Three girls who have been friends for years decide that their lives need to change. Emmy, a restaurant manager who wants to settle down and have kids,...moreThree girls who have been friends for years decide that their lives need to change. Emmy, a restaurant manager who wants to settle down and have kids, is dumped by her boyfriend of five years and decides to give up her monogamous ways and take a job that will send her all over the world. Leigh, who has a seemingly perfect life, suffers panic attacks for no reason, doesn't sleep and can't give up her smoking/nicorette addiction. When she starts editing a new author for work, she realizes she can no longer handle her "perfect" life. Adriana, a trust fund Brazilian beauty, realizes that her looks won't last her forever and she needs to do something lasting with her life. The book follows each of these girls as they make changes and as their friendship with each other grows stronger. I really liked this book! I haven't read much in the chick lit genre, and since I'm not a "click flick" fan, I wasn't sure I would like it. I enjoyed the focus on the friendship and the unpredictability of the story. While some things could have been predicted, the author added some interesting twists. The characters were extremely well-developed, and while their outward lives aren't very relateable, their personal struggles are(less)
Emily Giffin once again proves herself a master of writing the gritty reality of relationships. She just somehow captures the essence of the daily str...moreEmily Giffin once again proves herself a master of writing the gritty reality of relationships. She just somehow captures the essence of the daily struggles and joys that make up the average marriage. I love her writing and found myself extremely emotionally wound up in this story, feeling for the characters and connecting with almost all of them in some way! Claudia and Ben have a wonderful marriage. They have a unique groove, wonderful memories, and many things that connect them. One of those things is their mutual desire to live a child-free life. They have many reasons for this decision, all of them sound. One day, though, Ben decides that he no longer agree with their decision and he desperately wants a child. In a matter of weeks, their marriage falls apart, as Claudia feels betrayed by his change of heart, but is not willing to compromise. Ben is also unwilling to come to middle ground and both of them refuse to see the situation from the other's perspective. Their relationship falls apart dramatically and they are both left to pick up the pieces that are left of their lives and try to move on, all the while dealing with the emotions that were brought up in the process. (less)
**spoiler alert** While I enjoyed this book and was able to connect to the characters and the story, it was a pretty "run-of-the-mill" young adult rom...more**spoiler alert** While I enjoyed this book and was able to connect to the characters and the story, it was a pretty "run-of-the-mill" young adult romance book. The plot was pretty predictable, but a fun twist was that it was told from both the perspective of the main male and female characters. Plot: Sara is entering her senior year and is determined to find "real" love. She really wants to connect with someone. She has been crushing on Dave for a long time and he finally shows interest and they start dating. Unfortunately, she realizes that he is not all she thought he was. Enter Tobey. Tobey is not the type of guy Sara ever saw herself with, but they truly connect. Sara has to decide if she wants "image" or "connection". The storyline was a bit contrived (Sara has a list of qualities she desperately wants in a guy), and of course, the book ends with they couple having sex as the final culmination of their relationship. I know that is a YA book, so that is relevant, but I'm just kind of tired of YA books that work up to sex as the climax of the book). (less)
The humour from the first book carried into this one which made it worth the read. The characters are lively and captivating, even though the storylin...moreThe humour from the first book carried into this one which made it worth the read. The characters are lively and captivating, even though the storyline is cheesy and cliche. In this book, Laurie continues with her matchmaking antics even as her own relationship gets more serious.(less)
Lexi Smart is a 24 year-old flooring sales woman whose life is stuck in a rut. When she's 27, she gets in a car accident and forgets the past three ye...moreLexi Smart is a 24 year-old flooring sales woman whose life is stuck in a rut. When she's 27, she gets in a car accident and forgets the past three years. She wakes up with a different life, a new job, a huge bank account, and even a new look. The book pieces together what happened over the past three years as Lexi tries to find herself. She realizes that she may be successful, but at what cost? Because of this realization, she tries to make amends and reverse the negative consequences of her actions over the past three years. The main character made this book worth reading! The story was cute, but Lexi carried the story. She was relatable and the story was grounded in reality. The supporting characters were also well-developed and Kinsella did a great job of providing enough detail without overwhelming the reader. Throughout the book, I felt the emotions with the character and couldn't help but get absorbed in the story. A great read!(less)
While this was another captivating story by Giffin, I did not get as absorbed in the characters or as emotionally involved as I have with her other bo...moreWhile this was another captivating story by Giffin, I did not get as absorbed in the characters or as emotionally involved as I have with her other books. I did love that part of the story was set in Atlanta (I have a keen interest in the south, even though I've never been there!). This book once again delves into the gritty reality of marriage, the sacrifices, emotions and adjustments it requires. Giffin captures the essence of relationships like no other author I have read before. Andy and Ellen are newly married, living in bliss and love. Ellen adores Andy and is amazed at how she scored such a loving and thoughtful husband. But the newlywed bubble bursts quickly. Ellen runs into her ex-boyfriend whom she hasn't had any contact with for 8 years. Their relationship was intense and passionate and ended without closure. When he forces his way back into Ellen's life, she has to reevaluate everything she thought she knew. She makes some hard decisions and in the process, learns what she really wants. Throughout the book, Ellen also deals with the loss of her mother. While her mother died when she was 13, it is something that pervades her life constantly and plays a role in her decisions.(less)
As much as I fell in love with the characters in this series, this last book was a semi-letdown. I know that the author was probably trying to wrap th...moreAs much as I fell in love with the characters in this series, this last book was a semi-letdown. I know that the author was probably trying to wrap things up but instead of the book having a fine balance between humour and cheesiness, it was mostly cheesy. (less)
This was an incredibly emotional book that really does get to "the heart of the matter" (as cheesy as that sounds!). One thing I was not aware of goin...moreThis was an incredibly emotional book that really does get to "the heart of the matter" (as cheesy as that sounds!). One thing I was not aware of going into this book was that it was about an affair. I was surprised at how it affected me emotionally, but it was well-written and the characters were relatable. It was one of those books where the two women involved were not vilified. It was hard to find someone to hate (other than the cheating husband)and you felt sympathy for everyone involved. It was an intimate look at relationship break-downs, trying to be perfect or fit in, and the innocent steps toward something disastrous. (less)
Kinsella's books always make me laugh, and this book was no exception. The story follows two sisters, Lottie and Fliss. Lottie makes an "unfortunate c...moreKinsella's books always make me laugh, and this book was no exception. The story follows two sisters, Lottie and Fliss. Lottie makes an "unfortunate choice" and Fliss feels like she needs to stop Lottie form further ruining her life. The book is a comedy of errors and written in true Kinsella exaggerated, comedic style. Lottie has had many serious relationships over the years, but they have all gone nowhere. She believes her current beau, Richard, is going to propose. But when he doesn't, she is humiliated and desperate. She has a history of acting out and making poor decisions when relationships end, and this case is no exception. A boyfriend from her teenage years contacts her and they decide to get married. They haven't spoken in 15 years but claim that they have loved each other all along. Based on nothing but their chemistry, they get engaged and get married within a matter of days. They decide to abstain from sex until their wedding night. Fliss, coming off of a horrible divorce, doesn't want to see Lottie walk down that same path. She knows that an annulment is possible if the marriage is not consummated, so she does everything in her power to sabotage their honeymoon and prevent them from having sex. She is joined in this goal by Lorcan (Ben's friend) and Richard. The book was definitely entertaining, but it was a bit long and drawn out. The characters were funny but pretty much identical to all the other characters Kinsella has written in the past. A good beach read.(less)
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