Rating: 
Summary: Take a Pass if you want...anything
Review: "Open House" is a delightful summer read. It approaches the devastating, sudden abandonment of a spouse with heartfelt sympathy and courage. Sam is a strong, well-developed character, who Ms. Berg depicts in a way that you will root for throughout her ordeal. The other characters add depth and colorful dialog to the story. The book is humorous and serious at the same time. Well done.
Rating: 
Summary: Another Great One From Elizabeth Berg
Review: Elizabeth Berg is one of my favorite authors. I have loved every book that I read by her and Open House did not dissapoint me at all. Her descriptions of a woman going through a divorce are right on the money and I loved the great cast of Characters in this book.Samantha Morrow seems to be living the perfect life, shes a housewife and stay-at-home Mom, but one day her husband decides that he is going to up leave her which was totally unexpected. Her Husband cuts off her credit due to the fact that she bought out Tiffany's on her husbands charge card. Sam does not want to uproot her son from his home so she decided to take in borders and through the help of King she finds a job. The Characters in this book are great and I loved the tranformation Samantha makes with her life and herself.
I would recommend this book to anyone along with anything else that Ms Berg has written.
Rating: 
Summary: Just OK
Review: Expected more from this book than what I got. It's a quick read, and Berg's style is brilliant, but the storyline leaves something to be desired.
Rating: 
Summary: Waited for something to happen; it didn't.
Review: I am not a committed Oprah reader but I have read a few of her suggestions which I have always found thought-provoking. This opinion does not extend to 'Open House'. Some of the reviews describe a novel about a 'women taking control of her life'. I would agree if this school of emotional recovery majors in pathetic self indulgence with a minor in food/meal description. I thought the characters were very shallow and there were just too many holes in the narrative. What was supposed to be funny, wasn't. What was supposed to be poignant, failed. I will leave it at that.
CC, Seattle
PS-Favorite quote - "Lasagna, we'll have tonight."
Rating:
Summary: A 4.5
Review: I really enjoyed this book. It was my first Elizabeth Berg book that I read. I loved the flow of the book and the characters and the plot. This book was well written and kept my interest.
Rating:
Summary: Sorry, Elizabeth
Review: I think Elizabeth Berg is a brilliant writer, but this one is a snorer. One reviewer says "Berg didn't make the character feel sorry for herself . . ." Excuse me? Are we reading the same book? Perhaps it's because I couldn't finish it, but during my reading ALL Sam did was feel sorry for herself! She was pathetic, no personality, no pride. She begged David to come back, for chrissake! I wanted to slap her. But I didn't want it enough to finish the book.
Rating:
Summary: A Discouraging Look at Life After Divorce
Review: If you are recently divorced, and even slightly depressed about it, you may want to wait awhile before reading Berg's saga of how one woman "rebuilds" her life after divorce. Berg chose to handle her subject in a rather discouraging manner (at least it seemed that way to this reader), and I believe she failed to show any real growth in Samantha, David, Travis, or even King. (Her main characters.) As for Samantha's "rebuilding" of her life, it seemed unfortuante that Berg chose to illustrate this by having Samantha find a new relationship at the book's end. To me, this novel was a chronicle of the daily (escapist) activities of the newly divorced Samantha. Frankly, I thought her activities and coping strategies were depressing! I often found myself agreeing with Samantha's (sometimes insensitive) friend Rita, who (at least) encouraged Sam to pick herself UP already and get on with her life! If you want to read about a woman who truly "makes it on her own" after divorce, I don't think you will find what you're looking for in this book. However, if you like a "typical" happy ending, you might enjoy the read.
Rating: 
Summary: Thank you, Ms. Berg.
Review: My only problem with Elizabeth Berg's books are that they are too short. This is the 2nd book of hers I have read and I am hooked. Her characters are so real and true. Her stories heartbreaking and so funny. So many times durring this book I laughed out loud. Sam a 42 (not 33 as one reviewer on this page wrote) is a woman like so many, living a simple, perfect life which is shattered when her husband walks out. She has to reach deep to discover how strong she really is. I really LIKED this woman. I cried with her and felt her pain and her slow self discovery. Her realization that we all forget to appreciate who we are as women as we worry over our lost youth and cellulite was a wonderful eye opening truth. To look in our collective adult mirrors and be satisfied is rare in deed. A true revelation for me and I thank Elizabeth Berg for that. As a matter of fact, it's the first time I can remember reading an author's work and just wanting to thank them for picking up a pen in the first place.
Rating:
Summary: Would give it zero stars if I could
Review: This book was horrible. I couldn't finish reading it, which is saying a lot because I hate to waste my hard earned money on a book that I can't read. I can't believe this was an Oprah choice. Not that I read books or do anything else because Oprah suggests it. I read another one of her book choices and found it to be an entertaining read. But not this one. The characters in this book seemed shallow. Sam seemed to be more of a ditz than a woman crushed by an estranged husband. The son seemed very immature for his age. Maybe this was just from the way he was written. OK, I can't say much more because I didn't read the whole book. I will say I tried though, it just wasn't worth my time. The only reason I'm writing the review is to advise others to not even waste their time on this poorly written book.
Rating:
Summary: Would give it zero stars if I could
Review: This book was horrible. I couldn't finish reading it, which is saying a lot because I hate to waste my hard earned money on a book that I can't read. I can't believe this was an Oprah choice. Not that I read books or do anything else because Oprah suggests it. I read another one of her book choices and found it to be an entertaining read. But not this one. The characters in this book seemed shallow. Sam seemed to be more of a ditz than a woman crushed by an estranged husband. The son seemed very immature for his age. Maybe this was just from the way he was written. OK, I can't say much more because I didn't read the whole book. I will say I tried though, it just wasn't worth my time. The only reason I'm writing the review is to advise others to not even waste their time on this poorly written book.
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