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The Widow's Guide to Sex and Dating: A Novel Hardcover – February 11, 2014

3.8 out of 5 stars 260 ratings

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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

When Claire Byrne’s intellectual husband dies in a freak accident with a falling sculpture (a fake, at that), she must figure out how to be a widow. Her marriage was defined by the age gap, Charles’ insistence (academic and otherwise) that there is either love or sex (not both), and his frequent infidelities. Claire has almost no identity of her own, and she is convinced by friends to lose her widowed virginity and move on. Radziwill’s first novel (after her memoir, What Remains, 2005) is a very New York book, even when Claire travels to L.A. to interview (and sleep with) a movie star. There is a constant war between lightness and heaviness in the subject, in the story, and in the telling that seems intrinsic to city dwellers. The plot features a lot of takeout, and Claire sees multiple therapists, a psychic, and a botanomanist to get herself sorted out, which, by the end, she more or less does. Radziwill’s book may receive extra coverage due to her association with the Kennedys and her appearance on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. --Susan Maguire

Review

“If you are looking for the perfect fast- paced, light hearted, humorous novel, consider your search to be over. Carole Radziwill's debut novel, The Widow's Guide to Sex and Dating earns five out of five stars. Radziwill's novel is the perfect book for your solo reading or your next book club. The title is tongue-in-cheek, so you won't find yourself delving into deep grief issues. Instead, you will be carving out time to lose yourself in this splendid novel. Humor permeates Radziwill's writing, and the dialogue is flawless…The complete triple package – joy, humor, and romance.” ―The Huffington Post

“One of the richest, most deeply satisfying stories I've read in a long time…[Radziwill's] spare writing and wry voice make The Widow's Guide an exhilarating, insightful and moving story about loss and identity.” ―BookPage

“Claire's story is comedic from the first page, skipping over the stages of grief straight to ‘acceptance.' And, through multiple bad dates, a firework romance with Hollywood's leading man, and a lot of over analyzing, the humor stays throughout her entire journey of re-discovering herself.” ―Justin Jones, The Daily Beast

“A serious attempt to do something comic, a novel about grief and starting again that feels like the product of lived experience.” ―Salon.com

“From the author of the best-selling memoir What Remains comes a cheeky, affecting debut novel about a woman grieving for her husband and gradually learning to get back in the game” ―O, The Oprah Magazine

“Witty and charming, Carole Radziwill's first novel is a delight. I fell in love with the character of Claire--a modern-day Holly Golightly.” ―Candace Bushnell, author of Sex and the City and The Carrie Diaries

“Carole Radziwill writes like a cross between Sophie Kinsella and Christopher Buckley. Widow's Guide is a sharp, flamboyant New York novel that revels in the tragicomic absurdities of the city. It's a smart take on Hollywood, too, with gorgeous movie stars and a quirky cast. Cautiously romantic, unexpectedly moving, and funny!” ―Susan Sarandon

“Glib, comic. . . [a] novel about a young Manhattan widow looking for love in all the wrong places . . . This may be a grief and recovery story for the privileged, but sharp-fanged Radziwill can be pretty funny . . . .Think Sex and the City in black.” ―Kirkus

“Claire never thought about the odds of losing her husband. But after a freak accident abruptly ends her husband's life, she is forced to wrestle with the question, "What next?" For the next year, Claire's life takes a wild turn . . . and somewhere in the middle of the madness, she begins to realize that her old life wasn't so perfect and perhaps this is all a blessing in disguise--a second chance at life and love. Verdict: Fans of authors such as Jane Green and Madeleine Wickham will enjoy this” ―Library Journal

“I couldn't put the book down . . . . It's fun and fast and filled with lines that make the whole book enjoyable. Like: 'A husband dies and the world gets just another widow. A wife dies, and a star is born.' The book is undoubtedly entertaining . . . . Radziwill recasts the traditional widow for us.” ―The Rumpus

“Radziwill's delicious debut novel… is a poignant tale of love and loss.” ―Publishers Weekly

“The book's witty humor and Didion-esque raw language provide for a gripping read that triumphantly announces a profound new voice in literary fiction.” ―Popbytes.com

“A hilarious account of a young widow's journey to find herself and re-establish her identity.” ―PW Show Daily


Product details

  • Item Weight : 13.9 ounces
  • Hardcover : 320 pages
  • ISBN-10 : 0805098844
  • ISBN-13 : 978-0805098846
  • Product Dimensions : 6.93 x 1.11 x 8.49 inches
  • Publisher : Henry Holt and Co.; First Edition (February 11, 2014)
  • Language: : English
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 out of 5 stars 260 ratings

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8 out of 5
260 global ratings
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Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2014
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Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2018
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Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2014
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Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2014
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Top reviews from other countries

M Sutton
5.0 out of 5 stars It had a part sticker right across the book spoilt it
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 4, 2018
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alana paterson and Michael barker
1.0 out of 5 stars One Star
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 12, 2014
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Carocaro
4.0 out of 5 stars but not as good as What
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 2, 2015
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selda
3.0 out of 5 stars Gemischte Gefühle
Reviewed in Germany on July 18, 2015
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Crafty Mamma
1.0 out of 5 stars Really disappointing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 7, 2014
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