Love the One You’re With by Emily GiffinI’m on a bit of a chick lit kick since I haven’t read too many of them and needed some light listening this holiday season. One thing to remember about chick lit, it’s not romance. Yes, chick lit may have the typical boy meets girl romance in it, but the main element of chick lit is that the main female character falls in love with herself; she rediscovers herself and learns to embrace who she is. That said, this book is definitely chick lit. Ellen has been happily married to Andy, the man of her dreams, for 100 days when she bumps into her ex, Leo, in the middle of a busy crosswalk in New York City. Many of us have “the one that got away” and that is who Leo is to Ellen. Should she try to discover what went wrong with her relationship with Leo? Should she just forget about Leo and enjoy married life with Andy? Can she live with unanswered questions?
While this is a light story, it does ask a lot of deep questions. Even though you may not agree with the choices that Ellen makes (and doesn’t make) you can identify with her and struggle along with her decision making process. Also, the reader is excellent. Her introspection and personal turmoil come across well so you really empathize with Ellen.
