When I first read the synopsis for this book, I thought I was signing on for a second chance romance, but really, this was more women's lit to me, because the focus was so solidly on Anne coming to terms with her past decisions and trying to gain control of her life.
"I suddenly felt faint. My former fiancé was my new boss."
Anne, a 30-something college professor, was at a critical time in her fledgling career. Her contract was coming to an end, and she needed to get a book deal or lose her position. At the same time, she was dealing with an aging parent, never ending bills, and the return of her one-time epic love, Adam. Coming face to face with her past, has her reflecting on her current life circumstances and questioning her previous decisions.
I really liked Anne. She was very down to earth and relatable. She also had a fantastic sense of humor. I really enjoyed her narration, commentary, and self-reflection. I absolutely adored Larry and thought him and Anne formed a perfect friendship. He definitely filled the role of quirky sidekick, and he did it well. Anne was funny, but Larry was hilarious. He side plot, was amusing, and a besotted Larry was a ton of fun too. There were also all those tangled webs of relationships that are ever-present in novels, such as Austen's. It was quite a web Sonneborn wove, and it did its job, leading me down certain paths of thought and making me laugh.
I liked the way Sonneborn wove the flashbacks into the story. The placement was thoughtful, and fit nicely with the present-time events giving us a little insight into why Anne was making the decisions she was making. Some of these flashbacks really broke my heart. When I read about past Anne&Adam, I was totally shipping them, and I was eager to find out what led to the demise of their relationship. With each part of the past that is revealed, I understood Anne more and more.
I loved the ending. I was wearing a big, stupid grin and had tears in my eyes, but I do wish it wasn't as rushed. It wasn't that it was not satisfying, I just wanted more, which is never a bad thing.
Overall: A fun retelling, which I am filing under "makes-me-happy", because it did.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
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