Books › Landline
Landline
310 pages
A bittersweet, magical-realism-tinged exploration of a marriage at a crossroads, wrapped in a nostalgic holiday atmosphere.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting in a quiet, snowed-in house while wrestling with the ghosts of your own past decisions. It unfolds at a steady, contemplative pace, balancing the sharp, witty banter of a television writers room with the tender, aching vulnerability of a marriage on the brink. The atmosphere is distinctly bittersweet and nostalgic, wrapping the reader in a cozy yet melancholic holiday isolation. The prose is incredibly dialogue-driven, making the characters feel like real, flawed people you might know. It is a story that delights readers who love exploring the messy, unglamorous work of long-term relationships, offering a comforting, earnest reminder that love is a choice you have to keep making.
- Mood
- bittersweet
- cozy
- melancholic
- festive
- Tone
- wry
- nostalgic
- earnest
- warm
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- marriage maintenance · career versus family · second chances · the evolution of love · nostalgia
- The writing
- Witty and dialogue-heavy, with an accessible, conversational flow that grounds the magical elements in everyday reality.
- The arc
- Moves from a place of anxious disconnection and regret toward a hopeful, hard-won reaffirmation of enduring love.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave realistic, messy relationship dynamics softened by sharp banter and a touch of holiday magic.
Content notes
- marital strife
About the book
"Two days before they're supposed to visit his family in Omaha for Christmas, TV writer Georgie McCool tells her husband, Neal, that she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows Neal will be upset -- but she doesn't expect him to pack up the kids and go without her. That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. Is this an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts...or should it never have happened?"--
Description from Open Library.
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