The Engagements, by J. Courtney Sullivan.

This book was like reading the script to the movie “The Breakup” with Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaugh.  That movie was a bit too real;  the fighting, the hurling of insults, the obvious pain, the fact that it was not even remotely an escape from everyday life.

Although the storyline of Frances Gerety, the real ad woman who coined the phrase, “A Diamond is Forever”, was interesting, the four fictitious relationships that are explored paint a rather bleak portrait of marriage.

One leaves her husband & country for a fling, one never feels deserving of his wife, one marries the friend of her true love when he’s killed, and one is an extremist who can’t handle the thought of “defining” a relationship and so looks down on anyone who does.

If you are looking for a book about the history of the diamond, try Blood Diamonds.  Or a journey through the world of diamonds, the advertising of and promotion for engagements rings, etc, read The Heartless Stone.

Since this is neither a work of history nor of entertainment, I would suggest another pick!