Well, happy new year to all you wonderful readers and book lovers. It was a bit of a stretch for me, but I decided to read this romance novel by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnette on the importance of family and love and growing up.
Jane has a secret. Actually, she had a secret until the age of nine when her imaginary friend Michael left her to continue growing up on her own. But now he’s back 23yrs later and neither are sure why. But they don’t really care other than he’s back to continue the relationship they once had as friends and further it to lovers, no matter how little time they might have left together.
You might think the story line will end with just the cliche “girl finally gets the guy”, but in this Touched by an Angel meets Mitch Albom love story the end it a bit more complicated than that. But only a little.
Over all, the book was a quick and easy read, not at all challenging to finish the 308 pages in a half a Sunday in the front room. I came away feeling disappointed though for a lot of reasons. Think The Thornbirds meets Highway to Heaven. But also the sudden plot change from the daughter’s reignited happiness and life changes to the mother’s sudden stroke.
It just felt like the writers were seeing themselves written into a Nicholas Sparksian cliche corner where Jane was being given one last chance at love with her perfect man before slipping off into oblivion… Then they flinched and decided to change the ending entirely. It was that sudden, discordant and unrelated to the rest of the story.
This one will be on the way to Goodwill as a “Book Unhaul” as soon as possible. Good Reads has it as a 3.8/5 but I’m giving it a disappointing and disturbing 2.5 only because of my respect and love normally for James Patterson and his writing.
On to better reads than this one hopefully for the New Year. Enjoy the day and Happy Adventures.
-PgMe
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