The Object of My Affection

The inspiration for the film of the same name starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd, this “very funny, exceptionally vivid first novel” (The New York Times Book Review) from Stephen McCauley is a “joyously comic” (People) story about a pregnant New York City social worker who begins to develop romantic feelings for her gay best friend, much to the dismay of her overbearing boyfriend.

George and Nina seem like the perfect couple. They share a cozy, cluttered Brooklyn apartment, a taste for impromptu tuna casserole dinners, and a devotion to ballroom dancing lessons at Arthur Murray. They love each other. There’s only one hitch: George is gay. And when Nina announces she’s pregnant, things get especially complicated. Howard—Nina’s overbearing boyfriend and the baby’s father—wants marriage. Nina wants independence. George will do anything for a little unqualified affection, but is he ready to become an unwed surrogate dad? A touching and hilarious novel about love, friendship, and the many ways of making a family.

Stephen McCauley is the author of Alternatives to Sex, True Enough, The Man of the House, The Easy Way Out, My Ex-Life, and The Object of My Affection, which was adapted into a film starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Visit his website at StephenMcCauley.com.