The book was well written. However, it was not a book that I really enjoyed. I know there are those out there who will enjoy it. I had trouble following the storyline. I understood that this was a look at how women were viewed in the 60s. I felt that in a way it was a little degrading of men. Mary seemed to be quite a bit like her mother. I felt the book was a little depressing and negative. That may be why I didn’t care for it. Would I recommend it? Yes, I know there is an audience out there. This was just not the book for me. I do believe the author is a great future in front of her. She writes well.
I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own. ( )

So what do you do when you discover a cold, wet, frightened, very primitive-looking Cro-Magnon woman hiding on your fire escape during a rainstorm? Well naturally, if you’re Mary Polleti, you take her in, bathe her, dress her, and quickly try to make her feel at home. You do it because that’s exactly what your Italian immigrant mother used to do with all the poor homeless Depression-era men and women she brought home to take care of whenever and wherever she found them. There’s nothing strange about that, right? It’s a trait called goodness. And Mary Polleti has inherited that trait in spades!

Mary leads a very ordinary middle-class, blue-collar life. She’s been married since she was a teenager to a regular neighborhood guy named Tony. Naturally, he’s another second-generation Italian immigrant. It’s 1968, and they live in an apartment in Brooklyn, New York. Their life is an everyday litany of pleasant and familiar routines…that is, until their new houseguest turns up and becomes a crazy catalyst for change.

Mary names her new companion Linda. She expects nothing from her but friendship. Both women exude goodness and easily communicate love, concern, and support for each other. They become inseparable. Eventually, Linda is even able to learn most of Mary’s routines.

“Mary and Linda” is a short, charming, and perfectly delightful debut novel. I smiled my way through every chapter, each one reading like a light comedy sketch full of quirky characters and crazy situations.

The novel celebrates the importance of supportive female friendship in women’s lives. It is also a novel that honors the overpowering allure of natural goodness.

I loved this book and read it completely in one day. It’s brimming with humor, heart, and humanity. I recommend it highly. ( )