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The Intermission

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The Intermission

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Overview

A HelloGiggles Best New Release
A PopSugar Best Book of July
A BookBub Editor's Pick
A SheReads Best Book of Summer
A GoodReads Buzzy New Release
A Mind Body Green Best Book of July
A PureWow Best Beach Read of Summer 2018

"An effortless page-turner, almost a movie treatment more than a novel...intelligent commercial fiction."—The Wall Street Journal

After five years of marriage, Cass Coyne has lost some of her boundless confidence. Her husband sees their ups and downs as normal challenges in a healthy relationship, but Cass lies awake at night wondering what you do when you need a break from your marriage?

It comes as a shock to Jonathan when Cass persuades him to try a marital "intermission": a six-month separation during which they'll decide if the comfortable life they've built together is still the one they both want.

Six months apart from their beloved dog is a different story, so they agree to meet once a month for a custody exchange. Time apart on opposite coasts makes the Coynes realize their problems may lie deeper than sweaty gym socks left on the bed and an empty container of milk put back in the fridge.

Can a marriage experiment go too far for two people who once thought they had it all figured out?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780399586866
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	07/03/2018
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Elyssa Friedland is a graduate of Yale University and Columbia Law School and lives with her husband and three children in New York City. The Intermission is her second novel.

Read an Excerpt

1. Cass
(Continues…)

Excerpted from "The Intermission"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Elyssa Friedland.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Reading Group Guide

Questions for Discussion

1. How important is honesty in a marriage? Do you think small lies of omission are permissible in a happy marriage?
2. Do you think it is ever a good idea for a marriage to have an intermission period, and if so, under what circumstances?
3. Were you ever upset with Cass for how she treated Jonathan, or did you sympathize with her given her tough childhood and the prickly defense mechanisms she wears as armor?
4. Jonathan is initially shocked when Cass asks for the separation, but then he comes around quickly. Do you think he agreed that they needed time apart, or did he acquiesce because he didn’t want to upset Cass?
5. Cass and Jonathan’s marriage has problems at both the macro and micro level. Which partner do you think was more responsible for their daily frustrations with each other? Or was it all intertwined?
6. Who had the bigger secrets: Jonathan or Cass?
7. Why do you think Jonathan feels tormented about what happened in high school with Daniel?
8. How do you think Jonathan would have reacted to finding out that Cass had “stalked” him if she’d just told him in the beginning of their relationship?
9. What did Cass see in Marty? Do you think she was attracted to the power of his position or just looking for a total escape from Jonathan?
10. What impact did the dissolution of Dahlia’s marriage have on Cass, or did it have any impact at all?
11. What does Cass learn from living with Alexi?
12. 12 Do you think Jonathan treated Brett unfairly? Or was it unreasonable of her to expect more since she knew she was getting involved with a married man?
13. Did you feel that after the intermission Cass and Jonathan had a better understanding of each other and what makes their marriage work? Do you think they will be happier than they would have been without having taken an intermission?
14. How do you think Cass’s and Jonathan’s childhoods and upbringings affected them in similar ways? In different ways? What bearing did their backgrounds have on their outlooks on marriage?
15. Did you think Cass and Jonathan were going to divorce or get back together? Which outcome were you hoping for?
16. What do you think the future holds for Cass and Jonathan? Now that they are reunited, do you expect them to stay together forever?
17. What kind of parents do you think Cass and Jonathan will be?
18. Cass and Jonathan both felt they couldn’t live apart from Puddles for very long. Have you ever shared custody of something (other than a child) after a breakup? How did it go?
19. Can you think of a secret you’ve kept from your partner that has snowballed simply because you didn’t share it upfront?
20. What do you think are the most important elements for a successful marriage?
21. What does a successful marriage look like to you? What does it look like for Cass and Jonathan?

From the B&N Reads Blog

Page 1 of

Editorial Reviews

05/14/2018
This entertaining marriage saga from Friedland (Love and Miss Communication) unravels the minutiae of everyday life in a broken marriage. It takes five years for the charm to fade from Cass Coyne’s marriage. Generally insecure and daunted by the prospect of becoming a mother, Cass informs her husband that they’ll be taking a six-month “intermission” and live seperately. While Cass has relished the stability, luxury, and love she’s found with hedge fund analyst Jonathan, she can’t quite move past her impoverished and neglected childhood or the guilt of secretly orchestrating her initial meeting with Jonathan. Told from both Cass’s and Jonathan’s perspectives, the story follows Cass as she leaves her posh New York apartment and begins an affair with a manipulative Hollywood producer in L.A. In Cass’s absence, Jonathan reaches out to his high school sweetheart and attempts to reconcile a disturbing indiscretion from his prep school past. Told in direct prose, Friedland’s emotionally fraught narrative shows how seemingly insignificant events inform and hide the “deep, dark truths... that reveal weaknesses in the fibers” in the Coynes’ relationship. In the end, their intermission might have to be permanent. Although the characters are frustratingly feckless and the ending is too abrupt, Friedland insightfully dissects motives, lies, and love in this engrossing deconstruction of a bad marriage. Agent: Stefanie Lieberman, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc. (July)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Intermission

“The snappy dialogue makes this an effortless page-turner, almost a movie treatment more than a novel...intelligent commercial fiction.”—The Wall Street Journal

“The Intermission is a thoughtful look at the complexities of marriage, delivering deep truths about how we share a life with another person. It will have you wondering: how well do I really know my spouse?”—PopSugar

“A multifaceted look at the difficulties and rewards of marriage.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Entertaining marriage saga... Friedland insightfully dissects motives, lies, and love in this engrossing deconstruction of a bad marriage.”—Publishers Weekly

"Expertly paced and eerily realistic, this novel will make readers think twice about the line between deception and mystery in any relationship.”—Booklist

“This fast-paced read will have you turning pages all night to see if Cass and Jonathan will be able to save their marriage.”—Salisbury Daily Times

“In a time when open relationships and other less traditional dynamics are becoming more common, this is a fun beach read that explores the many ways we can love and be loved.”—Mind Body Green

“We all know that relationships aren’t always what they seem on the outside. But The Intermission takes things a step further, going inside of a marriage that’s on the rocks. It’s about Jonathan and Cass, a husband and wife that decide to take a six-month break from their relationship to see if it’s what they really want. As we all know, there are two sides to every story. And through alternating perspectives, The Intermission delivers both.”—Hello Giggles

“Through her wonderful writing and pitch-perfect storytelling, Elyssa Friedland examines how far we would or should go to salvage a marriage. This book is smart, tender and thought-provoking. I loved it.”—Allison Winn Scotch, New York Times bestselling author of Between Me and You

"With precision and empathy, Elyssa Friedland offers a fresh take on a timeless question: Just how honest should you really be with your spouse? The Intermission is a smart, moving, and refreshingly candid examination of the way small omissions can lead to enormous rifts in a marriage. I couldn’t put it down.” —Camille Pagán, bestselling author of Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties

"Friedland's engaging characters and smart writing style will hook you from the first page. Soulful and bittersweet, The Intermission puts a young couple under a microscope to show how one small crack in a marriage can lead to many crevasses, and how the struggle to put the pieces back together can seem insurmountable."—Julie Lawson Timmer, author of Mrs. Saint and the Defectives

"The Intermission deftly pulls apart the puzzle of one couple's marriage and lays the pieces bare, posing the question: would you walk away from your marriage in order to save it? A provocative, insightful look at the intricacies of marriage, the role of fate, and the unpredictable nature of love."—Jamie Brenner, bestselling author of The Husband Hour

“Smart, captivating, and expertly crafted, The Intermission takes a fresh spin on how one couple hits the pause button to reboot their marriage. I cheered and I cringed through their rises and falls as they dealt with the obstacles in their marriage to rediscover themselves and their relationship. A delightful read that sucked me in. Perfect for book clubs and summer reading. I highly recommend.” — Kerry Lonsdale, Wall Street Journal bestselling author

“With all the drama and intensity of live theater, Elyssa Friedland puts a seemingly solid marriage on display — and through the toughest of tests — revealing quirky flaws, unraveling dark secrets, and sparking emotions from tenderness to fury. Fans of Sarah Dunn and Taylor Jenkins Reid will relish the raw honesty and high-stakes tension as the pasts of Cass and Jonathan come roaring into the present.”—Amy Poeppel, author of Limelight

"A pitch-perfect beach read that pulls back the curtain on what really happens after we say I do."—Jo Piazza, bestselling author of Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win

“The Intermission digs into the bedrock of the Coyne's marriage, exposing the strengths and vulnerabilities of its roots. Friedland builds characters who are both selfless and selfish at different times, resulting in a relatable and compelling read. Book clubs will have much to dissect.”—Abby Fabiaschi, author of I Liked My Life

"Taking a pause to dissect what makes a marriage tick is terrifying, enlightening, and, in the case of Cass Coyne, even hilarious....With observations both acute and quirky, Elyssa Friedland points out the flaws and perfections that make marriage work, the secrets they contain, and how a desire for total honesty can bring both pain and freedom."—Maureen Sherry, author of Opening Belle

"A courageous and clever look at the frustrations and disappointments even the best marriages face. Elyssa Friedland pulls no punches with this provocative story that challenges our expectations about commitment and love."—Lynda Cohen Loigman, author of The Two-Family House

“I absolutely loved The Intermission, a smart, thoughtful exploration of the nature of marriage and relationships."—Brenda Janowitz, author of The Dinner Party

Praise for Love and Miss Communication

"Witty and hilarious...a love story for the 21st century."—Emily Giffin, New York Times bestselling author

"Funny, fast-paced, charming."—Jennifer Belle, bestselling author of High Maintenance and The Seven Year Bitch

"A witty, wonderful, and thoroughly modern love story. Friedland's writing is sharp and funny, tender and true. I couldn't put it down."—Cristina Alger, author of The Darlings

"A delicious and timely novel. Friedland takes a look at how our addiction to social media brings us together while keeping us apart."—Molly Jong-Fast, author of The Social Climber's Handbook

"A witty, modern love story not to be missed."—The Gazette (Iowa)

From the Publisher

2018-04-16
A couple puts their marriage on hold for six months to find out if they're better together or apart.From the outside, Jonathan and Cass Coyne seem like the perfect couple. He makes tons of money working at a hedge fund, and she works in theater marketing. Two beautiful, successful people about to start their own family…what could be wrong? But when Cass' boss dies and she leaves her job, she begins to have trouble sleeping. As she tosses and turns each night, she starts to suspect that her marriage isn't as perfect as she's always pretended it is. Cass spent her childhood in poverty with neglectful parents, and she resents Jonathan and his snobby family for their wealth. And although Jonathan is still deeply infatuated with Cass, her behavior has started to grate on his nerves—for example, the way she feels guilty about hiring a housekeeper. Minor annoyances aside, Jonathan is shocked when Cass suggests a six month separation—or, in theater lingo, an intermission. For those six months, Jonathan will stay in New York and Cass will be in Los Angeles. They'll live their lives as if they're single, free to date other people, and when the six months are up, they'll decide if they want to stay married. While they're apart, crises occur (Cass' mother gets sick, Jonathan's company has a scandal) that make each of them realize why they need the other. Eventually, Cass and Jonathan must decide what's more important—a "perfect" marriage in which no one is honest or being truly open and vulnerable in front of the person you love. The resolution feels a bit rushed, and Cass' and Jonathan's decisions are sometimes so frustrating that it's hard to understand why they're together. Still, Friedland (Love and Miss Communication, 2015) paints a picture of a complex marriage between two flawed human beings.A multifaceted look at the difficulties and rewards of marriage.

Kirkus Reviews