Other People's Houses

Abbi Waxman

Apr 2018 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

“Abbi Waxman is both irreverent and thoughtful.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Giffin

The author of The Garden of Small Beginnings returns with a hilarious and poignant new novel about four families, their neighborhood carpool, and the affair that changes everything.

At any given moment in other people's houses, you can find...repressed hopes and dreams...moments of unexpected joy...someone making love on the floor to a man who is most definitely not her husband...

*record scratch*

As the longtime local carpool mom, Frances Bloom is sometimes an unwilling witness to her neighbors' private lives. She knows her cousin is hiding her desire for another baby from her spouse, Bill Horton's wife is mysteriously missing, and now this...

After the shock of seeing Anne Porter in all her extramarital glory, Frances vows to stay in her own lane. But that's a notion easier said than done when Anne's husband throws her out a couple of days later. The repercussions of the affair reverberate through the four carpool families--and Frances finds herself navigating a moral minefield that could make or break a marriage.

Ratings and reviews

It was ok. At some point in the middle, I stopped caring about these people. It picked back up again towards the end, but I wouldn't recommend it. Also, it seemed there was too much unnecessary crudeness. It would have been more impactful if it wasn't everywhere.

4.5 stars Other People’s Houses is an engrossing, entertaining and well-written novel. This book follows four families in a Los Angeles California neighborhood. Their trials, inner struggles, betrayals and most touching moments are depicted well in this story. My favorite couple is Frances and Michael Bloom. Frances was the designated carpool mom. She took the neighborhood kids plus her own three back and forth to school. Frances was the only mom who was overweight and not obsessed with her appearance. She was also the kindest most level-headed person in the group, and her husband, Michael, loved her, extra curves, and all. Frances was the star who held the neighborhood together, when one family on their street, began to crumble. This book is all about marriage, family life, betrayal, consequences, and forgiveness. The writing in this book is witty and spot on. Frances is the main character, and her internal dialogue is absolutely hysterical. Although the story is poignant and the subject matter, serious, the author has a remarkable ability to lighten the mood, with humor. I loved it. Thank you, Berkley Publishing and Edelweiss, for my advanced review copy.

About the author

Abbi Waxman is the USA Today bestselling author of I Was Told It Would Get Easier, The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, Other People’s Houses, and The Garden of Small Beginnings. She lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband and three children.