Quote of the Day

"It's like Brad Pitt for us. You might not like blond men with pretty features, but c'mon, it's Brad. You're not going to kick him out of bed for eating crackers."

Something Borrowed

Something Blue

Written by Emily Giffin

Goodreads Synopsis: Darcy Rhone has always been able to rely on a few things: her beauty and charm. Her fiance, Dex. Her lifelong best friend, Rachel. She never needed anything else. Or so she thinks until Dex calls off their dream wedding and she uncovers the ultimate betrayal. Blaming everyone but herself, Darcy flees to London and attempts to re-create her glamorous life on a new continent. But to her dismay, she discovers that her tried-and-true tricks no longer apply--and that her luck has finally expired. It is only then that she can begin her journey toward redemption, forgiveness, and true love.

My Confession: I've said many times over that Something Borrowed  is one of my favorite books of all time. (I even have the movie on DVD now and watch it a little too often.) Because I stood so firmly behind Rachel and Dex, despite their indiscretion, I avoided reading this sequel. Frankly, I really disliked Darcy and didn't care what happened to her after the final page of Borrowed. I assumed (and was correct in doing so) that Rachel and Dex wouldn't make much of an appearance in this book, and I didn't think there was a way that Giffin could make Darcy a likable character.

I'm happy to say that I was wrong.

When I finally caved and picked this book up, and I was pleased to find the last few events of the prequel (mainly, Darcy discovering the affair between Dex and Rachel as well as how her own affair with Marcus began) told from Darcy's perspective. It made any doubts I'd had about Rachel exaggerating her best friend's personality a moot point. Darcy was, clearly and simply, a bitch. And Giffin pulls no punches making that known. Darcy is selfish, lazy, self-absorbed,, and childish. She really doesn't see her relationship with Rachel--or Dex, or Marcus!--clearly. She wants to be the center of attention at all times, no matter who she's with or what they want. It's why, ultimately, her relationship with Marcus fails and she moves to London. She lives with good-natured FOR (friend of Rachel) Ethan, who takes Darcy in despite a barely-concealed disdain.

I really enjoyed the development of their relationship and how Ethan's goodness seems to rub off on Darcy. Alone and pregnant in a foreign country, she comes as close to rock bottom as she ever has in her charmed life. And that's when she turns something of a corner. I don't know when exactly it happened, but I went from suffering through Darcy's innermost thoughts and skewed perspective to genuinely being interested in what was happening in this story. It was a subtle shift, but I can appreciate the way it happened. We're not hit over the head with some huge, momentous "change" in Darcy's behavior or attitude. The change comes through the reader, who realizes with a slow wonder that they do in fact care about what happens to Darcy. Just as our opinion about a particular person can change, so can a person.

Recommendation: I really wish there had been more Rachel/Dex action--I still found myself very interested in how their relationship progressed and evolved (even though, at the end, we do find out what has happened with them). I'm still on Team Rachel, but I don't hate Darcy anymore. The adage of "people can change" borderlines on cliche, but I really respect how Giffin managed to craft this novel without turning Darcy into a fake or unbelievable character. There was something innately genuine about Something Blue. That's why it's worth reading.

Rating: 4.5/5

338 pages, published by St. Martin's Griffin (June 1, 2005)

Quote of the Day

"I think of how life takes unexpected twists and turns, sometimes through sheer happenstance, sometimes through calculated decisions. In the end, it can all be called fate, but to me, it is more a matter of faith."

Love the One You're With

Something Borrowed

Written by Emily Giffin


Goodreads Synopsis: Rachel has always been the good girl- until her thirtieth birthday, when her longtime friend Darcy throws her a party. That night, after too many drinks, Rachel ends up in bed with Darcy's fiancée. Rachel is completely horrified. She pretends it didn't happen, maybe it will all go away-and so will her feelings for this guy. 
She prays for fate to intervene, but when she makes a choice she discovers that the lines between right and wrong are blurry, endings aren't always neat, and you have to risk all to win true happiness.

My Confession: I'm sure there have been plenty of books written about lifelong friendships, cheating, and romance. I've read quite a few of them. And let me tell you, none of them captivate me the way Something Borrowed does. Maybe it's because I've been the Rachel to far too many Darcys in my life. Maybe it's because I believe in that special connection, the one that causes you to throw all caution and convention to the wind and lead with your heart. But it's most likely because these characters feel like your best friends, and you're left wishing that more men were like Dex, who despite most rom-com conventions, is not--and does not turn out to be (thank God)--an asshole. The relationship between Rachel and Darcy is nicely depicted and picked away at as the story goes on. As the girls' history was unraveled, I became more and more sympathetic toward Rachel, despite the fact that she is her best friend's fiancée's "other woman." You become invested in this story, so much so that you'll find yourself picking sides. I'm on Team Rachel, but reading Giffin's sequel, Something Blue, may change your mind.

The Hollywood Factor: Yes, someone was smart enough (or stupid enough, depending on how you feel about books becoming movies) to scoop up the film rights to this novel. Something Borrowed, starring Kate Hudson as Darcy (evidently the filmmakers didn't get the memo that Darcy is a brunette) and Ginnifer Goodwin (I think I'm good with this...I think) as Rachel. The trailer, just released last week, looks hopeful. I'm guilty of watching it a few times, lingering on the casting choice for Dex (Colin Egglesfield) and wondering if he can live up to the stud of my imagination. The addition of John Krasinski as Ethan, Rachel's friend who plays a small but significant part in the book, but seems to play a much larger role in the movie, looks like a positive move. I'm usually cautious about scripts adapted from books. They're just never as good. But I'm holding out hope that when Something Borrowed hits theaters on May 6, it's going to do the phenomenal book justice.

Recommendation: Read it. Then see the movie with your girlfriends. Then read it again. And when you're ready (even though you'll probably balk, seeing as how most people hate Darcy by the end), pick up Something Blue. Trust me, you'll be pleasantly surprised. Stay tuned for that review.

Rating: 4.5/5

322 pages, published by St. Martin's Press (June 1, 2004)