3.5 stars

When I first read the summary for The Intermission I was very intrigued by the question of how much we truly know (and should want to know) about our spouse. Many times while reading this novel, I reflected on my own marriage - the highs, the lows, and the minutiae that sometimes feels so significant. I'll be honest, I had a love/hate relationship with this book. I felt the author portrayed the nuances of marriage very well and I could imagine these issues of complacency, fulfillment, and trust being confronted by many couples today. However, the drama was so drawn out and both Cass and Jonathan were so frustrating and unlikeable, that I wanted to throw my kindle across the room on more than one occasion. Jonathan was just slightly more tolerable to me since I sympathized with him over how badly Cass handled so many things, but as secrets were revealed on both sides, I didn't actually like either of them. Because of this, I honestly was not rooting for one outcome over the other.

I really didn't become invested in the story until about 1/3 of the way through, and even then, it was more out of curiosity for how the story would end rather than genuine love for these characters. It hurt my heart with how much these two wounded each other, but it was hard to feel any compassion for them when they felt so entitled/justified to act in this way. I did wish that more time would have been spent on Cass and Jonathan's final reckoning (Hooray! They were finally honest with each other!), but I think the author's point was to look forward. Overall, this was an interesting read, but I can't say that I loved it.

*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book*

This novel, about a couple who has been married for five years, together for six, is not plot driven. When Cass and Jonathon decide to take a time out from each other before they have kids, both have been thinking about the good and bad parts of their marriage. The prospect of bringing a kid into the world brings the problem aspects into a new light.

Both of them have secrets from each other that they are ashamed of, but the secrets don’t strike me as the kind of thing they couldn’t talk through. I do understand that if you hide the truth or go along with one version of reality, bringing it up later can seem like a bigger deal than it otherwise would be. We all tend to present our best selves when we’re dating—but then what happens when the details you leave out of your history haunt you later when the dating leads to marriage?

I liked the fact that Cass’s past of financial struggle with two divorced parents who were less than reliable puts an automatic fissure of tension in becoming part of Jonathon’s blue blood family.

If you’re looking for a page turner that will keep you up all night, this isn’t it, but there is some beautiful writing. Toward the end, the twists and turns did pick up.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Berkley Books for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASE JULY 3, 2018.

Don't judge a marriage by its cover... Cass & Jonathan have the seemingly perfect marriage but before long we are privy to the depths of each of their minds and find that things are not as rosy as they first appeared.

Elyssa does a stellar job at creating the subconscious of these characters that I felt very connected to the story and to their lives. The secrets that each had were pretty ground shaking and would have no dount had an impact early on in the marriage but at 6 years in, they threatened to destroy it. The idea of the intermission seemed ludicrous to me and I can't even believe Cass had the balls to ask for it! As the story wove on though, I think what surprised me the most about the book was that I didn't particularly care/root for Cass! I was actually on Jonathan's side for most of the book and I didn't think that would be the case!

*Potential spoiler* The ending in any other story would have been satisfying but somehow in this one I wasn't sure it was the best option... and I hate saying that! I honestly would have liked to see it through a little further before the ending chapter.

Overall a unique read that challenges those with storybook perceptions about life and showed the gritty realities of marriage and motives. Good summer pick!

Jonathan and Cass have been married for five years and are at the point where the honeymoon is over, and the little things are starting to annoy them. Cass wonders if Jonathan has always snored and why he puts a bottle of wine back in the refrigerator with only a swallow left. Jonathan is bugged by Cass leaving her book, glasses and the remote in the bed every night when she falls asleep.

Cass feels lost after her long-time mentor passes away, and she is unemployed for the first time. While she knows she has a good husband and a good life, she can’t help but feel like something is missing. She misses “that jolt, the butterflies” from the first time they kissed or when they used to hold hands.

Alexi to Cass: “Maybe you just need to remind yourself how lucky you are.”

Cass and Jonathan, well Cass, decide to take a 6-month gap (intermission) from their marriage to decide if they are meant to be together for the duration before bringing a child into the mix. Cass moves to LA and Jonathan stays in NYC. Will they be able to find their way back to each other? Or will this intermission ultimately be the end of their marriage?

“Few things couldn’t benefit from pressing pause and letting people gather their thoughts.”

At times, I felt like both Cass and Jonathan were selfish and a little narcissistic, but I really liked how the ending to this story played out.

I could not get through this one. The main characters were unlikeable and Cass’ constant dwelling on her past was annoying.

first and foremost, i think it’s important to note that i was definitely not the intended audience for this book. i’m a single 23-year-old that’s working two jobs and lives in the suburbs. while this didn’t make the book any less interesting, it certainly made it less relatable, and that’s a huge importance of this book.

but anyway.

THE INTERMISSION is the story of cass and jonathan, a couple which has been married for the last five years and has hit quite the rut. in an attempt to discover whether or not they’re truly suited for each other and prepared to start a family, cass unexpectedly asks for a separation, an intermission of sorts. just some time for both of them to figure out if this is what they really want. jon, blindsided, agrees and watches as his wife flies to the other side of the country.

the story spans a lot of time, often made up of memories and flashbacks as the couple looks back on their relationship and reflects on their choices. and, as they look back, they come to realize that maybe their biggest obstacles are not the things that they have yet to face with each other but the secrets they have kept from one another.

if anything, i went into this book as more of a character study; i was fascinated by cass, and i grew very, very fond of her throughout the story. i rooted for her, regardless of the fact that this isn’t necessarily written as a book to “root” for anyone. cass was frustrating, interesting, jaded, and calculating—she was an interesting character because of how flawed she was and there was never any question about it. we know immediately that cass has a lot going on in her head, and she’s constantly devising new ways to approach things.

jonathan was less interesting but still a good character to follow; he’s the vineyard vines, the yachts and luncheons and visits to martha’s vineyards. while he comes off as uninteresting and uncomplicated, it doesn’t take long to realize that there’s a lot more going on with jon than we’re led to believe. he puts on a good front, one that takes a while to really crack.

overall i think this is a solid, good book. there’s a lot that happens in it; we really see the trajectory of this relationship and question whether or not love can endure all. while the pacing was occasionally difficult for me—fueled once again by lack of relation, not necessarily because it was boring—it was a good story that certainly has me thinking about my own future relationships.

First of all, this book has the most perfect cover in the WORLD. It's seriously beautiful and the stuff my dreams are made of! I have such mixed feelings on the actual book and I keep going back and forth on it. It's the kind of book I love with "real life" characters living in NYC. Friedland is also the kind of writer I love and I would happily read anything from her.

My only problem with the book is that I really, really didn't like the characters. The thing is, normally, I don't need to "like" the characters to enjoy a book (and sometimes it's better if I don't!), but there was something about Cass that really got under my skin and almost felt a little unrealistic. How could someone be so cruel and self-centered? And while I like Jonathan better, I hated that he let Cass walk all over him and was so weak (the fact that he traveled to LA from NYC and back every month with the dog drove me nutty!). Because of the two main characters, I had a tough time actually caring what happened to them. I wanted to keep reading because like I said, it's the kind of book I love, but I just couldn't get invested in Cass and Jonathan's lives and their actions really just made me sad. Maybe I'm crazy and overly optimistic about marriage, but I feel like Cass should have dealt with her emotions a more of a mature way and if she couldn't, Jonathan should have said, "See ya!"

I received an email from the publisher with the link to download this title, and it's probably not one I would have read otherwise;;but I'm glad I did! The novel is written in the alternating viewpoints of a married couple who live in NYC, Cass and Jonathan Coyne. It starts out early in their marriage when they play a game guestimating how long other couples will stay together until they divorce. They know their "number" will be at least 50 years! Fast forward 5 years, and Cass is having some second thoughts about a marriage she thought would last forever. What I loved about this novel is that there is so much truth in the inner dialogue of the characters. Having been married almost 35 years (!), myself, I could relate to a lot of what Cass's thoughts were: the little things that got on her nerves; her own insecurities and negative self-talk; and her feelings about her husband and the marriage itself. And though female, the author does a great job of letting us get into a male character's head in the chapters written from Jonathan's perspective. With a husband and two adult sons, I think have some knowledge of how men think about things and Ms. Friedland has created in Jonathan a relatable male character, with flaws and imperfections, but an admiration and love for Cass that was a pleasure to read. I hope my own spouse views me occasionally the same way! When things start of go wrong for this couple, Cass decides she wants to take an "Intermission," and that's where the title of the novel comes from. The intermission gives the characters a lot of time to think about their marriage and what they really want. Cass and Jonathan's story is a fairly realistic portrayal of a troubled marriage, and I enjoyed it. Be sure to read all the way to the end!! My only criticism is the excessive F-bombs. They don't add anything to the narrative, but I've complained about this before in other great novels and still read them! Thanks for the opportunity to review this novel.

What would you do if you aren't as happy in your marriage as you think you should be? Would you try to fix it? Or take a break? Lots of things have been changing and Cass isn't sure her marriage to Jonathan will survive so she decides they need an Intermission to figure things out. A story of life and love and expectations.

“What three things do you want most out of life? You know, for us? Jonathan asked Cass after they had been engaged for six hours.

Shall we evaluate Cass’s answers? And Jonathan’s response?
If ‘you’re’ married ....what might ‘your’ answers have been ( at that time in your life when you were young - freshly in love - yet also clear you were a whole complete independent individual person?)

Here is how Cass answered those questions?
“One: I want to be with you forever”.
“Two: Beautiful babies.Two or three little us-es”.
“Three: I want never to be petty”.

Jonathan: ....( thinking) ..”Her words drifted to his ears like a cloud of baby powder raining on him softly.”
Tells Cass: “I couldn’t agree more”.

My thoughts: the question was doomed from the start. It’s an ‘ok’ question for an opening for further deeper conversation— but it’s so incomplete that one must laugh. And what guy do you know ‘thinks’ of clouds of baby powder? A little funny.....but I enjoyed the giggle.
If couples ‘really’ get married off conversations like the above - no wonder the divorce rate is high.

Turns out those 3 questions - which they so easily agreed on as if “problems solved”....wasn’t so ‘steady’ afterall.

“The Intermission” asks the question “how well do you know your spouse by looking at their 5 year marriage of Jonathan and Cass Coynes.
The chapters alternate between Jonathan and Cass each telling their story.

We know from the title of the book - “The Intermission” - ( a break, interlude, pause, recess, halftime, temporarily ceased), that this marriage isn’t ending in divorce by the time we finish the book.....but what we don’t know is what their struggles are yet.......their perpetrations with each other...and what will get disclosed from each one of them.

Cass proposes ‘the intermission’, catching Jonathan completely off guard. She has secrets to hide. He didn’t see the break-request coming ‘what-so-ever’ and was shocked. Not to worry for the guy, though, ...he has daggers hidden too.

Personally - I’ve never been a fan of the separation plan as a tool when solving marital problems —- but it makes for a juicy —‘what’s coming down the pipes next’, storyline.

A six month separation begins: living on two opposite sides of the country - taking turns passing their dog back and forth sounded extreme and chaotic to me - which it was ....( better them than you, right 🙂).

More time was spent looking at the couple’s relationship before and during their ‘intermission’, .....very little examination after.
I think we are suppose to just be happy that Cass and Jonathan were back living together - back on the treadmill — a little more clear that they could never be ‘so clear’ of how things will turn out ‘forever’......but having hopes was still nice.

Final thoughts....this isn’t “The Amateur Marriage”, by relationship queen - Anne Tyler.... It’s not a deceptively disarming rich book with piercing psychology......
But we do witness a couple fumbling through life - with their own issues - and with each other -
Author Elyssa Friedland shows a playful spunky side in her writing through her characters — I like her sparkly spirit.
At times Cass was pretentious and Jonathan gullible — but in the end we ‘feel’ the ‘love’ for this twinkling couple.

This isn’t rocket science— it’s a solid beach book type......a break from wars, poverty, racism, and other injustice in the world.

Thank You Berkley Publishing, Netgalley, and Elyssa Friedland

3.5 rating

I have mixed feelings about this one. First of all, let me say the book is well-written and I would definitely read this author again. I especially enjoyed the way the ending was written to make you wonder what had been decided instead of just spitting it out. My problem with the story is that with two unlikeable main characters, I found myself ambivalent about whether they stayed together or not. They both seemed selfish and self-centered, and even knowing their back stories did not justify their ill-advised actions for me. That said, I will definitely be reading her debut novel now as I did enjoy her writing style. My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my review copy.

The Intermission promises an intriguing premise, what happens when a couple decides to take a six month break from their marriage. Sadly, the cat and mouse depiction of Cass and Jon Coyne was cringe worthy. Rather than being open and honest and depending on each other, their marriage was built on lies and "zing." Was it any wonder that when the zing faded and life threw challenges their way that the "honeymoon" phase of their relationship ended? Maybe I'm just too old for this book and it's whining internal monologues. Perhaps 20-something readers will see truth and epiphanies in The Intermission where I found immaturity and bad decisions.

The Intermission is told in alternating chapters by husband and wife Jonathan and Cass Coynes. In the beginning of the story I disliked Cass. I thought she was lazy and selfish. How can she even think about breaking up with a husband who is handsome, kind, and hardworking! Ok, they both had secrets coming into and during the marriage, but does anyone really know everything about their spouse? Towards the middle and end of the book I started to soften my feelings toward Cass. The revelations of her childhood made me understand why she wanted the Intermission of the marriage before having a baby. The book moved along quickly and I enjoyed the ending. Thank you to Elyssa Friedland, the publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.

This was an okay book about how a relationship looks from the perspective of each individual. Told in three acts - before the break, during the break, and after the break, it explores issues that come up, things left unsaid, and plenty of regrets. What I didn't quite get was why so much time was spent dissecting everything before and during their "intermission," but a fraction of a second was spent on their 'after'. This was unbelievable to me.

Have you ever gotten so into a book and its characters that you laughed, cried, and grew so frustrated with them you wanted to reach into the book and knock some sense into them? That is exactly what happened with The Intermission. Cass and Jonathon have decided to take a break from their 6 year marriage as they both have huge secrets they've been keeping from each other and their families. Cass is at a crossroads with her career and moves across the country to California to try to have a new beginning and Jonathon is trying not to miss her in their New York City apartment. Thus begins the Intermission, and the crazy plan to trade custody of their dog every month. These characters felt so real that I felt part of their story. The descriptions of both the East Coast and West Coast were spot on and gave the story more depth.

After 5 years of marriage, Cass and Jonathan are "taking a break"- at the request of Cass on the night they plan to try to make a baby. Throughout the remainder of the story- told both from Cass and Jonathan's view in alternating chapters, you find out that they have had secrets from each other and as those secrets unravel they begin to wonder if this meant-to-be relationship was really meant to be.
I enjoyed the story but I had a hard time liking Cass and found myself on Jonathan's side for most of the story (which isn't a bad thing, but surprised me) Cass was very self-centered but I think that stemmed from her childhood and past. I didn't totally understand why a move across the county was "helping" to clarify things as it only made things more difficult. And the back and forth with the dog was a little crazy that someone would put their animal through that. But that aside, I enjoyed the journey and was satisfied with the ending. It was well written and the characters were uniquely developed. I would recommend it and read more from this author in the future! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC copy.

Intermission is a clever book about relationships, marriage and whether it is possible to fall out of love with the person you pledged to share your life with. Cass proposes a break (or intermission) from the five year marriage she has with Jonathan. Each harbors secrets and operates under the impression that the other person thinks he/she is something he/she is not. Elyssa Friedland tells the same story from both Cass and Jonathan’s perspectives while weaving in the necessary backstory so that the reader can understand what those secrets are. While there is some overlapping between the two narratives, you’re seeing those same events through the other character’s eyes, which makes the retelling fresh.

I found both Cass and Jonathan as likable characters, even when they make frustrating choices. Friedland’s writing can best be characterized as lively with a side of humor.

For any fan of Elyssa Friedland, I highly recommend this book. I'd like to thank NetGalley for providing me an advanced copy.

The description for this title was badly misleading as the "secret" that each spouse had was pretty tame and the reveal was disappointing. This felt terribly slow, with little of consequence occurring - and when things did pick up, it didn't really matter in the end. Even as a character driven novel, this doesn't work for me. There is not much believable change in either spouse, and while Cass was described as being mysterious/unknowable/manipulative, it didn't really come through. Her husband also seemed underdeveloped. Interesting idea, but it fell flat for me.

Perhaps I’m a gal who prefers dialogue. Perhaps I simply don’t understand the generation after mine. These people are supremely stuck in their own heads. There was far too much “thinking” going on in this book. And most of it unnecessary. I found myself skimming conceited diatribe.
This is a story about Cass and Jonathan, and the temporary (or is it?) intermission in their five year marriage. There are also some secrets, but while they seem to consume their characters, they’re not really that big a deal.
I did not like Cass at all. She has a major complex from growing up poor and unloved. I wanted to tell her to get over herself and grow up. I was rooting for Jonathan since he’s a guy that distanced himself from a wealthy childhood of functional dysfunction. He was at least trying.
In all, this was not a bad book to read. A bit wordy, yes, but the last 30% or so moved pretty well.

I enjoyed this book. It provided a unique perspective on a trial separation of marriage. The main characters, Cass and Jonathan were a little annoying at times. You didn't know if you would really like one or the other, but it made reading interesting to see how their "intermission" from their marriage would shake out. A good read.