Olive Oil and White Bread

I'll say upfront that I am a big Georgia Beers fan. I have not read one of her books yet that I didn't enjoy thoroughly. Olive Oil and White Bread is one that I am particularly fond of due to the nature of the story. Instead of just getting a quick view into a relationship, she takes the reader on a long journey, from the beginning of a relationship, through courtship and that “honeymoon” period, to the difficult parts of a relationship (dealing with work, parental loss, infidelity). I always love how well Georgia develops characters, and this book is no different. You get to really know Jillian and Angie, what drives each of them and what each wants out of the relationship.

I don't want to spoil anything in the story, so I will not go too deep in my explanation. I feel the book gives a very realistic portrayal of the ebbs and flows of a relationship. It isn't all about sex and love and happily ever after. Relationships take work to maintain and the characters in this story get to see that firsthand. There are some points in the book that had me feeling down and were filled with deep emotion. That is not a bad thing. Georgia does an excellent job of bringing the reader into the story and making you feel something for the characters. It made me think of my own relationships and how easy it is to miss the obvious things by just going through life without paying attention. This is an excellent book about relationships, not just about lesbian relationships. It is definitely worth a read.