The Sunshine When She's Gone
A Novel
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3.3 • 59 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
A fresh, funny, and wisely observed debut novel about marriage-about the love, longing and ambivalence exposed when a husband takes the baby on a highly unusual outing
When Veronica Reed wakes up one frigid January morning, two things are "off"-first of all, she has had a good night's sleep, which hasn't happened in months, and second, both her husband and her baby are gone. Grateful for the much-needed rest, Veronica doesn't, at first, seriously question her husband's trip out to breakfast with baby Clara. Little does she know, her spouse has fled lower Manhattan, with Clara, for some R&R in the Caribbean.
Told through alternating points of view, The Sunshine When She's Gone explores the life-changing impact of parenthood on a couple as individuals and as partners. Thea Goodman brings us into intimacies made tense by sleep-deprivation and to losses and gains made more real by acknowledging them. Here is the story of a couple pushed to the edge and a desperate father's attempt give them both space to breathe.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
It's hard to grow attached to the self-absorbed couple at the helm of Goodman's first novel. Though 30-somethings Veronica and John are new parents, their actions are more like those of spoiled teenagers. Under the pretense of letting his wife rest, John, at the beginning of the novel, takes an impromptu weekend trip to Barbados with their 6-month-old baby without telling Veronica. "Kidnap was not the right word," read his opening thoughts. Reckless behavior ensues with disastrous results, including a mild concussion and a sick and fussy baby. John's bewilderment at feeling out of control surprises him, but will not surprise readers. Meanwhile, in alternate chapters told from her perspective, Veronica suffers more from guilt than worry over her husband and baby's sudden departure, preferring instead to spend her free time with old friends getting sauced on martinis and reliving the good old days. Further shenanigans roll out on both ends pot smoking with locals, a not-so-steamy one-night stand with an ex-lover but by the time John returns to New York, sheepish but rejuvenated, and the truth finally spills into the open, it's hard to care. Nonetheless, this is a sobering tale of two people discovering what it means to be a parent.
Customer Reviews
The Sunshine When She's Gone
Poor Clara. To have two self-involved, spoiled parents clearly with too much time on their hands, one wonders how she'll turn out. The characters are boring. Barbados?? How about a missions trip for all of you to some 3rd world country to see how people contend in life everyday just to find their next meal for their family. No depth. Petty. Disloyal. Try raising 6 kids... Can I smack them both please?