The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller

This was one of those books I randomly picked up while wandering aimlessly in Barnes and Noble. It, along with many others, has been gathering dust on my shelves as I go through a "re-read all my favorites" phase. It happens to me occasionally-I just want to get lost in a familiar story. Most good books will always have something new for you to discover.

In any case, I decided I was ready for something new. I did start a book that was so horrendous, it put me off books for a whole month. The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller, however, totally brought me back. I liked this book.

The story is told from two perspectives, Delia and Meri, with Delia jumping back and forth in time. Meri moves in next door to Delia, who is an older woman and wife of a famous ex-senator. They strike up a tentative friendship and we learn a lot about them, how they got to where they are and where they are going.

There were a lot of things to like about this book. For example, Delia often speaks of political events, both in the past and present day (of the story, which is early to mid 90's). The fun thing about it is, since it's in the past, we can be in on the joke. We know how Bill Clinton's affairs ended. I, for one, love being in the know.

Along with the friendship of Meri and Delia, another one of my favorite subjects is explored: fidelity. Delia is still married to her husband, but they haven't lived together in years. After his many affairs, he lives in D.C. carrying on his little life and Delia lives in their home state, carrying on with hers. Delia still loves him and they are still lovers a few times a year. I thoroughly enjoyed learning the complexities of how they got to where they're at and where they continue to go. The subject is so multi-faceted and fascinating that I don't believe I can ever get tired of it.

I will admit, I wasn't a fan of the ending. I just didn't buy it. I don't know if it was me, if I rushed it or didn't understand the characters completely, but it just didn't seem right. However, I wouldn't say you shouldn't read the book because of it. It is still a delightful read.