The Breakdown Lane [Hardcover]

Julieanne Steiner is a housewife who writes a column for a Wisconsin newspaper, giving out advice to those who need answers to intimate questions and situations. Little does Julieanne know that she too, in the very near future could do with some good advice as well, as her husband springs a horrrible surprise on her requesting a sabbatical- a leave of absence from her and the kids for a little while. He suggests that he is extremely stressed out and therefore needs the break. Julieanne does not realise the seriousness of this situation, until she allows her husband to ride off into the sunset, and she becomes ill. Things turn things topsy turvy in the Steiner household leaving the two older children no other alternative but to go in search of their absent dad, unknown to mum.
What they find is surprising and will not help the state of affairs in any form whatsoever. But time goes by and we see some intriguing events take place that brings alterations to the lives of all of the characters in this novel. I could not, not buy this book after reading The Deep End of The Ocean by this wonderful author, which was excellent. Ms. Mitchard will not let you down in her latest novel. <02/03/06)

Julieann has always had what she wanted. Love, money, educated parents and a loving husband and family. Until that is, the day Leo tells her he needs to have a sabbatical- a time away from her and his famly and his committments. She argues, she screams, nothing works- he leaves. And, they do not hear from him for months. For the past year, Julieann has had some difficulty moving, she falls easily and she has some loss of sensation in some of her fingers and toes. It is not until her best friend demands that she sees someone that she learns she has multiple sclerosis. MS and the loss of her husband, what else can go wrong, but with the help of her family and friends and her in-laws she moves on.

Julieann is an advice counselor with a column in a newspaper. On the bad dsys, her son, Gabe writes the column,and he does so well that her publisher is impressed with her new style. With the physical issues of MS, Julieann writes poems to mask her stress. These poems are well regarded and a publisher wants them for a book. All is looking up, isn't it?

Leo returns one day with her two chidlren who had gone looking for him. They were tired of supporting their mom while their dad did nothing. Well, he was doing something- living anther life with a woman and he had a small baby. Julieann was thrilled to see Leo until she learned that he was still enmeshed in his new life and was not thinking of her or his family.

Julieann and her children have good and bad days. Leo leaves and Julieann strikes up a relationship with a man she used to know from high school. But, who would want to date a woman with a terminal disease? What will happen to her children- how will they be supported- why does her daughter Cat stay out all night, and what is happening to Gabe and his learning disabilites.

A trifle trite, I said, You betcha'. You can guess what will happen after the first chapter. The writing saves it. Too bad the story is so commonplace. Recommended warily. prisrob