Nancy’s Review of The D Word by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke

The lives of Jordan Daniels and Elle Ryan intersect in an unexpected way when Elle begins dating Jordan’s soon-to-be ex-husband, Kevin. Jordan asked for the divorce but seeing him with another woman has her wondering if she made the right decision. Elle left her fiancé Chase to avoid eventually getting a divorce, which she was sure would happen because divorce is prevalent in her family. But by getting involved with Kevin, she is surrounded by “the d word,” the very thing she wanted to avoid. Jordan doesn’t make anything easy for Elle either, especially when it comes to Jordan’s and Kevin’s five year old son, Max. Determined to win Kevin back out of fear of Elle replacing her as wife and mother, Jordan is awful to Elle, hoping to drive her away. They couldn’t be more opposite in their looks, careers, and personalities, but they have their love for Kevin and Max in common. Can these two very different women learn to get along with each other or will they always be at odds?

The D Word is a heartfelt novel about love, friendship, family, and divorce. It is written with such ease and believability that readers will definitely relate to one or more of the characters. The majority of the book is told from the perspectives of Jordan and Elle, alternating by chapter. There are a few chapters that deviate from the norm and are told from the perspectives of Elle’s best friend Taylor, Jordan’s sister Meg, and Elle’s mom. The random points of view from secondary characters are a bit jarring and don’t add much to the story. They are unnecessary and distracting since these perspectives only happen one time each and are not developed further. The story should be told exclusively by Jordan and Elle. Aside from that minor issue, readers will enjoy the light, witty tone in both Jordan’s and Elle’s accounts of what they are experiencing and what they have been through in the past. Readers will root for Jordan and Elle as they try to find happiness and move forward with their lives. The D Word is sure to charm and inspire chick lit fans everywhere.

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have been friends for over twenty years. They both attended Cal Poly Pomona University and each graduated with a degree in communication. They co-created the popular website Chick Lit Is Not Dead where they celebrate books with high fashion and happy endings. Liz is married with two children and lives in Long Beach, California. Lisa is married with one child and lives in Chicago, Illinois. To find out more, connect with Liz and Lisa on Twitter and Facebook.