My Ex Life

OK , os I am adding to this review ...  I have reread the book and gotten the exciting opportunity to interview the author Stephan McCauley about this book, My Ex-Life. It has of course changed my perspective and increased my appreciation for the novel.

Though I say at the end of this review that it is a sweet and funny, there is so much more to this plot.  Yes, the novel has quite a few funny interactions between characters.  There are great, colorful and funny descriptions of characters, but each of these characters are very deep and complicated souls. 
Each character has an ex-life in some fashion.  Each character is flawed in some way.  Each character is caring around a secret that is weighing them down. 

David Hedges is living a swinging life of a single gay man in San Francisco.  He  is renting a cute cottage with a attractive address, having just broken up with his latest relationship, he works to help young graduating seniors apply to colleges.

His ex wife, Julie,  is living on the opposite coast, just outside Boston, with her daughter and finalizing her divorce from her second marriage.   She about to lose her house and her daughter is supposed to be applying to college.  While going through some old papers,  Mandy discovers her mother's ex, she writes to him asking him to come help her write her essay and fill out college applications.

Mandy thinks bringing her mother and the ex together seems like a great idea.  The pressure is on from Mandy's dad to get focused on college admissions and he also want Julie to sell the house so he can put more money into his restaurant. He is ready to move on and remarry.  All Julie needs now is money to buy him out.  She is renting out rooms in the house as an airbnb.  Her life is so mixed up and the reefer isn't help her keep a clear head.

David comes east and helps to fix not only the house, but Mandy, Julie and his life.

Following each of these main characters as they interact with each other and try to negotiate their lives, we learn about their secrets and desires.  This book though written in alight hearted manner, really delves deeply into each characters inner thoughts and feelings.  Even the supporting actors are well developed roles, which help the story unfold.  The neighbor, friend who acts one way but is different on the inside and the creepy boyfriend, dangerous character in Mandy's life are perfectly portrayed.

I really got attached to Mandy , Julie's daughter, and was quite concerned as she seemed to be going down a danger path.  As a parent, I was concerned about the lack of watchfulness that Julie was showing and the lack of knowledge that David had about how to care for a teenager. 

A sweet, heartbreaking and funny novel about family, love and what being home really means.  The dialog is snappy and very relevant.   Sometimes family and caring for others is not limited to the one you are married to.