Belong to Me - Marisa de los Santos

This was such an excellent read! I really look forward to reading more of de los Santos' works.

We are first introduced to Cornelia, a usually calm woman from the city who is transplanted to the suburbs with her husband, a doctor named Teo. Next we meet Piper, the preppy, perfect sophisticate who does not easily warm to Cornelia. We also learn (eventually) that Piper's also perfect best friend Elizabeth is suffering from cancer and Piper swoops in to care for their 4 combined children together. (We also learn later that Elizabeth had wanted to separate from her husband, Tom, because she met someone else. Also ironic is that we later find out that Piper's husband, Kyle, also wants a divorce because he is in love with the nurse in the children's doctor's office. Still following?) I think that's what I loved about the book - there was just so much going on and I was just waiting for the moment that sent everyone reeling!

A single mom named Lake enters the novel and befriends Cornelia. We are later introduced to her son Dev, a very smart teenager who eventually falls in love with Clare, who is like a surrogate child of Cornelia and Tom (once again, sounds complicated but really, it's a great story!)

I really loved this book from the beginning. Cornelia was by far my favorite woman in that she never cared too much what others thought of her, but Piper turned me off instantly. The death of Piper's best friend Elizabeth was devastating - although completely forseen - and I was on the verge of tears, which rarely happens to me while reading. But I did not like at all how Piper fell for her best friend's husband after her passing. The time they spent together was supposed to be "to make life easier for the kids" but really, it is up to the adults to help children cope and while in the beginning of a grieving period, it may be in their best interest to keep them surrounded by familiar faces, I don't believe in the long run it helps them to process their grief.

It took me longer than it probably should have to realize who Dev's real father was. It was so unexpected and briefly earth-shattering to not just Teo but to Cornelia as well, seeing she was to give birth momentarily. Cornelia handled the news with grace, and really showed her true love for her husband. I loved the very last chapter when Dev follows around his little sister, Rose. How sweet :)

I highly recommend this book to all!

Still here...

...I've just been sidetracked! My business venture has taken up a good portion of my time lately, as I'm sure it will in the months ahead. I am only 90 or so pages into Obama's book, but I will be reading tonight until bedtime, and probably tomorrow for awhile. In the mean time, find me on GoodReads.