The After Wife: A Novel
Gigi Levangie Grazer, the New York Times bestselling author of The Starter Wife, returns with a hilarious and spirited tale of love€"both lost and found.
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L.A. is no place for widows. This is what forty-four-year-old Hannah Bernal quickly discovers after the tragic death of her handsome and loving husband, John. Misery and red-rimmed eyes are little tolerated in the land of the beautiful. But life stumbles on: Hannah€s sweet three-year-old daughter, Ellie, needs to be dropped off at her overpriced preschool, while Hannah herself must get back to work in order to pay the bills on €œCasa Sugar,€ the charming Spanish-styled bungalow they call home.
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Fortunately, Hannah has her €œGrief Team€ for emotional support: earth mother and fanatical animal lover Chloe, who finds a potential blog post in every moment; aspiring actress Aimee, who has her cosmetic surgeon on speed dial; and Jay, Hannah€s TV producing partner, who has a penchant for Mr. Wrong. But after a series of mishaps and bizarre occurrences, one of which finds Hannah in a posh Santa Monica jail cell, her friends start to fear for her sanity. To make matters worse, John left their financial affairs in a disastrous state. And when Hannah is dramatically fired from her latest producing gig, she finds herself in danger of losing her house, her daughter, and her mind.
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One night, standing in her backyard under a majestic avocado tree, in the throes of grief, Hannah breaks down and asks, €œWhy?€ The answer that comes back€"Why not?€"begins an astounding journey of discovery and transformation that leads Hannah to her own truly extraordinary life after death.
Praise for The After Wife
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€œFans of Lolly Winston, Mary Kay Andrews, and Jennifer Weiner will especially enjoy Grazer€s newest.€Â€"Booklist
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€œHilariously funny and profoundly wise, The After Wife is for anyone who€s ever been married or widowed, in debt or in love. I could not put it down: a fabulous read!€Â€"Nancy Thayer, author of Island Girls
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€œA charming tale of a grieving forty-ish widow€"and the wacky friends who love her.€Â€"Los Angeles Times
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€œA book that is part Jacqueline Susann, part Real Housewives . . . Gigi Levangie Grazer [is a] Jimmy Choo€ed-out satirist.€Â€"National Post
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€œFans of The Starter Wife will be equally charmed with The After Wife.€Â€"Library Journal
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€œGrazer€s entertaining satire is sure to spice up any occasion.€Â€"Publishers Weekly