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Good morning. How are you? I’ve been good, but distracted with the many things that go on in my life. The Girl had some weird “blow-out” of her elbow which caused her to miss track practice. I know. It was her elbow and not her leg but she told me that the swinging of her arms really caused some discomfort. To her credit, the next day her arm was swollen and black and blue. I have no idea what she did! We think maybe it was the rowing machine she used for PE last week.

Then, The Teen, utterly obsessed with the Kickstarter he created for the spring musical he’s in, fell into one of his moods. They will make their listed goal but truthfully, he wanted twice that and it’s not looking like that will happen. What’s been really exciting is how actors from Broadway have been supporting them. Some of the cast from Hamilton, Aladdin, Wicked and more. It’s really gotten them all worked up.

So with all this nervous energy in the house, reading has been a real treat this week. Every morning and evening I hunker down with my book, which at the moment is The Nakeds by Lisa Glatt. I am REALLY enjoying this book.

My book club meets next week to discuss Toni Morrison’s God Help the Child. That means I better get the book read soon. I am hoping there’s plenty to talk about. I mean, it IS Morrison so I am sort of counting on it.

I am pretty much all caught-up with my review copies and my book club book won’t take long to read because it’s so short, so now I have the luxury of choosing something from my backlist. Although I haven’t a clue what it will end up being.

What are you reading right now? Anything really good?

The Ramblers
By Aidan Donnelley Rowley
William Morrow & Company, Hardcover, 9780062413314, February 2016, 400pp.

The Short of It:

Rambling through life, two friends attempt to forget about the past with glorious New York as the backdrop.

The Rest of It:

Clio and Smith are two close friends from college. Like sisters, they’ve relied upon one another and have experienced both the good and bad that life has to offer. Now, successful and doing pretty well on their own, they’ve each found love and but no matter how comforting the idea of “love” is, they are guarded because of past hurts.

Everyone is reading this book right now and I’ll tell you why. Mostly, because of the glorious New York setting which doesn’t really get going until the last half of the novel but once you get to it, you can’t help but fall in love with the city. The other reason for its popularity, is that it’s a love story cushioned in-between some heavier issues such as mental illness. It’s not fluffy and light but I will admit that the first half had me doubting this. You really need to push through that first half to get to the good stuff.

What I liked a lot, is how the author made Clio and Smith the focus of the story and not the men in their lives. This gives them an independent edge which I think is missing in a lot of stories where love is the central focus. These two women have experienced loss and although hurt, they are cautious and yes, hopeful that there is something better just around the corner.

Final thoughts? The first half and the second half could have been more balanced, but if you stay with it, I think you will find it to be an enjoyable read.

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher via Edelweiss.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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