The Truth About Ben and June
A Novel
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3.7 • 7 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Alex Kiester, a heartfelt debut that explores the complexity of a modern-day marriage when a new mother vanishes one morning.
"This powerful novel takes an honest, unflinching look at the challenges of modern parenthood from both sides of a marriage." - Tracey Lange, New York Times bestselling author of We Are the Brennans
Love isn’t something that happens to you; it’s something you must choose every day.
From the moment Ben and June met in a hospital waiting room on New Year’s Eve, their love has seemed fated. Looking back at all the tiny, unlikely decisions that brought them together, it was easy to believe their relationship was special. But now, after several years of marriage, June is struggling as a new mom. At times, she wonders about the life she didn’t choose—what might have been if she hadn’t given up the lead role in a famous ballet to start a family. Feeling like a bad mom and more alone than ever, she writes to her deceased mother, hoping for a sign of what she should do next.
One morning, Ben wakes to the sound of his baby and quickly realizes that June is gone, along with her suitcase. As Ben attempts to piece together June’s disappearance, her new friends mention things he knows nothing about—a mysterious petition, June’s falling-out with another mom, her strange fixation on a Greek myth. The more Ben uncovers about June, the more he realizes how little he actually knows her. And now the only way to bring June home is to understand why she left.
Told through alternating perspectives of husband and wife, The Truth About Ben and June is a witty and wise page-turner about life’s many crossroads and a heartfelt reminder that we create our own destiny.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Spouses Ben and June Gilmore have been drifting apart for years in Kiester's bittersweet debut. After a period of increasingly erratic behavior, June disappears, leaving Ben with their newborn son. Ben's initial anger morphs into concern, then guilt, as he reads her journal entries, talks with other moms in their social network, and reflects on his deteriorating marriage. A key theme is the Greek tragedy of Medea—June, a former professional dancer, was cast to play the character in a major ballet production, and the story of a "powerful sorceress to nothing more than a jaded, housebound mother and wife" resonated with her. Through Ben's reflections and June's writings, Kiester artfully depicts the highs and lows of the marriage, including a death in the family and the unexpected pregnancy that caused their relationship to slowly implode, as well as June's feeling that Ben was "cheating on her with his work" at his law firm. Though the conclusion feels a bit trite, Kiester demonstrates a compassion for her characters and draws in the reader with her understated approach. Even though the ending comes up short, there is plenty to chew on along the way.
