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Lily Steps Out Kindle Edition

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 23 ratings

Empty nest, retired husband ... after thirty-three years of marriage as wife, mother, nursemaid, and family mediator, Lily Gold has had it! There must be more to life than making beds and cooking dinners. A lot more, she discovers, when she decides she needs something of her very own – a job.

Re-entering the work force is harder than it seems, and Lily has difficulty finding a position that’s just right for her. When she finally does, she knows it’s a perfect fit. But husband Leon wants no part of it, and off he goes to the bank to put the kibosh on her chance of opening her own antique center.

This is marriage? This is war! Lily steps out of the tired old habit of always letting Leon have his way. This time she turns the status quo into quid pro quo and gives him a run for the money. And, while she’s at it, with a little help from her friends, she breaks the mold of Lily Gold. But does she have what it takes to create a new Lily – a Lily’s renaissance?

Lily Gold’s journey is the journey of every woman who wants it all – love, respect, personal fulfillment, and real happiness.

“...engagingly written. The voice is shrewd, sharp, funny, and yet tender.”
–Joyce Carol Oates

“Charming and carefully observed, LILY STEPS OUT is a First Wives Club for the new millennium. LILY will win your heart as she ‘comes of age.’ A great read!”
–Kevin Misher, producer of Public Enemies

“...the writing is lively and true to life.”
–Francine Klagsbrun, columnist and author of Married People: Staying
Together in the Age of Divorce

“With wit and wisdom, Rita Plush proves F. Scott Fitzgerald wrong – there can be second acts in American lives.”
–Charles Salzberg, author of Swann’s Last Song

“It’s refreshing to read a novel about people whose desires and disappointments are so like our own.”
–Phil Wagner, editor/publisher, The Iconoclast

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rita Plush is a writer, interior designer, and instructor of the decorative arts. She lives in Queens, New York. Her short stories have appeared in the Alaska Quarterly Review, Iconoclast, Passager, The MacGuffin, and others. She is the author of the novel Lily Steps Out, and a short-story collection titled Alterations. She is available for readings, book clubs and interviews. For more information, visit www.ritaplush.com.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01FZWK5FW
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penumbra Publishing (May 20, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 20, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 844 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 209 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1935563890
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 23 ratings

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Rita Plush
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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
23 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and relatable. They appreciate the humor, wit, and wisdom from the author. The story offers a true perspective on families and relationships that resonates with many readers.

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8 customers mention "Enjoyment"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it engaging, with humor and truth. The lively dialogue keeps them hooked. It's a perfect summer read about one woman's journey to finding herself.

"...As each scenario unfolds, it comes with humor, truth, and the urge to continue reading. I look forward to future books from this author." Read more

"I loved this book. As I read it, I wondered if the Author Rita Plush knew me and was writing my story...." Read more

"...] is a delightful tale of one woman's journey to finding herself and escaping her husband's tyrannical control...." Read more

"...If Lily can do it, so can I. Lively, realistic dialogue moves the story along so that you feel you are privy to this woman's plight." Read more

5 customers mention "Humor"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the humor in the book. They mention the author provides wit, deep emotion, and insight through humor.

"...As each scenario unfolds, it comes with humor, truth, and the urge to continue reading. I look forward to future books from this author." Read more

"...The story is so relatable to so many women. I commend the author who is witty and possesses a wonderful sense of creativity...." Read more

"...Lilly is warm, smart and a little sarcastic. I really did enjoy our time together. Marian Busby" Read more

"...The author, Rita Plus, offers her wisdom through humor and great insight. I wholeheartedly recommend this book!" Read more

4 customers mention "Relatability"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book relatable. They say it's a true take on families and relationships, and the story is relatable to many women. The book provides wit, deep emotion, and a lot of humor.

"This book had me hooked from the beginning with it's true take on families and relationships...." Read more

"...The story is so relatable to so many women. I commend the author who is witty and possesses a wonderful sense of creativity...." Read more

"...follow along as she creates her place in a changed world and reshapes her relationships. Lilly is warm, smart and a little sarcastic...." Read more

"...Then, when that woman (and her creator) provide wit, deep emotion, and a huge amount of interesting antique and collectible information, what could..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2013
    This book had me hooked from the beginning with it's true take on families and relationships. It's nice to see a book with romance and excitement that I as a new empty nester can enjoy. As each scenario unfolds, it comes with humor, truth, and the urge to continue reading. I look forward to future books from this author.
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2017
    I loved this book. As I read it, I wondered if the Author Rita Plush knew me and was writing my story. I couldn't wait to put aside time to read more... I haven't read a book in a long time, where I could not wait to get back to it. The story is so relatable to so many women. I commend the author who is witty and possesses a wonderful sense of creativity. I recommend this book to all, women and men as well. It is a joy to read.
    Lynn May
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2014
    Lily and Leon Gold are at a critical point in their marriage. Leon has retired, their son has left the nest, and Lily finds herself feeling stifled and frustrated by her very existence.

    She thinks a job might just do the trick. But when she begins working at Walter's antique store, she discovers so much more. She resumes her art history studies and realizes that she has the knowledge and knack for the business. But Walter seems stuck and resistant to her proposal to move the shop to an old house in an area undergoing gentrification.

    Leon is also stubbornly refusing to part with any cash to help Lily create her dream.

    So what can Lily do? Desperation is the mother of creativity in this situation, and the unique ways that Lily, and eventually Walter, begin to formulate their plan for Lily Gold's Renaissance, a store for vendors and their wares, are signs of how one can achieve any dream with enough persistence and ingenuity.

    Lily Steps Out is a delightful tale of one woman's journey to finding herself and escaping her husband's tyrannical control. Along the way, she also discovers that sometimes you have to let go in order to move on. It took a while for me to get into this story, as the beginning plodded along a bit, but once Lily "stepped out," I was rooting for her. 4.0 stars.
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2015
    Before I began this story I glanced at some reviews. Yes, I am guilty. I remember one that said something along the lines of not much happens in this story. This is true. This is not a story that is a grand adventure that will take you away from your troubles. Instead, it is a story that is about an ordinary woman, living an ordinary life. And I think that is the exact point of the story. It is meant to speak to everyday ordinary women who want to change their life in some small way. It is a story that is meant for a specific audience.

    The story reminds me of something you might encounter two women gossiping about over lunch, while they catch up on what has been going on, “Did you hear the troubles going on in the Gold marriage? For shame!”

    Plush is a good writer, a light writer. While the story deals with some depressing themes, Plush keeps the tone light and in-tune with the chick-lit genre. It clicks along at a nice pace and I think there are women who will relate to the protagonist Lily Gold.

    Overall, the story was not for me. I had a hard time connecting with the main character. But that is my own subjective experience and I do believe this story has an audience that will appreciate it.
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2013
    Having recently retired, this book felt very relevant to me. It answers the question, "Is that all there is?" For a generation of women
    who put home and family first and may feel they have lost their identity or their focus, Lily is inspirational. If Lily can do it, so can I.
    Lively, realistic dialogue moves the story along so that you feel you are privy to this woman's plight.
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2014
    It’s fun to follow along as she creates her place in a changed world and reshapes her relationships. Lilly is warm, smart and a little sarcastic. I really did enjoy our time together.
    Marian Busby
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2013
    Rita Plush has expertly put into print the "dream" of many modern day women and the challenges they face in attaining that dream. "Lily Steps Out" is engaging, topical and a true piece of contemporary America. Thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable!
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2019
    Really entertaining story about a woman's life that I can see much of myself in. The story left me with unanswered questions about Lilly's life. I found myself wondering about Lilly, I didn't want the story to end where it did. Great book to start my summer reading.

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