Ellie Black is not the only girlfriend who has had to deal with “the other woman.” However, in her case, the other woman is not a mistress, but her boyfriend Dan’s mother.

When Ellie first meets Linda and the rest of Dan’s family, she thinks she’s found the family of her dreams. Her mother died when she was young, and she hasn’t been close with her father ever since. But as Dan and Ellie get closer and become engaged, she begins to realize that Linda is not the perfect mother-in-law she has been envisioning. When Ellie finds out she is pregnant, Linda’s interfering ways become even more apparent. Though Ellie tries to confide in Dan, she finds that the only people who really understand are her friends who have been through the same thing. Will Ellie be able to salvage her marriage, or will Dan’s mother spell the end of their relationship?

The Other Woman by Jane Green is an honest, heartwarming, sometimes funny and sometimes heartbreaking look at a marriage. Though it’s fictional, many readers will find it realistically hits home. Ellie, Dan and the other characters are written in a way that makes them stand out and become much more than just characters. Each character, including the supporting ones, are written to have both strengths and flaws - no one comes out the “hero” or the “villain”. Readers will find something to relate to in many of the characters, not just in Ellie. This realism helps the reader to form a connection to the events and those who are affected by them, giving the book that much more impact.

Jane Green is one of the most recognized names in women’s fiction and she has proven her worth time and time again in books like Mr. Maybe and Bookends. With The Other Woman, Green again shows why she is so popular. Fans of her books will not be disappointed.