The Spare Wife

Alex Witchels’s newest novel, The Spare Wife, brings readers into the world of socialites in Manhattan with a story full of secrets, affairs, fancy parties, and high society life. The single, divorced Ponce Morris, known as “the spare wife,” navigates this world well, managing the lives of the powerful couples around her with grace. “She watches football with Stan Crandall, while Bitsy reads magazines in bed and thanks God she doesn’t have to; she plays golf with George Stein, because Carol only likes tennis; and not only does she go to Knicks games with Larry DeLynn but she lets him eat as many hot dogs as he wants and never tells Lila, who forbids him to have nitrates.” Not only that – she also goes shopping with the wives, making her the perfect, non-threatening companion for everyone – until a young reporter suspects that she’s having an affair with the city’s most successful (and married) doctor. This book is as intriguing as it is witty, and the fun story combined with the biting satire make it the perfect waiting-for-summer read. You may not be lounging on a beach with a book quite yet, but The Spare Wife is still an entertaining escape.

Here's what MotherTalk reviewers are saying about The Spare Wife:

Artsy-Crafty Babe says: "This was a fun read.  Once I started it, I finished in a few days,which says a lot because I am not a fast reader.  Once I started it, Icouldn't put it down."

5 Minutes for Books says: "The lives that these wealthy New Yorkers live is completely foreign to me, but often that's what makes fiction such an escape. The Spare Wife is a great novel for those of you who enjoy peeking into the lives of the rich and famous."

Booking Mama Says: I enjoyed that there were some moving parts of this story and that someof the characters do show a softer side (and even some compassion.)There are also underlying messages of healing, forgiveness andredemption. Overall, it's a very entertaining read that fans of satirewill enjoy!"

Just a Mom's Take on Things says: "I think I can sum it up best by saying it’s kind of like visitingsomeplace new that you’re unsure about – it’s a lot of fun to visit,but I don’t think I’d want to live there.  :)  This is a fun book toread, and I was kept very interested and guessing as to what wouldhappen right up until the end."

All Because Two People Fell in Love Says: "This is a great book, very entertaining and enjoyable to read. The bookis extremely well-written. The authors attention to detail creates anenvironment that is completely believable and fun to read about."

Fefyfomanna says: "This was a very intriguing book to read. The author kept everything upin the air the entire time…nothing was predictable. For me that’s agood thing, I get a bit weary of reading the same book over andover…well not so with The Spare Wife. It was totally original."

Red Sox Mommy Says: " The Spare Wifeby Alex Witchel took me into a world so foreign to me that I keptwanting to know more. I'm a western, very happily married mother oftwo. So a world of way too rich, ritzy New Yorkers is so far from thenorm for me. I was beyond intrigued."

Mom of 2 Dancers Reviews: "this is a book I'd enjoy reading lazing around at the beach or outsidein the summer. I actually sat outside on a couple of our nice days andbreezed through it."

Review Planet says: "The Spare Wife,by Alex Witchel, is by turns overwhelming, frenetic, slow, andintriguing.  At first, I didn’t see what I could possibly get out of abook about Manhattan society women, but I kept picking it up again, andended up really enjoying it."

Diary of an Eccentric says: "The Spare Wife pulls readersinto New York City high society, following the affluent characters fromwork to dinner parties and other social gatherings to the bedroom."

Seven Dogs and a Baby says: "Ponce has this whole perfect little micro manged world built for herself and everyone believesshe is totally harmless and really just wants to help. Turns out Poncehas her own secrets and is having an affair with a married man. When ajournalist threatens to break her story publicly the game is on and the question is who is going to win?"

Mommy Writer Blog says: "So really dig into this witty, satirical book about life in theupper class in the Big Apple. For me, it gave me a glimpse into theother side of the life of the rich and famous in the city."

The Lil' Mommy that Could says: "Hey sometimes I like reads that just let me relax and go into another world I am not apart of, and this book fit the bill."

Everyday Musings says: "A quick departure from everyday life into a life I normally only watchon tv shows. I found myself laughing many times at the stabs to the NYC'elite' and recommend it as a fun beach read."

The Divine Miss Mommy says: " I read it the day that it arrived and I couldn’t put it down. The book was a witty jab at New York City’s upper crust."

One House Schoolroom Reviews says: "The cast of outrageous characters kept me laughing and enjoying everyminute I spent with them. I really appreciated the mix of eclecticpersonalities that lit up the pages and created the wonderful conflictsthroughout the story."

Counterfeit Humans says: "If you’re looking for a satirical, fairly fast-moving, entertainingread, this is it. There’s revenge, compassion, adultery and forgivenessscattered about. The Spare Wife is unsparing in providing a fun read."

Hybrid Mom Insider says: "This book is like a comfy blanket and a cup of tea. Sit back, put yourfeet up, and prepare to relax as you read about the life of the maincharacter, Ponce Morris and her interesting friends."

Chefdruck Reviews says: "Witchel takes us deep in the most luxurious drawing rooms of New YorkCity to spy on the tangled webs of the relationships of their dwellers.Her characters, especially the female ones, are credible andentertaining"

Hip Mama's Place says: "This book is intriguing and witty, and indeed an entertaining escapeinto the world of men and women who are appearance-conscious, vain andrich.. a world many of us may not really experience in real life."

The Bookworm says: "This book was interesting with some good drama. I enjoyed The Spare Wife , if you're looking for a quick, light read, this is it."

Mom Reviews says: "I think The Spare Wife  would be a good book to pick up for a roadtrip, plane trip, or weekend away when you want something easy to readwith interesting characters."

Amazon Readers says: "The story kept me up at night to read (I hate/love that). You caredabout all of the characters, even the bad girl. You cared about thejerk cheating on his wife and then turning his back on the other woman.You cared mostly about the heroine who is the every woman, she is youand me and ever woman you have met."