The First Husband

March 14, 2011
Dave (The Divorce Party) delivers an eager to please novel in this story of travel writer Annabelle Adams, whose world is turned upside down when Nick, her boyfriend of five years, leaves her. On the rebound, she meets Griffin, a chef who quickly marries her and whisks her from Los Angeles to his tiny hometown of Williamsburg, Mass. While Griffin is pretty much the perfect husband, Annie soon develops doubts about their relationship, fueled by smalltown living, the craziness of his family, and the unresolved feelings she has surrounding her breakup with Nick. Naturally, Nick resurfaces at a very inopportune moment for Griffin and forces Annie to truly decide between "an old love offering us happily ever after" and "that chance to be our best self." Annie's voice is clear if a bit heavy on Carrie Bradshawisms, and while there isn't much in the way of surprise or actual obstacles blocking the happily-ever-after, it's a cute story, capably told.

April 1, 2011

The heroine of Dave's newest post-feminist chick-lit romance (The Divorce Party, 2008, etc.) must choose between the quiet life offered by her new husband and the fast lane her former lover represents.

Only days after 32-year-old Annie gets dumped by longtime live-in boyfriend Nick, an up-and-coming movie director, she meets Griffin at the chichi L.A. restaurant she frequents—talk about romantic fantasy: Annie's career as a monthly travel columnist pays well, apparently demands little time or difficult travel and is never seriously endangered—and where he is temporarily the chef. It seems to be love at first sight, although Annie's best friend Jordan, who also happens to be Nick's sister, calls Griffin "Rebound Guy." Three months after they meet, he proposes. They marry in a Vegas chapel on their way across the country to Griffin's western Massachusetts hometown, where he is about to open his own restaurant—Annie's job with a New York paper also allows her to live anywhere. But Williamsburg requires a lot of adjusting on Annie's part. Griffin's genius brother Jesse and his 5-year-old twins move in with the newlyweds because Jesse's wife has thrown him out for impregnating the MIT professor guiding his doctorate program. The twin's art teacher turns out to be Gia, until recently Griffin's girlfriend of 13 years, whom Griffin's mother makes clear she'd much prefer as a daughter-in-law. Then Nick shows up from his new base in London to win Annie back; she turns him down, but she feels stirrings. When the new Rupert Murdocklike owner of her paper offers her a job in London, Griffin encourages her to try it out. Soon she's settled in London in a fantastic apartment, the company is grooming her for a new dream job, the publisher's dashing son is wooing her and Nick is just a call away. What's a girl to do?

A lightweight romance posing as something realistic and psychologically profound.

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

April 15, 2011

Annie Adams's life is on the verge of bursting into full bloom. Having moved to L.A. with her director boyfriend, she finds success as a travel writer, and Nick's career is about to skyrocket him to fame. Then one day Nick comes home and tells Annie he's done with their relationship. After days of depression, Annie musters the energy to dress up and hit the town, where she meets Griffin. Sparks fly immediately, and she soon finds herself married and living in a small Massachusetts town where Griffin is opening his own restaurant. But while Annie loves Griffin, she is conflicted about her new life. Griffin's lovely ex lives around the corner, and Griffin's brother, Jesse, and Jesse's twin boys end up living with the newlyweds. Then Annie loses her travel column and faces life in a small town with personal complications and no job direction. When Nick arrives to take her back, she has to make a difficult decision. VERDICT Dave follows The Divorce Party and London Is the Best City in America with this page-turning story about modern love and what makes one feel safe and at home. It is sure to attract readers who enjoy Emily Giffin.--Beth Gibbs, Davidson, NC

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2011
Laura Dave (The Divorce Party, 2009) writes Hollywood-friendly novels, and her latest romantic comedy seems tailor-made for the silver screen, beginning with the opening scene in which travel writer Annie Adams is unceremoniously dumped by her longtime boyfriend, Nick. Before long, Dave arranges the requisite meeting between Annie and handsome chef Griffin, followed by a whirlwind romance, Vegas wedding, and cross-country move from Los Angeles to rural New England, where Annies fish-out-of-water status is mined for laughs. Trouble in paradise comes in the form of Annie and Griffins exes, who give Annie reason to question her relationship with Griffin. A job opportunity takes her to London, but she soon realizes where she truly belongs. Cue the mad dash to the airport. This is breezy, popcorn entertainment, strengthened by such secondary characters as Griffins quirky brother, Jesse, and Daves use of Annies travel writing to offer up thoughtful insights on the themes of home and escape. These pithy observations (Theres no such thing as the perfect destination) all but beg for a Carrie Bradshaw-style voice-over narration.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)

April 1, 2011

The heroine of Dave's newest post-feminist chick-lit romance (The Divorce Party, 2008, etc.) must choose between the quiet life offered by her new husband and the fast lane her former lover represents.

Only days after 32-year-old Annie gets dumped by longtime live-in boyfriend Nick, an up-and-coming movie director, she meets Griffin at the chichi L.A. restaurant she frequents--talk about romantic fantasy: Annie's career as a monthly travel columnist pays well, apparently demands little time or difficult travel and is never seriously endangered--and where he is temporarily the chef. It seems to be love at first sight, although Annie's best friend Jordan, who also happens to be Nick's sister, calls Griffin "Rebound Guy." Three months after they meet, he proposes. They marry in a Vegas chapel on their way across the country to Griffin's western Massachusetts hometown, where he is about to open his own restaurant--Annie's job with a New York paper also allows her to live anywhere. But Williamsburg requires a lot of adjusting on Annie's part. Griffin's genius brother Jesse and his 5-year-old twins move in with the newlyweds because Jesse's wife has thrown him out for impregnating the MIT professor guiding his doctorate program. The twin's art teacher turns out to be Gia, until recently Griffin's girlfriend of 13 years, whom Griffin's mother makes clear she'd much prefer as a daughter-in-law. Then Nick shows up from his new base in London to win Annie back; she turns him down, but she feels stirrings. When the new Rupert Murdocklike owner of her paper offers her a job in London, Griffin encourages her to try it out. Soon she's settled in London in a fantastic apartment, the company is grooming her for a new dream job, the publisher's dashing son is wooing her and Nick is just a call away. What's a girl to do?

A lightweight romance posing as something realistic and psychologically profound.

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)