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Book Review- Emily Giffin's First Comes Love

 

Thank You to Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine Books for providing me with an advanced copy of Emily Giffin's latest novel, First Comes Love.

PLOT - Sisters Josie and Meredith are polar opposites, and the grow even further apart after the tragic death of their brother.  Elementary school teacher Josie, is single, impulsive, and free-spirited. In Meredith's eyes, Josie is a child who never grew up and who keeps screwing up. Meredith has a successful career, is married, and is a mother. On paper, her life looks perfect, but she is unhappy. As the fifteenth anniversary of their brother's death approaches, will the sisters be able to come together to remember him, or will secrets of the past threaten to drive them further apart?

LIKE- I'm a fan of Giffin's previous novels and I was happy to have been given the opportunity to review her latest book. Her writing is fluid and she has a wonderful ability to create multifaceted characters facing gut-wrenching dilemmas. Her characters are relatable and my biggest take-away from all of her novels, is her ability to write a wide range of emotions.

DISLIKE- While I felt that both Meredith and Josie were realistically rendered ( I know people just like Josie and Meredith), I didn't like either character. I'm not saying that protagonist likeability is a prerequisite for liking a novel, but in this case, it would have helped. I wanted to feel joy for both of the sisters at the end of the story, but I felt ambivalence. 

RECOMMEND - Maybe. Yes, if you're a Giffin fan. I'm a Giffin fan and no matter what other reviews may say, I would have still read First Comes Love. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but I don't think that First Comes Love will be a novel that sticks in my memory.