The Secret Lives of Lawfully Wedded Wives

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY MAY 29, 2006

Stephens, editor of the Wild Women books, gathers tales of married and single life from women writers of varied romantic backgrounds: still married, twice married, and divorced. The writers address subjects ranging from infidelity, infertility to cross-cultural marriage. With titles such as "Eight Sizzling Sex Secrets to Keep Your Marriage Strong," "My Marriage Is a Joke" and "Another Traditional Arab-Jewish Iowa Potluck," a light sense of humor steers the collection away from being too macabre. A few authors choose to write anonymously, which works to allow literary freedom, but also suggests a shameful tone in a volume that promises a "no-holds-barred" narrative of married life. Cleverly written, the essays put a spin on the typical women's magazine topics and connect the individual stories to universal marital problems, appealing to every married or committed woman.