Judge Not

About the Book

When Jenny Longworth moves from the U.S. to Switzerland to marry David Perry – a former lover, longtime friend and recent widower – she underestimates the problems inherent in the new life she has chosen.

Dealing with a new country, new culture and new language poses unanticipated difficulties, and David’s continuing grief over the loss of his first wife to cancer weakens Jenny’s self-confidence in her new role.

Struggling to find her place, Jenny discovers that all was not as it seemed in David’s first marriage. His late French wife, the elegant and vivacious Sandrine, had a secret she withheld from her family. Jenny ultimately uncovers the truth, but must then decide how, and even whether, it should come to light.

In this sequel to If You Needed Me, author Lee Lowry continues her tale of mid-life love and second marriage with a searingly honest portrayal of grief, betrayal, and the power of forgiveness.

Praise for Judge Not

“Lee Lowry beautifully expresses the vulnerabilities and insecurities that so often surface when we’re in love. Her characters are rich and complex. Judge Not is one of those rare books that I couldn’t put down, but at the same time didn’t want to end.”
—Heather Bruce, artist, Provincetown, MA

“Is love really more comfortable the second time around? Lee Lowry continues to draw wonderfully intricate portraits of people facing the very real challenges of late love, second marriage, and life’s unexpected turns. In Judge Not, love is certainly wonderful, but addressing those challenges often feels like stepping gingerly through a minefield of triggered vulnerabilities, wounded feelings, and divided loyalties.”
—Carol Deanow, Professor Emerita, School of Social Work,
Salem State University, Salem, MA

“Judge Not is about wishes granted and the price that must be paid. Jenny Longworth has just married a widower whom she has always loved, but with him come angry adult children, life in a new country, and constant reminders of his first wife. Jenny’s struggles to navigate this ever-challenging dynamic make this a compelling narrative. I found myself rooting out loud for her.”
—Kay Harrold, Management Consultant,
Yoga Teacher, Asheville, NC

“Lee Lowry writes with honesty about human frailty while leaving the reader feeling empathy for all the characters. She also captures detail so well that, despite my Harvard degree in French Literature, I identified completely with the protagonist’s sometimes funny, sometimes traumatic struggle with French.”
—Lorrie Stuart, Retired Marketing Executive, New York, NY

About the Author

Lee Lowry is a former community activist and political consultant. Like her fictional counterpart, Jenny Longworth, Lowry gave up a successful career in Boston and moved to Europe to help an old love cope with his grief after the loss of his wife to cancer. JUDGE NOT is the second book of a trilogy (If You Needed Me; Judge Not; The Lost Horse) inspired by Lowry’s personal experiences as an expatriate, second wife and step-parent.

Lowry lived in Switzerland for five years before retiring with her husband to California in 2008. “We were planning to move back to Massachusetts, but we quickly realized that my former home in Boston was not well suited to a retired couple. Its shortcomings gave us a remarkable opportunity, motivating us to define together the ideal house and ideal community – not his, not mine, but ours. We’re now happy transplants, loving sunny Santa Cruz!”

When she isn’t writing, Lowry devotes her time to gardening, animal rescue work, and local conservation projects. She is active with several organizations working cooperatively to preserve open space in the Santa Cruz Mountains, safeguarding critical water sources and providing habitat linkages for the area’s unique wildlife. All the proceeds from sales of her book are donated to charitable institutions supporting conservation programs, sustainable farming and native species protection.