I read 29 as a member of the From Left to Write book club.  I was given a free copy as part of the book club. However, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

In Adena Halpern’s 29, Ellie Jerome, on the occasion of her 75th birthday party, wonders where her life has gone. When she blows out her candles, she wishes she could be 29 again, and on the next day, she is.

This book was fascinating to me because Ellie grew up in a time where, if you even went to college it was to earn your “Mrs.” degree. She married for security, not for love, at the age of 19.  Getting a job was frowned upon, and why should she when her husband gave her everything she could ask for?  Clothes, jewelry, fabulous vacations. Ellie was expected to have children, keep a nice house, and have dinner on the table, all while making sure her hair and make-up were perfectly done to go along with her high heels and pearls for when her husband came home from his hard day at work.

Ellie knew that her husband cheated through a lot of their marriage.  She fantasized about taking her daughter and leaving him.  But back then she was told by her mother, “He works hard and he provides for you, subject closed.” And for many wives back then, as was the case for Ellie, the subject was closed.

As a woman of 41 years of age, the life that Ellie lived throughout her marriage is as foreign to me as living a life of a woman in present-day Iraq.  Ellie’s only daughter, Barbara, who is in her fifties, choose much the same life as her mother did.

But it is her granddaughter, 25-year-old Lucy, who finally breaks that mold.  Lucy is single and having fun and owns her own business and it is she who Ellie wants to be if she could do it all over again, or be in her 20s in the 21st century.

I found this book to bring up some interesting studies about women through the past and present decades, with many lessons to be learned.  I also found it to be fun and funny.  All of the characters, young and old, are delightful.

This book by no means is to be classified as “Chic Lit”.  You are definitely going to find it thought-provoking, but you are also going to have a lot of fun reading it.  It’s the perfect balance of both and is a nice light read.  I would definitely recommend it for anyone!

If you would like to read a more thoughtful post that was inspired by 29, you can do that here. Check out the comment by the author herself!  I have to admit, I love when authors read my posts about their books!

Would you like to win this book that has never been read in the bathroom? Entering is easy!

1.  Just leave a comment below.

2.  Tweet out this post and let me know, in a SECOND entry.

3.  Post this contest on your Facebook for a THIRD entry.

This gives you up to three chances to win!  If you tweet and facebook it, please let me know by entering again.  So if you decide to enter all three ways, make sure you have THREE separate entries.  The contest will end at 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, May 2nd.  A winner will be chosen by random.org.  Good luck!

Congratulations going out to Nicole, winner of ’29”!  Nicole’s entry, #1, was chosen by random.org.  Thank you to all who entered and keep checking in as I will be given more books away and doing other contests!