Modern Women by Ruth Harris

MODERN WOMEN—and the men in their lives. They laughed. They cried. They did their best. But would they live happily ever after?

Lincky Desmond: With beauty, brains and money, she married Mr. Right—only to risk it all for Mr. Wrong.
Elly McGrath: She was loyal and idealistic but when faced with the ultimate betrayal, would she be able to stand up for herself?
Jane Gresh: Bawdy, outrageous and determined not to be ignored, she managed to shock the entire country.
Owen Casals: Handsome, successful, magnetic. He would marry one, betray another and make one of them very, very rich.

“Sharp and stylishly written. Passionate, daring and unconventional.”
—Chicago Sun-Times
“Glory be! Excellent.This is the story of today’s women.”
—Los Angeles Times
“FICTION AT ITS BEST!”
—New Woman Magazine

Author’s note: The sexual revolution transformed the lives of modern women and I write about this subject with candor and irreverence, the way women talk about sex when they think no one’s listening. Please do not buy Modern Women if easily offended. I want readers to love my books, not be upset by them.

About the author: New York Times bestselling author Ruth Harris has sold many millions of copies around the world in hardcover and paperback editions. Her fiction has been translated into 19 languages, published in 25 countries and selected by the Literary Guild and Book-of-the-Month Club.


What I liked the best of this book was the honesty in the writing. The steady-eyed, sometimes stark look at male-female relationships that still make the world turn.

The setting is fabulous all on its own. Incorporating the raging atmosphere of the 60s and 70s, the decades take on a role of their own, sometimes becoming as important to the characters’ lives as the plot. The feminist movements, the changes in attitude that the reader sees towards women as the story progresses is astounding, and for me, who did not live through those years, a revelation.

I’m in love with the characters that fill this book. I finished reading it earlier this afternoon, and their voices are still roaming around my head. They are so vibrant and complex, so different one from the other, that there’s no way to forget any of them, or to hate any of them. They are all written with acute sensitivity, creating balanced and believable characters.

This is truly a book about women striving to find themselves and happiness, be it within the boundaries that society laid on them or outside of them. It is a story full of love and hate, of revenge and betrayal, but it is mainly about the lives of these women and the men who touched their lives. It was a joy to follow them through their lives.

I can easily recommend this book to women and men alike.