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Kim
Rating:
Review
Cornelia Brown is a 30-something café manager, and Clare, an 11 year-old with an old, brave soul and a crumbling childhood. Their stores are told in alternating chapters, with Cornelia's life forever changed when Martin Grace walks into her place of business, and Clare's mother descends into mental illness. Cornelia and Clare meet and become just what each other needs throughout the rest of the story. Add a few heartbreaks, some love and happiness, and really, what I thought was a crazy bad decision to sell Mrs. Goldberg's house, and this story is so much more than it's fluff title. Oh, and bring your tissues. Just a few though.
Best Line:
"Did you think all this was for free? Happiness isn't what happens when you whistle along, pretending bad things don't exist."
Suzanne
Rating:
Review
I took a strong immediate liking to 11 year-old Clare Hobbs in this story. She's quite remarkable and plucky, reads a lot, and aspires to be like some of her favorite orphans from fiction (Sara Crewe, Mary Lenox). This comes in handy when her divorced mother starts losing her mind. When her mother actually abandons her, Clare's estranged father Martin brings her into contact with Cornelia, his new girlfriend and the other main character in this story. Cornelia Brown, at 31, runs a coffee shop, idolizes Cary Grant, and doesn't know what she wants in life. Cornelia didn't endear herself to me nearly as quickly as Clare – Cary Grant doesn't do a thing for me, and Cornelia's a little too romantic in a sappy, immature sort of way – but she grew on me as the story progressed and she managed to sort out what (and who) she really loves from what she thinks she should love. That was satisfying, and I was happy for her. It's an enjoyable diversion.
Worst Line:
The title. It doesn't do the book justice.
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