Love the One You're With

Book No: 14
Title: Love the One You’re With
Author: Emily Giffen
Genre: Chick-Lit
Completed: 3/22/09
No. of Pages: 342
Rating: 2/5*****

Let me state up front that I have enjoyed Emily Giffen’s previous three book and was really looking forward to Love the One You’re With, her newest offering.

What a huge disappointment. To put it in perspective it took me 6 weeks to read this book and I can generally read 1-2 books per week. I actually read 3 other books in between because I had no desire to pick this one up after I would put it down for the night, it just wasn’t a compelling book.

The premise of the story is pretty basic. Ellen and Andy are newly married, just 3 months in fact. One day while crossing street in Manhattan Ellen sees her ex-lover, Leo. A few minutes later her cell phone rings (lucky girl she has the same phone number she had eight years ago- the last time she saw Leo) and who is on the phone- none other than said Leo. Before long Ellen is questioning her marriage, friendships, and career choices, all because she can’t seem to stop obsessing over her old flame.

The biggest problem I had with this book was Ellen. She is e-mailing, calling, texting, and meeting with her ex boyfriend all on the sly, without telling her husband. She keeps trying to justify these lapses by finding fault with everything her husband does, just so she can rationalize her behavior; after all she isn’t having an affair. She may not be sleeping with Leo, but she is cheating on her husband and her marriage with every lie and omission. Although Andy comes off as a little too perfect, the only reason Ellen seems to want Leo is he’s sexy. There doesn’t seem to be any other character trait to justify her fixation with Leo. She hasn’t seen or spoken to the man in 8 years, yet she still sees him as perfect, despite the fact that she keeps saying she loves her husband. I just wanted her to be honest with herself just once. When her moment of clarity finally comes it is anti-climatic and no surprise. This book was a total let down.