GONE by Cathi Hanauer

Oh, how I loved this book! Eve Adams is a forty two-year old woman struggling to maintain the balance between home and work; her husband Eric, a once-brilliant sculptor, has lost his muse and, consequently, the ability to support his family. To help make ends meet, Eve has embarked on a career as a freelance nutritionist following the success of her recently published book on health and weight loss.  Feeling more and more superfluous with each day that passes, Eric leaves to take the babysitter home one night and just doesn’t come home. Blindsided, Eve must figure out where he has gone and why without damaging him in the eyes of their two children, especially their capricious fourteen-year old daughter.

Told from the points of view of both Eve and Eric, Gone deals with a range of contemporary issues, including health and fitness, the meaning of art, survival in a faltering economy, the challenge of raising teenagers, and marriage and fidelity. It is a realistic portrait of two complex human beings; as a single woman who often feels like I am simply playing the best hand I can with the cards life deals me, I could relate very well to Eve and her thoughts, feelings and decisions. This book kept me up late at night turning the pages all the way until the highly satisfying conclusion. Very highly recommended!

NOTE: I received a copy of this book for FREE from the publisher, Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., in exchange for a written review. There was no expectation that this review be either positive or negative, and I was not given any financial compensation to read the book or write the review. This information is disclosed in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 [...] Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.