Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read and review this ARC. Full review to be found on Goodreads and on my website.

I had difficulty connecting with the characters and plot of this novel. I believe this book would have much deeper appeal to a difference audience and this was more a case of it just not being right for me.

"Split-Level" was just a book I found it hard to get into and could be confusing at times. It definitely could have been better executed.

A story set in the 70s of coming to terms with life and understanding why one is not happy when they seemingly have it all. It was hard for me to connect with this one.

Thank you NetGalley for providing this book for an honest opinion. I was not able to really get into this book. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and the storyline.

Alex, tells us her story in the first person. The writing was great, I really enjoyed this book, my first time reading from this Author.

I really loved this book in a new to me author. The characters and location really and to the story. I can't wait to read the next one. This book keeps you guessing until the end.

Split-Level by Sande Boritz Berger was a pretty interesting read. I liked the characters and their development throughout the story.

I didn’t mind this book. It was hard to follow at times. But all in all it was a good read. The characters were likeable.

mmediately I was drawn to this book because of its setting in the 70s, and the fact that it was in New York and Brooklyn, where I also grew up. I wasn't aware of the content of this book but found myself resonating so much with it. I left my husband of almost 25 years for something similar in this book. It set me back again with a lot of soul searching and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Alexandra ("Alex") and Donny Pearl, with their two young girls, Lana and Becky live in Wheatley Heights, New Jersey a pretty affluent neighborhood. Alex is a stay-at-home mom who has an art degree but at the moment paints t-shirts and occasionally on canvas. Donny works for his dad's bra company, although he is a talented pianist. They met while teaching at a summer camp and seem that after 7 years of marriage, Alex feels that her life is sort of humdrum and has purchased a book, "A Sensuous Life in 30 Days" in the hopes of spicing up their love life.

While she was home alone waiting for Donny to come home from work, she received a call from her babysitter's mother informing Alex that she will no longer allow her daughter to baby-sit for her because of her husband, Donny. Alex starts thinking about when they first met, and how Donny seemed to be attracted to other girls and so she decides that they will try a couples retreat. While
there, Donny meets someone and gets a book about exploring a sexual relationship with others in order to help keep your marriage healthy. Alex comes to find out that her best friend in Florida allows her husband to see other women and says it works for her and tells Alex that she has two friends that live in Wheatley Heights that she feels she should meet. They meet this couple, Charles and Paula Bell and one night, it just happens and the rest I will leave for you to read.

This was a very well written book and while it touches upon "swinging," it is NOT raunchy or degrading in any way. It brought you into a journey of 4 people searching and learning not only about themselves, but about each other.

Thank you to Net Galley and the Publisher for allowing me to have a copy to read.

Awful. The characters are flat and the whole book is about cheating on your spouse even with permission. It seemed like to me that almost all of the younger generation was sleeping with other spouses and the parents really didn't like it but totally condoned it! I really struggled reading this book and I was hoping for a revelation and it would redeem it self but it didn't for me.

As someone who lives this life, I had to see how it was portrayed. We're all different, but we all share similarities and it's funny to see what people think we are like. So, I wasn't expecting this book to be so spot on and realistic of what this lifestyle is actually like for many of us. It's a very accurate portrayal of our lives!

I did have a hard time getting into it, though. I hated the beginning and the seemingly pointless conversations with Rona. They seemed to drag on and gave me nothing to hold on to or enjoy. They seemed kind of pointless and more like a filled, which I thought was odd for the beginning of the book. Reading the questions at the end, it hints towards them showing how Alez wasn't adjusting to domestic life like Rona, but I don't know. She just seemed to be more crafty and creative than Rona, who wanted to sit back and let someone else fix every household issue. I think the book could have easily done without the beginning and without Rona, truthfully.

But once the book finally picked up, I really began to enjoy it. Especially when she met Charlie and Rona cast aside. Charlie was easily my favorite character in the entire book. I wish Alex had more to like about her an that the beginning gave me a reason to sympathize with her but it was still a good read and I enjoyed it.

Thank you for the chance to review this galley prior to publication. Please refer to my goodreads profile for a full review.

This book was okay. I do think others would like it and the writer did a great job with the plot. I just couldnt get into it. It didnt hold my attention at all and i gave up half way thru reading it. I honestly just feel that its not my cup of tea

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I was really drawn to the book because it is set in the 1970's but that is kind of where me being drawn ends. The book is about that era, an open marriage, and the aftermath of it. It was kind of difficult to read, for me. I'm sure there are others that might agree. The writing in the book is great and it tells the story very well but not all themes are for everyone. It's written from one perspective and definitely gives you a possible insight into the open marriage/swinger lifestyle but eh, nah. Thanks for the read though!

I could not get into this book at all. I just did not like the characters and could not envision the story as I read.

This book was a DNF for me, which made me hesitant to submit feedback. I rarely quit a book, but it just felt impossible me to connect with the characters. I felt like I had been reading forever, and struggled to get to 25%.

This is well-written and thought provoking, and a special treat as I've recently longed for more fiction set in the 70s. Very excited to read more from She Writes Press.

This was not a book for me. I had high hopes because it sounded right up my alley but I got so frustrated at the lack of character development. I needed more; this felt more like a first draft.

Split-Level follows the narrator as she discovers who she is inside and outside of her marriage. I was interested in the book immediately, following the details of a 70s housewife with two young daughters as she discovers (and denies) some questionable behavior by her husband. As a reader, the pleasure of the slightly unreliable narrator/narrator in denial lasts a good portion of the book, far into her path to save her marriage and some of the consequences of that.
A very readable novel with some compelling scenes-- and great lines near the ends of chapters-- but at points I just couldn't get into the historical details. There weren't many, so this wasn't a huge distraction. In general, worth a read!