Jennifer Kitses

Relationships cannot flourish without communication and it's clear Tom and Helen missed the memo. The couple does not communicate and withholds important information from one another (they don't appear to be compatible). Helen has serious anger issues and Tom has a secret life. It seems their motto is "any issue worth debating is worth avoiding altogether." Their life would be sooooo much simpler if they just spoke honestly to one another (but then there wouldn't be a book I guess). Small Hours is an interesting and quirky kind of novel. At times I wanted to scream (and slap) Tom and Helen, especially as the tension builds throughout the day. Ugh...this book has heaps of likes and I honestly thought I was going to love it (and I wanted to)...but I didn't. I found the main characters kind of blah (especially Tom) and the ending disappointing and unresolved. Now don't get me wrong, I like Kitses's powerful writing -- I mean she was able to bring out a haywire of emotions out of me. In other words, I would read something new from her in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for giving me an arc of the book in exchange for my honest review.… (mais)

This book detailed 24 hours in the lives of Tom and Helen, a married couple, told in alternating chapters. Talk about people who make bad decision choices - these two take the cake! Simple domestic scenes turned into situations fraught with drama, and Tom's work situation was a bomb just waiting to explode. As the tension mounted, it was hard to determine how this was all going to turn out. Up until the last chapter, when I started to realize I probably wasn't going to like the way the story ended, I was captivated by the writing. Unfortunately, the ending was ambiguous and left me with a dissatisfied feeling.… (mais)

The Short of It:

Told in one single day, this story is both well written and heartfelt. What happens to a couple when secrets begin to take over their lives?

The Rest of It:

After moving to what Helen believes to be the ideal neighborhood, Tom and Helen raise their daughter and slowly realize that the everyday struggles of work and raising a child have created a slight rift between the two of them. The neighborhood is not what it seems to be and Tom’s relationship with another woman, one that results in another daughter almost the same age as the one he has, forces him to keep the secret long after he intends to.

What an interesting story. It’s told hour-by-hour and all in one day so what we see as a reader is the breaking point, really. The point where Helen and Tom have to come to grips with their reality and it’s not pretty but it’s very honest and very real. As readers we get to share in their regret and their fears. I really enjoyed the writing and the deep looks into each of the main characters. There are no “bad guys” here. Each character is trying his or her best to be the best person they can be. It’s a struggle but not impossible.

Lovely. Small Hours is lovely read with deeply flawed characters and a story that’s told in a quiet but direct way. I recommend it.

For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter.… (mais)