A Scarcity of Virgins
How far can passion drive a woman?

I read this entire book in one-go. Barely putting it down for a moment since I felt drawn to the characters and wondering how things would unfold. Having been set in the mid to late 80s I could relate to exact incidents that the author described in so much detail that even I could recall from my tee......more

A Scarcity of Virgins is not for the faint of heart. Author JoAnn Catania presents a stark and, at times, shocking tale of a woman’s struggle to break free of the gender roles placed on her by society. It’s not a violent narrative, nor is it as racy as a Barbara Cartland. However, the claustrophobic......more

This book is wonderful. The writing is exquisite, and the story unfolds beautifully. I loved the Sicilian-Canadian culture, the sheltered wife stuck in a marriage in the 1980s who struggles to break free of the confines of her life, and the themes of adultery and infidelity. It is raw and revealing,......more

The year is 1986 and thirty-eight-year-old Rita lives in the suburbs of Toronto with her husband and four kids. While her husband is a good provider to Rita and their children, there is no passion there. Lovemaking is perfunctory and scheduled in twice a week – always on the same days – without fail......more

The plot is fairly simple and the narrative is revealed in a straightforward manner. But there’s nothing simplistic, superficial or stereotypical about JoAnn Catania’s first novel, A Scarcity of Virgins. Rita McEachern, trapped in a loveless marriage and stultifying routine, gradually comes to reali......more