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Book Review: The One & Only by Emily Giffin

Reviewer: Samantha I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Summary: Emily Giffin, the beloved author of such New York Times bestselling…

New Book Releases: May 2014

I love the month of May. Spring is in full bloom and summer is on the horizon. This is a good thing – because I’m going to need lots of beach time to read all the books that are coming out. May’s new releases are full of chick lit bounty, written by some of the genre’s best writers. I can’t wait to read all of these books!
Catching Air by Sarah Pekkanen – May 6th, 2014. Kira is a stressed out and over-worked lawyer, who jumps at the chance to leave Florida and buy a bed and breakfast in Vermont with her husband, Peter. Peter’s brother, Rand, and his wife, Alyssa, join them in their venture. Finding herself in a remote town in Vermont, in the middle of a snowy winter, living with a couple she barely knows, makes Kira question whether or not she’s made the right decision. Kira’s doubts multiply with the arrival of a strange young woman and the discovery that the idyllic little town where she lives has secrets of its own.
Cure for the Common Break-Up by Beth Kendrick – May 6th, 2014. Summer Benson is a flight attendant who loves adventure. She’s also been a free spirit when it comes to love. All that changes when tragedy strikes and Summer runs to the town of Black Dog Bay. It’s there that Summer experiences something she’s never felt before – the feeling of being home. Unfortunately, the hidden agendas of some residents threaten to destroy her newfound peace. Should she stay or should she go?
The One & Only by Emily Giffin – May 20th, 2014. Emily Giffin is one of my all-time favorite authors. I usually complete her books in one sitting. Her latest tale takes place in Walker, Texas, where Shea Rigsby has lived all her live. She grew up loving football and is best of friends with the daughter of Walker University’s football coach. Shea is so devoted to the university and football that she chooses to stay in her hometown following graduation, to work in the university athletic department. In the aftermath of a local tragedy, Shea questions her life choices and whether or not she can find the one and only thing that truly makes life worth living.
Goodnight June by Sarah Jio – May 27th, 2014. Sarah Jio cleverly tells stories by interweaving the past with the present. I’m intrigued by her latest novel, which imagines the inspiration behind the classic children’s book, Goodnight Moon. The story centers on June Anderson, a high powered banker, who is settling her late Great Aunt Ruby’s estate. Aunt Ruby once owned a children’s bookstore. June discovers letters that her Aunt received from Margaret Wise Brown (author of Goodnight Moon). These letters lead June on a journey to discover how the “great green room” came to be. Love the premise of this novel.
The Secret Life of Violet Grant by Beatriz Williams – May 27th, 2014. Williams wrote one of my favorite books of 2013 (A Hundred Summers), so I’m eagerly anticipating her latest. The book is written in a style similar to that of Sarah Joi, by mingling the stories of two women living decades apart. Set in the Mad Men era of 1960s Manhattan, Vivian Schuyler is a privilege young woman who’s chosen the radical path of working at a woman’s magazine. Her family is aghast – can you imagine? After she receives a surprise parcel from overseas, Vivian discovers that she had an aunt – Violet Grant. Violet’s story unfolds in pre-World War I Germany. Vivian is determined to discover why her family disowned Violet and erased her past.

In My Mailbox: Week of May 12

Title: Coulda Woulda Shoulda Author: Tara Lee Reed Received: CLP Blog Tours Synopsis: “The End” is the New Beginning. Elle Masters is over dating. It…

Where We Belong by Emily Giffin

Ah, the latest Emily Giffin novel. Who hasn’t been waiting anxiously for Where We Belong to land in our hands? Fans of the much-loved author will not be disappointed with her latest offering – a tale of family, loyalty, and love and must-read for the summer season.
Marian Caldwell is living her dream life in New York City. As thirty-six she is a successful TV producer, dating an even more successful man, and has everything that she has worked so hard for. Her life is fairy tale – to outsiders. Marian has been keeping a secret from everyone for half of her life – and that secret is about to catch up with her. Kirby Rose, an eighteen year old girl searching for her birth mother, brings that secret to light when she knocks on Marian’s door. Marian’s past is now coming back to her – the lies, the shame, the guilt of giving up her daughter for adoption and then never trying to find her or contact her throughout the years. Kirby is just trying to find a way to fit in. She doesn’t connect with her mom and dad the way her sister does – their biological daughter. She hopes finding Marian and her birth father will help that unsettling feeling. But now another secret is about to be spilled – regarding Kirby’s birth father and Marian’s ex-boyfriend from high school. Can Marian and Kirby both find the answers and closure they so desperately seek?
Where We Belong is a page –turner. The novel goes back and forth from Marian to Kirby’s POV, and Giffin does so with ease, letting readers side with both leads. I thought this was interesting, because honestly – Marian doesn’t seem to be that great of a person. She has told a lot of lies, and seemingly done so to not upset her master plan of being successful. It actually wasn’t until the end of the book where I thought to myself: huh. She can be kinda unlikeable. This book hit home in a few places to me – dealing with adoptions and not knowing birth parents, trying to find where you really do belong. I got emotional in a few spots, and I will say that I really enjoyed the ending. I thought it was going to be the opposite (no spoilers here!) but was very pleased with the way Marian’s romantic future outcome was ended on. Another must-read from Emily Giffin.
[Rating: 5]

Interview with Emily Giffin

INTERVIEW WITH EMILY GIFFIN – TRANSCRIPT

Question: I heard in an interview last year that you said that you had a speaking part for Something Borrowed written into your contract. I was wondering if you made it into the movie at all?

Emily Giffin: I did. I don’t think it was a speaking part if I said that. I was incorrect about that, but it’s a cameo. There’s a little scene where I can be found on a park bench reading my book. It was a lot of fun to be on set.

Question: Was there a scene from the book that you knew absolutely had to be in the movie?

Emily Giffin: I felt very strongly that there should be flashbacks that we were able to see since the movie starts the night of her birthday party, and in books you can write flashbacks so easily.

I wanted to see into the night where things change and how Dex ended up going for Darcy instead of Rachel, and I wanted to see a feeling of how all of them got to this point in their lives.

They’re actually my favorite parts of the movie, those moments. Because I think we all have moments in our lives that we would look back to as a fork in the road or a turning point where we say that we took, you know, we broke up with that guy that night or we said this or we took this job or went to this school.

And so I really like that they capture the strong emotions of these moments.

Question: Are you Team Rachel or Team Darcy? Who are you pulling for?

Emily Giffin: I’m pulling for Rachel in this movie. And with this book, I’m pulling for Rachel because it’s her story. It’s really about her art and her learning to stand up for herself and go after what she wants. And so I really pull for her in that respect.

I think that there are a lot of stories where there’s definitely one person who you’re pulling for and there’s another person who you’re not supposed to like.

But I don’t feel that way about mine. I didn’t felt that way as I wrote the book, and I don’t feel that way as I watched the movie. It’s much more complicated than that. And even though I’m more on Rachel’s side, you know I don’t hate Darcy.

Question: I was really excited to talk to you because back in the day this book was passed around among all of my friends. We all read it. And I was really, really pleased with the casting from the movie.

Are you happy with the casting?

Emily Giffin: I loved the cast – the cast is fabulous. I mean, they’re so perfect. Ginnifer Goodwin, with her face and her expression and her hair, is so much like the Rachel I imagined. And John Krasinski, though a bit taller than Ethan, has that sort of original face that I had imagined for Ethan, but yet he is still very good looking. And then Dex is gorgeous! Colin Egglesfield is so beautiful that he’s actually a little better looking than the Dex in my mind. He really is often such a nice guy and that comes through. His performance is very sincere, and that was important to me.

And then Kate Hudson knocks it out of the park. She taps into Darcy like no other actress could. Hilary Swank says this, and I’m right there with her. She is the only one we wanted for Darcy. And that’s true even though her hair is the wrong color. Darcy is a brunette instead of a blonde. And yet, you forget about the physical characteristics as soon as you see her in that very first scene.

Question: I have a question about the other novels that you’ve written. You often come back and revisit characters from previous books. Had you always planned on doing that and how you are able to incorporate them back into the story?

Emily Giffin: I think in the beginning it was because I wrote the sequel and then there was a sense that there was going to be a series. I never intended to even write a sequel let alone a series. So part of it is just that I like to make my readers happy. And I like to give them updates of what’s going on with these characters that they love. And sort of answer questions like, “What do you think? Do you think Claudia and Ben had a baby? Or, do you think that Dex and Rachel still happy?” and so forth.

And so I think that’s really why I do that. And then a nice little by-product of that is to show the interrelatedness of the people. I like combining these different worlds.

Question: I have seen on Facebook that Something Blue is kind of in the works for possibly being made into a movie, and I was wondering if that one is already going to be going into production at some point in the near future?

Emily Giffin: That’s really the plan. They’re already working on the screenplay. Everyone’s on board, and Kate mentioned it yesterday. I anticipate that that will happen.

Question: What was the most exciting part about making the book into a movie?

Emily Giffin: Just seeing these characters brought to life is as thrilling to me as it is for I think my readers, and the fact that they kept this world right.

For example, when I saw the set of Rachel’s apartment and then when I actually saw the scenes, that’s exactly what her apartment looked like. And some of the details were even in a box. She was also wearing an apron at one point that I never described, but if I were going to buy an apron for Rachel for her birthday, it would have been that one.

So, that was a lot of fun to see that world brought to life in a much more visual way than it can be in a book.

Question: As a writer, I’m really fascinated by your books. You kind of go into taboo areas, and I think you’re very brave as we all think about these things. For instance, there’s Something Borrowed. I mean everyone’s thought about getting together with their best friend’s boyfriend or whatever. But you also go on in some of your other books, admitting that maybe it’s not so happy-go-lucky to be a mom, etc.

Have you had any trepidation or any fear about having some of these things out there? Like, I’m fascinated by how you were brave enough to put out stuff that maybe women wouldn’t want to hear.

Emily Giffin: Right. You know, I think I tried to create their world with multidimensional, real characters. Even though some mothers say, “I love being pregnant. Life is so rosy, and my husband and I never fight” I just don’t think that it’s realistic, and I think it’s unrealistic to think that our friends are never going to make us mad.

And we’re not going to never make mistakes and there’s never not going to be dishonesty between people. I think the trick is that we don’t abandon our friends. We would probably abandon our friends if they slept with our fiancée or our husband, but, for being imperfect, we don’t sort of get rid of those friends.

And we forgive people and we expect to be forgiven and so I like writing about this things. And then capturing the shades of gray of relationships. And people aren’t all black and white, and good people do some hurtful things. And people who are very obnoxious like Darcy can be redeemed. They can change.

I believe people can change and so at the same time that I write about all these missteps and mistakes and these unsympathetic tasks, I believe in redemption and hope and change. And I really believe in the forgiveness of our selves and of others.

And I think at that the theme of forgiveness has emerged in many of my books.

Question: You books are very dialogued. You have a lot of dialogue between your characters. I’m an editor, and it seems like I’m always trying to make a dialogue better. I just wondered if you have any tips on how to create great conversations between your characters?

Emily Giffin: I think that as writers we all have weaknesses as well as things that we’re good at, and dialogue is just something that I don’t really necessarily work that hard at. I feel like I have an ear for it. And I like it, so they just appear as these conversations in my mind. For me, it is harder to describe a room. Describing settings is something that I struggle with.

Questoin: This is sort of a silly question, but with the royal wedding coming up, we wanted to know if there was something that you would give to Kate as her Something Borrowed, for her wedding. What would you recommend?

Emily Giffin: I don’t think I have anything that Kate, a princess, would want to borrow. That’s a tricky one. I would like to get her that jelly bean though of her likeness. Did you see that on Yahoo? Some man found a Jelly Belly with a design on it that looks like her.

Google “Jelly Belly,” and it’ll return with Kate. And it’s going for $800 on eBay. It’s crazy. So I would get her the jelly bean as a gift.

Question: At this point, do you think that after Something Borrowed and Something Blue are produced, the other books will go into production?

Emily Giffin: Hopefully, yes. Four of them have been optioned. Hilary Swank and her partner, Molly Smith, also bought Heart of the Matter. So, we’re starting to talk about that script and that movie. So, yes, that’s the plan.

Question: Going back to the idea of writing about uncomfortable topics…did you have an impetus that caused you to start to write Something Borrowed? Did something happen in your life?

Emily Giffin: The story is not autobiographical at all. And all the characters, including Hillary who isn’t in the movie, aren’t based on anyone I know. I think one of the broader themes of this book is learning to follow your heart and go after what it is that you want. And for Rachel, it was telling Dex how she felt. And sort of being true to her heart in the context of a friendship and her feelings for Dex.

And for me, it was upon turning 30, I quit my job as a lawyer, moved to London and wrote this book. That was my dream and the things that I were going for the most and so, I could very much relate to the feeling of turning 30 and not being happy. What can you do to get happy? And what do you need to do to fix it? I had to take that risk. So that was more of how I related to Rachel. That and hating being a lawyer.

Something Borrowed Movie Poster

I know everyone is anxiously awaiting the release of Something Borrowed, the movie coming to theaters based on Emily Giffin’s bestselling novel. With actors included Kate Hudson and John Krasinski playing lead roles, who doesn’t want to see it? Thanks to Alicia Leung with Warner Brothers Pictures, she is letting us see the movie poster for Something Borrowed! I love it- do you?

Chick Lit Plus Awards

And the Chick Lit Plus Award goes to……

BEST LOL NOVEL
Nominees:
Not Ready for Mom Jeans by Maureen Lipinski
Lowcountry Summer by Dorothea Benton Frank
Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes
The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
Sleeping with Ward Cleaver by Jenny Gardiner
Winner: The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella

BEST ROMANCE NOVEL
Nominees:
Summer of Two Wishes by Julia London
Something Blue by Emily Giffin
Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
Anyone for Seconds? by Fiona Cassidy
Winner: The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

BEST BFF NOVEL
Nominees:
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner
Hope in a Jar by Beth Harbison
Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
Second Time Around by Beth Kendrick
Winner: Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner

BEST VILLAIN IN A NOVEL
Nominees:
Miranda, The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
Olga, Moonlight in Odessa, by Janet Skeslein Charles
Cici, I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk
Patty, The Icing on the Cupcake by Jennifer Ross
Valerie, Bulletproof Mascara by Bethany Maines
Winner: Cici, I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk

BEST SCANDAL IN A NOVEL
Nominees:
Perfect Blend by Sue Margolis
Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner
Still Thinking of You by Adele Parks
Poor Little Bitch Girl by Jackie Collins
Pieces of Happily Ever After by Irene Zutell’
Winner: Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner

BEST TEAR-JERKER NOVEL
Nominees:
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
Promises to Keep by Jane Green
The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen
The Lies We Told by Diane Chamberlain
On Folly Beach by Karen White
Winner: Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

BEST NOVEL FROM A DEBUT AUTHOR
Nominees:
The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen
I’ll Have Who She’s Having by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke
Reunion by JL Penn
Hook Line and Sink Him by Jackie Pilossoph
Perfect on Paper by Maria Murnane
Winner: I’ll Have Who She’s Having by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke

BEST NOVL WRITTEN BY A CELEBRITY
Nominees:
LA Candy by Lauren Conrad
Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler
The Truth About Diamonds by Nicole Richie
Sweet Little Lies by Lauren Conrad
Star by Pamela Anderson
Winner: Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler

MOST INTRIGUING CONCEPT
Nominees:
The One That I Want by Allison Winn Scotch
Tuesday Tells it Slant by Holly Christine
The Lies We Told by Diane Chamberlain
Espressologist by Kristina Springer
Bulletproof Mascara by Bethany Maines
Winner: Espressologist by Kristina Springer

BEST FEMALE
Nominees:
Willa, Montana Sky by Nora Roberts
Darcy, Something Blue by Emily Giffin
Becky, Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
Rachel, Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
Sammy, Sammy’s Hill by Kristin Gore
Winner: Becky, Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella

BEST MALE
Nominees:
Luc, See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson
Ethan, Something Blue by Emily Giffin
Luke, Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
Alex, I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk
Dan, A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff
Winner: Alex, I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk

BEST SERIES
Nominees:
Stephanie Plum Series by Janet Evanovich
Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
Heather Wells Series by Meg Cabot
I Heart Series by Lindsey Kelk
Enchanted Series by Shanna Swendson
Winner: I Heart Series by Lindsey Kelk

NOVEL THAT SHOULD BE A MOVIE
Nominees:
A Total Waste of Makeup by Kim Gruenenfelder
I Heart New York by Lindsey Kelk
Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot
The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
Hook Line and Sink Him by Jackie Pilossoph
Winner: I Heart New York by Lindsey Kelk

BEST NOVEL MADE INTO A MOVIE
Nominees:
Flirty With Forty by Jane Porter
My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
Winner: The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

CHARACTER WITH THE BEST JOB
Nominees:
Sophie, Sophie Katz Series by Kyra Davis
Lydia, The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber
Becky, Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
Heather, Heather Wells Series by Meg Cabot
Marla, Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker by Marla Martenson
Winner: Sophie, Sophie Katz Series by Kyra Davis

BEST WEDDING IN A NOVEL
Nominees:
Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Sophie Kinsella
Wedding Season by Katie Fforde
Scot on the Rocks by Brenda Janowitz
For Better, For Worse by Carole Matthews
I Do, But I Don’t by Cara Lockwood
Winner: Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Sophie Kinsella

BEST SUPPORTING CHARACTER IN A NOVEL
Nominees:
Suze, Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
Kelly, Love in Mid Air by Kim Wright
Dot, The Icing on the Cupcake by Jennifer Ross
Jessica, Shopaholic and Sister by Sophie Kinsella
Candace, Reunion by JL Penn
Winner: Suze, Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella

BEST COUGAR NOVEL
Nominees:
Flirting With Forty by Jane Porter
The Cougar Club by Susan McBride
The Infidelity Pact by Carrie Karasyov
Winner: The Cougar Club by Susan McBride

BEST COVER
Nominees:
Fairytale of New York by Miranda Dickinson
Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
Misery Loves Cabernet by Kim Gruenenfelder
Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster
Secrets of the Hollywood Girls Club by Maggie Marr
Winner: Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster

BEST SEQUEL
Nominees:
Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophie Kinsella
Something Blue by Emily Giffin
The First Assistant by Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare
Slightly Settled by Wendy Markham
Killer Cocktails by Sheryl J Anderson
Winner: Something Blue by Emily Giffin

BEST MYSTERY
Nominees:
I Scream, You Scream by Wendy Lyn Watson
Killer Heels by Sheryl J Anderson
Looks to Die For by Janice Kaplan
House Rules by Jodi Picoult
Bulletproof Mascara by Bethany Maines
Winner: Bulletproof Mascara by Bethany Maines

Best Sequel Nominees

The nominees for Best Sequel:

Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophie Kinsella
Something Blue by Emily Giffin
The First Assistant by Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare
Slightly Settled by Wendy Markham
Killer Cocktail by Sheryl J Anderson

Please vote for your favorite by commenting below. Everyone who votes is entered to win!

Best Male Nominees

The nominees for Best Male Character in a Novel:

Luc Martineau, See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson
Ethan, Something Blue by Emily Giffin
Luke Brandon, Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella
Alex, I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk
Dan, A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff

Please vote for your favorite by commenting below. Everyone who votes is entered to win!