Much more suited for someone who is married or has a partner, so I am in the wrong demographic. A little interesting from a research and survey point, many sources are cited. ( )

There are aspects of this book I learned a lot from, but the main drawback for me was the emphasis on bitterness and anger. I think any woman who struggles with work/life balance and partner participation will get something out of it though. Just go into it with the right mindset and don’t focus on what’s unfair as much as how you can make your balance of chores work for your whole family moving forward. ( )

No ( )

I definitely have too much to do and more life to live, so it is with eagerness (and perhaps a bit of desperation) that I picked this book up. Though it is clearly, and at times heavy-handedly, speaking to women who feel unsupported by their spouses, the ideas within are solid, inspiring and actionable, and can apply to any family dynamic. Put simply, Rodsky suggests dividing household responsibilities in a way that is fair and equitable, with the goal of only one individual responsible for a particular task, so that there is no confusion or uncertainty. She helpfully provides examples of these "cards" the responsible parties hold, how to deal them out, and essential considerations unique to each task. Ironically, my spouse and I have been too busy to discuss and implement the promising methods described within, but if we ever get around to it I will surely update my review! ( )

If you follow me on social media, you know I have been going on and on about Fair Play but I am just so excited about it. I love parenting books, I love self-help and relationship books and as soon as I saw the premise of this I knew I needed to read it ASAP!

The adjustment to parenthood did not happen super easily for us both personally and in our relationship together. It was a huge transition and we struggled in many ways as we navigated our new roles and expectations of one another.

“On many days, feeling the full weight of exhaustion that would seize me the moment my baby was down and I was finally offline, I’d wonder What did I do all day? When even I couldn’t answer the question, there was no doubt in my mind that I’d lost all control of my time. Sound familiar?”

While we have learned a lot as the years have gone by, figuring out the daily logistics of life with work, marriage, kids and our household tasks is a constant juggling act. Fair Play both takes on and tackles the topics of the mental load, second shift, emotional labor and invisible work that in the 21st century still cause a great imbalance in many family’s home lives.

Not only is Eve Rodsky’s writing accessible and totally relatable, but it is also helpful! I love a good plan. I feel the absolute worst when life feels tough and I don’t know what my next steps are going to be. Even when things are still rocky, when I am moving forward, things always feel more manageable.

Rodsky created a simple and straightforward approach to help equitably restructuring the balance of domestic “duties” while also factoring in time to focus on creative and personal growth so that everyone feels fulfilled and happy.

While our relationship does follow a similar path as Rodsky’s (heterosexual married couple with kids) she has also done her due diligence. Rodsky worked with 500 couples to include a wide variety of multiple social constructs which can alter perspectives, challenges, and accessibility so this book really is for everyone!

Her Q&A on her own website is super informative if you are looking to learn more about why she took on this project. Resources like this are so awesome to help raise awareness of these important conversations that are so important to navigating family life.

Thank you to Putnam for sending this amazing book mail and to Edelweiss for an ARC ebook edition. ( )