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thephdivabooks's review against another edition
4.0
I love to read debut novels by an author, because I find the reading of the book to be such a special experience. When I had a chance to read Leanne Tresse’s The Language of Divorce, I was so excited. The premise sounded right up my ally—two people who found themselves at what they perceived as a dead end in their marriage, going to extreme lengths to determine whether they can make it work. I was so delighted by this book! Beautifully authentic characters, quick chapters, and a well-rounded story made this a winning debut for Leanne Treese.
Hannah and Will Abbott have the perfect marriage. But behind closed doors they are unhappy. When suspicions of infidelity lead them both to seek legal support to terminate their marriage, things escalate quickly and Hannah obtains a court order to protect her two children. But an unlikely opportunity to worth through their divorce on television may lead them to decide whether they can work this out or whether it is best for all of them to separate.
This book could have gone two different ways based on the synopsis, in my opinion. The first would be a more salacious grab-your-popcorn type of read, and the second would be more of a deep study of a family and a relationship and all of the baggage and light that comes with that. The book is firmly in the latter category, and though I would have liked both, I thought this was the better way by far.
This work of contemporary fiction is lovely, with some interesting narrative techniques. The book (as mentioned in the synopsis) is narrated by several characters. Sometimes this can be messy because it can be hard to keep up with that many storylines. I didn’t feel that way at all in this book! Treese keeps the chapters relatively short, which allowed me to hear the different stories unfold in a way that kept my interest piqued and the pages turning.
I found the characters in this book to feel delightfully relatable, which I was certain I’d feel going in. They are certainly flawed individuals and at times I didn’t always support the way they acted. But that’s what makes them real, right? I found them to be complex and well-rounded. This is a hard type of character to write. I think a lot of authors fall into a trap of wanting their favorite characters to be perfect. Everything is someone else’s fault. A truly great character is certainly not perfect—no one wants to read about someone who does everything correct all of the time!
Marriage is hard, in case you hadn’t heard. And this book really delves into that. It is complicated to decide to stay with someone your whole life. It is also complicated to know when it isn’t working anymore. It really takes work and sometimes staying married really isn’t the best thing. As we learn, the people we love most can also be the ones to hurt us the most. That betrayal can be toxic or it can be a place of growth. I loved this family and I loved how we saw the impact of this relationship and all of it’s problems on all of them. The true savior of marriage (and this book!) is communication, love, and transparency. Maybe a bit of hope.
Will and Hannah… They are two interesting people! I found myself loving and despising them at different times. Treese has a way with writing emotion that was both deep and sprinkled with a bit of humor and light. This is a beautiful book and I don’t want to spoil how everything plays out for each of these people. You’ll have to read it for yourself!
Thank you to Suzy at Suzy Approved Book Tours for my copy. Opinions are my own.
Hannah and Will Abbott have the perfect marriage. But behind closed doors they are unhappy. When suspicions of infidelity lead them both to seek legal support to terminate their marriage, things escalate quickly and Hannah obtains a court order to protect her two children. But an unlikely opportunity to worth through their divorce on television may lead them to decide whether they can work this out or whether it is best for all of them to separate.
This book could have gone two different ways based on the synopsis, in my opinion. The first would be a more salacious grab-your-popcorn type of read, and the second would be more of a deep study of a family and a relationship and all of the baggage and light that comes with that. The book is firmly in the latter category, and though I would have liked both, I thought this was the better way by far.
This work of contemporary fiction is lovely, with some interesting narrative techniques. The book (as mentioned in the synopsis) is narrated by several characters. Sometimes this can be messy because it can be hard to keep up with that many storylines. I didn’t feel that way at all in this book! Treese keeps the chapters relatively short, which allowed me to hear the different stories unfold in a way that kept my interest piqued and the pages turning.
I found the characters in this book to feel delightfully relatable, which I was certain I’d feel going in. They are certainly flawed individuals and at times I didn’t always support the way they acted. But that’s what makes them real, right? I found them to be complex and well-rounded. This is a hard type of character to write. I think a lot of authors fall into a trap of wanting their favorite characters to be perfect. Everything is someone else’s fault. A truly great character is certainly not perfect—no one wants to read about someone who does everything correct all of the time!
Marriage is hard, in case you hadn’t heard. And this book really delves into that. It is complicated to decide to stay with someone your whole life. It is also complicated to know when it isn’t working anymore. It really takes work and sometimes staying married really isn’t the best thing. As we learn, the people we love most can also be the ones to hurt us the most. That betrayal can be toxic or it can be a place of growth. I loved this family and I loved how we saw the impact of this relationship and all of it’s problems on all of them. The true savior of marriage (and this book!) is communication, love, and transparency. Maybe a bit of hope.
Will and Hannah… They are two interesting people! I found myself loving and despising them at different times. Treese has a way with writing emotion that was both deep and sprinkled with a bit of humor and light. This is a beautiful book and I don’t want to spoil how everything plays out for each of these people. You’ll have to read it for yourself!
Thank you to Suzy at Suzy Approved Book Tours for my copy. Opinions are my own.
bookapotamus's review against another edition
4.0
Don’t be fooled my this title my friends. Divorce is usually not pretty - but this book is so lovely!
You think a book about divorce is going to be about screaming and fighting and anger. And OK, there’s a bit of that in here - but there’s so many gorgeously intertwined stories of relationships and life in this book. And in a really cool added feature, Leanne Treese IS actually a divorce attorney, so you know she’s seen the gamut of divorcing couples, and has some stories to tell!
Hannah and Will seem to have the perfect marriage. I adored these two, but under the surface, they’ve got some really unfortunate, but relatable issues. When they each begin to suspect the other of infidelity and divorce attorneys become involved… all hell breaks loose. Numerous conflicts arise, Hanna flees with the children, and Will becomes the social media sensation “Hot Hubby”. And it all ends with a reality TV show!
The characters are so relatable as we delve into not only Hannah and Wills life, but their attorneys lives as well. Everyone is in different stages of love and life and marriage and it’s so interesting to see how navigating relationships can be such a tricky trail.
And my Jersey peeps! This one is set in the Garden State and the references to local places like Princeton and New Hope are SO fun!
I do hope you’ll check this one out! I really loved it. It’s root is ultimately a beautiful love story and it was quite the enjoyable read.
You think a book about divorce is going to be about screaming and fighting and anger. And OK, there’s a bit of that in here - but there’s so many gorgeously intertwined stories of relationships and life in this book. And in a really cool added feature, Leanne Treese IS actually a divorce attorney, so you know she’s seen the gamut of divorcing couples, and has some stories to tell!
Hannah and Will seem to have the perfect marriage. I adored these two, but under the surface, they’ve got some really unfortunate, but relatable issues. When they each begin to suspect the other of infidelity and divorce attorneys become involved… all hell breaks loose. Numerous conflicts arise, Hanna flees with the children, and Will becomes the social media sensation “Hot Hubby”. And it all ends with a reality TV show!
The characters are so relatable as we delve into not only Hannah and Wills life, but their attorneys lives as well. Everyone is in different stages of love and life and marriage and it’s so interesting to see how navigating relationships can be such a tricky trail.
And my Jersey peeps! This one is set in the Garden State and the references to local places like Princeton and New Hope are SO fun!
I do hope you’ll check this one out! I really loved it. It’s root is ultimately a beautiful love story and it was quite the enjoyable read.
cassies_books_reviews's review against another edition
4.0
What an amazing debut! It opens with introducing you to Hannah and Will Abbott who are married with two children. What others see is a perfect marriage and family life. However deep down they suspect each other of cheating. When they each hire attorneys things begin to take turn for the worse. Hannah decides to take the children which violates a court order and everyone on social media discovers they are getting a divorce. What becomes an expensive divorce they decide to be part of a reality show. The filming is on location of St. John’s while being part of the show they must make the ultimate decision can they move forward or go through the divorce. The book is told in four point of views Will and Hannah and each of their attorneys. This books has some family drama, humor and some parts that pull at your heart strings . Your opinions begin to change through out book on our main characters as they begin to grow and learn more about themselves. There are some strong lessons about marriage and divorce. I give this four stars!
neverwithoutmybook's review against another edition
3.0
The Language of Divorce was a relatively quick moving novel about the breakdown of a marriage and the lengths one will go to to try to save it. I liked that the author also developed the storylines of the supporting characters. I became invested in everyone, not just the main characters. I was apprehensive about the reality show aspect and worried that it would cheapen the story, but it was well done and did not overpower.
shobizreads's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to @suzyapprovrdbooktours and @leannetreese for the gifted audio copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
In the Language of Divorce we meet Will and Hannah, a married couple whose marriage is unraveling and they’re set on a path of divorce involving lawyers, alleged parental kidnapping, infidelity and media coverage.
As a last resort to finalize their divorce, they agree to go on a reality TV show that will pay for all their legal fees (which they need because divorce is expensive!!!) and have one final dinner together.
This tale deftly exposes the process of divorce - how lawyers, media and friends can push things into becoming a much more contentious process. It also explores how couples grow apart over time and how miscommunication can be a breeding ground for mistrust and assumptions.
The author weaves together Hannah and Will’s story with other key players going through relational difficulties including their own lawyers.
This fiction channels some Bachelor vibes - just focused on the end of marriage rather than the start, but really explores some realistic themes around relationships and the impact that divorce has on families, income and the people involved.
This worked really well as an audio book keeping my attention and despite several minor characters and plot lines, it wasn’t confusing and I was able to keep track of everyone. I also loved the narration (you know how sometimes a narrator can make or break a book?).
In the Language of Divorce we meet Will and Hannah, a married couple whose marriage is unraveling and they’re set on a path of divorce involving lawyers, alleged parental kidnapping, infidelity and media coverage.
As a last resort to finalize their divorce, they agree to go on a reality TV show that will pay for all their legal fees (which they need because divorce is expensive!!!) and have one final dinner together.
This tale deftly exposes the process of divorce - how lawyers, media and friends can push things into becoming a much more contentious process. It also explores how couples grow apart over time and how miscommunication can be a breeding ground for mistrust and assumptions.
The author weaves together Hannah and Will’s story with other key players going through relational difficulties including their own lawyers.
This fiction channels some Bachelor vibes - just focused on the end of marriage rather than the start, but really explores some realistic themes around relationships and the impact that divorce has on families, income and the people involved.
This worked really well as an audio book keeping my attention and despite several minor characters and plot lines, it wasn’t confusing and I was able to keep track of everyone. I also loved the narration (you know how sometimes a narrator can make or break a book?).
bookish_heidi's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not quite sure what I was expecting when I started this book, but it surpassed ALL of my expectations! It was sad and funny and witty and infuriating all at once and I loved every minute of it.
This book was the prime example of how divorce can come out of nowhere and turn your life upside down. Hannah and Will were your storybook couple. 2 kids, white picket fence, the adorable "how we met" story, etc. And yet, after 15 years, their marriage was falling apart. Will was suspicious of a friend of Hannah's and yet just grumbled to himself about it. Then he went to a baseball game with some friends, ended up getting totally smashed and doing karaoke with a group of ladies who all decided to sign his chest. That was the final straw for Hannah.
She decided to talk to a divorce attorney just to see what her options were. She realized she loved Will too much to divorce him. Then Will found the attorneys card and her text messages to her "friend" and decided that he needed a break. And the sad part is, it really does happen that easily. Everything snowballed from there.
Then you bring in Will's attorney. A divorced man who had gotten completely screwed over by his ex wife. His assistant who just happened to be one of the women who signed Will's chest that night and it all went completely south from there.
This book was touching and raw and it killed me. My heart completely went out to all of the characters (except Aaron... he's a dick).
This book was the prime example of how divorce can come out of nowhere and turn your life upside down. Hannah and Will were your storybook couple. 2 kids, white picket fence, the adorable "how we met" story, etc. And yet, after 15 years, their marriage was falling apart. Will was suspicious of a friend of Hannah's and yet just grumbled to himself about it. Then he went to a baseball game with some friends, ended up getting totally smashed and doing karaoke with a group of ladies who all decided to sign his chest. That was the final straw for Hannah.
She decided to talk to a divorce attorney just to see what her options were. She realized she loved Will too much to divorce him. Then Will found the attorneys card and her text messages to her "friend" and decided that he needed a break. And the sad part is, it really does happen that easily. Everything snowballed from there.
Then you bring in Will's attorney. A divorced man who had gotten completely screwed over by his ex wife. His assistant who just happened to be one of the women who signed Will's chest that night and it all went completely south from there.
This book was touching and raw and it killed me. My heart completely went out to all of the characters (except Aaron... he's a dick).
audiobooks_sweettea's review against another edition
4.0
When I give my reviews, I like to be open and completely honest with them. So, I will tell you. I wasn’t sure if I would like this novel. It’s a debut, and sometimes, debuts aren’t my favorite, especially with women’s fiction, since I don’t read a lot of them. But, I started this novel and within 24 hours, I had it finished. I was up late, gripping the pages and turning them, needing to know what was happening to Will and Hannah.
Will and Hannah. I liked them. I hated them. I loved them. They were complex. They were emotional. They were life-like. As a woman who has been divorced, due to infidelity(and drugs), I knew a lot of what Hannah was going through, especially with a baby mixed up in the center of it. I also felt like I knew what Will was going through, too. Their characters quickly worked their way into my heart and stayed there til the end.
Treese has extreme talent. She chiseled her characters beautifully. She stitched together a real, yet humorous story line, bringing her readers a raw, and emotional journey of love, divorce, hope, and brokenness. Four stars and hats off to this new author and I am looking forward to reading more of her work in the future!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Will and Hannah. I liked them. I hated them. I loved them. They were complex. They were emotional. They were life-like. As a woman who has been divorced, due to infidelity(and drugs), I knew a lot of what Hannah was going through, especially with a baby mixed up in the center of it. I also felt like I knew what Will was going through, too. Their characters quickly worked their way into my heart and stayed there til the end.
Treese has extreme talent. She chiseled her characters beautifully. She stitched together a real, yet humorous story line, bringing her readers a raw, and emotional journey of love, divorce, hope, and brokenness. Four stars and hats off to this new author and I am looking forward to reading more of her work in the future!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
danireads1225's review against another edition
4.0
I will admit that normally audio books are not my ‘thing’. I like to picture characters, surroundings, events in my head. BUT...wow. This one did not disappoint at all. It kept me on the edge of my seat and wanting to speed it up to find out what happened next. I got so mad at the parents at one part, because I felt as though they were using their kids as pawns. Unfortunately, that really does happen sometimes.
If you’re looking for an audio book that will keep your attention and hold it, this is absolutely the book for you. So well written!!
If you’re looking for an audio book that will keep your attention and hold it, this is absolutely the book for you. So well written!!
yaaas_or_nahs_books's review against another edition
4.0
From the outside looking in, Hannah and Will Abbott seem to have the perfect marriage. They fell in love as teenagers but their love has started to fade a bit and Hannah starts spending time with another man. She decides to consult a divorce lawyer for informational purposes only but then leaves the business card in her purse. Duh, of course Will ends up finding it and leaves her. It was really sad to see them going through this struggle, especially with children being involved and neither of them acting like adults.
There are several storylines being told throughout the book. My favorite was the story about one of the divorce lawyers David and his relationship with his friend Jenny. I enjoyed watching this cutthroat guy soften and become a selfless person helping a friend in need. It really warmed my heart.
There are several storylines being told throughout the book. My favorite was the story about one of the divorce lawyers David and his relationship with his friend Jenny. I enjoyed watching this cutthroat guy soften and become a selfless person helping a friend in need. It really warmed my heart.
thereadingchemist's review against another edition
4.0
I’ll be honest, when this book first came across my radar, I was definitely interested to see if the main characters went down in flames. I know that’s terrible to admit, but when it comes to the whole idea of reality television, that definitely seems to be the norm.
For the majority of this book, I found myself so frustrated with the two main characters Will and Hannah Abbott. Will and Hannah are the quintessential suburban married couple with their two kids and everyday life. The status quo is shaken up when Will finds a business card from a divorce attorney that Hannah visited. Will and Hannah are both aware that they have been in a rut for quite some time and neither one pretends that isn’t the case. However, rather than discuss the core problems in their marriage, Will goes on the defensive and realizes that he needs time to process the information as well as visit a divorce attorney as well.
The conflict between Will and Hannah climaxes quickly in this story due to a momentary lapse in judgment on Hannah’s behalf (again under the guise of miscommunication between her and Will) that lands Hannah in jail and Will the holder of a temporary restraining order. To put things in lamen’s terms…the sh*t hits the fan, and the plot really takes off from there.
This plot is told from multiple POVs. You have the perspectives from both Will and Hannah, which are pretty straight forward, but also reveal the complexity of their makeup. Additionally, we have POVs from the attorneys (including the paralegal) involved, and the baggage that their lives bring into Will and Hannah’s divorce.
I expected the whole reality television show to be at the forefront of the story, but the majority of the story doesn’t even focus on that. The reality show comes into play later when both Will and Hannah (and Will’s attorney David) realize that they need the money in order to continue with the divorce not to cheapen their situation or paint the other spouse in a negative light.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story because it highlights the dangers of not communicating in a relationship. The majority of Will and Hannah’s issues could have been avoided by actually having a conversation versus making assumptions, which is something that I strive for in my daily life. Like I said, for the majority of the book, I was frustrated and wished things went differently for the main characters especially since children were involved. However, the ending made the entire story worth it for me.
Thank you to Filles Vertes Publishing for providing an ARC for review. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
For the majority of this book, I found myself so frustrated with the two main characters Will and Hannah Abbott. Will and Hannah are the quintessential suburban married couple with their two kids and everyday life. The status quo is shaken up when Will finds a business card from a divorce attorney that Hannah visited. Will and Hannah are both aware that they have been in a rut for quite some time and neither one pretends that isn’t the case. However, rather than discuss the core problems in their marriage, Will goes on the defensive and realizes that he needs time to process the information as well as visit a divorce attorney as well.
The conflict between Will and Hannah climaxes quickly in this story due to a momentary lapse in judgment on Hannah’s behalf (again under the guise of miscommunication between her and Will) that lands Hannah in jail and Will the holder of a temporary restraining order. To put things in lamen’s terms…the sh*t hits the fan, and the plot really takes off from there.
This plot is told from multiple POVs. You have the perspectives from both Will and Hannah, which are pretty straight forward, but also reveal the complexity of their makeup. Additionally, we have POVs from the attorneys (including the paralegal) involved, and the baggage that their lives bring into Will and Hannah’s divorce.
I expected the whole reality television show to be at the forefront of the story, but the majority of the story doesn’t even focus on that. The reality show comes into play later when both Will and Hannah (and Will’s attorney David) realize that they need the money in order to continue with the divorce not to cheapen their situation or paint the other spouse in a negative light.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story because it highlights the dangers of not communicating in a relationship. The majority of Will and Hannah’s issues could have been avoided by actually having a conversation versus making assumptions, which is something that I strive for in my daily life. Like I said, for the majority of the book, I was frustrated and wished things went differently for the main characters especially since children were involved. However, the ending made the entire story worth it for me.
Thank you to Filles Vertes Publishing for providing an ARC for review. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.