In her novel Looking Back, New York Times bestselling author Belva Plain poses the question, Can friendships forged during the idyllic years of college stand the test of time--and betrayal? Recent college graduates and former roommates, classy Cecile, brainy Norma, and ambitious Amanda find their lives intimately entwined when Amanda marries Norma's older brother, Larry, to escape the unrelenting poverty of her family and the total lack of opportunities in the small southern town where she grew up. But their lives will never be the same once Amanda begins a passionate affair with her father-in-law, the cold and commanding L.B. No one escapes unscathed after Amanda confesses all, including the identity of her son's father, at a party, and Norma attempts to boost her heartbroken brother's career at the expense of Cecile's architect husband. This is Belva Plain at her twisted best, providing a bird's-eye view of the sometimes murky lives of ordinary people. If you're looking for a happy ending tied up in a pretty bow, rather than the drama that average lives occasionally take on, Looking Back and Belva Plain in general may not be for you. Loyal fans, however, will thrill to wallow once again in a world only Plain could create. --Alison Trinkle


From Publishers Weekly
What begins as an engaging story about three college roommates brainy Norma, lovely Amanda, preppy Cecile and their differing futures takes a bewildering turn in Plain's latest domestic saga. When the three women graduate, Amanda, desperate to escape her lower-class background, marries Larry Balsan, Norma's brother, who is in the family real estate business. As Mrs. Balsan, she can shop to her heart's content, but she soon realizes she is not as happy as Cecile, who marries her college sweetheart, or even Norma, who is biding her time until she meets Mr. Right. So far so good, but the plot is thrown off kilter when Amanda and her aloof, widower father-in-law inexplicably tumble into an affair. The awkwardness of such a union bleeds into the prose, and Plain is unable to make the twist work there is no satisfying tension or electricity between Amanda and L.B., as he is known, so their passionate affair rings false. Plain (Fortune's Hand, etc.) compounds the problems with her plot by turning the steadfast Norma into a conniving schemer who, out of misguided loyalty to her brother, undermines Cecile's husband. The flowing story line, neatly resolved problems and intriguing exploration of family relationships that readers have come to expect from Plain are absent here. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
College roommates and best friends Cecile, Norma, and Amanda call themselves the Three Musketeers. Upon graduation, though, they plan to go in different directions: Cecile to marry Peter, Norma to teach Latin, and Amanda to return to her hometown in Mississippi. Then Norma takes Amanda home to meet Larry, her brother, a real estate broker working for their father. Larry falls in love with Amanda, and she, seeing an escape from her poverty, agrees to marry him, thus setting into motion a disastrous series of events. Plain, author of numerous best sellers, including Evergreen, Eden Burning, and Fortune's Hand, disappoints this time with a contrived plot and distorted characterizations. Even Kate Forbes's clearly articulated reading fails to breathe life into these characters, whose behavior is so implausible. Though tape quality is excellent, this program is recommended only for comprehensive Plain collections. Nancy R. Ives, SUNY at Geneseo Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Cecile, Norma, and Amanda are the best of friends. After four idyllic years at college, they face graduation and their subsequent separation. Cecile is getting married, Norma is going to teach Latin, and Amanda faces the prospect of returning to the small town where she grew up. But when Norma invites Amanda to come visit her, Amanda sees a chance to escape her impoverished past. Norma's brother, Larry, is infatuated with Amanda, and when he proposes marriage, she has already made up her mind to accept, even though she's not in love with him. At first, Amanda is thrilled to have all of the things she never had growing up, but soon boredom and Larry's grating personality begin to irk her. Amanda gets a job at a posh store, and soon she is buying clothes, books, and dishes in mass quantities. Both Larry and Norma disapprove, causing tension between the three. Meanwhile, Cecile and her husband, Peter, are happily married, and Peter receives an architecture assignment that could launch his career. But when Amanda, miserable in her marriage, takes a step that is far more severe than mere overspending, all of the friends will be affected. Plain's many fans will enjoy this examination of how even the strongest friendships can be shaken and even shattered. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Review
“An accomplished storyteller.”
—The Washington Post

“Belva Plain is in a class by herself.”
—The New York Times

"Belva Plain writes with authority and integrity.”
—San Francisco Chronicle



From the Paperback edition.


Review
?An accomplished storyteller.?
?The Washington Post

?Belva Plain is in a class by herself.?
?The New York Times

"Belva Plain writes with authority and integrity.?
?San Francisco Chronicle



From the Paperback edition.

FROM OUR EDITORS

In Looking Back, Belva Plain explores the vagaries of the heart, the intricacies of love, and the fragile bonds of friendship, as three women who become fast friends in school find their relationship torn apart by a snowballing series of scandals. They call themselves the Three Musketeers: Cecile, whose poise, wealth, and grace seem to guarantee an easy life until an unexpected tragedy strikes; Amanda, a striking beauty who will sacrifice anything -- even her heart -- to secure the sort of financial security and social status she desires; and Norma, smart, attractive, and successful despite a powerful lack of confidence regarding one aspect of her life. They always imagined they would be friends for life, but when one of them makes the decision to follow her heart￯﾿ﾽs desire, it will have a devastating impact on all three of them, leaving their friendship in tatters and their lives forever changed.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

New York Times bestselling author Belva Plain goes to the heart of what it means to be a woman, a wife, and a friend, in her powerful new novel—a story of love and betrayal that measures the limits of loyalty, friendship, and forgiveness.

They met at school and have been inseparable ever since: Cecile, confident, elegant daughter of privilege; Norma, extraordinarily gifted and sadly troubled; and beautiful, ambitious Amanda, determined to rise above her humble southern beginnings. Two are married. One despairs of ever finding love. Three women. Leading their busy adult lives. Yet first and always: friends.

Then something unexpected happens that forever alters their long, complicated friendship. A pivotal event, a shattering act of betrayal shifts the balance of power between husbands and wives, parents and children, sisters and brothers. And in the months that follow, each of them will look at their families, their lives—and one another—differently.

And none of them will ever be the same.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

What begins as an engaging story about three college roommates brainy Norma, lovely Amanda, preppy Cecile and their differing futures takes a bewildering turn in Plain's latest domestic saga. When the three women graduate, Amanda, desperate to escape her lower-class background, marries Larry Balsan, Norma's brother, who is in the family real estate business. As Mrs. Balsan, she can shop to her heart's content, but she soon realizes she is not as happy as Cecile, who marries her college sweetheart, or even Norma, who is biding her time until she meets Mr. Right. So far so good, but the plot is thrown off kilter when Amanda and her aloof, widower father-in-law inexplicably tumble into an affair. The awkwardness of such a union bleeds into the prose, and Plain is unable to make the twist work there is no satisfying tension or electricity between Amanda and L.B., as he is known, so their passionate affair rings false. Plain (Fortune's Hand, etc.) compounds the problems with her plot by turning the steadfast Norma into a conniving schemer who, out of misguided loyalty to her brother, undermines Cecile's husband. The flowing story line, neatly resolved problems and intriguing exploration of family relationships that readers have come to expect from Plain are absent here. (Apr. 10) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal