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God-Shaped Hole

4.13 of 5 stars 4.13 · rating details · 1,567 ratings · 253 reviews

When I was twelve, a fortune teller told me that my one true love would die young and leave me all alone.
Everyone said she was a fraud, that she was just making it up.
I'd really like to know why the hell a person would make up a thing like that.
Written with the snap, glitter and wit of The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing, God-Shaped Hole is a memorable, poignant lov...more

Paperback, 336 pages

Published May 1st 2002 by Sourcebooks Landmark (first published January 1st 2002)

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Community Reviews

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Oct 31, 2012 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult

If your intentions are pure, I'm seeking a friend for the end of the world.

Best...personal...ad...ever.

Tiffanie DeBartolo - her words slay me. This wasn't quite as good as her other book How to Kill a Rock Star, but I still can't believe this was her first novel. For a first effort, it was quite impressive. Hell, I can't believe more people haven't read her work. There is something about the way this woman puts words together which makes my brain hurt, but in a good way. We move from poetic t...more

31 likes · like · see review

Jan 25, 2013 ♠ Sharon is an emotional book junkie ♠ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, emotional-angsty-books, read-in-2012

Frickin' book....

Frickin' tearjerker...

and...frickin' cliffhanger.

DON'T read this book...or do...yes do...it's soooo good!

Ok rant over...here's the review:

Beatrice is tired of the same ol' same ol' dating scene so when she sees an ad that says:

"If you're intentions are pure
I'm seeking a friend
for the end
of the world."

Well, her interests are peaked and she just can't resist answering it. That's how she meets Jacob Grace.

No news flash that I love emotional books but this book killed me just...more

26 likes · like · see review

Feb 09, 2013 Brenna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-in-print, favorites, a-league-of-it-s-own

"Sometimes the most consequential moments in my life originate from a state of completely witless human autopilot."

And... that is how the story of Beatrice & Jacob begins. On a whim, Beatrice, for a reason she herself can't even understand, decides to respond to a personal ad. "If your intentions are pure I am seeking a friend for the end of the world."

Beatrice, or "Trixie" as Jacob affectionately calls her, is the voice of this story. She is sick of the LA lifestyle and is always let down...more

16 likes · like · see review

Oct 09, 2012 Michelle [Helen Geek] rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Michelle by: Buddy read with Stacia

Shelves: author_love, nook-tbr, buddy-read, 5_star

10/08/2012 Full Review now posted on: http://2geekgirlsreviewbooks.com/book...

Overall Rating = 5 Stars
Book Cover / Book Blurb = 5 / 5 = total of 5
Writer’s Voice = 5 [infinity Stars, if I could]
Character Development = 5
Story Appreciation = 5
Worth the Chili = 5 [$7.99 on Google Books – eBook is damned hard to find!!]

This was a Buddy Read with Stacia. I didn't even have this book in my radar until she mentioned it. The search was on. I found the book and then we decided to read it together.

I loved...more

8 likes · like · see review

Mar 09, 2008 Kathryn rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to Kathryn by: Susie Kelnberger

My friend and colleague, Susie Kelnberger, enthusiastically recommended this book-I was drawn to the title and her reaction. But, I felt obligated to trudge through it because of that. I rarely give-up on a book, but I definitely wanted to on this one. Early on I was really impatient with the voice of the narrator-I didn't believe her as she was telling the story, which was supposed to have been her own life-changing peak experience. She sounded emotionally detached-and she did not emerge as hav...more

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Oct 07, 2012 Isamlq rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5/5

God Shaped Hole gives me what I wanted out of HTKRS. Recall, that that one had me wishing it ended at a certain point, going on as it did took away from the depth of what I was feeling, the ending felt contrived and much too Hollywood. I still hold that the forced happily ever after in no way compares to the open ending that could have been. This does not suffer that.

Bottom line, it’s a love story, with a fortuitous meeting of like souled people (both so well matched in fact that one of t...more 3.5/5

God Shaped Hole gives me what I wanted out of HTKRS. Recall, that that one had me wishing it ended at a certain point, going on as it did took away from the depth of what I was feeling, the ending felt contrived and much too Hollywood. I still hold that the forced happily ever after in no way compares to the open ending that could have been. This does not suffer that.

Bottom line, it’s a love story, with a fortuitous meeting of like souled people (both so well matched in fact that one of them makes a hokey comparison to Siamese twin souls. Ha! I laughed and cringed at how corny it sounded (still sounds) even if they are precisely that, except I wish they could have described it more smoothly.) I’m rambling, but my point is the two are both prone to over stating their feelings and going off on too deep looks into each others eyes/ bodies/souls. It’s something I would have had an easy time poking fun at, save the fact that one of them reminded me a little too much of how I was, could be, and can still be:

Trixie. Well on her way to becoming bitter disillusioned twenty something trapped in her version of hell (LA.) She is distant from her family add that the one person close to her is just as non-adjusted as she is. And that’s me. She’s self described as godless, faithless and expectant of the disappointment that people are bound to bring with them. It’s the last that allows her to be all ‘Do as you please and I’ll do the same’. And you see, that made sense to me if a bit depressed.

Then Jacob who reads so impossibly good. He says these words and thus adds a lightness to things. Though that’s not apt either, because perfectly matched as they are he too is burdened and prone to feeling deeply, too deeply. Here I’m half tempted to make a Paul comparison but not really, because where Paul is all deep and sad, sad soul, Jacob is something else; it's what allows him to open Trixie to other possibilities.

The most honest thing here is how they put people in categories so that when one or two or all of those people pegged one way act contrary to what’s expected, they’re so unsure about what to now. But My point? (And I swear I have one):

They’re not perfect, no one around them is perfect,
But the two of them? They’re perfect for each other.

To be honest, I my enjoyment of this was a constant thing especially as I compare it to what reading Hot to Kill did to me; that one dragged my emotions every which way and this one didn't. It's more quiet somehow, the things put before them them not loud in the dramatics (something I have come to loathe of late,) but more normal. I am sure we all love those a good cute meet now and then, but this one is all about what comes after that. Showing that though soul mate they might have been for each other, he could still be a**hole some time... and so could she.

Good stuff.(less)

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Oct 20, 2012 Sara (is in love with boys who love boys) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-must-read, can-t-miss-book, favorites, kleenex-needed, stellar

"Dawn makes a sound. If you listen closely right as the sun starts to come up, you’ll hear it. It’s like the echo of birth; silence, followed by a gentle push, moans, and then the sloppy deluge of life. On good days I like it because it reminds me that I am alive. On bad days it makes me feel like dust."

For a first novel this was amazing. Absolutely gorgeous with words which spill off the page like poetry. I would love to be inside the authors head to have these thoughts, these phrases that st...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Kat rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: la, tragedy, angsty, romance, loved, favorites, san-francisco

Update:
Changing this to a 5 star (4.5) because I still can't think about this book and not want to cry.

---

After I finished this book, I wasn't sure how to rate this or review it at first. Some books take you on a gut-wrenching journey and finish off with everything tied up in a nice little bow. God-Shaped Hole left me with, well, a hole in my heart.

The bulk of this book is Beatrice's relationship with Jacob Grace, a writer with joie de virve. She is drawn to him before she even meets him, whe...more

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Jul 29, 2011 Caren rated it 3 of 5 stars

I can't even give this a star rating, because honestly, I don't know how I feel about it.

The characters were interesting to me, and for the most part, Trixie didn't annoy me. I loved Jacob and I was rooting for them. Near the end, I did get annoyed with Trixie because I felt like (for her age) she was behaving like a first class baby. Which she admitted to, which I have to give her credit for because it worked out in the end... or so I thought.

You know, I avoid reading reviews and summaries a lo...more

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Nov 17, 2007 Amy rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: folks who liked Lurlene McDaniels

Shelves: library-book, fiction

I finished this book last night. I liked the middle enough, but the beginning and the end were not my cups o' tea.
I have no problem with the writing itself. Superb prose. Excellent observations and glorious glorious dialogue. But the plot! Yikes. If you enjoyed the sappy Lurlene McDaniel books when you were a teen, you'll love this. DeBartolo's tear-jerking string manipulation is almost mechanical. It didn't feel real.

Some of the issues brought up could have been explored more. Trixie's "hole",...more

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Aug 29, 2011 Melinda Elizabeth rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I guess reading this so soon after "one hundred and one ways" was a mistake, as the stories were so similar. Quirky characters who lead odd lives find soulmate, who then dies.

The thing that annoyed me the most about this incarnation of what must be a trendy subject matter at the moment is that the characters hated where they were living. Well do something about it? Nothing worse than turning your nose up at your fellow citizens because you think you're cooler than them and that you're somehow b...more

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Aug 17, 2007 J.Elle rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a surprise. I have read so many books that are similar that it is a real treat to read one that actually stands out. I liked the book through-out, but the ending really solidified my opinion that it was a good read. Also, it had a word I've never heard before, so the bonus of this book was that it educated me. Allow me to do the same: pelagic (adj.) p&-'la-jik - of, relating to, or living or occurring in the open sea.

I was going to type my favorite quote here, but it's on the secon...more

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Dec 13, 2008 Vanessa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: rock-n-roll

This is a good book. It's not a great book, as I think she relies a bit too much here on certain conventions-- something that's part of her style, that whole telling the reader what's going to happen well in advance of it happening trick. In a lot of ways, her overriding theme is the same as How to Kill a Rockstar, as well. On the other hand, she's a compelling writer, and these books draw me in quickly, and I find her characters appealing. They are flawed, they are three dimensional, albeit a b...more

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Apr 04, 2013 Spanglemaker9 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, contemporary-fiction

Wow. Having read How to Kill a Rock Star first, and having some major issues with it, I was hesitant to wade into this. Let me start by saying it's a much better book. Some of the contrived-angst issues I had with HtKaRS weren't present with this one.

Still, this one was way worse in a rip-your-heart-out-and-stomp-on-it sense. I mean, the blurb on the front cover tells you EXACTLY what's going to happen, and it never wavers, so if it gutted me it's really my own fault. It's a testament to her ab...more Wow. Having read How to Kill a Rock Star first, and having some major issues with it, I was hesitant to wade into this. Let me start by saying it's a much better book. Some of the contrived-angst issues I had with HtKaRS weren't present with this one.

Still, this one was way worse in a rip-your-heart-out-and-stomp-on-it sense. I mean, the blurb on the front cover tells you EXACTLY what's going to happen, and it never wavers, so if it gutted me it's really my own fault. It's a testament to her ability to create an amazing leading man and craft a swoony, epic love affair that you find yourself lost in the love story even though you know it will end badly. The whole time I read the last quarter of the book, I kept whispering in my head "please let it not happen... please let it not happen..."

However, if there had been some eleventh-hour deus ex machina that saved Jacob, it would have entirely undercut everything that came before. It has you by the throat because you know it won't last.

In the end, I don't have a problem with Jacob's story line. If I have an issue, it's with the resolution after that. I guess the point of the whole story is that Trixie finally opened herself up to fully love and trust. She was willing, in the end, to throw it all away and run off to chase this dream of Memphis with him, and her journey to having that sort of faith in him was really the arc of the story.

So what happens when he's gone? I felt like the Trixie resolution post-Jacob was incomplete, or not nearly as fleshed out as what had come before. She raised some big issues. The loss of a love like that really does leave a hole that time can't heal. So what does Trixie do in the face of that irreparable loss? We don't get to see. She literally rides off alone into the sunset. We know he was her soul mate and that she overcame her issues to fully throw herself into him (and let him fill her own God-shaped hole), but we don't know what happens after. What does she fill her God-shaped hole with when she doesn't have him? Idk idk... maybe that's the point. If so, that part didn't really work for me.

In the end, I have to say I liked the book, even if certain aspects left me personally unfulfilled.

(less)

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Jul 22, 2012 Estevan Gonzales rated it 5 of 5 stars

It's not often I review the books I've read. However, this novel was a rather wonderful surprise. The author's prose is superb and the story gripping. The characters are believable although occasionally rather predictable. The predictability, however, actually fits in well with the plot line and helps to illustrate and emphasize Jacob's theory of a "God-Shaped Hole" in each of the characters. I would recommend this to many of my friends. While reading through the reviews, I couldn't help but not...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dari dulu aku ga pernah tertarik dengan novel bersampul gambar manusia beneran seperti novel ini. Tapi melihat judulnya "God-shaped Hole" yang unik itu aku ingin membaca.

Pada halaman 84, Jacob Grace seorang laki-laki yang merasa tak diakui kehadirannya oleh ayahnya sendiri mengatakan bahwa setiap manusia mencari Perlindungan dalam hidupnya. Manusia memiliki God-shaped Hole itu yang diisinya dengan hal berbeda-beda. Ada yang mengisi dengan anak-anaknya, suami, kekasih atau orang yang dicintainya,...more

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Oct 13, 2011 Leann rated it 3 of 5 stars

If possible I would have given this book 3.5 stars - more than a three, but not quite a 4. I enjoyed, but didn't quite love this book. I had a hard time really connecting with the narrator, Trixie, and had a hard time believing just how easily she and Jacob "feel in love." They were basically in love since the the moment they met. If only true love really were as easy as answering one crazy newspaper add...

The love story was entertaining enough, but I think one of the factors that kept me readin...more

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Apr 18, 2011 Kathleen Cross rated it 5 of 5 stars

I saw this book lying on a table in the bookstore, and remember feeling a little irked by the title and cover art. (Who would DARE describe something as insignificant as a HOLE as being "God-shaped"). Well, I picked the book up and carried it everywhere with me for the next 48 hours. As for the title, the author could not have chosen a better one -- it is one of the BEST things about the book in my opinion.
Being a sharp-tongued, vulnerablity-avoiding, loss-fearing woman myself, I immediately con...more I saw this book lying on a table in the bookstore, and remember feeling a little irked by the title and cover art. (Who would DARE describe something as insignificant as a HOLE as being "God-shaped"). Well, I picked the book up and carried it everywhere with me for the next 48 hours. As for the title, the author could not have chosen a better one -- it is one of the BEST things about the book in my opinion.
Being a sharp-tongued, vulnerablity-avoiding, loss-fearing woman myself, I immediately connected with Trixie and willingly followed her on her doubt-filled journey into the previously unexplored frontier of "soulmate" possibilities.

It is not often that a book can provoke out loud laughter and real tears, but this one did that for me, and I was left at the end with a strong desire to contact the author and let her know that she really did connect with at least one other human being when she committed the hours and hours (and hours) required to write her book.

If you're a literary snob, you may find fault with some of the choices this first-time author made (and you perfectionists may even find a couple of typos), but if you're just a human being in search of a very entertaining read, and you are willing to learn a little something about REAL LIFE from the interactions of other human beings, God-shaped Hole will leave you more than satisfied.

Six months after reading this book, something eerily similar happened to me and my fiance (similar to what happened to Trixie and Jacob the night before their big move)I reread God-Shaped Hole during my recovery, and I can tell you from my own experience, that Ms DeBartolo AMAZINGLY described the impact such an incident can have on one's life. Anyone who accuses this book of being unrealistic or sappy is MISTAKEN -- it hits the nail on the head when it comes to how one confronts the fear of love, fear of committment and fear of loss. God-Shaped hole is a testament to the incredibly generous yet unpredictable nature of LIFE.

I highly recommend this book(less)

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Oct 04, 2012 Rebecca Espinoza rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Warning! Spoilers ahead for both this book and How to Kill a Rock Star (HTKARS). Read at your own risk.

Oh, how I wanted to love this book. Sigh. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me. I won't lie, the writing was exemplary of everything that I expected from Tiffanie DeBartolo. It was rythmic and beautiful and, most importantly, profound in the way that it opened up my mind and dumped in new philosopical ideas that I wasn't conscious of before. As far as I am concerned, Ms. DeBartolo's writing and t...more Warning! Spoilers ahead for both this book and How to Kill a Rock Star (HTKARS). Read at your own risk.

Oh, how I wanted to love this book. Sigh. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me. I won't lie, the writing was exemplary of everything that I expected from Tiffanie DeBartolo. It was rythmic and beautiful and, most importantly, profound in the way that it opened up my mind and dumped in new philosopical ideas that I wasn't conscious of before. As far as I am concerned, Ms. DeBartolo's writing and the ability to connect with a reader's psyche is all that is needed for me to reccomend it to anyone and even though you may not love the story or it's ending, it will be a worthwhile read.

Now, on to why this didn't work for me. First off, I must disclose the fact that I am an eternal optimist. We are told at the prologue what is going to happen in this book, there is no hiding it, no sugar coating it, and yet I believed that, somehow, everything would still turn out alright. I wish I would have read this book before I picked up HTKARS because having read that book I was powered with false hope for this one. I kind of feel now, that HTKARS must be the make up book for this one. It's funny though because after I finished that book, I felt that the ending was unplausable and I kind of wished (even though I absolutely adored Paul) that it would have ended like this one. Had Paul really committed suicide, it would have been more true to the story of a young woman who looses the love of her life because she pushed him away in an attempt to make him live out her dreams for him that he never really wanted in the first place. With this story, it just felt like a cynical woman who already has this "God shaped hole" inside of herself due to her upbringing, hates her situation and the people surrounding her, feels melancholy for her life and then, a shining star enters the picture and it changes everything. She starts to feel hope and begins with Josh to build a plan for a more pleasant future only to have it ripped out from under her again and for what? I didn't get the point of the story, I didn't understand why it had to end that way. She is left, once again with the hole. She still has the depressing veiw of her future and no clear idea on the direction for the rest of her life. Yes, she escaped the hated LA but to what? We don't know. It just felt like there was no resloution, nothing has changed from the way she was to begin with.

Something that majorly bothered me about the story was Josh and Beatrice's hatred for LA. I just pictured them as hipster types who were way too cool for everything. Growing up in Califorinia and having traveled all over the country, I can tell you that the grass is not going to be greener anywhere. I hated hearing the stereotype from the "uncle" character that there are only 3 types of people in LA. My hometown is 29 Palms, but I spent a lot of my childhood in Santa Anna,and yes LA, and northern California in my early 20's. I've traveled all over the state of California from San Deigo, to Long Beach, LA County, Riverside, San Bernardino, Sacramento....the list goes on. I can tell you that, although you can find rad people everywhere in this world, you would be hard pressed to find the quantity of bad-assed open-minded and loving people that there are in the great state of California. I just wanted to shout at Beatrice that not everyone in LA chases after stars and are materialistic empty shells of people. I felt like that was a major character flaw and wished that by the end of the story, she would have realized this by being surrounded by Josh's friends or something. You're never going to find paradise, no matter where you go if you are going to be judgemental and have a cynical outlook on people in general. JMO
Overall, I felt that there were too many loose threads left at the end of this story that could have been tied up. What happened with the half-brother and his mother and why were these characters brought into the story when they served no purpose. What was the point of this book that Josh had written? It seems like TB was trying too hard at an attempt at irony by killing him off before the book even hit shelves. As I made it through the last page, I just wanted to scream out WHAT'S THE POINT? Unfortunately, my whole family was asleep and they probably wouldn't have been too happy to be woken in that way is I just kept the frustraion bottled up, in hopes that by the morning it would have passed. However, it didn't. Ugh, I was hoping for a 5 star read with this one, but I have to be truthful with my feelings and give it a 3. (less)

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Aug 27, 2012 Dehlia Calliste rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Privileged artists who enjoy depressing romance

This is a book I felt weird about. I seemed to be kind of enjoying it as I was reading it, and I liked it enough to finish it, but once it was all over I realized it wasn't that great.

I find the characters to be painfully pretentious, and aspects of their personalities or interactions were eye-roll worthy at many points. There was just something way too typical about them being your text-book outcasts (despite both appearing to be physically attractive and incredibly talented, woe is them.) and...more

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Jan 21, 2008 Audrie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Audrie by: bobbi parker

I was given this book by a very good friend who i think was trying to tell me to let go and enjoy life. Other than Where the Red Fern Grows, this is the only book to ever make me cry. I think this book is beautifully written. The characters are fabulously vivid and accessible (kinda like the dogs in red fern, haha). Just don't argue with me and read it.

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Jan 25, 2013 Bart Hopkins rated it 5 of 5 stars

God-Shaped Hole by Tiffanie DeBartolo

I've never been to a fortune-teller, but the protagonist of this book, Beatrice "Trixie" Jordan, has, and more than once. Trixie's story starts with a flashback to being 12, having her fortune told at a party. She’s told that her "one true love would die young…” leaving her all alone.

Is that what happens? You’ll have to read it to find out.

The Basics: it's a contemporary love story set in LA. It's quirky and mostly lighthearted, but it has some serious conten...more

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Feb 27, 2013 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourites-and-obsessions, books-that-made-me-cry

I have a new religion and it's called Tiffaniedebartoloism.

This is what my copy of God Shaped Hole looks like.

Please overlook the fact that I've physically highlighted the book. I know it's a sacrilegious act for some. My constant use of e-readers with their highlighting, bookmarking and note-jotting capabilities is to blame. I would have had swirly notes of my thoughts all over the pages had I not planned to lend this book but I figured, it's too good not to share. Anyway, the point of that image is to declare the fact that it is now tied with How to Kill a Rock Star as my most-highlighted book ever. It helps that the main characters are writers and artists, otherwise, certain passages might have come across as corny. To me, personally, this book spoke a LOT of truths.

What is it with this author and her writing? I can't even say that I found the story to be perfect. I even knew what would happen in the ending, thanks to the glowing "This generation's Love Story" - Kirkus Reviews printed in the cover. It can't be more obvious than that. (view spoiler) Funnily enough, I don't even feel emotionally manipulated. All I thought the entire time I read this was that I've never encountered another author who was as in touch with his/her loneliness as much as Tiffanie Debartolo was. It was laid out page after page, song after song (and there were plenty of titles scattered throughout the book.) It's one of those books you wish you had read when you were at that phase in your life when you felt all alone and no one understood you. You find comfort in the fact that something written relates to you and your feelings and vice versa.

Obviously I'm not gonna be able to write a decent review or even give an idea of what this book is about. The book blurb can do the latter. I'm too affected to do the former. I just recommend that you read it.
(less)

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Sep 05, 2012 Jen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

WOW...absolutely a BEAUTIFUL book. I cherished every word I read in this book. Partly knowing that it's the only one left and the last book that I hadn't read by the author. Very sad that she only has 2 books out because she is truly talented. (How To Kill A Rock Star, is the other FABULOUS book)Her style is wonderful and the pages flow with ease. A truly enjoyable read.

This book was amazing for me. It's hard for me to even come up with the words to express how I feel about this book. Heart-wre...more

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Dec 18, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

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

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Aug 14, 2011 Nikole rated it 2 of 5 stars

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Jan 07, 2009 Kayla rated it 5 of 5 stars

There comes a time when it seems impossible to escape the everyday routine. The likelihood of truly being content seems to vanish and all hope is lost. Then miraculously, one unfathomable event occurs that steers one’s life in a whole new and fascinating direction. In the novel, God-Shaped Hole by Tiffanie DeBartolo, the protagonist, Beatrice Jordan, is stuck in a rut that she can’t seem to escape. Beatrice lives in L.A. and makes a living by creating unique jewelry. She comes from a wealthy an...more There comes a time when it seems impossible to escape the everyday routine. The likelihood of truly being content seems to vanish and all hope is lost. Then miraculously, one unfathomable event occurs that steers one’s life in a whole new and fascinating direction. In the novel, God-Shaped Hole by Tiffanie DeBartolo, the protagonist, Beatrice Jordan, is stuck in a rut that she can’t seem to escape. Beatrice lives in L.A. and makes a living by creating unique jewelry. She comes from a wealthy and in her eyes, a broken family. Beatrice desires more than anything to breakaway from this dreaded city. One day she decides to do something very spontaneous. Beatrice chooses to respond to a personal ad and go out on a date with a man she has never met before. When arriving at the diner where her date was supposed to take place, Beatrice was greeted by a pleasant man named Jacob Grace. The two were instantly drawn to each other and from then on were inseparable. They were like two puzzle pieces that just simply fit together. Jacob, like Beatrice wants to escape the L.A. lifestyle. They both have dreams of moving to the simplistic South were life is not so chaotic. Jacob and Beatrice, or as Jacob refers to her “Trixie”, have pasts involving horrible fathers. Lacking that important figure in their lives takes both of them on an emotional roller coaster. Jacob and Trixie’s lives are basically mirror images of each other. Everything from their insane and caring friends to their inner most desires reflect that of one another. Jacob and Trixie fall in love from the moment they look into each other’s eyes on that first date which creates a bond that can never be broken. This romantic piece of fiction involves many twists and turns that are very enjoyable and extremely realistic. One of my closest friends raved about this novel. She recommended I buy this book, and I am extremely glad that I did.

There is a hole that can never be filled and it seems to consume one’s being at times. Trixie has a God-shaped hole in her heart that was created by her father. When the relationship between Trixie and her dad is mended, another hole forms. From this symbol the theme is produced. “The hole which lies within everyone must not be dwelled on.” If any one person sits and mopes about a certain aspect of their life for too long, it will consume their entire being. Trixie at first blames society for all of her problems and thus becomes self-pitying. When Trixie meets Jacob she then doesn’t let her personal God-shaped hole control her life because she realizes that it is not worth dwelling on. This man vs. self conflict reoccurs throughout the whole novel. Another reoccurring piece of the book is the appearance of the ocean. The ocean symbolizes life itself. Jacob and Trixie flee to the ocean countless times to escape the harsh realities of their world. In these instances the ocean is a beautiful getaway. Other times the ocean is described as a dark and unbearable place. Life in the same way has its’ ups and downs and there is no predicting when these times will occur.

Due to the fact that the novel is written in the first person point of view, the words transcribed on the paper allow others to know exactly what Trixie is feeling at all times. This personally allowed me to feel as if I was experiencing the pain and happiness along with Trixie. DeBartolo’s writing style is both captivating and insightful. Her use of foreshadowing is subtle yet interesting. This book truly intrigued me. I personally was sucked in by the casual language and the captivating storyline. On several occasions I found tears rolling down my cheeks due to the overwhelming happiness and sorrow I felt for Trixie. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading an amazingly heartfelt novel. It is truly an easy and pleasant read. (less)

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Dec 02, 2012 Tiffany rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was disappointed by this one because "How to Kill a Rock Star" was so amazing; but this one just did not live up. I found the main character's to be sort of unlikable. Beatrice just said and thought the most slutty things ALL. OF. THE. TIME. and Jacob sorta seemed like a deadbeat some of the time. However, there were times while reading that I thought that it's a breath of fresh air to not just have two totally likable and perfect main characters....but only at times. The thing that disappoint...more

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Nov 05, 2011 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, cried-like-a-baby

What I love most about DeBartolo is her ability to weave a touching love story out of two jaded, not so perfect characters that has you cringing one moment and smiling the next. MC Trixie has some major abandonment issues resulting from her parents divorce years ago. She meets Jacob, who has his own "daddy" issues and they immediately click, kindred spirits always looking to validate their existence. Their relationship starts quickly as they jump in feet first, but as they hit some rocky patches...more

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May 27, 2009 Meghan Ellzey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Meghan by: Theresa

I have read many mixed reviews for DeBartolo's story, but I still stand by my claim that it's one of my favorite books. The story is heart-wrenching, and inspiring. Having fallen in love with books and reading when I was really young, I always wished that I could be friends with characters, and the people who wrote about them. The wish for Jacob Grace to transition from fiction to reality is on a different level, though.
DeBartolo writes of such a great love, that it can't help but make you be o...more

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About Tiffanie DeBartolo

Tiffanie DeBartolo was born in Youngstown, OH.

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Quotes from God-Shaped Hole

“We’re all searching for something to fill up what I like to call that big, God-shaped hole in our souls. Some people use alcohol, or sex, or their children, or food, or money, or music, or heroin. A lot of people even use the concept of God itself. I could go on and on. I used to know a girl who used shoes. She had over two-hundred pairs. But it’s all the same thing, really. People, for some stupid reason, think they can escape their sorrows.” — 136 people liked it

“Don't waste your time with fear.. Fear won't keep you safe from being hurt.” — 97 people liked it

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