A Family Romance

A Family Romance sweeps through more than 40 years serving up tasty—and profoundly true—takes on American life.

In the first part of this family saga, we meet Nat and Viv Handler at their 1959 arrival in Washington, D.C., Viv a devoted mother and wife, Nat a journalist. When he stumbles upon the untold story of President Kennedy’s womanizing, Nat sets out to report on it. But the more he tries to get the facts from the President’s sexiest mistress, the more he puts his job—and his marriage—at risk.

Then we make the acquaintance of Nat and Viv as students in Colorado during World War II. Viv’s involved with J.T.—her handsome bad boyfriend—and Nat is stalking them. It’s a scene of Swing Era dances, steamy backseats and rationed Coca-Cola, as J.T.—dragging Viv and Nat along—works steadily towards his fate.

Years later, in the 1980s, we follow Viv and Nat at the height of their careers through the course of a single day. Living a busy but comfortable life in New York City, Nat’s a magazine editor and Viv runs her own business. Looking forward to the future, but inescapably aware of the past, they walk to work, negotiate their offices and office mates, solve crises, go shopping, see a play. Viv rescues an old friend, while Nat inadvertently brings disaster upon a colleague. Fortunately, art reconciles everything in the end.

With its wonderful characters and inspired and true-to-life action, A Family Romance is an irresistible tour de force.