Years after their friendship ends, Julia gets word that her daughter has suddenly become seriously ill--and she and Dina must decide whether they can face the history that now unites them and muster the maturity to rescue their emotionally tattered families.
A sweeping saga that follows generations from a shtetl in Odessa to the comforts of Scarsdale, an uprising in Glasgow to servitude in the Caribbean, and a trek through the Alps to a displaced persons camp in Italy, The Convention of Wives is a story about the ever-evolving messiness of friendship and marriage, and the wonder of survival.
--Kirkus Reviews
"Complicated secret legacies are exposed as two families reel from a
betrayal, creating a ripple effect no one could have imagined at the
core of this multigenerational saga."
--Eva Lesko Natiello, New York Times best-selling author of The Memory Box
"Riveting and fast-paced, this novel holds your attention from the first to the very last page. The Convention of Wives is
unflinching in its revealing account of generations of women
who survive dire political realities as well as threats to their
friendships, marriages, and families."
--Robin Rosen Chang, author of The Curator's Notes
"A medical mystery reveals devastating secrets as debut novelist Debra
Green unspools the history of two intertwined families back through the
generations. Rich in historical detail and deeply perceptive insights
into the nature of betrayal and love."
--Michelle Cameron, author of The Fruit of Her Hands and Beyond the Ghetto Gates
"The Convention of Wives
is a captivating story about friendship, marriage and survival, but
also opens our eyes to the impact of genetic disease and emerging
treatments. A delightful and timely read!"
--Karen A. Grinzaid, MS, CGC, assistant professor and executive director of JScreen at Emory University
"In a story that spans centuries and crosses continents, Debra Green
weaves a complex tale of family secrets, love, loss, and redemption."
--Susan Schoenberger, author of The Liability of Love
"If you love historical fiction, family sagas, women's friendships, and a juicy secret or two to tie them all together, then The Convention of Wives is the book for you!"
--Alina Adams, author of The Nesting Dolls
"Debra Green's skillfully braided story of two families, several
generations, love, marriage, friendship, and a medical mystery makes for
a thoroughly entertaining and oh-so-satisfying read."
--Deborah K. Shepherd, author of So Happy Together
"Debra Green is a wonderful storyteller, and her sweeping tale of family secrets had me turning pages from beginning to end. The Convention of Wives tells
the story of Dina Aharoni Wasserman and Julia Cawley Kinsella, two
young wives and mothers who meet in the 1970s, lose touch, then reunite
decades later in a dramatic climax that reveals the mysterious end to
their earlier friendship. Green masterfully moves the narrative back and
forth in time and place, weaving together the lives of Dina's Jewish
ancestors and Julia's Christian heritage to remind the reader that
long-hidden family trauma still lives and breathes in each of us. A
gripping family saga."
--Mally Becker, author of The Turncoat's Widow
". . . compelling and enjoyable. . .. Any reader interested in the
science of genetic diseases and forensic paternalism will find this book
intriguing."
--Barry Rosenbloom, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center