Leave Me

Genre: Fiction

I gave this book *

This is the story of Maribeth Klein; wife, mother, adopted daughter, employee and editor at a women’s magazine. In her early 40’s, Maribeth is juggling a part-time career, full-time motherhood of young twins and a household. Surprisingly, she suffers a heart attack and as she heals she feels unsupported, misunderstood and unappreciated by her husband, children and mother. Two weeks later, she leaves her husband and children to heal. Maribeth withdraws money from their joint account and goes off to Philadelphia where she rents a small apartment and spends her time reading, visiting a local doctor, whom she befriends, and generally relaxing. Throughout her stay in Philadelphia, Maribeth tries to write her children letters to explain what has happened to their family, but either doesn’t finish them or never mails the ones she writes. Later she begins emailing her husband and best friend. As Maribeth becomes physically healthier and reexamines her past, she wonders if she made the right choice. This one ends with a happy ending. Flawed, but happy!

There was so much wrong with this story, but I think it all comes down to bad character development. We don’t learn enough about who Maribeth really is (other than a very stressed, overwhelmed woman) nor her husband. So, I was left with so many questions. Why did she really leave? I understand the stresses, don’t we all? But what causes someone to get up and go, when they have young children? So many questions are left unanswered, but mostly, I was so annoyed by the book that I was happy for it to end. Not my favorite.