The Sunshine When She’s Gone ~ Book Review and Giveaway

Do you ever have those days when you just need a break? I can’t count how many times those words have come out of my mouth. Raising three kids aged 3 and under was hard. Really, really hard! With a hubby who worked long hours, no close friends and family that lived hours away, I was short on support and sanity! 


But what if……

What if your wishes were answered? What if someone gave you a break? Not just anyone, what if you woke up one morning (late of course, because you slept in) and your husband had granted that very wish. 

They were gone. 

the sunshine when she's gone

The Sunshine When She’s Gone ~ Thea Goodman

A Bold and Funny Novel About Trust and Love

One frigid, January morning in Manhattan, a new father, racked by sleep deprivation, decides to let his wife sleep in — then spontaneously flees lower Manhattan with the baby for a weekend in the Caribbean. It wasn’t a kidnapping, he wasn’t leaving his wife; he just wanted to spend a little time with the baby and give his wife a break. When the wife awakes, truly rested for the first time in nearly a year, she feels great — and embarks on a city adventure as misguided in its own way as her husband’s impulsive escape.

Told from the couple’s alternating points of view, the story unfolds across one life-changing long weekend. The wife tries to recapture who she was before the baby. The husband struggles to care for his daughter — far from the special homemade formula and high-end diapers she requires. Parenting had seemed like such a doable idea — until they tried to do it. Lucky, highly educated Americans, this couple barely survives making the first real sacrifice of their lives. But survive they do, in a hilarious, touching, tour de force debut about passion, ambivalence, and love.

You will be shocked when you find out what adventures these too take on their weekends apart! There were definitely times I routed for the wife and times when I was completely on the husbands side of things. It’s a fun back and forth read that kept me staying up late to find out where their adventures would take them! 

The Sunshine When She’s Gone was picked as Oprah’s Book of the Week

Want a copy of your own? Enter Below to win one copy of The Sunshine When She’s Gone by Thea Goodman

This giveaway has ended

The products mentioned above were provided free of charge. Regardless, I was not obligated to feature this item and all opinions expressed belong to Mom vs. the Boys and are not influenced in any way.

Comments

  1. Sandy VanHoey says

    Well, I just had that this past weekend, my daughter and grandson was gone and I was a bit lonely and played on the computer and did spring cleaning…continued to do that

  2. I would probably sleep in, then take myself to a spa.

  3. I have no idea what I would do, isn’t that terrible. I think I would be so nervous with them gone.

  4. A week on my own without children and the house to myself? I don’t know what I would do? Not sure I could handle it. LOL Isn’t that awful!

  5. Stephanie LaPlante says

    I don’t have a spouse or children but a break from my life would be relaxation in Hawaii.

  6. Escape to the spa and go out for a fancy dinner with some close friends.

  7. I would hopefully able to spend it away in NYC. If I was at home, I would clean top – bottom and then head out with my mom or a girlfriend for lunch, movie, shopping!

  8. Ohhhhhh I would so love to just do nothing, go for a nice long bubble bath and maybe dinner and movie with an old friend!!

  9. go to a spa haha 🙂

  10. With 20 month old twins and NO outside help for the last 2 years I couldn’t even BEGIN to tell you the first thing I’d do with a MUCH deserved break–LOL! I’d probably go into a comatose sleep like a hibernating animal haha!

  11. As I am a grandma, I look forward to times like that, & it lets my kids get away

  12. I would just lay around in a hotel room, relax and read books in the bathtub.

  13. Kasi Erwin says

    I would sleep late!
    – Beth Ann Erwin facebook/rafflecopter

  14. I would get together with my sisters and go shopping, go out for dinner and watch a movie. I would probably have them sleep over.

  15. An entire week-end on my own? I’d probably find a sunny beach, plant myself in a chair under an umbrella, arm myself with snacks that I KNOW are bad for me & read a trashy book uninterrupted!
    Ah well, I can dream…

  16. Sleep… sooo much sleep

  17. Sleep, shop, dine out, pamper myself from hair cut to pedicure, aaaahhhhhh!

  18. Paris! I can clearly see myself sitting at a café with my journal…latte made the right way! What a wonderful question!!

  19. candessphillips says

    I would go into our regional parks and hike, until my water runs dry. I would go to the beach and rent a kayak and watch the sunset from the water. The second day I would sleep in and then get some time in at the spa. And I would go to an all you can eat fish and chip house bringing a book with me!

  20. hmm hard to imagine, I love my babies lol. I would go to yoga, massage, read a book, catch up on some movies, write poetry, go for a hike and hang out with my friends who i haven’t seen in forever!

  21. I think I would lay in bed the whole weekend curled up with some great books 🙂

  22. Danielle L says

    Work and clean in peace and quiet.

  23. golf from morning till night

  24. Trisha Y. says

    Been dreaming about a weekend getaway (like far aaaaaaaaaaaway, with beaches and sun, and lots of grownup food and drinks) with my gf’s for awhile now.

  25. Carol Denny says

    Sleep and go shopping.

  26. tenofclubs says

    Would go back to Tuscany and stay in a villa and relax. Nothing better than that.

  27. giahung la says

    the beach

  28. Karen Thaeter says

    I would love to go to a spa!
    karenthaeter@hotmail.com

  29. amanda roach says

    do nothing..lol..read drink tea and sleep

  30. heather holmberg says

    I like to read, in the bathtub, or all curled up on the couch !

  31. A LONG QUIET SOOTHING BATH 🙂

  32. Darrah Bailey says

    READ and relax, maybe go to the library and a coffee shop 🙂

  33. sleep, read and really just lay around. If it was more than 2 days I would go on adventures but 2 days is really only enough to unwind

  34. ariel chiu says

    go to the spa!

  35. Jennifer L. says

    Wow, I can’t even imagine what that would be like. I’d go to the gym, read a lot, go for a long walk and just enjoy the quiet.

  36. A bubble bath, relax with some good music and tv, read. Just a quiet weekend would be great.

  37. I always say i would do not nothing and just sit and relax – but when my hubby takes my daughter our daughter out for a few hours – i actually clean – so most likely i would run around like crazy 🙂

  38. Debbie Petch says

    Always a spa!

  39. sandra mitchell says

    Hot bath and a good book

  40. danielle Helsby says

    Sleep late, eat whatever I want and enjoy a movie!

  41. Stacy Scott says

    I am a mom to 10 and I have Not yet in 16 almost 17 have a break away to myself. I would Love to enjoy myself out at a fancy resturnat with a couple of my friends for some high end food and some drinks =) A dream it would be!

  42. Stephanie Dawe says

    Spend the weekend back home, hiking or something in the woods 🙂

  43. Go on a trip to to the Spa with my Girl friends over night

  44. Holly Messana says

    i wouldn’t even being to imagine what i would do…….but i think it would envolve nothing…..;)

  45. michelle tremblett says

    I dont know what i would do without the kids and husband :/ thats probably very sad right ! but i have always had them around and if not all of them at least one lol. hummmmm i guesss if i imagined maybe i would sleep in, read that book i bought 4 months ago and still havent read a page ! ahhhh to dream 😉

  46. If I had a weekend alone, I would read and read, maybe bet a manicure, go out with my best gal.

  47. Beth Rosell says

    With a weekend alone I could re-do my living room and paint.

  48. Jayne Cameron says

    I would visit friends because I never have time to relax with great friends

  49. I would take off for the weekend with my sister. Shop DInner or just hang out with no interuptions. It has been so many years since we have done that

  50. lucy kabatoff says

    If I had a weekend alone I would catch up on my reading and have a massage.

  51. I would take a long bubble bath with a good book!

  52. nancy chartrand says

    i would probably go insane! well after a long hot bath, a girly movie, chips, chocolate, internet, a good book, and sleep.. (lol) and i don’t drink but i might have wine and even light a candle.. oh and do cartwheels.. ya.. then i would be lonely 😉

  53. nancy chartrand says

    i looked at some of your recipes and left a message at https://momvstheboys.com/2012/02/banana-raspberry-muffins/#comment-55853

  54. If I had one weekend kid/hubby free i would sleep in, stay in my pj’s all day long while sadly enough doing some cleaning and blasting tunes while having a drink or 2. I’d also have a nice long bath WITH THE bathroom DOOR OPEN LOL cause there would be no one to interfere with that mommy moment of relaxation.

  55. I could do what ever I want… long hot bubble baths, control over the tv or just enjoy the quiet and read a book or 2

  56. sean pynaert says

    sit around and watch sports all weekend

  57. I would stay in bed with a good book and read it cover to cover, without interruption. With my three boys it’s pretty much IMPOSSIBLE.

  58. I don’t have kids yet, but if I had a weekend without my husband I would do the things he doesn’t like – go shopping, watch girly romantic movies, and read a good book! Thanks for the giveaway! 🙂

  59. Viv Sluys says

    I would go camping out in the mountains by a nice river/creek

  60. Elva Roberts says

    April 1-Fine a cubby hole and read as many books as I could!

  61. I would spend the weekend with a few of my girlfriends that I’m not able to get together with all that often. It wouldn’t matter what we were doing – just spending time together to catch up.

  62. Sleep in!

  63. I would sleep, have super long showers, and lay around in my pj’s…all things I rarely get to do!
    Thank you!
    Dawn

  64. Lynn Mathieu says

    sleep,relax and read tons of books!!!

  65. Angela Mitchell says

    I’d go visit my best friend or maybe go on a little trip to Vegas with her:)

  66. Laura H. says

    I’d sleep late, stay in my pj’s, and watch tons of movies by myself!

  67. Wayne Lecoy says

    Please enter me in your giveaway.
    It would be great to win a copy of The Sunshine When She’s Gone by Thea Goodman.
    In response to your question of
    What would you do with one weekend free from the kids and spouse?
    I am not married and don’t have any children so i have all the free weekends i want.
    Thank you for having this giveaway!!!!!!!

  68. omg i would sleep the whole time

  69. Marlene V. says

    Go shopping and pamper myself!

  70. Sleep in, shop and have a girls night in with lots of wine & dancing in the livingroom!
    Or… a weekend in Vegas. so pretty much the same thing? lol

    I also commented on the PC BLue Menu post for an extra entry.

  71. Sandra D. says

    I would lounge around day on the sofa with a good book and then meet up with some of my girlfriends for dinner and drinks !

  72. I’d take a trip to go see my BFF whom I haven’t seen in years.

  73. Wanda Bergman says

    I would just feel free to truly be myself and have adult fun.

  74. Wanda Bergman says
  75. Elva Roberts says

    April 6-I loved your ‘Snow Adventure; with your little boy. We had the same kind of winter scene here on PEI a bout a day or so later. It looked like an old-fashioned Christmas card. Thank you for sharing with us. el03ro
    e.m.roberts@hotmail.com

  76. Stephanie Larison says

    I would do some shopping and get a nice massage.

  77. bailey-eileen dexter-parr says

    I wouldn’t know what to do lol

  78. Rebecca Peters says

    lay on the beach

  79. Valerie Taylor Mabrey says

    NOTHING! How great would nothing be!!!
    vmkids3 at msn dot com

  80. Go to the beach

  81. valerie godin says

    I would go to a nice spa and relax

  82. Adrienne Styles says

    To be honest I would probably spend the weekend missing my husband and wishing that at least he or the kids were with me. I would probably try to fill the time catching up on housework and spending time with friends.

  83. susan smoaks says

    i would sleep, eat and watch tV!

  84. I would spend the weekend relaxing. Have a spa day maybe? Get some of that long awaited gardening finished… Well.. Started really..

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