After five years of marriage, Cass and Jonathan Coyne have reached a plateau in their marriage. Neither is particularly enthused, the cute quirks from early in their relationship are now full-blown pet-peeves, and they both can't help but start to dissect every single event that has brought them to their general complacency with their relationship. But Jonathan is blindsided when his wife requests they take an "intermission;" borrowing a term from Cass' job as a theater marketer. For six months they'll be on a break and after their time apart, they'll meet and figure out if they want to stay married. Things are further complicated when Cass decides she wants to move to California, live with one of her college girlfriends, and split custody of their dog, Puddles.

Of course, things don't go quite as planned. Feelings are hurt, secrets are uncovered, and Cass and Jonathan both have no idea how to feel in this arrangement. In some ways, things are great as they live their separate lives, but neither can deny they miss the stability and companionship of their marriage. But when Cass gets involved with a hot-shot Hollywood publicist, and Jonathan starts seeing his high school ex-girlfriend, the Coynes are unsure of how to move forward. And like it always does, the past creeps back into the picture, making Cass and Jonathan wonder if they ever knew each other at all...

THE INTERMISSION by Elyssa Friedland is a dynamic look at modern marriage. I have to admit, Cass and Jonathan are both unlikable characters from the beginning, but you do start to understand where both of them are coming from as the story moves on, and you learn more about their pasts. Cass has always been insecure about growing up poor but attending an Ivy league university and trying to fit in with the rich kids. Jonathan has mostly taken for granted his privileged upbringing, but he also knows he's been really lucky, considering some of his past actions, too. They both see the other as something of a prize early on. Jonathan has the dynamic, gorgeous woman who is not only smart but successful. Cass has married a man who has so much money he doesn't know what to do with it, but he's genuinely good. So why are they both so unhappy? There were times when things could have been solved by the two leads being honest with each other as well as themselves. As the book continues, the nuances of what they have kept from one another become clearer, and it is understandable how two seemingly compatible people can drift apart. And while much of the book is lighthearted, there are some serious issues discussed that keep it grounded. The ending felt very rushed, but things do come to a satisfying conclusion. THE INTERMISSION is an interesting book, heightened by Friedland's deft and relatable writing style. Recommended!

Book Summary

Have you ever had a secret so gut-wrenching you couldn't tell anyone, not even the person who shares your bed? Told from the alternating perspectives of a husband and wife who both have something to hide, this incisive novel pulls back the curtain on a seemingly-happy marriage, posing the question: how much do we really know--and how much should we want to know--about the people we love the most?

After five long years, the unshakable confidence Cass Coyne felt as a bride is gone. Her husband, Jonathan, on the other hand, is still smitten. It's true that the quirks he once found charming in his wife--her high standards, her refusal to clean the dishes--are beginning to grate. But for him, these are minor challenges in a healthy relationship.

So it comes as a complete shock to Jonathan when Cass suddenly requests a marital "intermission": a six-month separation during which they'll decide if the comfortable life they've built is still the one they both want.

Aside from a monthly custodial exchange of their beloved dog, contact will be limited. But as the months pass, they begin to see that calculated silences just like these have helped to drive them apart--and that it may finally be time to confront the blistering secrets they've been avoiding.