Sleeping with Ward Cleaver

by: Jenny Gardiner

Published by: Dorchester Publishing

Reviewed by Carrie Padgett

In this “woman’s fiction,” debut novelist Jenny Gardiner achieves the difficult, if not impossible, task of creating sexual and romantic tension between characters who have been married more than a few years. And they said it couldn’t be done.

Sleeping With Ward Cleaver is the fast-paced and funny story of Claire and Jack Doolittle. Claire feels Jack has morphed over the years into Ward Cleaver. Only problem is, she’s not June and she doesn’t like Ward—umm, Jack’s propensity to scold the kids and give her tedious to-do lists.

Gardiner does a great job creating realistic and believable characters. Jack has a good reason for changing from the sensitive and romantic man Claire fell in love with to the distant and demanding bread winner. In spite of his flaws, he remains a sympathetic character and we root for him to finally wake up and listen to Claire. We have faith he can do it.

Claire’s life is further complicated when her college boyfriend makes contact with her via email. Writing and reminiscing with Todd helps Claire verbalize what has gone wrong in her marriage and how to make it right.

Claire is a dedicated mother who obviously loves her kids and her husband. She misses what she used to have and when it appears Jack is infatuated with someone else, Claire takes matters into her own hands to learn the truth. She follows Jack on a business trip and discovers that the problems in the marriage are of her making too, not just Jack’s.

The risk with writing about a married couple is how to sustain the conflict without getting shrill or soapy. Gardiner pulls it off. I wanted to see Jack and Claire fight for their marriage and their romance.

Armchair Interviews says: Sleeping With Ward Cleaver is a clever and engaging romance with humor and heart.

Author’s Web site: http://www.JennyGardiner.net