This Side of Married

By Rachel Pastan

Book Overview

The comedy of domestic manners gets a delightful update in this intoxicating novel that suggests a latter-day Pride and Prejudice transplanted to an affluent suburb of Philadelphia. Well-meaning but domineering Dr. Evelyn Rubin has one consuming wish, that her three daughters be happily married. Alice, the eldest, is about to tumble into a speedy engagement. Sensible Isabel is already married, and having second thoughts. Tina, the baby, remains blithely single, though always dreams of a perfect wedding down the line. As various men-some good, some fascinatingly bad-enter from the wings and the romantic complications mount, This Side of Married stands unveiled as a novel that's as heady as good champagne and as rich as a genuine Sachertorte.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0143035436
• ISBN13: 9780143035435
• Release Date: May 2005
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.1" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

Choose this for your next book group--

I would highly recommend This Side of Married by Rachel Pastan as an ideal book for any women's book group. The story, set in Philadelphia, revolves around three sisters and their overbearing mother. The mother's goal is to see each of her daughters happily married and pregnant. The daughters, each in her own way, struggle to obtain the good life, which includes finding the ideal spouse. The book is fast-paced and very enjoyable. My book group had one of its livelier discussions about family dynamics and marriage.

A thoughtful, witty story

This delightful book is Rachel Pastan's first novel. It gives us a fresh look into the hearts of three sisters trying to balance the expectations of their parents with the realities of modern love, betrayal and selfishness. The message in this book is, "you get what you pay for." We find true love by being true to ourselves and generous to others.

Extraordinarily Clever

Psychologically astute and wise in the intricacies of contemporary courtship and family life, this modern riff on Pride and Prejudice is full of felicities, including a romantic hero with a bald spot, and a Brobdingnagian villain. I started to read and read on with extreme happiness.

Jane Austen in the 21st century

A most enjoyable novel. You really care about these sisters from Philadelphia and it's great fun to see the plot's twists and surprises. I felt that I really knew Alice and Isabel by the end of the book. I look forward to more books by Pastan.

Wonderful read!!

I read the excellent review of "This Side of Married" in the Boston Globe and bought the book immediately. I love this novel--the intriguing characters, the unexpected situations, the humor, and the wisdom. I couldn't put it down and have recommended it to all my friends.