The Unbreakables
A Novel
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4.2 • 190 Ratings
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
A delicious, sharp novel about a woman who jets off to France after her perfect marriage collapses, putting the broken pieces of herself back together while rediscovering her own joie de vivre—a lust for life, art, and steamy sex.
“Artful, feminist, and emotionally gripping. The Unbreakables is a remarkable tribute to a woman’s strength in the face of heartbreak and adversity.” — Helen Hoang, author of The Kiss Quotient
The worst birthday ever might just be the gift of a lifetime…
It’s Sophie Bloom’s forty-second birthday, and she’s ready for a night of celebration with Gabe, her longtime, devoted husband, and her two besties and their spouses. Dinner is served with a side of delicious gossip, including which North Grove residents were caught with their pants down on Ashley Madison after the secret on-line dating site for married and committed couples was hacked. Thirty-two million cheaters worldwide have been exposed…including Sophie’s “perfect” husband. To add insult to injury, she learns Gabe is the top cheater in their town.
Humiliated and directionless, Sophie jumps into the unknown and flees to France to meet up with her teenage daughter who is studying abroad and nursing her own heartbreak. After a brief visit to Paris, Sophie heads out to the artist enclave of Saint-Paul-de-Vence. There, for the first time in a long time, Sophie acknowledges her own desires—not her husband’s, not her daughter’s—and rediscovers her essence with painful honesty and humor, reawakening both her sensuality and ambitions as a sculptor.
As she sheds her past and travels the obstacle-filled off beaten path, Sophie Bloom is determined to blossom. Allowing her true self to emerge in the postcard beauty of Provence, Sophie must decide what is broken forever...and what it means to be truly unbreakable.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Barr (Fugitive Colors) skillfully portrays powerful connections among women in this gripping and honest tale of betrayal and transformation. Midwest sculptor Sophie Bloom is devastated when a hack of Ashley Madison, a dating site for cheaters, reveals on Sophie's 42nd birthday that her husband has been unfaithful. Even worse, she finds out that her best friends knew of at least one indiscretion. Her daughter, Ava, is spending a semester in Paris, has a pregnancy scare, and begs Sophie to come support her; seizing the chance to leave her old life behind, Sophie rushes to Europe. Once there, Ava's married lover introduces her to dying sculptor Nathalie Senard, who needs help finishing her final pieces. As Sophie carries out Nathalie's wishes, she finds the art brings her back to herself, and she rediscovers her zest for life in spectacularly satisfying and libertine fashion. This exquisitely wrought novel will appeal to readers who believe in the redemption of new beginnings, and in the necessity of facing the past while making a deliberate effort to move forward.
Customer Reviews
Interesting well written kind of wild
Loved the beginning some of the things that happen in France seemed forced happening to quickly. Never been through these things and having that artistic mentality maybe it all comes together. I enjoyed especially the discussion of art. What a beautiful part of the world to experience life. Looking forward to her other books.
Page turner
Loved everything about this book.
Love, change, growth
This is a page-turner! It melds a love of art and life while exploring the intricacies of infidelity, death, and renewal. It challenges one’s perspective of the boundaries we set on love and intimacy. What a perfect setting for this story, the city of love!