Bookends - Hardcover

Green, Jane

3.74

41,754 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0767907809 ISBN 13: 9780767907804

Publisher: Broadway Books, 2002

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The world of four lifelong friends--best friends Catherine and Simon, both unlucky in love, and Josh and Lucy, happily married to each other--struggling to cope with their thirties is thrown into turmoil by the arrival of Portia, a stunningly beautiful college friend with a reputation for breaking hearts. By the author of Mr. Maybe. 100,000 first printing.

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Review:

After working on her career at a top London advertising agency for the best part of a decade, Cath yearns to leave and open her own bookshop. Lucy, married to Cath's old Uni buddy, Josh, longs to run a cafe. So when a suitable site comes up, the girls combine their dreams and Bookends is born. However, opening a trendy book caf� (as opposed to cybercaf�) is a fairly minor sub-plot in Bookends. This is a novel about the lives, hopes and dreams of a group of thirtysomethings, living in West Hampstead, who (mostly) met at University and have moved on, for better or worse: Cath is disenchanted and has long-since stopped trying to (a) manage her Michael-Jackson-circa-1973 hair (b)wear anything other than black that she hasn't owned for more than five years, and (c) find a suitable beau. Luckily, Si--desperate to find the man of his dreams and an expert at applying haircare products and shopping at designer stores--makes a perfect best friend. Apart from improving her appearance, he's great for those awkward social occasions that, even in our postmodernist world, still require a male escort. Then, out of the blue, a former member of the old University gang turns up and, hey presto, things start to change. Beautiful, elegant, clever Portia appears to have it all; it takes a couple of hundred pages to discover what she's been looking for. The strange thing about Bookends is that Portia turns out to be merely a sub-plot.

Jane Green's latest novel is about the love and trust and enduring friendships of a bunch of young hopefuls whose lives take the usual twists and turns and ups and downs as they mature into thoughtful, rounded adults. Green is an author whose readers either love or hate her, If you love her, you'll want to read her fourth novel; if you don't, you might be surprised by Bookends. --Carey Green

Review:

"Green gives readers a loably imperfect protagonist, a heart-to-heart narrative voice and a bumpy, error-strewn highway to romance. Bottom line: Pluck it off the shelf."
-People
"A near-perfect romantic wish-fulfillment fantasy...only the coldest hearts will not be warmed."
-Kirkus Reviews
"Single or spoken for, you'll find a character you can relate to in this page-turner about dating, marriage, parenthood, career goals, jealousy and of course love."
-iVillage
"You'll love this one...a bit of candy perfect for the bath, pool, or beach."
-Lexington Express
"Page-turningly irresistible...[Green] has perfect pitch."
-Connecticut Post
"Quick, witty, unputdownable and perfect beach reading. Don't miss it."
-Mirror (London)
"A hugely enjoyable novel about love and friendship."
-Express (London)
"The author of the successful Mr. Maybe does it again."
She (London)

"Funny and poignant--you'll devour it in one sitting."
-Comopolitan (London)

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