I received a copy of The Blasphemy Box by Mandy Behbehani in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
“You know that nightmare you’ve always had? The one where you wake up one day to find yourself fat, frumpy, fifty and alone? I’m living it.”
Maddy Nelson has an idyllic existence: a handsome husband, great kids, a comfortable lifestyle. One morning soon after she turns fifty, however, she wakes up in her San Francisco home to find her husband Steven announcing that he’s leaving her for a woman half her age. And a third of her size.
Ouch!
Feeling totally unmoored and grieving for her married life and husband, Maddy finds herself thrust into an unfamiliar and uncomfortable world of middle-aged singledom. There, she must come to terms with her situation and embark on her new life: divorce proceedings, single parenting, internet dating, and trying to earn a living. It’s enough to drive her over the brink.
To help her cope, she shares her struggles in a smart, wry blog named The Blasphemy Box, after her ex-husband’s obnoxious habit of having her drop a quarter into a wooden box every time she said something off color. Her madcap middle-aged adventures find her devoted readers who identify with her challenges.
In time, Maddy creates herself and finds happiness in the arms of a good man, and a fulfilling new career as a novelist.
Review:
When I saw this book involved blogging, I knew it was one for me to read. Sometimes blogs can get a bad rep, but I fully believe in them – but I have blogging now for 4 years! It’s great to create a new community, a new group of “virtual” friends, especially because they more than likely will have the same interests in you – because that’s why they found your blog in the first place! But the book isn’t just about a blog, no, it’s about why Maddy started her blog in the first place. Divorce. Ah, the ugly D-word. Maddy is fifty and has just been left by her husband of twenty years for a twenty-five year old. Ouch. With three kids, a lawsuit battle, and a bank account running dry, Maddy needs an outlet for all her anger, sadness, betrayal and rage. The Blasphemy Box (also the name of her blog) helps fulfill some needs for Maddy, and the comments she receives helps her continue to move on. I thought this was a very entertaining read, even though I didn’t have much in common with Maddy. She was easy to relate to, the blogging kept me hooked, and I think this is a great women’s read!
