Landline, by Rainbow Rowell

Rainbow Rowell is the author of six novels, for both young adults and adults. I've been hearing so much about her lately that I decided it was time to read one of her books myself. I checked my shelves and found Landline, a book for adults about a woman who is struggling to balance her career and family. She backs out of a Christmas visit to her in-laws and instead stays home to work on a new project at work. Her husband Neal surprises her by packing up the two kids in the car and leaving her behind.

The rest of the novel consists of Georgie ruminating about her decision and delving into the past to figure out what went wrong. Her husband is avoiding her calls, although she gets to speak to her kids every day. We learn about Georgie's backstory, including her long-time friendship with her colleague, a friendship that never blossomed into romance, but which is nevertheless charged with potential. It's clear that this relationship has been an unwelcome presence in Georgie's marriage all along.

Balancing life and career is challenging for just about everyone. Rowell raises good points about our values, how we treat each other, and how we take our closest friends and family for granted in Landline. While the choices Georgie faces seem clear (of course she should put her family first!) they're easy because she's a comedy writer for a TV series she doesn't even like. What if she were a heart surgeon? The right decision might not be so obvious. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this light take on relationships and what makes them successful. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys family drama and contemporary fiction. I look forward to reading more books by Rainbow Rowell.

Rainbow Rowell. Landline. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2014. 308 pages. ISBN 9781250049377.