The most common advice to aspiring authors is “Write what you know.” Clearly Elisabeth Egan took this advice to heart when penning her debut novel, A Window Opens, a literary anthem for 21st-century working mothers.
Like Egan herself, her protagonist, Alice Pearse, is a mother of three who has a bookworm’s dream job: writing book reviews for a major women’s magazine. Alice finds her part-time work rewarding, but she especially loves the supportive environment and the fact that she still has the freedom to take an active role in her kids’ lives, nurture her marriage and look after herself.
All of this changes when Alice’s husband drops a bombshell: He didn’t make partner and plans to open his own law firm. In the meantime, Alice offers to step up as the family breadwinner. When she lands a job at an edgy new start-up that is poised to revolutionize the publishing industry, Alice feels like she’s hit the jackpot. However, as the demands of her professional life intensify, her personal life begins to suffer, and difficult choices must be made.
In the vein of the chick-lit classic I Don’t Know How She Does It, Egan has written a heartfelt, humorous take on the pressures faced by moms and working women, tackling her subject matter with a charming candor that makes readers feel like they are listening to the confidences of a friend. A playful and provocative meditation on what it means to “have it all,” A Window Opens is more than just a mommy manifesto—it’s also an intimate and entertaining yarn that will speak to women from all walks of life.
ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read a Q&A with Elisabeth Egan about A Window Opens.
This article was originally published in the September 2015 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.
