The issues addressed in Close Relations (1982) are, in many ways, the perfect counterpart of those raised in Compromising Positions. Whereas the first novel focuses on the situation of the bright suburban homemaker/mother who is bored and restless because she has so few outlets for her needs and talents, Close Relations concentrates on the multitude of problems that the single career woman faces. Among these are career pressures; the difficulty in maintaining a positive self-image and feeling pride in one's achievements when these are belittled by one's family; strong sexual drives that are often denied a satisfying outlet; the fear of rejection and loneliness that compels some women to settle for "second best" in a love relationship, particularly as they reach their midthirties; doubts about one's physical desirability; and family pressure, not only to marry, but to marry the "right" man; that is, a man from...