RANGE OF MOTION by Elizabeth Berg is the story of Lainey, whose husband Jay is in a coma due to an icicle falling on his head and knocking him out. Lainey sees the humor in all this, and at the same time tries to deal with a future that may not include the love of her life. Her emotions are up and down and she prays and hopes that he will awaken one day. She tries all sorts of things to bring him out of his coma, bringing to the hospital things from home that may stir his mind and help bring him out of the coma. She also spends a lot of time reminiscing about time spent with Jay, the romantic things, the every day things.

At the same time, Lainey notices how her two children are dealing with this tragedy. The oldest Sarah does not seem to be coping well at all, and at times refuses to even see Dad.

Lainey struggles with her emotions, and gets support from her neighbor Alice, who is going through some rough times of her own. The book gets into Alice's troubles, where she is worried that her husband is having an affair with someone at work. The conclusion to this subplot was rather interesting, and I was glad that it got resolved! (The reader was not left hanging).

I think this is my 4th book by Elizabeth Berg, and as with the others I enjoyed reading it a lot. However, I don't feel this is my favorite of her books. I was expecting something with more substance. The book was well-written as all her books are, but I felt that she could have delved more into Lainey's past with Jay and maybe got more into detail about the relationship with the two daugthers. Overall, though, this was a good read!

I don't know how many wonderful books I've read by ElizabethBerg, and Range of Motion keeps the same great standard. It is full ofbeautiful prose, moving emotional scenes, and realistic dialogue. Itis the story of a woman whose husband is in a coma. Thoughout thenovel she must deal with the pain it is brining her to see her husbandso far away, and she also must help her two young daughters face the same feelings. The book backtracts to discuss the relationship between the woman and her husband before his accident, and the reader can see it is a rare story of true love. That makes his condition all the more sad, because for the first time in her life since she met him, she must deal with the absence of the love of her life.

An interesting subplot in the novel was that of the main character's best friend and her failing marriage. This relationship was painted in such a way that it drew much sympathy from me, and I felt that the best friend really came to life in the book.

A weird quirk in this novel was the character of a ghost, an old lady who used to own the main character's house. I realize that the ghost helped the woman cope in her lonliness, but I felt it was unrealistic. I guess the main character temporarily went crazy, and this led to hallucinations and talking to the ghost. This part was supposed to be touching, but to me it was fake. And although most of the imagery was fantastic, there were some points at which I felt it was a bit forced. I felt that the images in Berg's other novels were much more natural. These were the only problems I had with the novel, and I loved the plot and the characters.

For those who have never read a Berg novel, I recommend starting with one of her other ones, such as Durable Goods, Joy School, or What We Keep. But for those who are already familiar with Berg, Range of Motion, although in my opinion not her best, will not let you down, for everything she writes is great.

**NOTE: I am only giving this book 4 stars because I am comparing it to other Berg books. However, compared to all books in general I would give it 5 stars. :) END

This being the first Elizabeth Berg that I have read, I had some pretty high expectations. My mom got me this book for Christmas last year and I only got around to reading it last week. I have to say that it is one of the most engaging books I have read in a really long time.

Jay Bermann is walking to work one winter day when a huge block of ice falls off a roof and knocks him into a coma. His wife Lainey, the only one who believes that he will recover, tries in every way to revive him with his favorite shirts, spices, etc. Her enormous persistance to get him to recover is aided by the help of two extraordinary women. The wondeful style of this book makes it romantic without being romantic. The reader is in a rush to figure the outcome of the story, while at the same time they are reluctant to see it end. I look foreward to reading other books by Elizabeth Berg.

I read this book this summer while at the beach. What a treat.If you have every felt misunderstood by your mate this is the book for you. I bought copies for several friends and they also loved it. It is a very fast read, great for a week-end or short vacation.

This is the second Elizabeth Berg's books I have read. This one is about divorce ~~ a sudden surprise to Sam, who all of a sudden is caught unawares ~~ though there have been signs of marital discord in her marriage for a while. So Sam decides to gather in boarders so she can keep her big house, and she goes to work for a temp agency ~~ learning different jobs each week. It is a fun book especially for someone who is going through a divorce.

This is a quirky read ~~ of a woman's self-discovery as she deals with the aftermath of her husband's leaving, her best friend and mother trying to fix her up with dates, a new friend she meets, and entering work force for the first time in 20 years ~~ and so forth. It is a light read, easily read in one day, full of laughter and grace. I highly recommend it for a light read if you're in the midst of troubles.

I loved reading this book just as I have loved reading all of Berg's other books (I was especially moved by Talk Before Sleep). Berg creates characters who are loveable and real, but in Open House, I was disappointed by the lack of depth she allowed her heroine and her compatriots. That aside, there are genuinely poignant moments in the novel that capture your heart as well as moments that are so amusing you'll laugh out loud. I was especially appreciative of Berg's easy, straight-forward writing style - I read Open House start to finish in one evening over a cafe latte. In a complex world, it's a complete delight to have the opportunity to drop into someone else's world for an evening and then leave it feeling satiated. I would highly recommend Open House as a "feel good" read.

PS. I'll never think of Martha Stewart in the same way ever again! Thank you Elizabeth Berg.

What do you do when your husband decides he doesn't want you anymore? You start to analyze EVERYthing -- especially yourself. That's what Samantha does -- as she agonizes her way to a new life. This is a fun book. And the characters are a hoot. Omigosh, this lady can write! The dialogue is so natural and realistic, I found myself reading it out loud, and it always rang true. It only took a few hours to read, and I must say it gave me a lot of laughs. (It's not a farce, by any means. It's really quite gentle and warm.) There were several real surprises in the book, too -- not plot twists, but weird characters popping up or really odd job situations or just a smack-on-the-button remark. Here's one that hit me for some reason: She's trying to help her son with his math homework, which reminds her of how she didn't understand geometry in high school, and she remembers taking her midterm: "I passed the time by drawing designs for evening gowns on the back of the exam; everything on the front of the page only annoyed me." I don't know what it is, but it has that magical something. My advice: Join me in looking up every book she's written, because this is worth our time! .

Elizabeth Berg's latest book, "Say When," is the story of a marriage that is going downhill. Griffin and Ellen seem to have it made. They live comfortably in a Chicago suburb, and they adore their precocious eight-year-old daughter, Zoe. Suddenly, Ellen reveals that her marriage is unsatisfying and she asks Griffin for a divorce. Ellen tells Griffin that she is in love with a younger man who truly understands her.

Berg tells this story mostly from Griffin's point of view. For the first time in their marriage, Griffin starts to contemplate some of the ways that he and Ellen are different from one another. Ellen is cerebral, creative and spontaneous. Griffin is grounded, organized and predictable. Ellen and Griffin have always had their differences, but Griffin believes that their marriage is still worth saving.

Berg writes with a delicate touch and gentle humor. I love the character of Griffin. He is a great father and a man of deep feeling and devotion. Many female readers will claim that he is a complete fabrication, since there are no men like Griffin on this earth. If that is so, then there should be. Ellen is a cipher and not a particularly sympathetic character. She comes across as flighty and capricious, although her love for Zoe is unwavering.

In "Say When," Berg turns the cliché of the male having a midlife crisis on its ear. Here, it is the woman who needs to find herself, while the man wants his life to go on as it always has. Berg has written an entertaining contemporary novel that explores the theme of how difficult it is to sustain long-term relationships. After all, why stay married when divorce is such a quick solution to marital problems? Berg hits all the right notes in this touching, funny, wise and very satisfying novel.

Elizabeth Berg is always so right on and this book is no exception. A great read, I finished it in 2 sittings.

I love ALL of Berg's work and this book is no exception. Not knowing that she had a new book out, I practically jumped up and down when I saw it on the New Release shelf at our local library. The twist for Berg is that the novel is written from a male perspective. So it was really, really interesting to feel like I was spying on the Male Mind in its most intimate moments. We're all accustomed to the stories where the man has an affair, the woman suffers, the woman grows strong, yadda yadda yadda. In "Say When," it's the woman who has an affair and we experience the man's tangled emotions and thoughts throughout the story. Even for those in happy marriages, there is much truth in the husband's memories of the marriage and in the character dialogue. As soon as I finished it, I laid it on my husband's nightstand so he can read it too.

I was so excited to learn that Elizabeth Berg had a new book out this summer and couldn't wait to get my hands on it, since I have read all her other works of fiction. However, I was truly disappointed in this book. I found Patty Ann, the main character, to be highly immature for a 36-year-old. However, I could identify with her need for wanting a baby. I felt that the road she took to achieving her dream was unrealistic and not in character at all with Berg's past fabulous female creations. For a woman who did not seem to make enough real estate sales to support herself for even a month, I wondered throughout the novel how she was financially taking care of herself, and if she had given thought as to how she was going to take care of an infant, with the never ending demands an infant makes. I also felt it extremely difficult to believe that once Patty reached her destination, that this too was simply implausable. Please, if you are just starting out reading Elizabeth Berg's wonderful novels, do not start with this one or you may not discover her wonderful way of weaving the threads of relationships between women and their families. Ms. Berg is truly a gem of a writer, but this particular book is not a star in her crown.

Have you ever wanted a relationship to work so bad you talked yourself out of all the rational reasons to leave it??? Enter Patty. Wow! I'm baffled to hear some readers say how dissapointed they were with this book due to Patty's weak character. First of all, I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed it so much I read it in less than 3 days, and for me, that's rare. Not all made up characters, like real people in this world, have to be heroines who are strong, outgoing, go for the gusto kind of people. Patty is a real woman in my eyes. She knows what she wants and she's willing to ask for it (a baby), yet is vulnerable because she is so much in love with her ex-boyfriend that she's having a seriously hard time moving on to a new relationship. What woman hasn't had a hard time moving on from a previous relationship, wishing and hoping that "he" will just instantly "change" one day. Okay, maybe the marajuana experience seemed a little out of character for Patty given the fact that she won't even drink coffee while she's pregnant, but other than that, I found it touching and sad, but realistic.

I haunt libraries and book stores for new arrivals and imagine my reaction when I spotted my favorite author's new book, just last night. Elizabeth Berg never disappoints me and I stopped what I was currently reading to start this fantastic book. Read it in one sitting, slowly, today, what a day. She is the only author guaranteed to make me cry. Always. I love this book, have read all of Ms. Berg's books and this is one of the best. The angelic touch at the end was beautiful. Glad I bought it, I can add it to my other Berg first additions that I share with friends who don't know what to read and don't have time to be disappointed. "Pull of the Moon" and "What We Keep" are my other Berg favorites. Unfortunately, now I have to wait for her next!