The Other Side: A Love Story

This book takes an interesting approach to telling the story. It opens with the central character Ally Brent on her deathbed speaking to her daughter. Then Ally begins to think about her life and the details are revealed in flashback. Ally rose to be the first governor of her state and was an admired and respected politician, but it came with a price. She's been trapped in a loveless marriage to protect her career and hide her long time affair with Clair. The only good thing to come out of the marriage is her daughter, but things begin to fall apart. Ally has a breakdown, has to resign as governor and then has to reassess the rest of her life. Most of the events take place in the 1960s and early 1970s when attitudes towards gays and lesbians were even harder than today. Chase does a good job of showing the compromises that Ally has had to make to have a successful career and the terrible cost she's paid also. The book is easy to read and will keep your attention. One of the plot points that will keep you reading is to find out just how big a creep Ally's husband Michael can become before she finally decides to stop putting up with his mess and live her life the way she really wants to. Fortunately, by the end of the book everything comes together. There's no suspense in this book. Just an honest look at people's lives.