In Twenty Years (Allison Winn Scotch)

Having reached my fortieth birthday just a few months ago, Allison Winn Scotch's In Twenty Years really resonated with me.  The title refers to how much can happen in the span of twenty years, a time during which six Penn college students have gone their separate ways after being the best of friends.  Even though one of them is a world-famous singer and the other is the CEO of their own company, how much have they really lived in those two decades?

It was the death of one of the six, Bea, that broke up the group for good.  Now, on the eve of what would have been Bea's fortieth birthday, the remaining five receive a letter from her attorney inviting them back for a weekend to their old house.  Catherine and Owen are married but unhappy, and Lindy seems to have it all with fame and fortune but feels empty inside.  Annie tries to put on a perfect facade on social media to cover up her insecurity, while Colin is a famous plastic surgeon who has a secret he shared with Bea.  The five converge on the house at Bea's request, but will they ever be the same when the weekend is over?

The message of In Twenty Years is clear -- don't waste your life because you only get one.  However, I never could quite get into the novel until the end.  With the exception of Bea, I felt that most of the characters were unlikable and frankly, unrealistic.  This prevented me from becoming invested in any of them, so I would put this novel on the average read scale.

MY RATING - 3

Jemima J (Jane Green)

After reviewing the outstanding Promises to Keep, I immediately e-mailed Jane Green to let her know how much I enjoyed it. I have contacted quite a few authors in the past, including Allison Winn Scotch and Suzan Colon, who couldn't be nicer. However, they are not quite as prolific and famous as Green. Much to my surprise, she e-mailed me back within minutes to let me know that it was a beautiful review. I so appreciate when authors (especially famous ones) e-mail their readers. Since Promises was the first book I ever read by Jane Green, I decided to try out her other ones, starting with Jemima J.

This is the story of Jemima Jones, an overweight journalist living in London. Jemima is funny and charismatic, but as we know, in this world looks matter. She is desperately in love with her colleague, Ben, who, though kind to her, does not look at her twice. Since this novel was published in the last century, the internet is just becoming popular (remember dial-up?). Jemima becomes fascinated with it and meets California Brad, the most beautiful man she has ever seen, in a chat room. When Brad asks Jemima for a picture as well, she must think fast. After pulling something together (her face without double chins on a model's body), Brad invites her to California. Will she go? What will happen when she gets there?

Promises to Keep is truly in a class by itself as far as I am concerned. Jemima J was not my favorite. I find it odd that the back states "With a fast-paced plot that never quits and a surprise ending no reader will see coming...". I'm sorry, but this reader saw it coming from a mile away. Green also has an annoying habit of writing in the first person (as Jemima) in one section, then writing in the third person as a Greek chorus in the next. Enjoy this at the beach, but don't expect anything out of it.

MY RATING - 2

The One That I Want (Allison Winn Scotch)

Allison Winn Scotch is quickly rising the ladder to rival Picoult and Scottoline status. It is no surprise that she writes from the female perspective, with a female protagonist searching for meaning in her life. Her books are heartwarming and, even with the hint of the supernatural as in The One That I Want, very true to life.

This is the story of Tilly, a thirtysomething woman living in the same town she grew up in, having the same friends she grew up with, and married to her high school sweetheart. Her life is happy...a gorgeous husband, a job she loves as a high school counselor, and a wonderful best friend. The only thing missing is a desperately wanted baby and her mother, who died awhile back. She lives her life the only way she knows how...helping others with their problems, including her alcoholic father. When Tilly meets an old high school friend at the town fair, things begin to go awry. Suddenly Tilly can "see" things that will happen in the future, and when those events really begin to happen, the story evolves.

Scotch does it again with a real winner. You will not be disappointed.

MY RATING - 5

The Department of Lost and Found (Allison Winn Scotch)

After reading "Time of My Life" by Scotch a few months ago, I was anxious to get my hands on this, her first book. Scotch manages to take a very serious subject, cancer, and develop a story that is at times touching, at times hilarious, and at times achingly raw. In her book jacket bio, the author says that she lost a close friend to breast cancer and wanted to write a book with a happier ending. She accomplishes what she set out to do, but the reader is not spared any of cancer's wrath in the process.

"The Department of Lost & Found" is the story of Natalie Miller, a ruthless senior adviser to a senator. She will let nothing stand in her way. When she is diagnosed with breast cancer, she tries to continue things as normal, but must face the fact that everything she has must now go into fighting this disease. Along the way, the reader sees cancer for what one can only imagine it is who doesn't have it....merciless. Natalie begins to understand that life is not for settling, and if she is lucky enough to get a second chance, she should live the life she wants to live.

Scotch does not sugarcoat anything, including her main character. There are times when it is very difficult to like Natalie. But aren't there times in everyone's life when we are hard to like, with cancer or without?

MY RATING - 4

Notes From Authors Beatrice Colin and Allison Winn Scotch

I wanted to share two e-mails I received from Beatrice Colin ("The Glimmer Palace") and New York Times bestselling author Allison Winn Scotch ("Time of My Life"). I will share author e-mails as I get permission from them to do so.

RECEIVED FROM ALLISON WINN SCOTCH ON JULY 14, 2009 REGARDING REVIEW

Hi Harper!

Thank you so much! I sincerely appreciate it and am just tickled that you enjoyed it as much as you did! :) Now I'll have to pick up Picoult's newest on your recommendation.

Thanks again!
Allison

RECEIVED FROM BEATRICE COLIN ON JULY 22, 2009 REGARDING REVIEW

Dear Harper

Thanks for the great review! Nice site. My next book, The Songwriter, is published in the UK in March 2010.

With best wishes
Beatrice

Time of My Life (Allison Winn Scotch)

OK….sometimes you just need to zone out in a book and not think. When I saw the cover of this book and read the description, I thought, “Oh great…chick lit.” As I quickly made my way through this however, I realized that there can be really intelligent “chick lit” out there. This is it.

The story revolves around Jillian and her, on the surface, “Good Housekeeping" life…..an executive husband, a baby girl who she adores, an exquisite home in the New York suburbs, and gourmet meals. Never has she felt so “suffocated” and finds herself terribly sad when she hears that her ex-boyfriend has recently married.

Have you ever thought about what would have happened if you had gone down the “road not taken”? Jillian gets her chance and finds herself one day 7 years in the past….no husband, no child, no house in the suburbs, and again with her ex-boyfriend. She has the chance to take this road. Will she?

A thoroughly enjoyable read which comes highly recommended.

MY RATING – 5