Cass and Jonathan have been married for five years. At first glanced things seem to be going swimmingly. However, we quickly find out that is not the case when Cass asked for a break or "intermission" of their marriage for six months to re-evaluate. During this time each of them have the opportunity to do whatever they please wiht seemingly no consequences.

The book was well written and paced. You start to learn about secrets each of them have kept from the other over the years. It does get you thinking about just how honest one is best with your significant other. Should you tell all or are their times when certain things are best kept secret?

I understand being in a relationship where things seem complacent and having have to determine whether to re-evaluate your relationship or end things and move on; so I can relate to Cass in that way. However, I didn't really enjoy Cass's character. I found her to be self-centered and careless about her actions. Sure they were on a break but if she really wanted to work things out should she be doing everything she is? Same goes for Jonathan and some of his actions although I enjoyed his character more.

Overall an enjoyable and intriguing read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Books for an ARC copy.

I truly enjoyed this book. As a 43 year old struggling with marriage, it really spoke to me.

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair & honest review.

Cass & Jonathan, married 5 years & they seem to have it all....or do they?

Cass proposes a break in the marriage, an "intermission". Jonathan doesn't see it coming....But, we find neither has been open & honest with each other.

Through back & forth chapters we find out a lot about both of them-secrets, lies, etc.

These are 2 very unlikable people, but, the book is well written & keeps you interested in these people & you want to see how it ends for them. It moved quickly, had some little surprises & I very much enjoyed it!

I always enjoy reading new authors and Elyssa Friedland wrote an interesting marital saga!

After five years of marriage Cass and Jonathan are in a decent place in their marriage. They are beautiful, living the “good” married life and it’s only natural that they would take the next step and begin their family.
There is significant reflection on what their marriage was like in the beginning, reminiscing how they met, their similarities and their vast differences. The sex has changed and isn’t quite so exciting. Petty annoyances are magnified. And well, Cass feels like a break is in order. Before taking the next big step, it’s time to take a break to see what else life has to offer. Is the grass greener like the cliché?

This book will make you question how well one can truly know their spouse. I’m not sure I affiliate with either of the characters but I certainly understand their motives. As their secrets were revealed along the way, I couldn’t decide if they would stay together or go their separate ways. The story line was interesting, exciting and often surprising and the ending did not disappoint!

I received an advance review copy of this book from Great Thoughts Ninjas. All opinions are my own.

This book had me hooked from start to finish! I loved going back and forth to understand each side of the relationship between Cass and Jonathan. I believe everyone can relate to them in some point of their lives. You learn how guilt from the past can destroy your future. How important communication in a marriage is and in the end you will learn what’s truly important to you and to your relationship. This is a must read that will leave you reading past your bedtime!

This was a good book. Very realistic relationship drama with a good plot. I love seeing people talk about and work through their issues instead of just having a happy go lucky everything is great outlook on long term relationship.

From the beginning, I did not like either of the main characters (Cass-wife, Jon(athan), husband). And, to be honest, they didn't seem to like each other, or themselves, much either. This fact, though, makes the story pretty relatable and quick moving. In any relationship, you reach of a point of complacency and sometimes it's hard to see your way out of that. Someone people look at this as a good thing, some as a bad. For Cass and Jonathan, they viewed this as a bad and worked their way to figure themselves out before having a baby, which I respect (as much as you can respect a fictitious person?)

Parts of this book bothered me, but having never been in that position, and being 100% happy 100% of the time with my own marriage, I don't discredit these feelings and do believe that people out there can relate to this book. I both felt for them and hated them for what they were doing to each other. I think the over all theme, HONESTY, is so huge in this book. At every corner, if they'd just been honest, what would have happened? Why live with that guilt for no reason? It's culturally relevant at this time--it seems like no one is honest with anyone these days. I thought a lot in between reading sessions, about my relationship with my husband, my family, and I really like when books make me do that. Self reflection is never a bad thing---maybe if Cass and Jonathan self-reflected a bit more, this situation would have been avoided. Of course, what would we have read in that case? :)

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The I had been looking forward to reading it and was very lucky to receive an advanced review copy. All thoughts on this book are my own, and I would most certainly purchase as a gift for someone.

This book is well written, but I didn't especially enjoy it. I didn't like either characters and the plot was a bit disappointing. I was expecting a more dramatic secret.

The Intermission was not the book for me. While I am sure it will appeal to some, I had trouble even finishing it.

(publication date 6/3/18)
Writing; 4+/5 Characters: 4/5 Plot: 4/5

An intriguing exploration of the interior spaces of a marriage. Cass and Jonathan Coyne have been married - ostensibly happily - for five years. And yet just as they are about to start a family, Cass suggests a six month “intermission” in which to step back and decide whether or not they belong together. The alternating chapters between their two voices are full of penetrating observations about themselves, their relationship, and their feelings about the other.

The writing is excellent and the characters are drawn with depth and plausibility. I found surprisingly fresh insights on most pages as each of their narratives unfolded. Both want to be good people and good partners and yet each has been holding back from the other - not “body hidden in the attic” kinds of secrets, but secrets that add a self-perceived dishonesty to the relationship. As a reader, I found my allegiance shifting between them as the story unfolded, which taught me a lot about my own morals, preferences, and perceptions. Very readable, unpredictable, and original - I enjoyed it far more than I expected from the basic description.

Cass & Jonathan Coyne are an upwardly mobile couple married five years. They have what looks like a perfect life in NewYork City, with lucrative jobs, family money and good friends. However, each of them is keeping secrets. Cass decides to ask for a six-month "intermission" a break to determine if they want to start a family and spend the rest of their lives together.
Although the ending itself was predictable, the way in which the author used the alternating perspectives of Cass and Jon to give backgrounds to their childhoods, college years, marriage and the secrets within makes this a very enjoyable read. The author's writing is tight enough to move the reader through details without deleting important information. This will be a great spring/summer read.

Reminiscent of Forever is the Worst Long Time by Camille Pagan this book came to me a perfect time. I had been reading a lot of thrillers and needed a genre switch. This book was a delight! Cass and Jonathan appear to have a prefect marriage or at the very least they don't seem to have any real problems, but one day Cass tells Jonathan she needs a break from the marriage,an intermission, to be apart and re-evaluate after six months. Jonathan is thrown for a loop, but lets Cass go. How well do we know our spouses? Is marriage really for better or worse? Should we reveal all our secrets to our boyfriend/girlfriend, fiancee, or spouse? I loved the alternating chapters in Jonathan's and Cass's voice. Perfect ending, too. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All opinions are my own.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6854277-lori?shelf=read

Thanks to NG and Great Thoughts Reading Ninjas for this ARC.

Fast paced read. Maybe due to an age difference, I found the characters unrelatable. I enjoyed the pace and the writing style, except when an obscure word was thrown in .., it felt like I was reading my HS daughter’s English paper where she needed to add a random vocab word! I did find myself binge reading to see what would happen next and how the story would end. I flip flopped between loving Cass/Jon and being disappointed in them. Would read this author again.

The Intermission takes a look at a marriage 5 years old and answers the question - how well do you really know your spouse? Cass and Jonathan met in college, only to be reunited by fate (his words) in NYC years after graduation. But was it really fate?
Cass comes to Jonathan and asks for an Intermission in their marriage - six months. And the book tells a her story, his story - chapter by chapter.
Cass has secrets, and we learn later - so does Jonathan, some I didn't see coming, and it was nice to see they were both flawed characters - not just one of them.
It's an interesting story line. While the beginning was a bit long winded, it does pick up and I was happy with how the story ended up.
I received an ARC of The Intermission from Netgalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Intermission by Elyssa Friedland

How well do we REALLY know the people we go to bed with at night? Could they possibly be harboring a secret from their past that influences their present actions, attitudes or behaviors-- how would those secrets impact our marriage? And would a six month hiatus (or "intermission", in theater terms) make your relationship stronger- or break you apart forever?
These are just some of the interesting concepts tackled in The Intermission by Elyssa Friedland. This isn't a book I'd normally choose, and to be honest, there were times I almost gave up on it....but in the end, I am glad I read the book in its entirety.
Centered around a young married couple, Jon (well-to-do family, works in finance) and Cass (poor upbringing, works in theater-hence the book's title), is this well-written book that addresses the idea of how well we really know our significant other. Both Jon and Cass have secrets from their past that they have never shared with each other, and those secrets essentially drive who they are in their marriage. The author alternates between the perspectives of both Jon and Cass, and seems to have genuine insight into the psyche of both sexes. On some level, each character is relatable, although, full disclosure: I had a difficult time liking/rooting for Cass, who often comes across as manipulative and borderline cold. Although her upbringing, which was less than ideal, probably accounts for most of her behaviors, it was hard to cheer on someone who KNOWS they're being manipulative, yet does little to change said behaviors. Without giving much away, I was thrilled to we that by the end of the book, Cass appeared to have grown as a person, and that she actually deserved the happy ending she so desired....
This book does have some slow points, and I did set it down at one point to start another book. After a day or so, however, I returned to it and was pleasantly surprised that the storyline and pace picked back up. I do feel that this novel would benefit from more dialogue between characters, or if it were told in alternating first person (as opposed to alternating third person), but that is actually my only complaint. This author is incredibly talented, and I found myself disappointed on several occasions that I am unable to quote the book at this time. It is so full of many wise similes, idioms, methaphors nd observations that I literally found myself writing them down in the notebook I carry with me so that I can go back and reread them time and time again. If I had to choose one word to summarize this book it would be "insightful". There were times that I wasn't fully sure which direction the book would follow, but in the end I feel it followed the absolute best path. I loved the ending, and found that I was thinking of Jon and Cass the day after finishing the book, as if they were a couple of friends my husband and I could call up and invite over for dinner. Without a doubt, I will follow this author from this point on, and I look forward to future titles. I can't wait to share this title with our customers and my book club, and already know what audience I will be suggesting it to. I fully believe they will enjoy this title just as much as I did!

What happens when reality hits a "perfect" marriage and secrets kept inside begin to unravel? This novel is a superb representation of modern marriage - a complex body constantly being tempted by people from the past and uncertainties lying in the future.

Well-paced narrative filled with secrets and heightened drama, but with little to no serious consequences, whichever way the drama is resolved. I have a hard time with entitled couples (he because he was born rich, she because she thinks the world owes her something because she is beautiful and had a hard childhood) who are disappointed when their fairytale marriage turns out to be just like any other marriage--sometimes work, sometimes dull, sometimes unfulfilling. That said, I see this book being popular in my community. The angsty musings of the well-off appeal to a significant demographic so I will definitely recommend.

Would make a good beach read for the right reader.

The intermission was an interesting concept, and this book had some good moments, it just wasn’t able to hold my attention enough for me to get into it.

Does marriage get boring? Do we find flaws in our spouses? Do we always handle tragedies well? INTERMISSION tells the story of an extremely likable couple who have us cheering for them to get past the inevitable disappointments that go with marriage.

Friedland has crafted the novel about the Coynes, Jonathan and Cass, and how they dealt with life’s imperfections. Their plan was a 6 month “intermission “ to make decisions about their future. Of course, life goes on piling crisis after crisis on the two during their separation. It is in the handling of these moments that the reader sees the essential goodness in the couple and wishes they could understand that all marriages have their secrets and flaws.

Yes, they both experience other partners, but they both turn to each other for support. Despite their bi-coastal lives, there remains a strong connection. It is a final near death for one of them that allows them to realize how much they love and depend on each other.

I loved the ending, no spoilers, and found myself delighted with the perfect resolution. Thanks to the author for providing such a realistic view of marriage and such a hopeful future for the Coynes!

My reading style: supernatural fiction, YA

Why I requested this: recently been feeling a draw towards 'marital drama' books, even though they are wide outside my usual preference. Am also drawn towards books that explore open relationships or pushing the boundaries of a relationship.

Overall impression: Did not finish around 8%. I do often feel guilty giving up on books generously provided to me by netgalley, but it was obvious to me quite early on that I was not the right reader for this book. It was a fluke request for me; as stated, it is far outside my usual preference, but the plot premise intrigued me - I thought I might be entertained by some juicy marital drama and hookups. That being said, I could not connect with the voice of the narrator and was unable to be drawn into the story, but I am not the right audience for it.

Who would like this: fans of fiction focusing on marital relationships; those who enjoyed 'The Arrangement' by Sarah Dunn, 'The Rules Do Not Apply' by Ariel Levy, or perhaps 'Wedding Toasts I'll Never Give' by Ada Calhoun.