A good Pacific Northwest story for any woman who feels there's something missing in her life and sets out to start over. ( )

When Mira discovers that her husband is having a sort-of affair and is accused by her 20-ish year old daughter of forcing perfection on everyone, Mira escapes her small town Oregon home and ends up in Fremont, WA, a quirky suburb of Seattle. She finds a temporary home working as a manager of the Center of the Universe coffeehouse, where she does some soul searching and experimenting with new relationships. This book started out somewhat dismal as Mira is rejected by her husband and daughter and is fairly depressed throughout the book. However, as she comes to understand how her "good" intentions have gotten in the way of being genuine in her life, Mira starts to take back control and the book picks up steam. I enjoyed this novel, but did not fully empathize with any of the characters. Mira seemed to overreact, jump to conclusions and act impulsively beyond what seemed reasonable for a veteran teacher and long-married mother in an enmeshed family. However, I really enjoyed the way the author seasoned the novel with references to Seattle, Fremont and the Pacific Northwest culture. ( )

The Short of It:

Shortridge paints a realistic picture of what happens when a marriage slows to a crawl, sputters and then comes to a complete stop. These are flawed characters at their best.

My Thoughts:

Marriage is tough. For those that are not married, don't let anyone tell you that it's not. A marriage, or any relationship for that matter takes a lot of work so imagine what happens when your perfect relationship is suddenly not so perfect. What would your initial reaction be? For Mira, it's denial.

She doesn't know what to think when Parker alludes to another woman. He tells her that he isn't happy but Mira is so blinded by the pain of what she is hearing, that she isn't ready to delve into the "whys." Instead, she takes her little dog and a few personal possessions and flees town leaving her husband and twenty-something daughter behind.

While reading this book, I found myself identifying with several of the characters at different points of the story. Sure, they're flawed and make mistakes but don't we all? Shortridge does an excellent job of creating characters that are a bit rough around the edges yet still likable. The word "raw" comes to mind but along with all of their weaknesses we also see hope.

If you like a story with a lot of inner conflict, this would be a good one for you. Mira made some questionable choices (as did Parker) and their actions stayed with me for awhile. I finished the book a few days ago and I am still thinking about Mira and her growth within the story. ( )

Love and Biology at the Center of the Universe is a wonderful and warm addition to the world of women's fiction. The picture of espresso on the cover says it all: it is inviting and comfortable, but a little bitter: there may be some realizations within that you don't necessarily want to have.

In my opinion, that's the best part of the book. Too often in books such as this, there is a no-good husband and a saintly wife. Though the book seems to start off that way, it quickly evolves into something more. Mira has to rethink her entire marriage and make some hard realizations, not only about her husband, but about herself as well. The fault isn't one-sided, and understanding is needed on both sides.

It is also nice to see the evolution of Mira's character in this book. Though she is definitely the same person at the end of the book as she was at the start, much has changed. She seems more aware, more thoughtful; she realizes that she has been living in a state of denial, and not everything has to be picture perfect, as she had planned it. And indeed, the book doesn't end on a perfect note. There are still difficult decisions to be made and relationships that haven't been patched up; in other words, it is real life.

There are definitely difficult, and sometimes unpleasant, characters to deal with, from Mira's daughter Thea to Sequoia, a difficult coworker. And Mira doesn't always handle these obstacles perfectly - sometimes she prolongs her own unhappiness, which, of course, is frustrating for the reader. But in the end, Love and Biology at the Center of the Universe is a warming read that makes you realize what really is important in life, and that keeping yourself happy is just as important as everyone else being happy.

From S. Krishna's Books ( )