Love the One You're With

March 17, 2008
A chance encounter with an old flame in Giffin’s bittersweet, sometimes mawkish fourth novel causes Ellen Dempsey to consider anew what could have been. Shortly after marrying Andy, Ellen runs into Leo, her “intense” first love. Leo, a moody writer, has secretly preoccupied Ellen ever since he broke her heart, so after seeing him again, Ellen wonders if her perfect life is truly what she wants or simply what she was expected to want. This scenario is complicated by Ellen’s past: the early death of her mother and subsequent disintegration of her family have left Ellen insecure and saddled with unresolved feelings of guilt. These feelings intensify when Andy’s career takes the newlyweds from Ellen’s beloved New York City to suburban Atlanta. As Ellen’s feelings of inadequacy and resentment grow, her marriage begins to crumble. The novel is sometimes bogged down by characters so rooted in type that they, and the story line, can only move in the most obvious trajectory. However, Giffin’s self-aware narrator and focus on troubled relationships will satisfy those looking for a light women’s lit fix.

April 15, 2008
New York City-based photographer Ellen Graham is a happy newlyweduntil a chance meeting with an old boyfriend leads her to revisit the past and question her present in Giffin's ("Baby Proof") fourth novel. When Ellen crosses paths with her journalist ex, Leo, her obsessive love for him resurfaces. Leo quickly finds an inroad to Ellen's life, offering her up a plum photography assignment she can't refuse. Ellen remains faithful to her husband but can't deny her strong feelings for Leo. Nonetheless, she agrees to move to Atlanta to make her husband happy. Of course, once settled there, Emily is profoundly unhappy and reconnects with Leo, making plans to take photographs for another of his articles. The tension builds as Emily balances on the brink of an action that could change the course of her life. Giffin delivers another relatable and multifaceted heroine who may behave unexpectedly but will ultimately find her true path. Sure to be a hit with the "New York Times" best-selling author's many fans, as well as reach new readers with the publisher's planned $500,000 marketing campaign; recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 1/08.]Karen Core, Detroit P.L.

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