The Opposite of Love, Julie Buxbaum
The Opposite of Love, Julie Buxbaum
List: $20.00 | Sale: $14.00
Club: $10.00

The Opposite of Love

Author: Julie Buxbaum

Narrator: Emily Janice Card

Unabridged: 9 hr 24 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/29/2008


Synopsis

When successful twenty-nine-year-old Manhattan attorney Emily Haxby ends her happy relationship just as her boyfriend is on the verge of proposing, she can’t explain to even her closest friends why she did it. Somewhere beneath her sense of fun, her bravado, and her independent exterior, Emily knows that her breakup with Andrew has less to do with him and more to do with...her.  

As the holiday season looms and Emily contemplates whether she made a huge mistake, the rest of her world begins to unravel: she is assigned to a multimillion-dollar lawsuit where she must defend the very values she detests by a boss who can’t keep his hands to himself; her Grandpa Jack, a charming, feisty octogenarian and the person she cares most about in the world, is losing it, while her emotionally distant father has left her to cope with this alone; and underneath it all, fading memories of her deceased mother continue to remind her that love doesn’t last forever.

How this brave, original young heroine finally decides to take control of her life and face the fears that have long haunted her is the great achievement of Julie Buxbaum’s marvelous first novel.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Kelsey on December 31, 2007

Just finished reading this first novel and really wasn't that crazy about it. It's the story of a 29 year-old lawyer, Emily, struggling to find herself (fix her relationship, her job, her family). Best part of the book: First line of chapter 1: "Last night, I dreamt that I chopped Andrew up into a hu......more

Goodreads review by Allison on November 18, 2007

I was lucky enough to get my hands on an ARC of this book - due to hit stores in January 2008 - and I wasn't disappointed. An honest, believable portrayal of a 29-year old woman who is paralyzed by life and who has to find the nerves and strength within herself to literally move forward. Very touchi......more

Goodreads review by Leah on October 22, 2010

When Emily Haxby suddenly dumps her boyfriend of two years Andrew, just as he’s about to propose, she can’t explain why to anybody, not even to Andrew or her close friends, not really. Once Emily realises her mistake, though, it’s too late and her life soon begins falling apart. She’s fed up of work......more

Goodreads review by Jill on March 14, 2008

I'm not sure I've ever had this same experience where I'm reading a book and thinking, "how does this author know exactly what my life is like?" But the truth is, it doesn't matter that many of the details aren't exactly the same-- what matters is that Ms. Buxbaum captures so many universal feelings......more

Goodreads review by Sarah on November 20, 2007

Not my genre of choice, but it is a fine choice for a beach read/travel book...meaty chick lit. Very funny characters, and surprisingly realitstically writen. If I met the author, I can safely assume I won't see someone wearing pink and carrying around bridal magazines.......more


Quotes

“In the character of Emily, Julie Buxbaum has created the quintessential motherless daughter: a woman who longs for the comfort of intimacy, yet fears its permanence. The Opposite of Love is a brilliant examination of loss, romance, and the jagged, imperfect, utterly realistic way we fall and stay in love. A stunning debut.”—Hope Edelman, author of Motherless Daughters "You’ll want to keep reading all night.”—Library Journal, Starred Review“A witty, touching debut novel rich with emotional truths. Women everywhere will relate to Julie Buxbaum's thoughtful, young heroine and her journey of loss and love.”—Emily Giffin, author of Love the One You’re With“Gripping, wise and extremely refreshing. I loved it.”—Marian Keyes, author of Sushi for Beginners and Angels"Buxbaum makes an appealing debut with this tale of...[a] single gal-in-the-city [who] finds her white-knuckle hold on life and love slowly slipping."—Publishers Weekly