With The Truth about Lorin Jones, Lurie continues her acerbic exploration of American society, specifically the relationship between men and women as it has been defined since the sexual revolution of the 1960s. In The War Between the Tates (1974) Lurie explores the changing relationship between husband and wife; in Foreign Affairs (1984), she juxtaposes the romantic longings of a middle-aged woman with those of a young man; and in The Truth about Lorin Jones, she describes the trials of a newly divorced woman.

Although these novels emphasize the flawed nature of society and romantic love, each novel ends with re-establishment of the status quo. After rejecting marital commitment, Erica and Brian at the end of The War Between the Tates plan to reconcile, as do Fred and Ruth at the end of Foreign Affairs. Similarly, at the end of The Truth about Lorin Jones, Polly, who had...