Plus get our latest book recommendations, author news, and competitions right to your inbox.
Published by She Writes Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About The Book
“An outstanding first novel.”—Booklist, starred review
Why is it easier for a woman to be a muse than to have one? Can one be fully creative—in art or life—without the inspiration of erotic love? These are the questions asked in The Geometry of Love, a novel set in New York in the 1980s, then fast-forwarding to Northern California 20 years later. Julia, an aspiring poet, is living with her British boyfriend Ben, a restrained professor at Princeton, when she has a chance meeting with Michael, a long-ago friend. A charismatic composer, Michael was once a catalyzing muse for her, but now returns as a destabilizing influence. Julia longs to become involved with Michael, but hesitates to give up the security of her relationship with Ben. When Michael signals he is too wounded to make a commitment, Julia turns her triangular situation into a square by setting him up with a cousin. In the process she discovers, as Pascal once said, that "the heart has its reasons which reason does not know." This deeply psychological tale explores the surprising ways we make romantic choices.
The Geometry of Love is the second novel in Jessica Levine’s The Cousin Series. It can be read after Three Cousins or as a standalone.
Why is it easier for a woman to be a muse than to have one? Can one be fully creative—in art or life—without the inspiration of erotic love? These are the questions asked in The Geometry of Love, a novel set in New York in the 1980s, then fast-forwarding to Northern California 20 years later. Julia, an aspiring poet, is living with her British boyfriend Ben, a restrained professor at Princeton, when she has a chance meeting with Michael, a long-ago friend. A charismatic composer, Michael was once a catalyzing muse for her, but now returns as a destabilizing influence. Julia longs to become involved with Michael, but hesitates to give up the security of her relationship with Ben. When Michael signals he is too wounded to make a commitment, Julia turns her triangular situation into a square by setting him up with a cousin. In the process she discovers, as Pascal once said, that "the heart has its reasons which reason does not know." This deeply psychological tale explores the surprising ways we make romantic choices.
The Geometry of Love is the second novel in Jessica Levine’s The Cousin Series. It can be read after Three Cousins or as a standalone.
Product Details
- Publisher: She Writes Press (April 8, 2014)
- Length: 292 pages
- ISBN13: 9781938314636
Browse Related Books
Raves and Reviews
“Jessica Levine knows relationships. In The Geometry of Love, Levine artfully weaves the story of one woman's desire for passion, art and love and her conflicting needs of comfort, security and stability. A universal tale written by a compassionate writer whose gentle love of her characters shines throughout this book.”
—Ann Garvin, author of On Maggie's Watch
“Unfulfilled love and attraction can resonate over decades, affecting our choices of who we love, what we create, and ultimately who we are. In this novel of relationships, Jessica Levine offers a strong heroine in Julia, a woman who wants to be honorable even as she wrestles with her wilder side and the undertow of longing. We root for her as she tries to do the right thing, which in the end is best chosen by the heart. The Geometry of Love is a fine literary debut that weaves psychological wisdom into an entertaining love story.”
—Virginia Pye, author of River of Dust
“[L]yrical and realistic….Julia is a compelling and relatable protagonist . . . .”
—Foreword Reviews
“Feeling restless in her long-term relationship with her boyfriend, Ben, Julia Field decides to take over her father’s accounting business and move to New York. She’ll still see Ben on the weekends, she rationalizes, and maybe a little distance will inspire him to finally pop the question. She never expected to run into Ben’s former roommate, Michael, an adorably disheveled yet temperamental composer, who once shared a surprisingly passionate kiss with her on the steps of the New York Public Library during their senior year of college. Though Julia confessed to Ben on the night of the kiss, she never expected to feel the same surge of passion after running into Michael so many years later. Does passion outweigh stability? Is pure romance sustainable? The Geometry of Love charts the love triangle between Julia, Ben, and Michael as all three search for the answers to life’s most heartfelt questions. Spanning 1987 to 2004, the novel’s scope and sweeping character arcs will appeal to fans of Meg Wolitzer’s The Interestings (2013). Julia’s emotions, insecurities, and pleasures are laid bare and recall Isadora Wing in Erica Jong’s Fear of Flying (1973). An outstanding first novel.”
—Stephanie Turza
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): The Geometry of Love eBook 9781938314636
