Author: Jenny Gardiner
Genre: Fiction
About: (From the book blurb): Not-so-happily married to Jack-once the man of her dreams but now a modern-day version of the bossy, dull Ward Cleaver of ’50s sitcom fame-Claire is at the end of her rope. Gone are the glorious days of flings in elevators and broom closets. Jack? All he needs is a cardigan and a billowing pipe to become the domineering father figure Claire never wanted. And looking at her body in the mirror, Claire would cast herself as Lumpy. They’d once had a world of color, of wanton frivolity. Now, life’s black and white: a sitcom in reruns. A not-very-funny sitcom. Cue an old boyfriend-the “one that got away”-throw in a predatory hottie who’s set her sights on our leading man, and watch Claire’s world spiral out of control.
Descriptive Words: Funny, bawdy, honest, poignant.
Thoughts: For the most part it’s laugh out-loud-funny but I also had a lump in my throat during a lot of it. Jenny Gardiner’s novel cuts right to the core of a marriage that has lost its luster. The novel is written from the wife’s perspective. Claire is feeling unappreciated and the same could be said for her husband. There’s a lot of truth about marriages “of a certain number of years” in Sleeping with Ward Cleaver.
Source: I bought it.
Why I Chose: A few bloggers I trust gave it good reviews.
Recommend? This is a fast read that I recommend to fans of funny, honest, and entertaining novels about marriage. It’s one I’ll pass on to my sisters.
Rating: 4 /5 stars
Bookfan 
Funnily enough a friend of mine was given this very book by her bridesmaids on the eve of her wedding – I think they meant it as a joke. Hoping to borrow it myself once it has finished doing the rounds, I hear it is extremely funny.
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I’m interested in knowing what your friends thought of it!
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This sounds like a fun read! I’ll have to check it out and add it to my ever growing list! Thanks for the review!
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Let me know if you read it, Sherri!
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This sounds all too close to home. But… I too shall have to add it to my “ever growing list”
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I think anyone who has been married would find something to relate to in this novel.
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Sounds fun, but also so very honest, I get that lump in your throat thing
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I was kind of surprised at how I reacted to it!
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I’ve had this book on my wish list forever and I almost deleted it recently and now I’m really glad I didn’t. I know I must make the time to read this one. Thanks Mary!
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Lisa, let me know if you get to read it!
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Definitely sounds like a cute story!
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Meg, cute and much more.
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Alrighty, I like the title and I trust your reviews, so will add this to my WWBL.
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Hi Vickie! Let me know when you read it 🙂
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I think Jenny is a hoot on Twitter, so I bet this is funny! Thanks for the review!
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She’s very funny 😀
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I’m so honored you took the time to read Sleeping with Ward Cleaver and I’m so glad you “got” it. I hope you all get a chance to get a copy of it though sadly the house who published it is in dire financial straits and is no longer publishing in book version–rumor has it bankruptcy is on the horizon for them. I am in the process of reverting my rights to it so will put it up electronically and might well do it for POD as well because I’d be very sad to see this book end up out of print. Thanks again for reviewing it! (and waving hi to my friend Bermuda Onion!)
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Jenny, thanks for stopping by! So sorry to hear about the publishing house issues. That makes me even happier that I found a copy to buy.
Keep writing – we’ll keep reading 🙂
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Most of them loved it, funnily enough though it was the divorced amongst them that found it the most amusing.
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That is interesting.
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It sounded like it was just a light funny book … but it sounds like it has some depth too.
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Jenners – Yes, it does.
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I so need to read this one! Excellent thoughts Mary!
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Let me know when/if you read it, Staci.
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Wow, sounds like a fun and very entertaining book. I have never heard about it before. Also it sounds like a great book to give as a gift to my older sister! Great review!
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Nina, great gift especially if she’s been married for a while 🙂
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Saw the title and thought… wait a minute is this about the Cleaver family as in Leave it to Beaver??!!!
Going to chart this book up to the very top of the list now and it’s always good to hear about a book that makes you laugh .. the great ole belly laugh is good anytime of the day.
Great stuff and thanks for bringing this up in the reading radar.
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Aisle B, I hope you get a chance to read it. Let me know!
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