Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin

Title: Love the One You're With
Author: Emily Giffin
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 2008
Source: Borrowed from my sister-in-law
Read for: Fun

Ellen has a perfect life -- a job she is passionate about, and a handsome, caring, and rich husband who also happens to be her best friend's older brother. However, Ellen starts to doubt her life when Leo walks across her path at a crosswalk in New York City. Leo, who she loved intensely. Leo, with whom she never found closure. Now Leo seems as if he misses their relationship, and Ellen is forced to decide if she wants to try again with him or stick with her perfect but slightly predictable life.

I've come to the conclusion that Emily Giffin writes books about selfish women -- women who do things that are either socially or morally reprehensible. Women I would never emulate. And yet, I can't help but enjoy the stories. I'm not sure what the secret element is that makes me get over my disapproval of the characters' actions. Somehow Giffin manages to pull together likable (if flawed) characters and a juicily dramatic plot, and she tops it off with fantastic writing.

Ellen was more down to earth than any of the other Giffin characters, although she does fall into some of the stereotypes -- strong, almost dominating female friendship, lawyer love interest, New York. Once she starts to reconnect with Leo, she loses some of her down-to-earth outlook, starting to rationalize her behavior and to get grumpy and frustrated with her husband. At times she is overly passive, relying on others' reactions and opinions to dictate what she does, but in the end, she becomes assertive and takes matters into her own hands, finally coming to a point where she makes her own decisions and comes to her own peace. Despite her flaws, I enjoyed being in her head, going through her emotions and trying to come to a decision that was right and yet also fulfilling.

The plot was just as addictive as other Giffin novels. As a rule, I am not the type of person who reads the last page. It is a taboo, a line I never cross. Except with books by Emily Giffin. I always read the last page, because I just can't wait to see what will happen. Sometimes I'll even read what is on the next page before I finish the page I am reading because I can't stand wading through all of the words to find what is happening next. The stories are soap opera brain candy of the highest order.

Despite the fact that I sometimes can't stay in the words because I am so curious as to what happens next, Giffin's writing is stellar. She has the ability to bring her characters to life; they all have authentic voices, whether they are main narrating voices or supporting characters. Giffin has a strong grip on some of the less attractive human emotions like jealousy, and can make them come to life in a way that is powerful and evocative while not detracting from our sympathy with the character (even though the character is often undeserving of sympathy).

Love the One You're With follows Emily Giffin's pattern of a somewhat selfish modern woman dealing with a moral problem. It is entertaining and dramatic, but the frothy plots are supported by strong writing, resulting in a highly entertaining and relatable read.

4 stars

Warnings: One bedroom scene, some language, some innuendo and talk of sensuality

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

Title: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)
Author: Mindy Kaling
Genre: Humor, memoir
Publisher: Crown Archetype, 2011
Source: Library
Read for: fun

My first reaction when I heard Mindy Kaling had written a book was to think, what? Isn't she the ditzy girl on The Office? What I wasn't aware of at that time was that she is actually one of the writers for one of the only shows I have ever found interesting enough to watch. Her book is a series of vignettes on her journey to writing comedy, friendship, dealing with body issues, and just plain chatter about life and randomness. If you are ever in the mood for girl talk and there just isn't anyone around, this book would fill your needs quite nicely.

The cleverness and appreciation for awkward moments that is prevalent in The Office is definitely present in Kaling's book as well. She pokes fun at herself and at Hollywood stereotypes while discussing some important issues, particularly for teenagers and women in their twenties. Kaling's road to success takes her through the uncertainty and occasional joblessness that I think most of us experience in our twenties, and they show her coming out at the other end victorious, with a well-known career in writing and acting. She describes some of the jobs she took before she found her place on the writing staff of The Office, including her cult hit "Matt and Ben," in which she dressed as a man and co-wrote with her best friend. She discusses the challenges of being the only woman on the writing staff and of dealing with disagreements among coworkers, and she manages to cover all of this with a sense of humor for her own mishaps and successes.

Beyond her work, Kaling also discusses more personal issues, such as her friendships with others, her experiences in high school, and her weight. She has an amusing list of rules for being a best friend (my favorite item: having the preferred female hygiene product of your best friend at your house for when they come over), and describes the way friendships change as you grow up and become interested in other things (the subject of the title essay). She discusses the way most movie and television stars aren't child wonders but hard-working, normal people who eventually find success and don't burn out early. And of course, she discusses her weight -- from taking pride in her small child birth weight (because that was the only time she was small, according to her) to describing what stylists prefer normal-sized women to wear (navy blue, with cap sleeves). I was a little disturbed when she mentioned that she was "chubby" and then disclosed she was a size 8. I don't consider Mindy Kaling to be chubby, first of all, just because she isn't a starving waif. And I know for many women and for myself, a size 8 is a goal, a skinny goal. (And for those of you skinny people scoffing at that, I am more than a size 8 and have been told by my doctor that I am at a healthy weight for my height and build). Referring to certain sizes is risky business in our uber-sensitive, weight-obsessed world, and it made me a little concerned for younger girls reading it who may be a healthy or thin size 8 and may think that it isn't good enough because the author referred to it as chubby. Anyway, end of little soapbox moment. Other than that, I found her insights on weight and eating amusing and could relate to many of them.

Overall, this is a fun little book that will have you laughing and wanting to share particular gems and anecdotes with your friends. Great for a trip or a beach read, it will satisfy any craving for some poignant humor about womanhood and success.

4 stars

Warnings: Some swearing, some slight innuendo