Good Grief, Sara Goodman Confino (Review by Jean Dandois)

Good Grief by Sara Goodman Confino is the story of Barbara, a young widow raising two children in 1963. The story starts when Barbara’s mother is departing after living with her and helping her for 2 years. Barbara’s determination to now manage everything on her own is shattered by the arrival of her somewhat dour mother-in-law, Ruth, who is committed to “help” her daughter-in-law and grandchildren. Barbara’s home, work and love life are thrown into chaos as Ruth makes sweeping changes and oversteps on an almost daily basis.

Barbara and Ruth are each working behind the scenes to get their way, and the miscommunications, awkward situations and downright mayhem are entertaining. Barbara’s many challenges as she negotiates widowhood, raising two children, managing a home and rebuilding her life after her husband’s death are handled honestly and with great care. The emergence of Ruth as something much more than a morose, childless widow is eye-opening and challenges the reader’s initial impression as she becomes a three-dimensional person rather than a stereotype.  The cast of supporting characters are expected but well-done – including the supportive best friend, the helpful brother of said friend, and the smarmy work colleague.

I enjoyed this book but wished for more. It touches on some important themes about what women had to overcome in the 1960’s, including workplace harassment, misogyny and being treated as a capable and competent adult. Goodman Confino treats these moments with deft humor but she could have done more here, without impacting the light-hearted nature of the book.

Good Grief is an extremely easy read, it’s approachable, funny, and the writing flows. I breezed along without noticing the time.  However, I found the story to be fairly predictable. The lengths Ruth goes to in order to get her way were surprising, but much of the storyline was by-the-numbers. This is a sweet book, a bit like a Hallmark movie which is fun and entertaining though not particularly challenging or impactful. Tag this for a great beach read or when you want something fun and easy.