I Now Pronounce You Someone Else

Oct 26, 2011 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars

When I started, I Now Pronounce You Someone Else, I honestly didn’t know what to expect. The blurb intrigued me and sounded like something right up my alley. And after reading it, I’m glad to say I enjoyed it. If your looking for a coming of age story – which I found to be different from others I’ve read – why not give this a go!

I found I connected with Bronwen some, but not a heap. I think it would be impossible not to have some connection, just because of the story and everything that’s going...more

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Feb 11, 2011 Kristy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Street Corner TBR Challenge #2 per Tina.
Ok, So I'm really glad you picked this Tina. This is one of those I might not have ever read. I tend to shy away from the "Chick lit"/Romantical fluff section but, I really, really enjoyed this one.

I must be turning into a sap! I had to wipe my eyes a couple of times while reading this.... bittersweet.

The Quick: (spoilers)
Bronwen meets Jared, they fall in love. He is practically perfect, she thinks. She is a senior in high school and he is graduating colle...more

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Feb 16, 2011 Arlene rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-contemporary, read-2011, reviews-with-music, young-adult

What a perfect book to read around Valentine’s Day. I loved I Now Pronounce You Someone Else, but anyone who knows my reading style and what makes me squee, knows I’m a sap for this kind of stuff. I find it pretty, lovely and overall just beauteous!

The characters were great in this story. Bronwen really resonated with me. She’s sharp, funny, slightly broken and full of hopes and dreams. I respected her morals and how she stood by what she believed in. Grant it, it’s a bit unrealistic in today’s...more What a perfect book to read around Valentine’s Day. I loved I Now Pronounce You Someone Else, but anyone who knows my reading style and what makes me squee, knows I’m a sap for this kind of stuff. I find it pretty, lovely and overall just beauteous!

The characters were great in this story. Bronwen really resonated with me. She’s sharp, funny, slightly broken and full of hopes and dreams. I respected her morals and how she stood by what she believed in. Grant it, it’s a bit unrealistic in today’s day and age, but heck, she’d standing by her beliefs, so good for her. I don’t even know where to start with Jared. GUSH!!SQUEE!!AWW!!TEAR!!SIGH!! I lurved everything about him, and he’s my perfect fictional character. His way with words and his sincerity had me sighing and smiling like a goof every time he opened his mouth! Gah! Oh and that first kiss. Holy smokes! What a kiss! Repeat! Repeat! That was one of the best written moments in the love department.

Another character I really came to care for was Bronwen’s stepfather Whitt. What a sweetheart!! I lurved him to pieces in a paternal sort of way, and that moment when Bronwen and Whitt discovered the truth about the “papers” had me on the verge of tears. Again, another perfectly written moment. I didn’t like Bronwen’s mom at all, but I’m pretty sure she was written that way. I never came to care for Peter and I wondered why he kept himself at a distance, some additional insight on that character would have been nice, but definitely not a deal breaker.

The storyline was original and well presented as Bronwen struggles to discover who she really is after the death of her father. She calls herself Pheobe Lillywhite (Gawd! I loved that name, as it reminds me of someone dear to me… ahem…ahem… Hannah *wink*) and waits for the day her real family will come to pick her up as she’s convinced she was switched at birth. Along comes Jared and a whirlwind romance ensues with all the perfect moments of first love. However, they are at different points in their life and after a commitment that had me fall off my chair, Bronwen soon realizes she needs to find herself before she becomes someone else’s.

Here is one book I would have loved to read an epilogue for. I can pretty much imagine my own ending, but putting it to paper makes it more real. Overall, what a fun, light romance in the YA genre that really hit home in so many ways! Perfectly done. Loved it!!

Favorite Quote
”I never promise what I can’t keep. So good night Bronwen. Sleep well... Dream of me.” Jared said.

Song Choice - Jared to Bronwen: Calling You – Blue October (less)

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May 13, 2013 Anna (Gatsby's Girl) rated it 5 of 5 stars

So at first I had no idea what I was going to think of this book. But things ran into high gear after the first chapter and did not let up until the end! I think the book's description is really the best one I can give:

Eighteen-year-old Bronwen Oliver has a secret: She's really Phoebe, the lost daughter of the loving Lilywhite family. That's the only way to explain her image-obsessed mother; a kind but distant stepfather; and a brother with a small personality complex. Bronwen knows she must hav

...more

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Oct 03, 2010 Morgan Renae rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, young-adult

I was very excited to read this book because it was by a debut author! Also, it looked very Sarah Dessen-like, so that means is must be good!

And it didn't disappoint! I loved everything about this book. From the writing style to the romance to the weddings! I am surprised this is Miss McCahan's first novel! I got it for a blog tour, and I started reading it right away. I immediately felt like I was in Bronwen Oliver's world, full of a her perfect, imaginary "Real Family", and her all-too real ac...more

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Jan 05, 2011 Nic rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, romance-awww, realistic-fiction

Favourite Quote: "And just the way he smiled - the kind of smile that exists only for you and anticipates the next good thing coming for you, or that whatever comes from you next is bound to be good - made my heart beat a little faster. Made my breath come a little quicker."

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else surprised me in a good way. I was just expecting a sweet love story, and that is amazing part of it, but it was also witty, funny and smart coming of age story.

Erin McCahan writing is fun and...more

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Mar 09, 2011 Reading Vacation rated it 5 of 5 stars

REVIEW

Bronwen lives in a fantasy world where she truly believes that she was switched at birth and that her family is not her own. When she meets Jared and his normal family, Bronwen falls madly in love. It seems like the answer to her prayers. SEEMS.

Bronwen’s mother was very demanding and she expected so much from her daughter. Even though I think she really did love Bronwen, she had a crazy way of showing it. Bronwen’s stepfather was a nice man who treated her like his own daughter. I am glad...more

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May 27, 2013 WJ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else started as a palate-cleanser after reading the chaos that was The Gathering Dark but it soon grew to be much more than that. It's a story about falling in love and finding yourself, how these two important things about growing up might not always mesh well together. At its heart, I Now Pronounce You Someone Else is about growing up and moving on. The subject matter is deftly handled by Erin McCahn and I was surprised to find out that this was her first book.

The...more I Now Pronounce You Someone Else started as a palate-cleanser after reading the chaos that was The Gathering Dark but it soon grew to be much more than that. It's a story about falling in love and finding yourself, how these two important things about growing up might not always mesh well together. At its heart, I Now Pronounce You Someone Else is about growing up and moving on. The subject matter is deftly handled by Erin McCahn and I was surprised to find out that this was her first book.

The protagonist, Bronwen Oliver, was easy to relate to. Her confusion over her self-identity and the roles that she plays (daughter, step-daughter, girlfriend and best friend) are things that all of us teenagers have gone through. I liked Bronwen, her quirkiness, her wit and even her need to make things easy and smooth for the people around her. Her desperation to belong to a Real Family and how her love for Jared was mixed with this need to belong were hard to read about but understandable. She did make some bad choices but they weren't stupid ones, these choices stemmed from her character and I liked the maturation that she went through.

Jared Sondervan was a great character as well. His relationship with Bronwen was incredibly bittersweet. He really did like and care about her, heck he wanted to see all of Bronwen. Their first kiss made me swoon and I loved how he ended every conversation with "Dream of me". (view spoiler)

In terms of the other characters in the novel, I liked the supporting cast. Whitt was especially a favourite, how he cared for Bronwen and wanted to make her happy. Kirsten was a great best friend too, standing by Bronwen despite their fight and having the guts to speak her mind. I don't think I would ever like Bronwen's mother and she definitely has several issues that she needs to work out. But I got her and why she behaved that way.

The writing in this book didn't pretend to be what it wasn't. The prose was clear, easy to understand and the dialogue used was often really funny but heartbreaking at the same time. Case in point: Bronwen's mother not listening to what she was saying. It was written in a really humorous manner but at the same time, you can't help but hurt for Bronwen and to understand her need to believe that these weren't her people. The simplest writing is often the most effective.

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else made me cry, even though I guessed what was coming. The characters that Erin McCahan has created would continue to stay with me for a while and the lessons that Bronwen has gone through about growing up and finding herself would linger with me. (less)

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Sep 26, 2012 Holly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-favorites

I read most of this a while ago but never quite finished it, so I reread and finished it today. I loved Bronwen. I loved her humor and personality and wild capitalization. I liked how it was a sweet book about simple, good people; there weren't any dark secrets or pasts and the characters were genuine. I loved that she had a good relationship with her stepdad--that it wasn't one of those stories with him as the bad guy. I loved the ending--how mature she was in doing something hard and painful b...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

While I enjoyed I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU SOMEONE ELSE, Erin McCahan made two stylistic choices that sometimes hindered my experience. It is a framed story, beginning and ending two years in the future. It's a bit difficult at first since Bronwen Oliver immediately launches into part of her backstory. I had trouble separating future from present from past. The book quickly settles into the main action, which resolves that problem. Second, characters talk over each other for a realistic feel. Realism i...more While I enjoyed I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU SOMEONE ELSE, Erin McCahan made two stylistic choices that sometimes hindered my experience. It is a framed story, beginning and ending two years in the future. It's a bit difficult at first since Bronwen Oliver immediately launches into part of her backstory. I had trouble separating future from present from past. The book quickly settles into the main action, which resolves that problem. Second, characters talk over each other for a realistic feel. Realism in dialogue is a bad idea. The juxtaposition of phrases wasn't particularly funny, so I found myself skimming the passages employing this technique.

I immediately connected with Bronwen, however, because she hates ketchup. (C'mon, I hate tomatoes so much that it's in the header of my book blog. I don't like ketchup either. Really, I'm just not a condiment person.) Bronwen's character flaw is obvious: in order to be polite, she won't speak up when she doesn't like something. I've done this myself, but it's still frustrating. I did take heart that she would learn to assert herself when she began the novel by kicking her old boyfriend to the curb by refusing to have sex with him.

Jared Sondervan, the Someone Else, enters the scene fairly quickly. It is a bit longer before he proposes than the title and blurb would have you believe. The theme of the novel is less readiness for marriage than it is created families. Who do we choose to consider family and why? How do you make it work? Jared and Bronwen's relationship often feels like the secondary one, merely there to comment on Bronwen's relationship with her stepfather.

Bronwen likes her stepfather. This isn't a fairytale. But she's well aware of the fact that he isn't her actual father and that they have different last names. It doesn't help that she connects with Whitt but not her mother. She doesn't have much of a connection with her older brother either. Combined with past events, Bronwen suspects Whitt doesn't see her as his daughter the way she sees him as her father.

I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU SOMEONE ELSE was less funny than I expected, but still light-hearted. Bronwen had a good voice, especially when she chose to use it. If you enjoy family stories, you'll probably like this novel. (less)

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Dec 01, 2011 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: backstories, cute-funny, family, high-school, love, romance-kinda

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else tells the tale of Bronwen Oliver, a 17 year old girl who has nothing in common with her family. Ever since her father passed away, she has come to realize she is no longer close with anyone, especially not her brother, Peter, whom she refers to as 'Jesus'. And certainly not her mother, who is big on manners and applauds Bronwen when she tries to be polite by eating meat even though she is a vegetarian.

The story really picks up when Bronwen reunites with Jesus's...more

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Jun 11, 2011 Krista Basilio rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you're looking for a fun charming read then I've found it for you. Meet Phoebe Lilywhite. A daughter to a wonderful family that doesn't mind her big teeth or want her to keep dying her hair blonde. At least, that's what seventeen year old Bronwen Oliver likes to sometimes dream she is. Being switched at birth is the only explanation of why her and her mother have nothing in common.

Bronwen's voice really made this book. It was catchy, up beat and full of witty moments. The way she viewed her...more

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May 19, 2011 Kricket rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, marriage, michigan, teen-fiction, teen-romance, who-am-i

i picked this up when i realized it takes place in two locations i have called home: east grand rapids & holland, michigan. it's always fun to read about familiar streets, restaurants, and beaches.

unfortunately this book is not great. bronwen finds herself engaged at the tender age of 18 years and 5 minutes. but does she really want to go through college a married girl, or is she just hoping to join a new family? the problem is that her family wasn't that bad. sure, her mom was kind of weird...more

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Apr 30, 2011 Dominique rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. There was only one place on the western side of Michigan giving the exam, East Grand Rapids High School, a monstrous suburban prison for high schoolers that took my breath away when my friend Nick and I arrived one spring morning. In retrospect, it wasn't anything special for a rich suburban school district, but it was unlike any school this girl from a tiny school that looked more like a big box store than a place where children should learn all the important things they would need to lead them...more There was only one place on the western side of Michigan giving the exam, East Grand Rapids High School, a monstrous suburban prison for high schoolers that took my breath away when my friend Nick and I arrived one spring morning. In retrospect, it wasn't anything special for a rich suburban school district, but it was unlike any school this girl from a tiny school that looked more like a big box store than a place where children should learn all the important things they would need to lead them to lives of joy and importance had ever seen before. Nick's car shuddered to a stop in that parking lot and we both sighed in relief, knowing we were lucky the car had not overheated and exploded on the highway on the way down.

A friend told me about I Now Pronounce You Someone Else and said that the premise was stupid, so of course I immediately went to the library and checked it out. And the premise was kind of boring and, as Elizabeth said, it would have been better and more interesting if they had gotten married, but honestly, it was like reading about my life 15 years ago, with an engagement broken and talk of small private colleges in Michigan. And I loved it.

I especially loved the setting. The author grew up in western Michigan and everything she wrote reminded me of what I formerly called home. My friend Nick from above, his last name was Vandersomethingelse, just like about a quarter of my high school class and many main characters in the book. Last names of Dykstra and DeVos were common and as I read each name, I would say it underneath my breath and smile. Referring to Lake Michigan as the lake, lazy summer days spent at the beach, and every character ending their sentences with a preposition made me happy.

Obviously, I didn't lead the same life that the whiny main character of this book did. But I want to invite the author over for dinner and talk to her about life on the lake and how much she hates living in Columbus where she currently lives and inevitably has to hear about how great Ohio State, I'm sorry, The Ohio State University is as compared to The University of Michigan when she doesn't really care at all about either school, but suddenly feels an urge to defend her home state as if her life depends on it.

So I don't think you have to read this book. Unless you grew up in the Grand Rapids area and still occasionally go The Grand Rapids Press web site just to hear about what the VanAndels are up to these days, then you might want to read this just for the nostalgia factor. (less)

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Feb 15, 2011 Novel Novice rated it 3 of 5 stars

I confess, I was initially a wee bit disturbed by the concept of I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan. The book, after all, is about a girl who gets engaged while she’s still a senior in high school. And this was not a post-graduation, “I’ll marry you if you turn me into a vampire” type of engagement. (Which I can forgive, since I’m a sucker for those vampires. Pun intended.) Just humans. Just getting engaged.

But the way McCahan has written it, the premise totally and completely work...more I confess, I was initially a wee bit disturbed by the concept of I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan. The book, after all, is about a girl who gets engaged while she’s still a senior in high school. And this was not a post-graduation, “I’ll marry you if you turn me into a vampire” type of engagement. (Which I can forgive, since I’m a sucker for those vampires. Pun intended.) Just humans. Just getting engaged.

But the way McCahan has written it, the premise totally and completely works. It’s not creepy or weird — and the awkwardness of planning a wedding while getting homework done and submitting college applications is actually part of the story. Any reservations you may have about the concept are all addressed within the context of the story.

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else is a character study, more than anything else. We follow 18-year-old Bronwen Oliver as she struggles with a nasty break-up, falling in love with an older guy, and trying to fit in with her mother, step-father and “Jesus-like” older brother (all of whom she swears she’s not actually related to). Bronwen isn’t facing any extraordinary hardship at this moment in her life (despite the past heartache of her father’s death.) But it’s her normalcy that makes her so relatable. We’ve all been in her shoes at some point in our lives: struggling to figure out who we are, where we fit in the world, and what it is we really want out of life.

As an older reader, it was frustrating at parts to watch Bronwen making the wrong decisions … but it was equally refreshing to see her learn from those mistakes and grow from them. There were parts when things finally started to make sense for Bronwen, when I wanted to stand up and cheer and yell, “Go, girl!” And I say this having made some pretty big mistakes in my own life — and having grown up enough that I can reflect on those mistakes and see how much they helped shape me into the person I am today.

The way McCahan writes I Now Pronounce You Someone Else, we get to see Bronwen discover the same thing — her mistakes and how they helped shape her into a stronger person.

And while there is much that goes wrong in Bronwen’s life, McCahan still manages to wrap things up with a happy — yet plausible — ending. Which left me a happy camper. Er, a happy “reader,” that is. (less)

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Feb 07, 2011 First Novels Club rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: donna, reviewed

McCahan is fabulous at writing characters. Fabulous. So whether or not you understand their point of view, you want to read about them. They pretty much leap off the page.

Bronwen's family is hilarious and heartbreaking. I can totally understand why Bronwen wants to become Someone Else, why she fantasized about being Phoebe Lilywhite. What I love about McCahan's portrayal of the Olivers is how NOT awful they are. They're flawed but aren't demonized, and though they're quirky, it never becomes car...more McCahan is fabulous at writing characters. Fabulous. So whether or not you understand their point of view, you want to read about them. They pretty much leap off the page.

Bronwen's family is hilarious and heartbreaking. I can totally understand why Bronwen wants to become Someone Else, why she fantasized about being Phoebe Lilywhite. What I love about McCahan's portrayal of the Olivers is how NOT awful they are. They're flawed but aren't demonized, and though they're quirky, it never becomes caricature-ish or outrageous. Depth and humor are woven in their interactions very naturally.

I read the book crossing my fingers that the romance between Jared and Bronwen didn't make me cringe with overwhelming "OMG I'd die if we weren't together forever"-ness. McCahan didn't lean that way at all. It was sweet and genuine and true to their ages and experience levels. And though I'd never have considered getting married at 18, I understood why Bronwen would. (Jared's so swoon-worthy!)

And because I talk about sex in YA whenever possible, I can't NOT mention that Bronwen has chosen to wait until marriage, for super-practical, non-religious reasons. It's a refreshing POV in YA, and I think that even readers who disagree with Bronwen's logic would find it a valid, reasonable, non-preachy choice for her character. Yayyyy diversity!

Bronwen herself is a great MC. I loved getting inside her head, and her voice was totally clear. Plus, the character development made complete sense and felt natural within the plot. I'm SO Team Bronwen.

But the characters wouldn't be so awesome without the witty, entertaining humor that McCahan has infused in the dialogue and scenes. I frequently read it with a smile on my face -- looking like a complete idiot, of course.

Overall, I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU is a feel-good contemporary YA with depth. It's solidly written and super enjoyable, a great deviation from your traditional YA novel. (It reminds me of a lighter version of Twenty Boy Summer, another fabulous contemporary novel.)

My only complaint? Though the title's cute, it's SO FREAKIN' LONG to say or type!

Seriously. That's the only thing I can complain about.

Go read this book!

For more reviews & other fun book blogging (including thoughts on writing, author interviews and giveaways!), check out http://www.FirstNovelsClub.com (less)

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Jan 03, 2011 K rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library

This is the chick littiest YA book I’ve read. The cover and title are not tongue in cheek, this really is a YA story about marriage.

Bronwen lays out her switched at birth theory up front. She lists many glaring differences between her and the rest of her family. Her dad died when she was six and with him went her Real Mother and her Real Brother. She’s left with a perfect appearances mother, an absentee brother, and a stepfather who she keeps at arm’s length. When she starts dating Jared, she fa...more

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Nov 12, 2010 Kailia rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I first read what this book was about, I got really excited. It sounded so good and I began to have high expectations. When I was asked by the publisher to review this book, I said yes without hesitation. Once I got the book in my hands though, I began to worry. What if it wasn’t as good as I had thought? What if it was a big, huge disappointment? I opened this book and began reading the first page…by the next day, I had finished reading this book.

Bronwen isn’t really Bronwen Oliver. Inste...more When I first read what this book was about, I got really excited. It sounded so good and I began to have high expectations. When I was asked by the publisher to review this book, I said yes without hesitation. Once I got the book in my hands though, I began to worry. What if it wasn’t as good as I had thought? What if it was a big, huge disappointment? I opened this book and began reading the first page…by the next day, I had finished reading this book.

Bronwen isn’t really Bronwen Oliver. Instead, she’s really Phoebe Lilywhite, daughter of Percival and Kitty Lilywhite…or at least Bronwen likes to think she is. Bronwen likes to live in her fantasy where she is switched at birth. She just wants to be with her “real” parents. After all, her brown hair is so much different from her mother’s. So when she meets Jared, she’s happy to learn that with Jared comes a great, loving family, just like the one she wanted. She can’t get enough of the Sondervans and their conversations and their acceptance of Bronwen. Soon, Bronwen finds herself somewhere she never imagined being in the near future: engaged!

Erin McCahan’s I Now Pronounce You Someone Else was a great read. I loved the dialogue and the short scenes that would have seemed choppy if they hadn’t been so well written. There wasn’t a place in this book where I was confused. I loved reading about how Bronwen really was Phoebe Lilywhite because of all of her humorous examples! The characters were great and I loved them all, especially Bronwen. I LOVED how she was such a strong girl but she had her moments, when she was sad and scared and needing help. I liked reading about the relationship with her mother and her step father and everyone else and the death of her father. For some reason, I found Bronwen’s murky relationship with her step-father…interesting and sweet. At first I couldn’t figure out why she acted that way to him, but once everything came out, I felt SO bad for Bronwen. I hated her mother when the truth was revealed and I loved how her step father handled the situation.

My one big iffy moment with this book was the fast moving relationship between Bronwen and Jared. I mean, a senior collage guy was ready to commit to a senior in high school? It just moved too fast for my taste. But that’s about it.

I loved the ending because it left the door open for many possibilities, though I was glad about the decision Bronwen made. It just showed me that she really was a strong willed girl who knew what she wanted, though it took her a while to get there. I Now Pronounce You Someone Else was a great read and I’m in love with it! Erin McCahan’s debut is a must read. It’s fresh, quirky, charming and has a great heroine! (less)

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Oct 31, 2010 Reading Teen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Bronwen Oliver is a 17-year old girl with an identity crisis. She lives with her mother, step-father and sometimes her college aged brother in East Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her problem is that she doesn't feel that she fits in or belongs to anyone. Why had her beloved father died at such a young age? Why couldn't her mother accept her for who she was? What happened to the plan her step-father had to adopt her? All of these questions lead her to conclude that she must have been switched at birth.

A...more Bronwen Oliver is a 17-year old girl with an identity crisis. She lives with her mother, step-father and sometimes her college aged brother in East Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her problem is that she doesn't feel that she fits in or belongs to anyone. Why had her beloved father died at such a young age? Why couldn't her mother accept her for who she was? What happened to the plan her step-father had to adopt her? All of these questions lead her to conclude that she must have been switched at birth.

A resolution to this quandry just might be found in Jared Sondervan. Bronwen bumps into the good-looking, college guy during the summer before his senior year of college. Their attraction is immediate and it is soon apparent that Jared is the perfect boyfriend. It doesn't hurt that he also comes from a perfect family. In fact, just the kind of family that Bronwen had always dreamed of. So, when Jared proposed on Bronwen's 18th birthday, she knew that all her dreams were coming true. The only problem is that the closer her wedding day gets, the less sure Bronwen becomes. Is she really ready for marriage or is she simply trading one identity crisis for another?

I really liked this book. Bronwen, at 17, is a young woman who is a contrast in her own life. On one hand she is very confident of the kind of girl she wants to be and things she wants to do. She is willing to stand up for what she believes in regardless of who she has to stand up to. On the other hand, she is very insecure in her identity within herself and her family. These are things that I think every girl goes through. I appreciated the fact that this isn't just a teen romance. While there is a lot of teen romance within the story, the main theme is that it is important to find out who you are as a person and be happy with that. Bronwen learns that a guy, no matter how perfect he and his family are, isn't necessarily the answer to a happy life. I also like that the story doesn't end with a happy-ever-after wrapped up in a big bow ending. Bronwen's life is still a work in progress but she is happy with the choices she has made. And really, isn't that what we're all hoping for?

-Janeth (http://ReadingTeen.net)(less)

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Oct 10, 2010 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU SOMEONE ELSE, by Eric McCahan, quickly became one of my favorite contemporary fiction books of this year. I immediately fell in love with Bronwen. She was intelligent and a bit of a dreamer (not unlike myself). I could see where she mistook herself for being switch at birth and I laughed at the many situations that she concocted to explain who her family could really be.

The relationship between Bronwen and Jared was straight out of a historical fiction. Jared was an absolute...more

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Oct 03, 2010 Rhiannon Ryder rated it 3 of 5 stars

So it's not really scary - well... I think it's scary, but the average Joe probably doesn't think of young marriage as a horror inducing event, but seriously. I think it should be Stephen Kings next Horror novel story arc.

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else arrived on my door step Thursday afternoon (in the middle of making more jam) and so although it's not scary in the typical sense, it was a blog tour I had agreed to take part in some time ago and this would be why on day three of my Giving me t...more So it's not really scary - well... I think it's scary, but the average Joe probably doesn't think of young marriage as a horror inducing event, but seriously. I think it should be Stephen Kings next Horror novel story arc.

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else arrived on my door step Thursday afternoon (in the middle of making more jam) and so although it's not scary in the typical sense, it was a blog tour I had agreed to take part in some time ago and this would be why on day three of my Giving me the Creeps October I'm reviewing a story about an 17 year old girl who wants out of her family so badly she's willing to get married before university to get it (but has no zombies, vampires or monsters!).

Bronwen Oliver is 17 years old and positive she's been switched at birth. She's not blond, her teeth are too big, and she has nothing in common with either her Brother or Mother. Her father passed away when she was six and her step dad has some serious black marks against him. She would do anything to have a "real" family, so when she meets Jared (handsome blond university boy) and then his fabulous family, she immediately falls head over heels in love. Obviously when he proposes on her 18th birthday, she couldn't be happier. But as they fall into planning their August wedding, Bronwen starts to realize the university life she was looking forward to isn't going to be the same as she pictured now she'd be an "us" and not just herself, at the tender age of 18.

I come from a relatively small city, Saskatoon has an estimated population of 257,300 people. Now that's considerably bigger than Bronwen's home town of East Grand Rapids Michigan which is estimated at 10,764, but yet considerably smaller than Toronto's 2,503,281 (and that's just the city proper and not the burbs!). And I have to say, I noticed a huge difference from Saskatoon to Toronto about marriage.

In Saskatoon nearly all my friends were married by 24, several of them were either engaged or married between the last year of high school and the second year of university (so the ages of 17-20). The hubby and I broke down and made it official about a year and a half ago (I was 30) and we were one of the first few of our friends out here (in Toronto) to be married. Now we were in our early twenties when we met and started dating, but it's just crazy talk getting married in your twenties out here and I can't say I felt the slightest inclination to do so. But then again I used to have slight panic attacks at friends weddings (in my early twenties, no longer!) and wish I could turn around and break up with whomever my date was at the time and run out of the church screaming.
So maybe its just me.

Anywho, what I'm saying is, the smaller the city or town, the less unusual young marriages seem to be. I can't quite imagine what the reason for that is, but it does seem to be a fact. Making Bronwen's wedding controversial but not unheard of (so keep that in mind while reading).

I thought I Now Pronounce You Someone Else illustrated the whole subject well. Jared is the dream boy, thoughtful and loving and not at all what you expect when you're 17. His family is so lovable I would likely have fallen in love with them, and Bronwen's family is decidedly riddled with problems she's unwilling to deal with and not very affectionate.
Obviously most 17 year old girls would be swept off their feet as well.
What I enjoyed about the story is Erin McCahan has her character come to the slow realisation of what she's giving up and to also have enough fortitude to deal with it. Few 18 year old girls would weigh what they're giving up against marrying an awesome/cute/older guy who's dreamy and perfect, and find it wanting. But Bronwen does, and in such a gradual and simplified way I felt it illustrated the point so much more effectively than the "think what you're giving up" speech that comes from the adults in these circumstances (even though they boil down to the exact same things). I felt like it really showed the worth in being yourself and discovering your own path before inter-twining yours with someone else's.

And although it might sound like something teenage girls would obviously know in this modern, technological day and age, I think things like the great success of Twilight show us they might know it, but they love a good love story better. After all the only thing better than a great love story is living one yourself, right? So it's nice to see the sweeping love story, with the practical ending (we're not all going to go on to date unbelievably dedicated/never changing/ super romantic/ cute/ teenage vampires after all), and yay to Erin McCahan for putting it out there, but keeping it a fun read.
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Sep 15, 2010 Kilee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Bronwen Oliver is your normal seventeen year old. She has a family, an older brother and attends high school. Expect Bronwen thinks that she was switched at birth. Thinking in her own fantasy world of the "perfect" and "normal" family has lead her to create her own "perfect" and "normal" family. Her "real" name is Phoebe Lilywhite, daughter to Percival and Kitty Lilywhite, a family where she gets her brown hair and smile.

So when Bronwen becomes engaged, she thinks that she will finally be part...more

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Sep 11, 2010 YA Reads Book Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: morgan

At its heart, I Now Pronounce You Someone Else is about 18-year-old Bronwen’s quest for identity – who she is, where she comes from, what she wants. And, perhaps most importantly, what she doesn’t want – yet.

Bronwen has a long-held theory that she was actually switched at birth. It’s the only way she can explain the differences between her and her family, especially her distant, blond mother (a fact that screams through the pages every time Bronwen calls her “Mother” instead of “Mom”). Her stepd...more At its heart, I Now Pronounce You Someone Else is about 18-year-old Bronwen’s quest for identity – who she is, where she comes from, what she wants. And, perhaps most importantly, what she doesn’t want – yet.

Bronwen has a long-held theory that she was actually switched at birth. It’s the only way she can explain the differences between her and her family, especially her distant, blond mother (a fact that screams through the pages every time Bronwen calls her “Mother” instead of “Mom”). Her stepdad is okay, though, despite his failure to officially adopt her after the death of her father. And her brother, nicknamed Jesus, is away at college and really isn’t too bad, as long as Bronwen remembers to bow down to him the way her mother does.

When Jared Sondervan comes into Bronwen’s life, though, she thinks she’s finally found the person—and the family—that gets her. Jared may be four years older, but they fall in love, and Bronwen quickly finds herself embraced by his loving family and his picture-perfect collegiate friends. Finally, she’s a part of a family that talks openly, laughs loudly, and loves each other unconditionally—unlike her own, in which the evening news is the only safe topic of conversation and an annual trip to color Bronwen’s naturally-brown hair blond (to match her mother’s) is the only bonding activity. It’s not long before Bronwen finds herself completely immersed in the Sondervan family, feeling fully accepted in spite of her quirks. And soon enough, she and Jared are engaged, and Bronwen couldn’t be happier. Or so she thinks.

The writing style of debut author Erin McCahan is swift and tight; the book is almost entirely comprised of small scenes – some spanning less than a page, some spread out over three or four – and are ordered in such a way that makes for easy, pleasing reading. The setting travels swiftly from Bronwen’s home to high school, to Jared’s home and college environment, and even to Bronwen’s favorite vacation spots. There’s snappy dialogue and witty banter, and a nice pace that kept me reading and eager to learn the outcome.

This book did raise some issues that I think are important to analyze in YA literature, particularly when it comes to romance and relationships. Now, I love me a good romance, and YA is ripe with some excellent examples; with Bronwen and Jared, though, the reader doesn’t really get a chance to see how or why they fell in love. Their relationship felt so rushed (which, admittedly, may have been the point), and I had a hard time believing a college senior would be so ready and willing to enter into a committed relationship with a high school student who’s barely left her small town in Michigan. I also took issue with the “romantic” gestures that Jared leaves for Bronwen, most of which I found not just unrealistic, but also a bit too old-fashioned and (dare I say it?) bordering on creepy and somewhat patronizing for my tastes. In short, I suppose I just never trusted Jared as a character, which meant I had a hard time liking Bronwen for falling so deeply in love with him.

However, Bronwen has a definitive and satisfying character arc throughout I Now Pronounce You Someone Else which was executed wonderfully. Her issues with her identity, her stepfather, her still-lingering grief over her father’s death, and her strained relationship with her mother are all believable, relatable, and fully developed by the various supporting characters and plotlines, while crumbs of foreshadowing are littered throughout to help the reader understand (and accept) the book’s climax.

Part of being a teenager is about finding your identity, and I appreciated Bronwen’s path as she uncovered the secret sadnesses within herself and took the necessary steps towards resolving them. Her decisions and motivations made sense, and while I am still not entirely happy with the outcome, overall, I Now Pronounce You Someone Else was a breezy and lighthearted yet ultimately thought-provoking read.(less)

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Sep 10, 2010 Mimi rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Amy, Esther, Holly, and more

Shelves: book-club, favorites, young-adult

I adored this book. It is a book that after reading it, I wanted to flip back to the beginning and read the whole book again. It was not what I expected. The most depth in the book is in the issues the main character has with her family. And I really liked that. So often teen books are all about teens trying to fit in with their peers, but she was comfortable with her place in her peers and realized it was her family life that was lacking. Throughout the whole book she struggled with it.

The love...more I adored this book. It is a book that after reading it, I wanted to flip back to the beginning and read the whole book again. It was not what I expected. The most depth in the book is in the issues the main character has with her family. And I really liked that. So often teen books are all about teens trying to fit in with their peers, but she was comfortable with her place in her peers and realized it was her family life that was lacking. Throughout the whole book she struggled with it.

The love story was also beautiful. It did not have as much depth. As someone who did fall in love with someone older than myself in a relatively quick period of time, I did not find it unbelievable that she did the same. She did seem very mature for a high school senior.

I have to say though that while I loved the lead hero, Jared, he was just so perfect. I kept waiting for some flaw, for some horrible revelation, or some trick, but it never came. He really was just wonderful. Now, I'm married to a wonderful guy, and I have a lot of friends that just have amazing, romantic, sweet husbands, so I don't know why I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, but I was. I am relieved that he just kept being amazing though. It just seems so rare to find nice people who are smart, motivated, and trying to do the right thing—at least in novels. Novels and movies these days seem to be more interested in flawed characters, characters with dark pasts or depressing emotions. Jared was neither of those. He was the kind of All-American boy that most mothers hope their daughters will meet.

I found this book to be surprisingly realistic and brought up issues for me that I don't think about on a normal basis. I actually wonder if it is autobiographical. The emotions felt so real—they just couldn't be made up!! I even found myself crying sometimes, and it really is a happy book of a girl figuring out who she is. Is she Pheobe Lilywhite? Bronwen Oliver? Bronwen vanHorn? Bronwen Sondervan? She's not really sure for the majority of the book, but she finds herself. :)

There is some swearing, but not a lot, maybe like ten in the whole book of a few hundred pages, and there are none of the stronger swear words. Well, none of what I consider the "strong swear words." There is no sex. Wonderfully, the main character has decided that being able to say she only had sex after marriage would be something she could be proud of, and she sticks to it. Boyfriends don't always agree, and you do read about what is tried before she says no, but it is not graphic.

The line that made my teenage heart swoon: "Dream of me."

The line that made my adult self so sad: "I would have waited for you."

And it made me really happy when I realized the two people Percival Lilywhite stood for.

If you are looking for a satisfying read of a girl figuring out who she is and a love story on the side (and you've liked previous books that I've reviewed positively), you'll enjoy this book.

Main topics: death of parent, grief of remaining parent, unequal sibling treatment, acceptance of stepparent, adoption, first love, young marriage.(less)

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Sep 04, 2010 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Muted, understated, quiet — all adjectives I would use to describe I Now Pronounce You Someone Else. The story of one young girl’s struggle to find where she fits in. What was interesting and unique about this was it wasn’t the typical fitting in amongst the different cliques at school, it was where she fit in with family.

Filled with plot elements that were profoundly emotional and deeply influential, this is an excellent book to fit into a teen reader’s life. Touching on such serious and intere...more Muted, understated, quiet — all adjectives I would use to describe I Now Pronounce You Someone Else. The story of one young girl’s struggle to find where she fits in. What was interesting and unique about this was it wasn’t the typical fitting in amongst the different cliques at school, it was where she fit in with family.

Filled with plot elements that were profoundly emotional and deeply influential, this is an excellent book to fit into a teen reader’s life. Touching on such serious and interesting subjects as maintaining virginity until marriage and the loss of a beloved parent, the infusion of each into the other was mostly well done though not without some shortcomings.

Focusing first on what worked well, I found the use of the virginity issue as a catalyst for larger issues to be the most effective. Bronwen valued her virginity and held true to her morals. She didn’t allow it to become what defined her, it was merely just a single aspect of her life. Not to mislead you, this element of the plot was not a huge focus of the overall story, but it was infused within that larger whole very well.

The main focus of the story was on Bronwen’s desire to be part of a perfect family. What makes this desire so heartbreaking is the fact that she had what she wanted most before her father’s unexpected death. A strong bond between she and her dad, a loving and vibrant mother and fun and energetic brother. Then her father died and personalities changed while distance grew between she, her mother and brother.

The strength of this story is in the characterization of Bronwen. In a circumstance where she could be a whiny shell of her former self, isolating herself from friends and family, she instead flourishes in school and in social situations. She even attempts to encourage and maintain a close family bond which later includes her step-father. Unfortunately, with family she becomes more introverted over time. Her mother becomes overbearing and controlling, her brother is more and more absentee and her step-father remains distant with her. then she finally meets Jared, and falls in love with him and his perfect family. The family she’s always wanted.

As a character Bronwenis quite complex — an intelligent girl with deep feelings. Those feelings are explored primarily through her relationship with Jared, her betrothed. As wonderfully supportive as he is for her. They were quick to love and even quicker to be engaged so that was a bit disconcerting. From Bronwen’s perspective it kind of made sense because she so desperately wanted the connection of family. From his, I couldn’t quite get what the motivation was. Why he was so into her so quickly and then fell in love and proposed with equal speed.

Bronwen also tended to be quite passive aggressive, particularly in her interactions with her step-father. While that behavior felt typical and understandable given her past, there was a real reason behind it which unfortunately we didn’t learn about until much closer to the end of the story. What also made sense was the passive aggression Bronwen displayed when interacting with her domineering and controlling mother.

Speaking of which, the character of Bronwen’s mother was a blt too cliche for my liking. She was controlling in all the typical ways — over Bronwyn’s appearance, her social life, and who she dated. Given the loss of her husband and the changes in her family it certainly seems realistic to act out in this way. To grab hold of everything and control it so that it doesn’t change. But it was tiresome and the woman was selfish and self-absorbed in all the wrong ways.

I can’t quite pinpoint my exact feelings about this book overall. It runs circles in my head a little. One day I really like it and the next I’m kind of apathetic. I do think it was well written and I liked the overall plot and the takeaways we were to leave with. It’s just that some of the execution made me waffle. So, in the end I do think it’s worth a read — particularly for teens who may struggle with family — maybe you all can help me pinpoint why it just couldn’t quite get to the point of great for me.
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Jul 12, 2010 Merand rated it 4 of 5 stars

I like this book. I will admit it wasn't exactly what I expected but I still like it. It was an enjoyable break from the catty, sex-crazed teen novels, or the teen vampire novels, or the dark, depressing, anguish-filled teen abuse novels that are in abundance. It isn't that these other books don't have a place but I frequently crave a book about a normal girl, with normal friends who isn't sleeping around, drinking, swearing, dressing like a vamp (or eating like one), and has normal dreams and a...more I like this book. I will admit it wasn't exactly what I expected but I still like it. It was an enjoyable break from the catty, sex-crazed teen novels, or the teen vampire novels, or the dark, depressing, anguish-filled teen abuse novels that are in abundance. It isn't that these other books don't have a place but I frequently crave a book about a normal girl, with normal friends who isn't sleeping around, drinking, swearing, dressing like a vamp (or eating like one), and has normal dreams and aspirations. And although I would say our heroine Bronwen fits these criteria, she is also not normal. After all, who is?

Bronwen is a high school senior, loving her boyfriend and eager to marry him. After all, he's perfect, they're perfect together. She's not crazy about her family, loves his. Marriage right after high school will solve all her problems or will it? Although I'll admit that Bronwen loves Jared and they're love is more than just lust or a moment, some of Bronwen's desires to belong to a family that appreciates her and loves her unconditionally drive her to Jared and his offer of marriage. It's something that I've seen a number of times in my own friends lives - a hope and desire that they will be better and have better lives by marrying someone. And while I think this can be true (my husband has helped me to be a much better person than I would be on my own - it can't be denied), still to put all your hopes for something better into someone else can only end in disappointment.

Bronwen's struggles to understand who she is and what she wants out of life are well-written and understandable and I think the book could help any teenager to realize that young marriage isn't categorically wrong but who you are in high school, college, as a teen, in your twenties changes rapidly so that often who you were one year and the things you wanted are much different later.

The themes of acceptance and unconditional love run throughout this book and I found Bronwen's relationship to her stepfather and even her mother to be profound and heartbreaking. In this seemingly light YA novel, so much more was at play, without being heavy or depressing. I ended the book with the urge to hold my husband and thank him for who he was, who we were when we were married, and for how far we've come along. I Now Pronounce You Someone Else was a lovely read, enjoyable and thought-provoking. I can only hope that teens who read it will find solace and enjoyment in reading a book about a girl who can have a high moral ground without being a loser, can make mistakes but find reparations, and knows how to find herself and the things she wants without losing sight of her dreams and hopes.(less)

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Sep 11, 2010 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was tickled to death to discover this book is set in and around my hometown (Holland). It's been years since I've considered Holland home (four years of college in Ypsilanti, and then for the past two years I've been in New York City), but it was so fun to re-visit the area through Bronwen's eyes.

In many ways, this book is the antidote to many of the unrealistic romances that have been flooding the YA market over the last few years. Bronwen is absolutely head over heels in love with Jared, who...more

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Feb 16, 2011 Crystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, nook, own

This is one of those books that I can really gush over for forever. It was sweet and endearing and just plain sweet. The story is about Bronwen and her life after her father past way some time ago. Her mom is pretty much nonexsistent. She only wants Bronwen to be polite and respectful of others no matter the cost to Bronwen. Whitt, Bronwen's stepdad, is there for as much as he can be even though she is holding onto a very big grudge. While dealing with her life she bumps into Jared, a friend of...more

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Oct 01, 2012 ClaireP rated it 4 of 5 stars

This month I read the book, I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU SOMEONE ELSE by Erin McCahan. This book is about a girl called Brownwen, who is sure she has a long lost family, from how different the family she lives with is from her. Her mother is nice, but a little too vain for Brownwen's taste, and her stepfather is friendly but they don't talk much. Then Brownen meets Jared, an amazing guy with the kind of family she has always dreamed of. Jared proposes to Brownwen, and Brownen accepts and thinks that she...more

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Aug 24, 2010 Trisha W. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-books

You know how when you read a book and it is just an amazing read and no other book compares to that one for a few days? Yeah, that is what I Now Pronounce You Someone Else has done to me. I absolutely LOVED this book! I stayed up very late reading after my kids went to bed and I was sad to see it end.

It is sad to say I am a helpless romantic. I love reading romance novels and seeing a happy ending, it always puts me in a great mood. And this was definitely a teenage romance novel. What I liked a...more

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