Belonging [Hardcover]

Nancy Thayer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1995

A successful career woman suddenly finds her life shattered by a car accident and a lover who abandons her, so she settles in an old house in Nantucket to await the arrival of her twin babies. 35,000 first printing. $35,000 ad/promo.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Not since Murphy Brown has single motherhood looked as glitzy as it does in Thayer's (Family Secrets; Everlasting) lavish working-woman's fantasy. Devoted as she is to her work, Joanna Jones, hostess and creator of the wildly popular TV program Fabulous Homes-a cross between Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous and Martha Stewart Living-lives in an austere style that would surprise her loyal fans. Her barely furnished Manhattan apartment serves as a way station between appointments and, more importantly, as a place to conduct her long-running affair with her good-looking but self-centered co-producer. When Joanna becomes pregnant (with twins, no less), an accident forces her to realize that her lover is unreliable and that, at 40, she can handle this challenge on her own. She purchases a $795,000 house on Nantucket and a four-wheel-drive vehicle, complete with all the trimmings, takes a leave of absence from her show and plans to enjoy a quiet pregnancy merely working on two books and supervising (while videotaping for a possible future project) the renovations of her new house. In the months that follow, Joanna gathers around her a circle of kindhearted friends and employees, who become the family she has never had. Additional drama is provided by a somewhat farfetched but engaging subplot concerning buried treasure and the strife between wealthy cityfolk and longtime islanders. Finally, though telegraphed from the novel's beginning, Joanna's eventual romantic involvement with a truly nice guy provides a satisfying ending to this modern fairy tale.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Thayer's new novel is meant to depict the life of, and appeal to, the American woman of the 1990s. Joanna Jones, an attractive, rich, and famous host and creator of a cable TV show called Fabulous Homes, begins to change her life after becoming pregnant with twins. Predictably, the married father shows cold disinterest in her and the babies. Joanna purchases a lonely old house in Nantucket and slowly assimilates into the island community, making friends with her wealthy neighbors and becoming particularly close to an odd young woman named Madaket, whom she hires as a housekeeper/cook and future nanny. Generally, the story is engrossing, portraying both relationships and life issues realistically. The eventual losses Joanna faces help make the all-too-perfect nature of her life more believable. Still, some inconsistencies in her supposedly strong female character are obvious. For example, Joanna, mostly feminist, sees only male doctors; she goes from wearing Armani suits to claiming items from a junk heap and explaining to Madaket (who shops at thrift stores) the benefits of recycling; and most ridiculous, Joanna's carpenter and real-estate agent explains architectural terminology regarding houses to her, the host of a show and upcoming author of two books devoted entirely to houses. The story surely captivates at moments and mostly satisfies. Except for the overattention to material and social superficiality, Thayer's story of a woman's quest for self-identity and self-affirmation does inspire. Janet St. John

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 341 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr; 1st edition (July 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312130260
• ISBN-13: 978-0312130268
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,192,526 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MUST READ FOR ANY WOMAN WHO THINKS MONEY MAKESA DIFFERENCE!, February 2, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Belonging (Hardcover)

This is one of those books where I was completely caught up in the story. It is definitely a LAUGH and CRY book. If I knew how, I would plead with OPRAH to make it her next pick. This is the first I've read from Nancy Thayer and I hope she is currently involved with her NEXT offering. I'm also in the process of searching out my next NANCY THAYER novel from the one's I've already misse

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This book is a must read for career driven women., June 28, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Belonging (Mass Market Paperback)

There are few women with the insight to write such a profound book. We are a complex species and Ms. Thayer does a wonderful job of not only portraying our wide range of emotions but evoking them from ourselves. This is indeed a rare gift. I picked this book up as a light summer read not expecting to be inspired to do my own soul searching such that the main character Joanna does. Congratulations are in order for Ms. Thayer and for the women who read this book and discover the meaning with in it.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good story for women, January 18, 1998

By 

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This review is from: Belonging (Hardcover)

This is the second book of Ms. Thayer's I have read and I like both novels; enough to want to read her again. In this book, you have a woman who goes through many changes in her life (some quite unexpected) and how she evolves 180 degrees from where she started. By the end of the book she has melded the two wonderful lives she has created and in doing so, she has discovered what really matters in life.