is sure is happening is way over the top, and yet I completely laughed at her felt sympathetic to her neuroses.

It's a quick, entertaining, sometimes laugh out loud hilarious read. Perfect as a beach/backyard/curl up on the couch summertime read. Just what I needed. Now (ugh) back to Dead Lucky.