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The Off Season
Amy Hoffman
“An enjoyable, breezy read that celebrates the uniqueness of Provincetown and its close-knit community.”
—Library Journal
When Nora Griffin, an artist in her midthirties, moves from Brooklyn to Provincetown, she isn't looking for trouble. Her partner, Janelle, is recovering from breast cancer treatment, and together they've decided that the quiet off-season on the tip of Cape Cod is the perfect place for Janelle to heal and Nora to paint. Then charismatic Baby Harris flirts into Nora's life in her red cowboy boots.
In the damp, windy winter, Nora contends with heartbreak, aging, and local environmental worries, while painting what she hopes will be her masterpiece. Along the way, she encounters the chain-smoking, motor scooter–driving landlady Miss Ruby; Reverend Patsy, the vegan minister of the Unitarian church; and Brunhilde, barista extraordinaire and rival for Baby's affections. As the first tourists begin to arrive in June, Nora must decide what she really wants from life.
 Amy Hoffman is the author of the memoirs Lies about My Family, An Army of Ex-Lovers, and Hospital Time. Formerly the editor in chief of the Women’s Review of Books, she currently teaches writing at Emerson College and in the Solstice Low-Residency MFA Program at Pine Manor College.
Author’s website: http://www.amyhoffman.net/
Praise
“An uproarious reflection on the power of community, friendship, and lovers, both past and present.”
—Lambda Literary
“The Off Season moves along at a swift pace with short, titled chapters. P’town is brought to life with vivid descriptions of the town and its maritime surroundings.”
—Gay and Lesbian Review
“The Off Season reads like a journal, with short sharp chapters told with resolute frankness and admirable humility. Nora’s story is a reminder that there is extraordinary in the ordinary, and that no experience is a failure if you learn from it.”
—EDGE
“A wonderful comic romantic novel set in Provincetown that is a flat-out fun read.”
—Our Lives
“With the publication of The Off Season, author Amy Hoffman demonstrates her genuine flair as a novelist for originality, deftly crafted characters, and an inherently compelling, narrative driven, unfailingly entertaining storytelling.”
—Reviewer’s Bookwatch
“Amy Hoffman takes on serious situations so that we can have fun with them. She is irreverent and fresh at the same time and she always has us wanting more.”
—Reviews by Amos Lassen
“Read this book while you're at the beach. Read it if you wish you could be at the beach. Just read it!”
—Anita Diamant, author of The Boston Girl
“With one of the most effortlessly charming voices you're likely to come across, Amy Hoffman has written a portrait of a place and the madly diverse group of people that lives there. As antic and funny as this irresistible novel is, Hoffman's real triumph is reminding us of the importance of community in the face of hostility and oppression. It's hard to imagine a more timely or necessary reminder.”
—Stephen McCauley, author of The Object of My Affection
“The Off Season is right on! A sparkling novel about the flora and fauna and florid drama of lesbians living in Provincetown for one memorable season.”
—Kate Clinton, humorist
“A breath of fresh air: irreverent, energetic, and tackling some weighty issues with a light touch. At a time when people are hungry for community, meaningful stories, and humor, this novel delivers.”
—Lucy Jane Bledsoe, author of A Thin Bright Line
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