The forever marriage : a novel (2012) (edit title/settings)

• Rated 5 stars

“I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book after I'd read the first quarter. However, as I kept reading, I began to realize how many gems of wisdom were being offered. Human foibles and the connections that we feel with others - that's the heart of this book. Carmen is a free spirit who got chained down by marriage. The fact that her husband is kind, rich, and respectful makes no chink in her armor. She can't stand him to touch her. This story is mesmerizing. Carmen responds to her situation by taking a lover here or there. But she seems to be a good mother and a responsible woman in just about every other way. When her husband dies, she experiences a type of "karma" that she needs to navigate through and come out the other side whole. A fantastic journey. Loved it.”

• Rated 0 stars

“Better than I expected....”

• Rated 4 stars

“"Unexpectedly falling in love with the late husband she resented throughout their marriage, a grieving Carmen embarks on a series of romantic trysts only to discover that her own life may be in danger."

Wonderfully written with wit and poignancy, Ann Bauer has a way with words and can make a completely unlikeable woman worm her way into your heart. Also gives us an unblinking look at breast cancer and its treatment, really grueling.”

• Rated 3 stars

“Fiction, Unconventional Marriage, Aspects of Fantasy”

• Rated 5 stars

“I wont be able to adequately explain the depth of writing this book contains. I read the posts by the author before the book came out of how the book was rejected by publishers because the main character was not likeable. I think the publishers who turned this book down had it all wrong. The main character while vacuous at first, transforms into a character that I could identify with. She lives her life with an outward facade of perfection, while underneath she has made many truly human mistakes. The supporting characters also unfold beautifully throughout the book. You begin to see she is not the only one who possibly made mistakes. I cannot write anything that would do this book justice. All I can think is all the cliche buzz words that go along with book reviews, spell-binding? YES Compelling? YES Page Turner? Definitely! Just read it, you will not be disappointed.”

• Rated 4 stars

“Very compelling read. Although the female protagonist Carmen is seemingly unsympathetic, for some reason, I was strangely drawn to her honest human foibles and insecurities. A quick and enjoyable read. ”

• Rated 4 stars

“Very compelling read. Although the female protagonist Carmen is seemingly unsympathetic, for some reason, I was strangely drawn to her honest human foibles and insecurities. A quick and enjoyable read. ”