Book Review- SOMETIMES MINE by Martha Moody

Hey yall- so it looks like Sunday is my book review day, doesn't it? Well I finished this one on Thursday but I'm going to post it today because I can do that. I rule this roost, yall.

Now this book was recommended by someone's online books-to-read list and I can't remember who's so if it is one of my faithful followers, thank you.

I will admit I had a hard time getting into this book because of a few reasons. Number one, I was determined not to like the main character, Genie Toledo who is a cardiologist who has been the once a week mistress to Mick Crabbe, a married man with children who is a college basketball coach. Number two, I really don't like sports (ok...I'll admit to liking hockey, I like watching Olympics, will watch wrestling occassionally, but that's it. But I would like to go to a real football game some day. But that's it). It's not the sports themselves I think is lame, but the whole thing about people going nuts about it. Like really? A ball in a hoop is your goal in life? That's what you aspire to be? It's just a fucking game, people.

Anyhoodle.

But once I looked passed these things I really liked the book. Genie and Mick's relationship was kind of endearing. You were rooting for them even though you know it would never happen. Mick loved his wife out of loyalty but it wasn't fulfilling to him. Genie loved Mick and having the once a week committment was enough for her. She rearranged her entire life to fit their Thursday evening together. And I don't think either of them understood how they truly felt about each other until Mick was diagnosed with prostate cancer and essentially chose his team over his health. Some people might think that was selfish but I also wonder if taking treatment is selfish. Who's to say you should have any more time on Earth? Maybe it's your time to go. I don't know- that's a hard question to answer. And certainly nobody really knows what they'd do until they were faced with that.

I liked the book because I could really see each main character's point of view. Genie- wanting the companionship of Mick but not everything that a relationship requires. Mick- loyal to his marriage and thinking of his wife and somehow doing right by not divorcing her, but having Genie on the side who gets him. His Thursdays with Genie is maybe how he gets through the rest of the week. And even Mick's wife, Karn, is angry (certainly) but understands that she could never provide Mick with everything he needed as a man.

So really, it almost reminded me of how some people have open marriages, where they are married and have their relationship but also have a person on the side. Now obviously studies show that isn't maybe healthy and doesn't usually work long term, but maybe it does. It begs to ask the question- is it possible to be married, and satisfied in all areas, forever. I don't know. It's hard to say. But in the end, this book was really good. I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it to anyone. Book clubs could really go into great discussions about it.