Brooklyn, 1947: in the midst of a blizzard, in a two-family brownstone, two babies are born minutes apart to two women. They are sisters by marriage with an impenetrable bond forged before and during that dramatic night; but as the years progress, small cracks start to appear and their once deep friendship begins to unravel. No one knows why, and no one can stop it. One misguided choice; one … moment of tragedy. Heartbreak wars with happiness and almost but not quite wins.
From debut novelist Lynda Cohen Loigman comes The Two-Family House, a moving family saga filled with heart, emotion, longing, love, and mystery.
“Two families, both living in one house, drive an exquisitely written novel of love, alliances, the messiness of life and long buried secrets. Loigman’s debut is just shatteringly wonderful and I can’t wait to see what she does next.” – Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Is This Tomorrow and Pictures of You
“No good deed goes unpunished. In a single, intensely charged moment, two women come to a private agreement meant to assure each other’s happiness. But as Lynda Cohen Loigman deftly reveals, life is not so simple, especially when it involves two families, tightly intertwined. The Two-Family House is sympathetically observed and surely plotted all the way through to its deeply satisfying conclusion.” – Christina Schwarz, author of Drowning Ruth (an Oprah’s Book Club pick) and national bestseller The Edge of the Earth
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This was an easy and enjoyable read. I figured out what was going on pretty early on but it didn’t take away anything from the story. It’s the story of two families and the wives who went from being like sisters to not speaking to each other.
I cannot say enough good things about Lynda Cohen Loigman’s novel, The Two-Family House. Despite knowing the “secret” within the first few pages, the brilliance of how the story unfolds is that the reader is compelled to keep turning pages to experience every character’s perspective on how the “secret” affects themselves and the lives of those they love.
If you enjoy family life stories with a touch of sadness, a mountain of regret, and enough heart to prove that sometimes, love is enough, then you will definitely enjoy The Two-Family House.
A very readable story line with likable (even those who struggle) characters. I kept stumbling on the misuse of the words “bring” (which in most cases should have been “take”), but that is a small matter. I save five stars for dazzling writing, so this book gets four because of the story. And I always appreciate closure at the end of a book.
The book has a very interesting premise. A decision that is made in a split second has ramifications that affect all the characters for many years. The decision cannot be reversed. It was very interesting to see how the characters grappled with the consequences of the decision.
loved it
Easy read, main characters well defined. Early on I figured out what happened which never took away from the story. Well written, I really enjoyed this story.
Found it fully entertaing and revelatory
I don’t really know what to say about this book. I grew up knowing similar families and in a suburb of NYC where people lived in two family homes so I totally related. I wouldn’t say it’s the best book I’ve ever read but I certainly enjoyed it!
While I figured out the secret between Rose and Helen early in the book, it did not take away the appeal of reading it. I enjoyed how the story evolved and once I got 70% through it, I did not put it down.
enjoyed reading it. good story
What we will do for love
Wonderful characters, moved along through the years seamlessly, A well-written family drama. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Good character insight. Good Read
ENJOYED it
not bad not too good
I loved this book. One of those books that could only happen in that time period.
Loved this book. The characters’ personalities change and grow throughout, some for the better—some not. A decision made early changes the lives of every character.
Meh
Boring and not clever
What a great story about family! So many emotions and situations to deal with. So many different personalities all meshed into one family. It was nice to see the growth of some members and sad to see the problems some were dealing with. Sometimes we don’t realize just how much strength we can gather from the love of our family members, even those you least expect it from.
I won this book in a contest and I wrote this review because I loved the book.