Cab Ride for Your Thoughts: Crazy to Leave You by Marilyn Simon Rothstein
Remember how everyone said they would take advantage of the covid pandemic lockdown by writing a novel? Well, that’s exactly what Marilyn Simon Rothstein did, barricaded in her room to create a few hours of silence in a home that grew to 15 people, with her children and their families staying for more than the 2 weeks expected.
“I would say that ‘I can’t be bothered until noon every day, because I’m writing a book,’” Rothstein says, remembering back to March 2020. “And I went up to my bedroom and closed my door until noon every day. And then one day it occurred to me, ‘I might as well write a book.’ And that became ‘Crazy to Leave You.’”
Rothstein is a relatively new voice in fiction, her debut novel “Lift and Separate” winning the Star Award for Best Debut from the Women’s Fiction Writers Association in 2017. Her past two novels were part of the same story, following Marcy Hammer’s journey to happiness after being traded in by her husband for a newer model. But this book’s spontaneous beginning gave way to a whole new cast of characters. Rothstein met her own “sharp object” in an elevator during her time at NYU for journalism, owned an award-winning advertising agency for more than twenty-five years, and self-identifies as “weight-obsessed,” inspiring much of the main character Lauren Leo’s background.
The story starts in a temple in Connecticut, like all great Jewish love stories. It is the first day of our main character Lauren Leo’s life—or the first day that matters. The first day of the rest of her life. After 39 years of waiting, she’s finally getting married. Yes, it’s a Sunday in March, “the dreariest month of the year.” Yes, it’s at Temple Sons of Abraham, a dusty old temple her financé Eric’s family had attended since the Reagan years. Yes, his professional wedding planner mother went against every choice Lauren tried to make. Yes, Lauren hadn’t really eaten since her engagement, obsessed with dieting due to her mother’s constant criticism. But it was okay. It was all okay. After the wedding, it would be over. She would finally be married and start living her life. They would have kids soon, of course. She would open her own ad firm so she could have flexible hours. It’s the perfect plan—until Eric decides he isn’t “mature enough” for marriage yet, at 41 years old, the morning of the wedding, through a text message to her sister. He admits he never loved her. Their relationship moved too fast and he didn’t know how to say “no.”
In just the first chapter, this book had the most brutal breakup I have ever witnessed (or read about for that matter). The gall of this man was something you saw in horror films. This was worse than Taylor and Joe’s 27-second phone call. This was worse than the Carrie and Berger post-it note. To break up with your financé on the morning of your wedding via text to her sister is just cruel. But even throughout these moments, Rothstein finds the humor and absurdity in life. Lauren watches guests exit her almost-wedding while ducked under a booth and eating a burger at the diner across the street, watching who is taking their presents back with them. Her biggest ad client is New England Can, a huge porta-potty distributor. I can see how fun it was to catapult the story of our leading lady Lauren Leo from one of the lowest moments in her life.
“I don’t write from beginning to end,” Rothstein admits. “Most people would outline. If I outlined, there would be no book. So I imagine situations and then at the end, I put it together like a jigsaw puzzle.” She thinks of situations and character growth, sewing it all together as she goes, writing Rob’s white-collar crime arrest in chapter 19 before Lauren’s hamburger nosh in chapter 2.
One of these major ideas was Rudy. After a sleep-induced car accident, Lauren’s misogynist boss pays for a driver to take her to appointments with clients and she slowly falls in love with the handsome Jewish driver Rudy who takes care of his nephew, listens to her problems, and makes her feel beautiful just the way she is.
“I think they work because he is just a really good guy who’s really mellow and well-meaning and full of love. And she was in a point in her life where she needed someone to understand her and feel for her,” Rothstein says. “At first, she just thinks that he’s just being intrusive and wishes he would shut up, but as time goes on she realizes that they actually have a relationship and he invites her to do things that truly make her happy.”
The first line of this novel is Lauren talking about her body: “Diets consumed me.” And I should have believed her. One of my biggest criticisms about this book was the oversaturation of discussion on weight and disordered eating. It was a huge pill to swallow while reading. Lauren is absolutely obsessed with her weight, her diet, and comparing herself to others. And while standing up to her mother was a huge milestone for Lauren’s self-growth post-Eric, I feel like the romance plotline with Rudy almost became a secondary storyline.
4 stars
This book was funny and romantic in such a comfortable way. I liked Rudy way before Lauren did. His heart is the most beautiful part of this book. But the body dysmorphia was a bit too overpowering for me, taking away from the romance emphasis of the story.
