Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: Orion
Release Date: 3 July 2014
ISBN-13: 978-1409154914
Synopsis
Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble. That it’s been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply — but that almost seems besides the point now.
Maybe that was always besides the point.
Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can’t go. She’s a TV writer, and something’s come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her — Neal is always a little upset with Georgie — but she doesn’t expect to him to pack up the kids and go home without her.
When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she’s finally done it. If she’s ruined everything.
That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts . . .
Is that what she’s supposed to do?
Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened?
My Review
I would definitely call myself a fan of Rainbow Rowell, I adored 'Fangirl' and really enjoyed 'Eleanor & Park', so when my colleague offered me this book I jumped at the chance. She had just finished reading it, but I hadn't actually heard of it before, I wasn't aware of the new release so was thrilled she passed it onto me.
Georgie has a job she loves, writing scripts for TV comedies and she has a husband she loves with 2 terrific daughters, but her husband has never been comfortable with her career and all the parties and publicity, so when Georgie lands a very important meeting for a new TV show over Christmas he decides to leave without her. He packs up the children and flies to Omaha to his parents, leaving Georgie behind and wondering if it's all over.
Not wanting to be home alone Georgie ends up back at ehr mothers house and finds an old yellow dial phone in the cupboard, she plugs it in and tries to call her husband to put things right, but the phone dials the past and she ends up talking to him from before they were married, when they were having another fight.
Georgie takes this time to fix any problems she might have before it all starts, but what if changing the past, alters the present. What if she convinces him to leave and they never get married or have kids. Is she supposed to stop it all, would his life be better, or is this her chance to fix it for the better.
I liked the concept behind this book, I thought it was really clever. I'm always hesitant with things that deal with the arc of time and altering the past as it can be a very tricky subject to get right, but at no point was I confused or annoyed, I whole-heartedly enjoyed the book.
I found myself really empathising with both Georgie and her husband and I wanted them to pull through. I could relate to some of Georgie's problems and think she dealt with them very well. Rowell has written her as very likeable but still quite flawed - human really. And it makes it easy to connect with her, she has her moments of strength but also her utter breakdowns and I liked seeing how she coped with it and responded to those around her.
I think her husband was a bit of an arse not calling her back, and more or less avoiding her for the week, that was cold. I know he was angry and hurt but i think he took that a little bit too far, but I can also see why it was written that way and it made for a truly fantastic ending.
I basically read this in one day, I couldn't put it down. I had to know what would happen and if there were consequences to her using the phone, and I have to say it was all wrapped up and explained very well and I honestly loved this book.
It was magical, and heart warming, a read that will make you smile and restore your faith in true love.
My Rating
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