Overall:  This book is by a Minnesota author, about a group of women who don’t have much in common except that they all live in the same suburban Minnesota neighborhood.  They decide to start a book club together.  The beginning of each chapter is the new book chosen by a book club member to read for the month, and reason why she chose that particular book.  Their book club was named, Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons (AHEB for short), because one of the husbands wouldn’t “allow” his wife to join a book club.  He said it would probably just be a bunch of angry housewives sitting around bitching about their husbands and eating bon bons.  That wife did in fact join the book club, and they named it that as a joke on her husband.   This book covers the lives of the book club ladies over the next 30 years, from the late 1960’s through the late 1990’s.  As the book goes on through all the years, you get to learn all about the happenings in the lives of the book club members.  The marriages, divorces, them having children, getting jobs, deaths, dating, and becoming empty nesters.  The ladies, their husbands, and children all live in the same neighborhood and all know eachother socially.  You get to learn their backstories to learn a little about why the ladies turned out the way that they did.  But, the core of the book is really about the friendship and amazingly strong 30 year bond between these ladies who, at first, had little in common but their address.  Through this book club, they become lifelong best friends and help eachother get through all of life’s ups and downs together.     

Ovations:  I loved that this book had a Minnesota connection.  It is written by a Minnesota author and is set in a Minnesota suburban neighborhood.  But, the best part of the book was it’s storyline.  The life stories of all of these ladies was told in such a realistic and honest way.  This book will run you through a full range of emotions…. from happy, joyful, and excited, to sad, confused and outraged.  You will laugh and you will cry.  You will become very invested in the lives of these women and their families because the writing is so authentic and absorbing. 

Oh Well:  This book is over 400 pages and has a very slow pace.  It has 30 years and many characters to cover and it takes it’s time.  So, this is not a quick, light read.  You need to know that going in. 

Opinion:  I enjoyed that this book was about a book club.  I liked that each chapter named the book they were reading in book club, who selected it, and why.  The books were real books that came out during those 30 years that this book follows the events of.  So, you can go out and find some of these old books if they are something you would like to actually read now.  Each month these ladies got together to discuss a book, have some snacks, cocktails, and good conversation.  But what they got was so much more than that.  They formed such strong and lasting friendships that would sustain them through the toughest times in their lives.  Everyone deserves a group of friends like this!  I know I wish I was in a book club like this one!  I especially recommend this book to any woman in a book club, or any woman over 40.  (I believe that being over 40 will be the age group who would relate best to this book.  I am 53.)  Rating  7 out of 10