Review: How Do You Know?

There are a few authors who are on my "I don't care what you write, I will read it" lists. Meredith Schorr is one of them. Her novel Blogger Girl is one of my all time favourites (review here) so when she asked if I would review her latest, How Do You Know?, I immediately said yes.

Here's the synopsis:

What if you were approaching the end of your thirties and all of the life milestones you took for granted in your youth suddenly seemed out of reach?
On the eve of her thirty-ninth birthday, Maggie Piper doesn't look, act, or feel much different than she did at twenty-nine, but with her fortieth birthday speeding towards her like a freight train, she wonders if she should. The fear of a slowing metabolism, wrinkling of her skin, and the ticking of her biological clock leaves Maggie torn between a desire to settle down like most of her similarly-aged peers and concern that all is not perfect in her existing relationship. When a spontaneous request for a temporary "break" from her live-in boyfriend results in a "break-up," Maggie finds herself single once again and only twelve months from the big 4.0. In the profound yet bumpy year that follows, Maggie will learn, sometimes painfully, that life doesn't always happen on a schedule, there are no deadlines in love, and age really is just a number.

I knew I'd like this book but what I wasn't sure about was if I would be able to identify with the heroine. Meredith, and most others who pay attention to what kinds of stories I do and do not enjoy, knows that I'm not always a fan of reading about a woman who is in her late thirties or older, particularly if she's a mother. So, when she pitched the book to me she said that she knew I liked younger characters but I would still enjoy reading about Maggie. She was right. While Maggie is older, she is still struggling with some of the same issues I, at 28, am. It was easy to relate to her and I always enjoy a story more when I love the main character.

I liked that I wasn't always sure what the end of the book would look like. I didn't know what would happen with Maggie's romantic relationship status and I loved that. I knew what I was hoping for but I still loved experiencing all the twists and turns along with Maggie as she tried to figure out her love life.

One of the main points, or themes, of the novel goes back to my preference for reading books about younger characters. This book made me realize that it's not the age of the characters that throw me off or make me enjoy one story over another. It's about the life, the feelings, the experiences of the character. I've learned, just like Maggie, that age is just a number. It's a good lesson to take with me as I approach the end of my twenties. Stop comparing your own life to others. There's no set timeline for when you should or should not have done something. Embrace your own life. I may not want to do things exactly like Maggie did but she's a damn good role model for me.

As with all of Meredith's novels, How Do You Know? is both thoughtful and funny. It's well-written and features so many awesome characters that you can't help but fall in love with. Plus, the storyline is so realistic that you will have no problem identifying with it and the characters. It's hard to focus on specifics with this novel because it's just such an all around great book. There's no need to look any further for your next fun and engaging read. Pick up How Do You Know? by Meredith Schorr. You won't be disappointed!

*A copy of this novel was provided by the author in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*