Regrets Only

One woman’s divorce goes from bad to worse in this fine novel of suburban snobbery, modern motherhood, and timeless friendships from Duffy (Bond Girl). Two years into their marriage, eight months into parenthood, and seven months after leaving Chicago for Connecticut, Claire Stevens Mackenzie catches her husband, Owen, cheating on her with their realtor. With her parents hundreds of miles away and the realtor’s friends seemingly on every corner, Claire becomes isolated in the house they shared after Owen convinces her to stay in Connecticut for the baby’s sake. Amid a relentless crush of bad surprises and worse luck, Claire responds with much gumption but little forethought: cutting holes in Owen’s clothes, pettily scattering beans throughout his belongings, posting his indiscretion to his own Facebook wall, and putting up salacious ads under his name on Craigslist. She is steadied by her friends Antonia, who moves from Chicago to help, and Lissy, a local. Together they take on two rebranding projects: Lissy’s stalled-out stationery store and Claire’s attitude. As the three work toward their goals, Claire begins to plot a new future. Featuring affirming relationships among the three women, Duffy’s fun novel is an original take on the suburban divorce drama. [em](May) [/em]