Bookshelf: Emily Griffin

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Rachel and Darcy have been best friends since elemetary school when they both moved into the same culdesac in rural Indiana. Rachel has always been the brainy, plays by the rules, half while Darcy is the gorgeous girl who gets everything she wants. Despite their differences they've remained best friends through high school, college, their twenties, and when "Something Borrowed" begins it is the eve of Rachel's thirtieth birthday. When she was ten Rachel imagined being married with kids by her thirtieth birthday, but on the eve of the big 3-0 nothing is how she imagined it would be. She's single, hates her job and as usual Darcy has commandeered the party making it about her, not the birthday girl. Rachel makes the most of it though, enjoying herself even though her life is nothing like she imagined, and after Darcy goes home wasted, Rachel heads on to another bar with Darcy's boyfriend (and Rachel's law school friend) Dex. After numerous drinks and a lot of reminiscing Dex and Rachel catch a cab. And then suddenly they are making out and yadda yadda yadda Dex ends up spending the night at Rachel's apartment. And the drama commences.
I don't know if it's because I'm in the throes of preparation for my best friend's wedding, but I loved Emily Griffin's "Something Borrowed". Loved, loved, loved. I couldn't put it down and finished it in a few days. I love how Griffin chose to use present tense (not many authors seem to employ this tense for whatever reason) and transitioned smoothly into the past using the past tense. And I loved how real Rachel was. She would make a decision, reasoning with herself until finally deciding to take a stand, and then in the moment she'd get caught up in what was happening and lose her steam. Even people with the strongest convictions can find themselves wobbling when their heart is a part of the equation. Rachel was very relatable and I loved her innermonologue as things were going on around her.
The follow-up book, "Something Blue" is from Darcy's perspective and starts up where "Something Borrowed" left off. Because it's Darcy's perspective, I'm not sure that I'll read it. She's just not someone I relate to or someone I really enjoy. But I love Griffin's writing style so I might give it a chance. I'd better make an effort to diminish my current book pile first. I'm not sure what's up next. I have Elizabeth Taylor's biography "Furious Love" but I think I want to save that. I have a feeling it's going to be an emotional and tumultuous ride and I'm just not sure I'm ready for it yet. So perhaps something else in the meantime.
Happy reading!
~Stephanie