I Couldn't Love You More

Jul 28, 2012 Tracee Gleichner rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: rec-d-from-publisher, paperback, own

When I first started this book I realized that the author had a fantastic writing style. While I couldn’t understand why anyone would put up with sister like Sylvia, I have been around people like that in my life and the author truly hit the mark. Do I find it a stretch that Maggie and Eliot would have a close relationship with someone who is so self absorbed she tries to make her 4 year old nieces birthday party all about her? To be honest I did. But, being step-mom myself I have seen people in...more When I first started this book I realized that the author had a fantastic writing style. While I couldn’t understand why anyone would put up with sister like Sylvia, I have been around people like that in my life and the author truly hit the mark. Do I find it a stretch that Maggie and Eliot would have a close relationship with someone who is so self absorbed she tries to make her 4 year old nieces birthday party all about her? To be honest I did. But, being step-mom myself I have seen people in my life that closely resemble some of the characters in the book. People that will try to hold together relationships with “family” members because they think it is the right thing to do, when so clearly it isn’t.

I found the plot to be ok for the most part, and did like how Eliot described her life with Grant, Hailey, Charlotte, and Gail. Even Beth. And when her first love, Finn, comes back into her life, I even understand the initial fascination there. But, even though I understood it, there were some things I just couldn’t get past.

SPOILER ALERT

What person would allow their “boyfriend” to totally support their ex-wife who practically gave up on her kids to pursue the life of an artist? Especially when you see the hurt the children are caused because of it? My husband’s ex-wife did the same thing but left her kids to be with her boyfriend. She rarely saw them in the beginning of our marriage and even when she started to have a relationship with them again I would have NEVER let him give her any money. SHE LEFT HER KIDS! To me, that seemed totally unbelievable…maybe I’m the only one.

Back to Sylvia. What person would want to spend time with someone who is so totally focused on herself and on being the center of attention, even if that means she has to lie about illnesses and such to get pity from people? I know that it was their sister but it wouldn’t matter to me, i would have been much more forceful about putting her in her place. To try to actually take away from other events so all the attention was on her. I also know people like this but thankfully don’t associate with them…and wouldn’t, even if they were family.

On to Finn. I also remember my first love and our relationship ended abruptly, much like Finn and Eliot. If he called me today and wanted to talk I would absolutely strike up a conversation with him. In the beginning, I found Eliot’s reaction to Finn very believable. But, as the story stretched on, I didn’t understand the fascination. The plot wasn’t developed enough there for me to truly understand how she could be that torn between the two men in her life – torn enough to cause her family such pain. And, I also didn’t understand why both sisters were so fascinated by the possibility that he may be in town, to even go so far as to follow him home. Again, seemed like a stretch.

So, all in all, not a bad read, just some things I feel I wasn’t able to relate to. Although I do know, things like this happen every day.(less)

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May 29, 2012 LAURA KAY A Novel Review rated it 5 of 5 stars

http://anovelreview.blogspot.com/2012...

Eliot Gordon is a working mother with three daughters and a husband, ok well not a husband legally but figuratively and two of the girls are really step daughters. This is her life, her family and she loves it just the way it is. She also has her mother, two sisters (and one is so funny) and an absentee father. Eliot works very hard at making sure the girls are all loved and treated fairly. She seems very aware of evil stepmothers and doesn’t want to be on...more http://anovelreview.blogspot.com/2012...

Eliot Gordon is a working mother with three daughters and a husband, ok well not a husband legally but figuratively and two of the girls are really step daughters. This is her life, her family and she loves it just the way it is. She also has her mother, two sisters (and one is so funny) and an absentee father. Eliot works very hard at making sure the girls are all loved and treated fairly. She seems very aware of evil stepmothers and doesn’t want to be one. She looks out for the girls as any real mother would. Overall her life is pretty normal, with a fair amount of normal family drama.

Out of nowhere, her former college lover turns up. Her first love, the one that got away, the guy she pined after for years, Finn Montgomery. And when he shows up, Eliot turns back into the girl who can’t say no to him, the girl who obsessed over him. But this time it’s different, this time she has a family—a family who needs her attention and she begins to spiral out of control. And as she begins to spiral so does her family.

I Couldn’t Love You More starts off with a getting to know Eliot and her family, her life. I really enjoyed getting to know her family. Grant (her husband) seemed like a great guy and I loved how all the characters had their good and bad points. The only thing that seemed odd to me was how her sister, Sylvia kept bringing up Finn, especially when they all knew he wasn’t good for her. I guess I wouldn’t tell my sister anything about the guy if I didn’t want them to reconnect. That seemed odd to me, but her sister was one who seemed to enjoy a drama filled life.

Just as I was starting to feel a little bored, the story picks up a notch with the arrival of Finn. By this point I’m pretty attached to Eliot and her family, so when she starts talking to Finn—I got a little frustrated. I mean it really ticked me off. But there again, some women can’t seem to help themselves and I totally saw it coming with Eliot’s personality.

I truthfully thought I knew where the story was headed. I was a little disappointed with where I thought things were going—but then BAM! Medoff threw the story in a direction I totally didn’t see coming! I’d say this is one of the biggest turn of events in a book I’ve ever read! From that point on I couldn’t, wouldn’t put the book down! And I’m going to end there, because you need to go get your own copy of I Couldn’t Love You More to find out what I’m talking about! I will not spoil it! I so recommend it!
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Aug 03, 2012 Paula rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book exceeded my expectations. It starts out as a fairly well written story (better than a usual summer chic lit read) about a blended family but hang on until about the middle of the book when an event totally turns the story on its head and leads you through a very strong emotional roller coaster peppered with comic relief.

Don't read the reviews or the book cover, just read the story and see if you recognize yourself in many of the characters and storylines.

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Mar 25, 2012 Keith rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A brave, honest and powerful novel--one I will never forget. The book is about a woman forced to decide which of her childrens' lives she will save. (It happens half-way through so it's not a spoiler.) I stayed up late reading because I had to find out what happens--now that I know, I'm rereading all over again. I Couldn't Love You More is amazing; I loved this book.

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Feb 12, 2013 Lynn rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 12, 2012 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who likes this genre

I would give this "chic lit" 3.5 stars if I could. The chic lit genre is not one of my favorites but I like it to clear out my mind from the heavier reading I generally prefer. This book tells the story of a young unmarried stepmother and the "man who got away". She has a seemingly good husband, two neat stepdaughters, and a young child with her husband. The secondary characters are interesting and quirky in a great way; her siblings and parents are a hoot. But she has never understood what happ...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Knitme23 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Good writing and strong characters, even though I was wary at first, since it looks so incredibly well-marketed. It *is* a "crisis book": you know the pattern: happy family; former lover/husband/wife/relative/? shows up; changes occur; while changes are occurring bad choice is made; the rest of the story is about recovering from the bad choice. Depending on author's outlook, main character is left healing in good situation, having learned from bad choice, or main character is left, older and sad...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Clarissa Gonzalez rated it 5 of 5 stars

I couldn't get enough of I Couldn't Love You More by Jillian Medoff.

Eliot Gordon is a busy mom of three who successfully juggles her hectic work and home life until an old flame unexpectedly moves back to town. Faced with temptation and anxiety-inducing distraction, Eliot’s balancing act begins to tumble one seemingly innocent decision at a time. She is the “fix everything” person for her live-in boyfriend, daughter, two step-daughters, mother and two sisters. The author writes each character i...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Amy Hutchinson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Like a lot of suburban moms, Eliot is a juggler...three children, a (hot but realistic) marriage, a career. But her juggling act isn't limited to shuttling the kids around while keeping her husband and boss happy. That's because Eliot is a mother and a stepmother, and we witness her raw, honest examination of her love for four-year-old princess-obsessed Hailey, to whom she gave birth, vs. her just-as-real but far more complicated love for Gail and Charlotte.

Eliot never wavers in her insistence t...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Lydia Laceby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-star-must-read

Originally reviewed at Novel Escapes

I Couldn't Love You Morewill probably make my Top 5 reads of the year. I loved every word. Women’s fiction with grit, heart and soul, I Couldn't Love You More intimately portrays one contemporary family that is pieced together and cemented with love. Humour, heart breaking tragedy and hope grace these pages as Medoff deftly explores family, a mother's love, and an unbreakable sisterly bond.

I do not have children, nor do I have any sisters – both of which are...more Originally reviewed at Novel Escapes

I Couldn't Love You Morewill probably make my Top 5 reads of the year. I loved every word. Women’s fiction with grit, heart and soul, I Couldn't Love You More intimately portrays one contemporary family that is pieced together and cemented with love. Humour, heart breaking tragedy and hope grace these pages as Medoff deftly explores family, a mother's love, and an unbreakable sisterly bond.

I do not have children, nor do I have any sisters – both of which are at the heart of I Couldn't Love You More, yet somehow this didn’t prevent me from relating and adoring this novel. Captivated from the first few pages, I devoured this story at every possible opportunity and almost missed my subway stop several times.

Eliot is not a woman who is floundering when we first encounter her. She’s a mother, stepmother and partner and she loves her life. It isn't always perfect, but she's content, does not crave anything, nor does she have any unfulfilled dreams. So when Finn Montgomery, Eliot's first love, and the one she pinned over for a decade, moves back to town, Eliot becomes confused and her fulfilled life becomes muddled as she reminisces, daydreams and shuffles her feet across the line.

Eliot's partner, Grant, is dreamy, kind, an incredible father, and just plain wonderful. Finn is a creepy, self indulgent, tasteless arse. I couldn’t understand what Eliot was thinking with her reminiscing. I couldn’t fathom what was happening and as soon as I was close to writing Eliot off, being utterly unable to comprehend her behaviour, this novel takes a breathtaking twist. I don't always read the synopsis of a novel or by the time one has sat in my To Be Read pile, I've forgotten it and I actually really like to be surprised. The unpredictability as well as the predicament shook me to the core. Honestly - it was probably the most surprise a novel has taken me by since...well, maybe ever...The thousands of people crowded around me on the subway disappeared and I almost sailed straight past my stop (and not for the first time).

A mother's love and a modern family are central in I Couldn't Love You More and portrayed with unflinching honesty including all the messiness, imperfection and unyielding love they encompass. The emotions are real, believable and heart wrenching and I felt every one of them. I laughed and cried along with Eliot, her daughters, her sisters and her mother and I loved watching her relationships with all of these women grow and evolve and I equally loved all their characters. There are so many themes in this novel surrounding family that I can't even begin to explain or explore, nor do I want to spoil.

I'll stop gushing now so you can go buy the book. There are quick links above so you can start reading Medoff's words now! Take this one to the beach this summer. You won't be disappointed.(less)

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Jun 25, 2012 Luanne Ollivier rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5/5
I Couldn't Love You More is author Jillian Medoff's latest novel, but the first for this reader.

I had no idea what to expect, but a cover blurb from Jodi Picoult hinted at a thoughtful, thought-provoking novel. And it was.

Thirty eight year old Eliot Gordon lives with her partner Grant and their three children. One daughter, Hilary, is Eliot and Grant's child. The other two daughters, Gail and Charlotte, are from Grant's marriage. Yes, a blended family with all it's ups - and downs.

I was dr...more 3.5/5
I Couldn't Love You More is author Jillian Medoff's latest novel, but the first for this reader.

I had no idea what to expect, but a cover blurb from Jodi Picoult hinted at a thoughtful, thought-provoking novel. And it was.

Thirty eight year old Eliot Gordon lives with her partner Grant and their three children. One daughter, Hilary, is Eliot and Grant's child. The other two daughters, Gail and Charlotte, are from Grant's marriage. Yes, a blended family with all it's ups - and downs.

I was drawn to Eliot from the first page. She's a warm, caring, loving mother to all three girls, treating them all equally. Charlotte at fourteen makes it very difficult to love her, but Eliot perseveres. The girls' biological mother is a bit of a flake and Eliot is a calming, steady rock in their lives. Grant too is a rock - a man steadfastly devoted to his partner and family.

Eliot is one of three girls herself and is also from a broken home. She's had no contact with her own father for many, many years. This has only strengthened her resolve to provide a stable home for the girls. Eliot's sisters are both quite the characters. I was a bit turned off by Sylvia at first. She's loud, brash and over the top. As the novel progressed, I have to admit that she became my favourite character, ahead of Eliot.

For midway in the novel comes a turning point. Although she is happy, there are ups and downs in Eliot's life. When Finn, an old flame from university appears, Eliot reconnects with him. This reconnection has an unforeseeable, unforgettable, unimaginable impact on Eliot, Grant and their daughters. The second half of the novel deals with the fallout from this pivotal point onwards.

Medoff touches on many subjects in I Couldn't Love You More. Sibling rivalry, step parenting, parenting, familial relationships of all types, love, loss, regrets and remorse, grief and guilt. And Medoff does it all with a keen, knowing eye and probing prose.

The second half of the book had me torn. Without giving too much of the plot away - I became very angry with Eliot - her choices, her decisions and the aftermath. But, this is the hallmark of a good storyteller. Medoff definitely arouses emotion with this poignant tale. This would be an excellent choice for a book club.....and engender lots of discussion.(less)

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Jun 14, 2012 Cindy Roesel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Review first appeared on Chick Lit Central Blog!

One of best things about writing book reviews for Chick Lit Central is virtually meeting all the fabulous Chicks and guys who participate on the site. Of course, getting to read the novels in advance of publication is pretty cool too. This time I’m reviewing Jillian Medoff’s novel, I COULDN’T LOVE YOU MORE (five spot). The neat thing about reviewing is sometimes the book is sent with information saying it’s about one thing and then you read it and...more Review first appeared on Chick Lit Central Blog!

One of best things about writing book reviews for Chick Lit Central is virtually meeting all the fabulous Chicks and guys who participate on the site. Of course, getting to read the novels in advance of publication is pretty cool too. This time I’m reviewing Jillian Medoff’s novel, I COULDN’T LOVE YOU MORE (five spot). The neat thing about reviewing is sometimes the book is sent with information saying it’s about one thing and then you read it and you, or in my case, find it’s about something somewhat different. I COULDN’T LOVE YOU MORE is one such case.

Thirty-eight year old working mom, Eliot Gordon lives an unconventional life in suburban Atlanta with her partner Grant Delaney. She will do anything for her family. She and Grant have two daughters from his previous marriage and a daughter from their relationship. Eliot is obsessed with making sure all three girls feel equally loved and she focuses on maintaining a safe happy household. Fourteen-year old, Charlotte is entering a difficult adolescent phase and is somewhat attached to her artist mother, as is her seven year old sister, Gail. Four-year old Hailey is affectionately regarded as the little Princess but the emotional juggling between the three girls is more often than not successful.

Eliot is the oldest of three sisters, followed by Sylvia and then Maggie. They all have fiery red hair and are extremely close and intimately involved in one another’s lives. Eliot is in charge, Maggie is the one they look after and Sylvia is caught in the middle. Overseeing all the girls is their divorced mother the published author, Dolores who is in everyone’s business, but trying unsuccessfully to act as if she’s neutral and aloof.

Then Finn Montgomery, Eliot’s long-lost first love, appears triggering a chain of events that threatens to unravel everything she’s worked for. How Eliot survives – and what she loses in the process is a story that will resonate with anyone who has ever been a basically truthful person, had a family or loved a child.

Within the narrative, author Jillian Medoff goes back and forth between present day and flashback. In the past, this technique hasn’t always worked for me. More often than not, it has stood out as an attempted trick, but in Jillian Medoff’s skilled hands and she uses it routinely the narrative flows effortlessly throughout.

With honesty and depth, I COULDN’T LOVE YOU MORE reveals the unbreakable bonds of family and particularly sisterhood, that very unique and in many ways mysterious relationship. Medoff does an interesting thing having three young sisters in grade school juxtaposed with the three older sisters in their thirties. One watches the lengths they’ll go to save each other, even as they can’t save themselves.

Jillian Medoff is the author of two previous novels. I COULDN’T LOVE YOU MORE will be published May 15, 2012.

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May 23, 2012 Deborah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: available-on-kindle, children-s-health, couldn-t-put-down, family-dynamics, latest-reads, moral-message, netgalley-read, new-author-for-me, woman-writer

I have been reading " I Couldn't Love You More" for over a week. This is very unusual for me. I just had to savor every word of it. I had to take time to take it all in. Like a delicious Godiva truffle, I wanted to take my time to chew over what Jillian Medoff was "saying." This is an extraordinary piece of literature. It's one that warrants such time-taking. It's a book I wanted to cherish and reread, personally. It may be one of those "nightstand" books because I'd like to keep opening it to p...more

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May 19, 2012 Greenjasminetea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-2012

A sign of book that I really love is that if I get it from the library, I want to buy it to keep forever OR if I get it on kindle, I want to buy the physical book so I can feel the pages between my fingers.

So it is with "I Couldn't Love You More" by Jillian Medoff. I saw it on a advert on a gossip site and I was curious. After reading a few reviews, I was intrigued. I got it on the Kindle because I knew my library wouldn't have it in circulation as it is too new.

I tore through the story of Eliot...more A sign of book that I really love is that if I get it from the library, I want to buy it to keep forever OR if I get it on kindle, I want to buy the physical book so I can feel the pages between my fingers.

So it is with "I Couldn't Love You More" by Jillian Medoff. I saw it on a advert on a gossip site and I was curious. After reading a few reviews, I was intrigued. I got it on the Kindle because I knew my library wouldn't have it in circulation as it is too new.

I tore through the story of Eliot and what happens when 2 minutes of inattention can turn a life upside down.

Eliot Gordon is a woman with two strong sisters and an independent mother and an absentee father. She's the partner of a divorced man, Grant, with two daughters, Charlotte and Gail, that she has helped raise. Their mother, Beth, is in their lives but she is just one of those people. Likable and means well, but gets caught up in her own world at times. Grant and Eliot also have a daughter named Hailey.

They are a family but there are things that are missing. Or perhaps a doldrum has hit. Into this doldrum, the college sweetheart re-enters Eliot's life.

What unfolds from there is not what one might expect. The story isn't about an affair but more about the good girl who makes a few bad decisions that have long reaching consequences and in the aftermath, how she comes to terms with parts of her life that she was either at odds with or just not sure about.

Medoff is incredible at characterization. Eliot is a heroine who has an authentic voice. I can recognize myself in her in how she reacts about her father, her 'husband', her old flame, her sisters, her mother and her daughters. Her sisters act like sisters to her. Close yet different from each other and trying to keep it that. Her mother too is at her own crossroad that is fascinating to watch unfold.

And in the middle of it all is a 2 minute moment that turns what could have been a run of the mill story about a woman having a slight middle life crisis into a story about forgiving and the elasticity of real love.

I totally enjoyed this novel. And when amazon delivers that physical book to me, I will be re-reading it again.(less)

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Apr 30, 2013 Margaret rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book just annoyed me. The plot was one that had possibilities: Grant and Eliot are long time partners with a daughter of their own, but they have not committed to marriage. They are raising Grant's older daughters by a previous marriage and while Grant and his ex-wife are friendly, the ex-wife is just not into parenting. Eliot loves all three girls, but is walking the line of how to describe herself. Step-mother? Mother? Wife? Girlfriend? On the surface, it doesn't matter, but this is actua...more This book just annoyed me. The plot was one that had possibilities: Grant and Eliot are long time partners with a daughter of their own, but they have not committed to marriage. They are raising Grant's older daughters by a previous marriage and while Grant and his ex-wife are friendly, the ex-wife is just not into parenting. Eliot loves all three girls, but is walking the line of how to describe herself. Step-mother? Mother? Wife? Girlfriend? On the surface, it doesn't matter, but this is actually an underlying conflict in the book; especially when a college love interest (Finn) shows back up in Eliot's life. Eliot spends time meeting Finn and talking with him on the phone, but she keeps her activity a secret from Grant. Of course, the story comes out, and while Eliot's contact with Finn has been completely platonic, it is actually that contact that causes Eliot to nearly lose Grant and all three girls when a horrible accident at the beach occurs.
First of all, I just didn't like any of the characters. I have no sympathy for women characters who fall all over themselves when a long lost love returns to their lives; especially when that long lost love was really one-sided to begin with, and especially when the long lost love is still shallow and selfish and full of himself the way Finn is. I did not find the Eliot's sisters to be the comic relief that I had thought they might be. Sylvia, with her constant complaints and dramatic behavior came across as a forced attempt at humor. Maggie, the youonger sister, wasn't really developed enough to emerge as a character. I won't even attempt to discuss the girls' mother or father and their strange relationship. Finally, I found Grant to be conflicting. He was a good father, a seemingly good partner for Eliot, and yet his snap decision when tragedy came along annoyed me.
As I said, the plot was one that could have given insight to what it would be like to be a partner in a blended family with no defined guidelines of how to be a mother/step-mother/wife/girlfriend, but these characters and the drawn out wishy-washy behavior of Eliot and her college love interest, just didn't come across as realistic to me.(less)

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Jun 18, 2012 Kelly Hager rated it 3 of 5 stars

Eliot and her significant other, Grant, are raising three kids--his two daughters from a previous marriage (Charlotte and Gail) and their daughter, Hailey. Eliot would tell you that she and Grant are completely happy together and that they don't need to get married to prove their commitment to each other. The proof is that they ARE together and that they're raising the three girls together. And Eliot would also tell you that she loves Charlotte and Gail as much as if they were her own children.

A...more Eliot and her significant other, Grant, are raising three kids--his two daughters from a previous marriage (Charlotte and Gail) and their daughter, Hailey. Eliot would tell you that she and Grant are completely happy together and that they don't need to get married to prove their commitment to each other. The proof is that they ARE together and that they're raising the three girls together. And Eliot would also tell you that she loves Charlotte and Gail as much as if they were her own children.

And then Eliot runs into Finn. Finn is her ex, the "one who got away." He's married now, too, and has his own child. Even so, they start talking and they start flirting. Nothing happens between them, although it's definitely safe to say that it's an emotional affair (but, again, not a physical one). And then something awful happens, something that shakes Eliot's whole life to its core.

I first heard about this book because Jennifer Weiner mentioned it several times (I think at least once at the BEA blogger conference) and the premise interested me immediately. I was very excited to see that it was on Netgalley, especially since the book is already out. (Review books take precedence and if it's a book I buy, God only knows when I will get to it.)

I think this would be a great book for book clubs because there is a lot of discussion to be had here. The central question is whether there are unforgivable mistakes and exactly how much you should be punished if you make one. And even though accidents could happen at any time, there are also so many things that help them happen. For example, while it is impossible to keep your eye on a child literally every single second, there are also mitigating factors. (I know it's annoying that I am not being more specific, but I don't want to spoil anything.)

This book is incredibly thought-provoking and that was where its real value was for me. The book itself was definitely entertaining, but the what ifs interested me more than the characters.
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Jun 17, 2012 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, contemporary-fiction, family-drama

3.5 stars. I was thoroughly engrossed in this book. Eliot is a mother to a four year old little girl and stepmother (sort of) to two older girls. This is a very female-heavy book. In addition to the three daughters there are also three sisters (including Eliot), various friends, an ex-wife, and the whole thing starts with a princess birthday party. I loved the complicated, annoying, frustrating relationships amongst and between the sisters (and their mother) and the conflict Eliot feels between...more

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Aug 16, 2012 Denise rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.0 out of 5 stars "There are only acts of grace, large and small, through which we reveal who we are."

This is a poignant and sentimental novel about a blended family and the unbreakable bonds that tie both biologically related and unrelated members together. What is the fragile harness that links us together in relationships that make us "family" and creates in us a deep and freely given love?

Eliot and her domestic partner, Grant, are raising three daughters in suburban Atlanta. Two of the girl...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Jenn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-finished, fiction

Wonderful read.

The characters seemed to jump out of the pages and it was easy to get to know them. Sylvia, the middle sister, is about as annoying as a character can be. Typical, I am greater than thou princess type of persona, yet underneath all of this is a genuine woman who deeply cares for her family. Maggie, the youngest sister, didn't play a big as a role within the storyline yet she seemed to keep all the sisters in balance. Eliot, the eldest sister and whom the book centers around, is a...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Cici1114 rated it 5 of 5 stars

I think that this was one of the most enjoyable, true to life and outstandingly well written book that I have read in the recent past. And I read at least one fiction book per week! The story is plot driven and the author's sense of character development is amazing. The reader actually feels like she either knows these people or has one like them in her family.

I admire Jillian Medoff for writing from her heart. One of my favorite lines from the book goes something like: "rather than trying to g...more

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May 17, 2012 Charlotte rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: advanced-readers-copy, nook

I Couldn't Love You More is one of those books that will put you through the ringer. It will make you laugh and then it will rip out your heart, make you cry. Being a Step-Mother is such a challenging experience, but it is also one of the most rewarding experiences that anyone could ever have. Eliot is forced to make a choice that nightmares are made of and it forces her to examine her relationship with Grant, her relationship with her daughters, and her relationship with her own parents.

Bottom...more

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Jul 10, 2012 Sue Seligman rated it 5 of 5 stars

I picked this book up on the "beach read" table at a quaint bookstore in Chatham on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. I finished it in just a few days. Although it was a quick and engrossing read, I would not classify it as stereotypical chick lit. On the contrary, this book depicted the complex relationships among sisters, between mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, and general family dynamics. The main character, Eliot Gordon, 38, is the oldest of 3 adult sisters, who although very close, have a...more I picked this book up on the "beach read" table at a quaint bookstore in Chatham on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. I finished it in just a few days. Although it was a quick and engrossing read, I would not classify it as stereotypical chick lit. On the contrary, this book depicted the complex relationships among sisters, between mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, and general family dynamics. The main character, Eliot Gordon, 38, is the oldest of 3 adult sisters, who although very close, have a relationship fraught with complications stemming from a difficult childhood. Their father and mother had had a tumultous marriage marked by periodic separations, and ultimately divorce, after which the father disappeared from their lives. All three of the women have been marked in different ways from this unsettled upbringing which was further complicated by their mother's absorption in her writing career, at times neglecting her girls as she focused on publishing her books. As an adult, Eliot is now settled with the love of her life (or is he?) and raising her 2 stepdaughters as well as the daughter they have together, while navigating the dynamics with her own mother and sisters. Suddenly and unexpectedly, Eliot's first love emerges in her life, forcing her to confront the demons from her past and determine the path her future will follow.

The plot of this book seems simple at first, but soon becomes very complex. There are parallel stories...the relationship between Eliot and her sisters, between all of them and their mother, the dynamics between Eliot and her stepdaughters (ages 14 and 7), the troubled relationship among Eliot's partner (they have never married) and his e-wife, and their daughters), and of course, Eliot's turmoil over her partner and the long lost boyfriend. As if this weren't enough, late in the book, Eliot's father returns during a family crisis. As this complicated story continues, and finally reaches the conclusion, the reader is involved in every aspect of the story. I found the characters likeable and interesting, the descriptions vivid and realistic. It is an emotional and engrossing story, and a perfect summer read for fans of contemporary women's fiction. (less)

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Jul 08, 2012 Kristen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley-arcs

Eliot Gordon is raising her three daughters with her partner, Grant Delaney. Two of the girls, Charlotte and Gail are Grant’s from a previous marriage. Although they have been together for five years, Eliot hasn’t made the leap to marriage.

Everything is their life is perfect, until Eliot’s college boyfriend, whom she has never forgotten and still carries unresolved feelings for, unexpectedly returns to her life, sending her ordinary life into a tailspin. Finn’s return will prompt choices and act...more Eliot Gordon is raising her three daughters with her partner, Grant Delaney. Two of the girls, Charlotte and Gail are Grant’s from a previous marriage. Although they have been together for five years, Eliot hasn’t made the leap to marriage.

Everything is their life is perfect, until Eliot’s college boyfriend, whom she has never forgotten and still carries unresolved feelings for, unexpectedly returns to her life, sending her ordinary life into a tailspin. Finn’s return will prompt choices and actions that will forever change Eliot and her family’s life.

I Couldn’t Love You More is a novel that touches on a parenting, step-parenting, sisters, first love, marriage and family. Can a mistake, once made ever really be forgiven? It’s a well written and thought-provoking read.

Eliot is a working mom and struggles to maintain a balance between her work and her girls. Although Charlotte and Gail are technically her step-daughters, Eliot devotes as much love and attention to her relationship with them as she does to her own daughter Hailey.

Eliot’s relationship with her two sisters, Sylvia and Maggie is juxtaposed with the relationship of Eliot’s girls. Although she is close to both sisters, the relationship comes with the trials of sisterhood, although I found Sylvia hard to take and thought she was overly dramatic but she had her moments. What I loved about the relationship was what is true of anyone who has a sister, although you fight and drive each other insane, you do anything for each other even at detriment to yourself and Mendoff zones in on this truth and shows just how far sisters will go to protect each other.

Eliot met Finn Montgomery in college. He was her best-friend, her first boyfriend and her first lover. After graduation, Finn left abruptly and never looked back. It took Eliot years to get over him. When Eliot runs into him again, old feelings resurrect and she finds herself facing long forgotten feelings.

I never thought Finn was the perfectly wonderful man Eliot did. But that’s the thing about first loves or the ones that got away, our memories don’t always mesh with the real person, they get distorted and shaped over time to create an unrealistic memory. Eliot clung to this idolized vision of Finn and couldn’t move on with her life in some ways because of him and I just didn’t think he deserved her time and love. I don’t think their love story was all that great but again back to my last comment on first loves.

I read the last quarter of this book with a sense of dread in my belly and couldn’t put it down as I raced to find out what happened - what consequences would Eliot and her family suffer for a split second mistake.

I enjoyed reading I Couldn’t Love You More. It was a thought-provoking, insightful novel into the heart of family. This would be a great book for Book Club, there is so much to discuss.
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Jun 23, 2012 Francine Ellis rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you're a parent, you probably have had a least one moment when you were not at your best as a parent. Can one little mistake made in the blink of an eye undo years of great parenting? This great novel explores that.

The main character is Eliot Gordon, a 38-year-old living in the Atlanta suburbs with her long-time partner Grant, a daughter from the current relationship, and two stepdaughters from Grant's previous marriage. The first half of the novel introduces the characters and various friend...more

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Sep 12, 2012 Valerie rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was the first book I've read by Medoff and I have to tell you that I really enjoyed her writing style. I found that I got into this book very easily and enjoyed all of the characters.

The book is written from Eliot's point of view - a mother and step-mother to 3 young girls. The 2 oldest, Charlotte and Gail, are not hers (biologically), but the 4 year old daughter, Hailey is. You also meet her wacky family right off the bat and have to laugh at her relationship with her sisters.

Eliot is a g...more

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May 08, 2013 Rachel rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book looked promising to me at first, but I found it overall to drag and be a little disjunct.

It is about a woman and her common-law partner, and their collective three children. Their lives are pretty ordinary until one day a man from her past comes back into her life. I found this event to be highlighted when really, it wasn't of too much significance. I guess the author tried to build it up since it, in a way, is the factor that triggered the "surprising twist!" that we are told on the...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Marcie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a well-written, easy to read and yet thought-provoking book. It's the story of a suburban mother caring for her daughter and two step-daughters, who makes the obviously bad choice of getting involved with her college love, resulting in a tragic accident. While the first half of the book focused on relationships between sisters, mothers and daughters, long-lost loves and marriage, the second half dealt with redemption and forgiveness, and it was this part that I couldn't put down.

It had...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was expecting this book to be a five star book, so I was a little disappointed when the first half of the book dragged on for me.

Eliot, the main character (and I must say I do not like this name for a woman), is a 30-something living with Grant (no, they are not married) and the two are raising his daughters from his first marriage, along with their own daughter. Eliot says she loves her 'step-daughters' as if they are her own, but for reasons I only half-understand, she's not in a hurry to m...more I was expecting this book to be a five star book, so I was a little disappointed when the first half of the book dragged on for me.

Eliot, the main character (and I must say I do not like this name for a woman), is a 30-something living with Grant (no, they are not married) and the two are raising his daughters from his first marriage, along with their own daughter. Eliot says she loves her 'step-daughters' as if they are her own, but for reasons I only half-understand, she's not in a hurry to marry Grant.

Her sisters and mother, who are a central part of the book, first bring up Eliot's college boyfriend, and you'd think Eliot had a long affair with the man. It was really more of a fling on his part, a long-suffering crush on her part - but she never really got over him. Why, I'll never understand, although it just may be the one who got away. Whatever the reason, at this point in her life, she should be more focused on her own family.

So after her family's obsession over her 'ex', of course Eliot sees him at her daughter's exclusive day care. Of course, he happens to live nearby. And of course, they start talking on the phone - in secret!

She's talking on the phone to him when her daughter and her step-daughter are swimming in the ocean, and Eliot is not paying attention - until suddenly, it's too late - and she's forced to choose which daughter to save.

This is where the book starts to pick up, but from here on out, we hear very little about the ex - which makes me wonder why he was ever around in the first place, if only to create Eliot's diversion from her girls. Surely, we could've thought of something else?

As a step-parent myself, this was one aspect of the book I could relate to - and I definitely felt Eliot's pain each time one of her step-daughters rebelled against her, or chose their own mother over her - or certainly when she's forced to make an choice, although agonizing, is really quite simple.

The book had a predictable ending, and if you get into books like I do, you have to wonder why these people didn't do all of this to begin with. Surely I'm not obsessing over my ex-boyfriends from college, and if I did run into them - I really don't think I would let it interfere with the care of my child . . .but then again, I'm not in the position, so who am I to judge?(less)

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May 15, 2012 Jaime Boler rated it 4 of 5 stars

Good Girls and Bad Choices

I Couldn't Love You More by Jillian Medoff (5 Spot; 432 pages; $13.99).

Cinderella had a stepmother, so did Snow White. Fairy tales, movies, and books often portray stepmothers as cruel, evil, ugly, and jealous women. In I Couldn't Love You More, Jillian Medoff dispels stereotypes and simultaneously dazzles us through her protagonist, Eliot Gordon.

Eliot is a thirty-eight-year-old daughter, sister, mother, stepmother, and wife. But she is not married to Grant. Confused?...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Honest and powerful book. At times like a car accident - you couldn't pull yourself away from looking, even though you knew you would be upset by the visual image. There were times I wanted to peak ahead to see how things would turn out and other times I had to close the book for a few minutes because I was caught in the emotional storm. I felt the emotions and pain of the characters. Great book about families, love, sisterhood. Well done. Ironically one of my favorite characters was the sister...more

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