"Kushner’s novel offers what most readers crave—characters about whom we care very, very deeply, emotions conveyed without irony or shame, beautifully lyric prose, a strong sense of place… and wisdom, that very rare thing in a novel – or real life – wisdom."

Kushner’s scenes, like her characters, are expertly sketched, vivid and memorable. . . . Engrossing to the end, this is a fine first novel.

"The Conditions of Love is funny, heartbreaking, and gorgeously rendered."

"Can this wise, funny, quirky, poignant novel really be Dale Kushner's debut? She got everything just right--characters who you will never forget and a palpable yearning for love that you will feel in your gut. Bravo!"

"As a storyteller, she has the ability to let the mysterious force of life show itself through the smallest piece of dirt or doubt."

"In The Conditions of Love Dale Kushner portrays with wonderful empathy a young girl's journey towards adulthood. Kushner has an amazing sense of character and not only her heroine, the fearless Eunice, but everyone that Eunice encounters comes vividly to life as she struggles first to accommodate herself to her mother's tumultuous feelings and then to make her own way in the world. An immaculately written, enthralling and passionate debut."

A coming-of-age story that wonderfully combines literary style with heartbreaking plot twists and still manages to be uplifting—

Kushner seems to have taken more than a few lessons from Joyce Carol Oates about both crafting a novel with a broad scope and putting female characters through the wringer.