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In this dazzling new novel, Emily Giffin, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Something Borrowed, Where We Belong, and The One & Only introduces a pair of sisters who find themselves at a crossroads. Growing up, Josie and Meredith Garland shared a loving, if sometimes contentious relationship. Josie was impulsive, spirited, and outgoing; Meredith hardworking, thoughtful, and reserved. When tragedy strikes their family, their different responses to the event splinter their delicate bond. Fifteen years later, Josie and Meredith are in their late thirties, following very different paths. Josie, a first grade teacher, is single—and this close to swearing off dating for good. What she wants more than the right guy, however, is to become a mother—a feeling that is heightened when her ex-boyfriend’s daughter ends up in her class. Determined to have the future she’s always wanted, Josie decides to take matters into her own hands. On the outside, Meredith is the model daughter with the perfect life. A successful attorney, she’s married to a wonderful man, and together they’re raising a beautiful four-year-old daughter. Yet lately, Meredith feels dissatisfied and restless, secretly wondering if she chose the life that was expected of her rather than the one she truly desired. As the anniversary of their tragedy looms and painful secrets from the past begin to surface, Josie and Meredith must not only confront the issues that divide them, but also come to terms with their own choices. In their journey toward understanding and forgiveness, both sisters discover they need each other more than they knew . . . and that in the recipe for true happiness, love always comes first. Emotionally honest and utterly enthralling, First Comes Love is a story about family, friendship, and the courage to follow your own heart—wherever that may lead.
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I am a fan of Emily Giffins work but this book just did not do anything for me. The 2 main characters, Josie and Meredith, we're both completely selfish Åland bratty that it was hard to feel anything for them. When bad things happened to them I actually was happy because they deserved it!
Second, I think Giffin missed the opportunity to add a third POV to the story by not including their mother. She obviously changed a great deal (both good and bad) from what happened in the Prologue but she's constantly reduced to this nagging, worried character when in all honesty I think she would have actually made the story better if we knew what her thoughts were!
Third, the whole "Will" obsession was weird. It seems like it's going to be this whole "thing" in the book and halfway through he's hardly mentioned. I don't know if that was meant to show Josie's growth as a character but to me it just seemed like a forgotten storyline.
I'll probably continue to read Giffins books because she really is a great author but this was not one of her better ones. A for effort but C for execution.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I had to devour it all in one day. It was funny, emotional, sad, and really all about love. This family was rocked to its core in 2001 when an unexpected tragedy shook their family. Fifteen years later they are still trying to deal with it and the ramifications of that night. The relationship most explored was between sisters. Josie and Meredith fight all the time, about everything. They are so different, yet similar. They are both hurting and envious, to an extent of one another's life. This was a beautifully woven story of family, those that we are born into, and the ones that we create, and also the best and sweetest tale of love coming first