Just Finished: I Couldn't Love You More

I have to start off by sending a huge thank you to Amy Bromberg for contacting me about I Couldn't Love You More by Jillian Medoff. I had already heard a few things about this book before she asked me to give a review so I was intrigued. Happily, all those things I was hearing were true. This book is fantastic.

Here's what the novel is about:

Eliot Gordon would do anything for her family. A 38-year-old working mother, she lives a conventional but fulfilling life in suburban Atlanta with her partner, Grant Delaney, and their three daughters. The two older girls are actually Eliot's stepdaughters, a distinction she is reluctant to make as she valiantly attempts to maintain a safe, happy household . . .

Then Finn Montgomery, Eliot's long-lost first love, appears, triggering a shocking chain of events that threatens to unravel everything she's worked for. How Eliot survives-and what she loses in the process-is a story that will resonate with anyone who has ever loved a child. With hilarious honesty, wrenching depth, and a knockout twist, I COULDN'T LOVE YOU MORE illuminates the unbreakable bonds of family and reveals the lengths we'll go to save each other, even as we can't save ourselves.

Those of you who follow Jennifer Weiner on Twitter may recognize this as a book that she's been promoting the heck out of. (And those of you who aren't following her - why not? Click here and follow away. She's hilarious!) Now that I've finished reading I Couldn't Love You More I totally see why she wants everyone to read it. It's amazing. In fact, I tweeted as such as soon as I finished the book and SHE ACTUALLY REPLIED. I get a huge thrill any time an author I've read replies to me on Twitter but this was Jennifer Freaking Weiner. And since I was so excited about it I have supplied the screenshot of that Tweet. Because I'm cool like that.

I don't find it that surprising that Weiner is loving this novel as I found Medoff's story and writing to be quite similar to Weiner's. The story focuses on a family issue, which is common in Weiner's works. Eliot is funny, flawed, and, most importantly, real - like all of Weiner's heroines (at least the ones I've read about, anyway).

I was so involved in Eliot's life and story that I felt tied up in knots when I was reading about what happened. This is a huge indicator for me. If I'm physically affected by the character's story, it means I am loving it. I felt for Eliot and I was hoping like crazy that things would work out for her in the end.

My reviewing system goes like this: I read the synopsis, agree to review the book, then a little while later I'll read the novel without rereading the synopsis. This allows me to be surprised all over again when I'm reading. In this case I was really glad this is the way I work because it gave me some more surprises than I would have had otherwise. I started reading this expecting one outcome and I got something completely different - and I loved that. There's so much going on in this book but it never felt slow or too jam packed. Everything gets explained and resolved in due time, which was great for me.

There's so much I could say about this book but I can't seem to find the words to explain how wonderful I Couldn't Love You More is. It has wonderful characters - you can't help but love Eliot's large and slightly dysfunctional family - as well as a plot that grips you and doesn't let you go. I read half the book in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. Yes, it's that good. I would highly recommend this book to everyone.

Intrigued? Good because I some exciting news for all of you! I have an extra copy of I Couldn't Love You More up for grabs! Thank the publisher (Hachette Book Group) for accidentally sending me two copies. Instead of being greedy and giving it to one of my friends (I know many of them would love it) I have decided to hold my very first giveaway! Yay! Also, Jillian has agreed to send a signed book plate to the winner! I'm making it very simple for you all to enter. Leave a comment with your email address (you can use AT and DOT to avoid spam) before midnight on Friday June 29. It's open to anyone in Canada and the US (because I HATE when contests are US only). If for some reason you're having issues commenting, mention me on Twitter (@KaleyS23) and I'll include you in the draw. I'll choose a winner and contact them over the weekend. How does that sound to everyone? Good, I hope! Comment away!

Happy reading (and commenting!) :)

***Congrats to Bethie! She's won a copy of I Couldn't Love You More!***