The Forever Marriage is a compelling examination of a relationship and of a woman facing up to her imperfect past. It merits comparison to the best work of Anne Tyler, Elizabeth Berg, and Alice Sebold.

Ann Bauer is the author of a novel, "A Wild Ride up the Cupboards, " and coauthor of a culinary memoir, "Damn Good Food." Her essays have appeared in "The New York Times, The Washington Post, Elle, Redbook, " and "The Sun." She lives in Minneapolis.