The Real Mrs. Tobias: A Novel

Written by Sally Koslow

Narrated by Kendra Hoffman and Callie Beaulieu

“Sally Koslow channels Nora Ephron in this lively tale of obligation versus desire and the politics of family power. Deftly written with equal parts intelligence, pathos, and humor, The Real Mrs. Tobias is a pure pleasure to read.”—Therese Anne Fowler, New York Times bestselling author of It All Comes Down to This

A sharply funny and big-hearted multi-generational story about the deeply complicated relationships between mothers- and daughters-in-law, told through three women who marry into the same family, a treat for fans of The Nest and Fleischmann Is in Trouble. 

It’s 2015 in New York City, and three women all known as Mrs. Tobias—Veronika, the matriarch, her daughter-in-law Mel, and Mel’s daughter-in-law Birdie—are trying to navigate personal difficulties, some of which are with one another.Veronika and Mel, despite having little in common, are both psychotherapists who are more skilled at helping other people than solving their own problems. Birdie, still dealing with the culture shock of moving to New York City and marrying into the Tobias clan, is pushed to her limit when her husband gets into trouble. No amount of badgering from his steely grandmother, smart-mouthed mother, or disillusioned wife can convince him to own up to what he’s done. Overwhelmed, Birdie bolts—along with the couple’s young daughter—to her Midwestern hometown, hoping that space, warmth and wisdom from her own feisty grandmother will help her find a path forward. And though Birdie begins to find comfort in unexpected places—a local bookstore and the arms of her old boyfriend—her absence stirs up long simmering troubles back home forcing the Tobiases to reconsider their relationships to each other, and ultimately, what it means to be a family.

Will the three Tobias-women-by-marriage ever find themselves—and a way back to one another? A timely look at how women hold families together.

“With a shrewd eye and a light touch, Sally Koslow weaves a story about three strong women whose memories, dreams, and desires conflict and intersect as they navigate a series of family crises. Warm, witty, and heartfelt, The Real Mrs. Tobias is a cinematic, fast-paced treat.”—Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Exiles and Orphan Train

""With razor-sharp prose, witty humor and depth, Sally Koslow’s The Real Mrs. Tobias takes us down the MIL Road . . . the one that should come with a warning. You will laugh, you will cry, you will empathize—and if you happen to be a Daughter-In-Law—you will say, Better her than me. Yet just when you think there is no way back, Koslow's page-turner will prove that while family ties can strangle, they also can keep you bound together through love, loss, secrets, and healing.""—Lisa Barr, author of Woman on Fire

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Sep 13, 2022
• ISBN: 9780063223752

Sally Koslow

Sally Koslow is the author of Another Side of Paradise, The Late, Lamented Molly Marx; The Widow Waltz; With Friends Like These; and the nonfiction work Slouching Toward Adulthood. Her debut novel, Little Pink Slips, was inspired by her long career as the editor in chief of the iconic magazine, McCall’s. Her books have been published in a dozen countries.  

Reviews for The Real Mrs. Tobias

[Gary Anderson · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book seems to ramble on and on and never really seems to go anywhere or have a meaningful direction or purpose. I wouldn't waste my time on it.

[Mary Anne Zimmerman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What an enjoyable and thoroughly engaging read!
I read MsKoslow’s “The Late, Lamented Molly Marx” some years ago and kept the author in my reading notes. Why it took me so long to get another I have no idea but I’m very glad I chose this one.
It’s not just the terrific and thoughtful writing, but the way she gets to very real feelings and emotions on difficult real life conundrums with grace and humor.