Summer Reading....

Hey everybody!

I just finished reading a book by an English author Harriet Evans titled "The Love of Her Life." I've never read anything by Evans before, so I was looking forward to branching out to a new author.



The book circles around the main character, Kate, a late 20s/early 30s something woman working in NYC after moving across the pond from England in the year 2007. She is living with her mother and stepfather in Manhattan and receives notice that her father, back in England, is sick due to a kidney transplant that could go wrong...basically, Kate feels as though this is her time to say goodbye to her father, btu she feels reluctant and apprehensive about going home to London. Hmmmm, I wonder why!?!?

When Kate arrives in London, she returns to her flat that had just been vacated by a sub-letter. Clearly, being back in London and the apartment are surreal...the reader quickly senses that Kate had left London after some sort of tragedy, breakup, or both, but Evans keeps us hanging on to figure out what happened. Suddenly, we're transported back in time to 2003 where everything began.

Overall, I enjoyed this book despite its slow start and length (it was 300+ pages). I enjoyed the way Evans wove various characters' lives together and the events that transpired causing Kate to leave London. It was a good summer-by-the-pool-or-beach-read. Enjoy!

Now, I'm onto this book "Life As I Know IT" by Melanie Rose....another author I've never read before. We shall see how it goes!

Inspirational reads for the single girl....

I've been single for a year. Well, February 21, 2009 was the day I left my lying cheating husband. So, the weeks that followed I don't know if I count "those days".....(you know those days, those no makeup, puffy eyed, pajama panted pathetic days...).

Anyway, in addition to A LOT of things I have done to "get over" the trauma of my experience, I have also re-entered the world of singles. Deep down, I don't really even want a boyfriend. I feel like I'm really enjoying sleeping in my big queen-sized bed all alone; waking up, turning on the lights & playing loud music while I get ready for work in the morning; watching whatever I want on tv whenever I want to (and keeping a football-free household!); knowing that the only laundry I have to do is mine.....etc etc etc.

But, sometimes, I do get sad that I am single. I do want to share my life with someone and have a family, but alas, it's just not my reality right now. I think it's mostly due to the fact that I had prepared my life for a married-existence since I was engaged at age 26. I was ready to be a wife, start a family, and be married. Now, my existence is quite different than I imagined it would be when I was 30--I turned 30 on March 25! It's sad sometimes because I yearn for the life I dreamed of, but it's also exhilarating because I get to have this whole new life that I never anticipated and it's sort of like when you were a kid and you got to yell out: "Do over!!!" So, this is my do-over! And, it's kinda fun!

I have been reading a lot and two books that have been awesome in my search for single-satisfaction are below. If you are ever lucky enough to get your own do-over--OR--you have a friend that needs support and you'd like to recommend something, these books rock: