Last word first: (3/5) A sweet and touching story of the real difference friendships can make.Would Joe like this book? No.
Description: Drew Robbins Warren is a beautiful, intelligent successful mother of two whose husband has just left her for a younger woman. Leah Cline is a pregnant eighteen year old with no family, no friends, and no money. The only thing these woman have in common is loneliness. But when Drew delivers a box of hand-me-down baby clothes to the projects, fate brings the two together, and a remarkable journey begins. (from the book cover)
My thoughts: This is really a feel-good fantasy-about-reality kind of book. You know, those moments when life sucks and you just wish you could sweep in there and fix it, but reality is overwhelming? This story overcomes those odds. Realistic? Maybe not, but it sure was fun to read. I was definitely rooting for Drew and especially Leah as the story went on.
There’s an interesting point in this book where Drew intervenes to help Leah walk away from a toxic situation. I can’t say that I’ve ever been in this type of situations, but I have been around them, and I have never seen one resolved this easily. I don’t know if this portrayal hurts women by making it look like leaving an abusive situation should be quick, easy and painless. Maybe it will help by encouraging people to believe that it’s even possible. I just don’t know. Any thoughts?
The writing style in this book wasn’t its best feature. There are a few speeches in this book that really felt strange in their settings. Drew speaks out to her husband, the neighbourhood gossiping biddies, and her son with an overreaction that had the feeling of those retorts you make up in your mind long after the time for response has passed. I’m sure it was cathartic for the authors in the process of writing, but it didn’t feel genuine to me. On the other hand, it was fun to imagine.
I rate this book 3 out of 5.
About Michelle Bulmer Atha & Meghan Gonzales Wagar: When long-time friends Meaghan Gonzales Wagar and Michelle Bulmer Atha experienced the pain of a broken marriage at the same time, self-pity, pints of ice cream and loads of Chinese take-out would have been an easy escape. But these two Atlanta-area school teachers found a different medicine to soothe their heartache: a little dose of charity.
My question to you: Have you ever received a random act of kindness that meant a lot to you?
GIVEAWAY! If this book sounds like something you’d like to read, this is your lucky day. Just answer my question above and leave your email address to be entered to win one of three copies of The Unexpected Gift. Open to addresses within the US and Canada, winners will be chosen and emailed on or around July 31, 2009. Good luck!
Can't wait? Click the book cover image to purchase from Amazon.
Be sure to have a look at my birthday giveaway with three great books to choose from, open internationally!
30 comments:
When we moved into our new house, our next door neighbour had freshly mowed our front lawn for us. It was a much appreciated surprise!
melacan at hotmail dto com
I have a neighbor who is the sweetest woman in the world. Even when she is sick or has things going on in her life she always remembers my children's birthdays and brings them a gift. So appreciate her!
Debbie F
dcf_beth at verizon dot net
Actually - several. The biggest was when all of the kids (10 total) where still living at home, and my fridge died. Money was really tight at the time...and someone from our church bought us a new one. And I'm not talking about a dinky thing either. It was huge! A top of the line side by side, with ice and water in the door. I was in love with it. To this day, I have no idea who did it.
libneas[at]aol[dot]com
When my son was injured in a shotgun accident, we received so many!!! He was in a hospital 2 hours away. People cleaned my house, so I didn't have to see. The grass was cut, bushes trimmed.
Many of these we never knew who did them.
mj.coward[at]gmail.com
Well not really...
no one has ever done something like that for me but maybe when I get older (I'm 16)
-Liz
liztapioka14[at]yahoo[dot]com
Sounds too deep for me but I love your review!
A few holiday seasons ago, I was pretty ill & unable to do very much. Christmas just wasn't going to happen in our household. To my surprise, my sister & her daughter showed up on my doorstep the Sunday before Christmas with a small tree & decorations in hand and proceeded to put up a tree. Thanks to them, we celebrated Christmas that year!
Thanks for opportunity to read this book ~ megalon22{at}yahoo{dot}com
No need to enter me; I'm hoping for these sorts of kindnesses in a few months. I'll need some extra help around here...
Thanks for the e-mail (and link!). I've got this up at Win a Book.
My brother's girl friend gave me a doll when we met for the first time. It was such a sweet gesture--you could see how she just wanted us to be friends when she did it. I was always appreciative of her for that.
bethrevis@gmail.com
[PS: Love the review. I've not read this one before, but it sounds excellent.]
I've had a lot of people help over the years, and I've tried to help others whenever possible. One time my then boyfriend and I were stuck in Nevada (we had "borrowed" my dad's car) and we overheated and were stuck at the side of the road. It was very hot. No one would pull over to help. This was way before cell phones. After over an hour of this, we had decided to walk. Before we got out of the car, a car full of Mexican men pulled over. I spoke very little spanish, understood none, they only spoke spanish. But they had me pop my hood, they figured out what was wrong put water in the radiator and did something to the hose. They gave us each a cold beer and took off. I've never forgotten that.
Years later I was waiting for medicine at the pharmacy (where some particularly rude pharmacy teches work) and a man didn't have enough for his prescription. He was pulling out all his change and he still didn't have enough. I had such a strong feeling (probably because I didn't like the pharmacy tech, or her attitude) so I paid for his co-pay, which was only $4.00, he tried to give me his change but I told him to keep it in case he needed it later. That one wasn't such a big deal to me, the thing that sticks out for me was the techs attitude while he was trying to make his change add up to a measly $4.00, the look on her face when I paid was priceless.
I know it sounds simple/small but I was at the library when I was younger and I couldnt check out books because I had amassed this huge (to me) fine on my card that i wasnt expecting. On the elevator away, looking sad, this older gentlemen insisted on giving me the money to pay it so I could check out the books. It was so touching,I asked for his name and address and later sent him a card to thank him and repay him. SO NICE.
wheresmyrain at yahoo dot com
Arrived in the US from a foreign country to attend school and all the university dorms were full but a family who wasn't expecting me offered board and lodging almost for free!
delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com
There are so many little kindnesses that I try not to take for granted - the driver in the next lane who leaves me a spot to merge in front of him, etc. One I remember is crossing the border from Mozambique to South Africa by myself with my daughter - then not quite 1yo. A couple noticed I really had my hands full - she was walking and not too cooperative after a long drive. So they kept her entertained as I navigated the confusing border protocols that kept me going from one line to another.
janemaritz at yahoo dot com
This looks interesting! Please enter me!
Hmm, I think the best, and biggest, RAK I received was a (used) car from my uncle when I got out of college. It was totally unexpected and I was so worried about how I'd get to work and he gave me a car! That is huge! And wonderful!
BethsBookReviewBlog AT gmail DOT com
I know this sounds small time and lame, but I love it when people smile at me when I walk by. Just having strangers smile at me is wonderful.
Valorie
morbidromantic@gmail.com
A RAOK was when i was wearing these tight shoes and my feet started bleeding on the bus this stranger handed me some bandaids and i was so thankful because I had a whole day ahead of me!
nicole
nicolemarielum @gmail.com
I would love to be included in this giveaway. The only act of kindness that I have received was when I had a flat tire and a man stopped to help me change the tire. I tried to give him some money but he would not take it.
Thanks
Debbie
debdesk9(at)verizon.net
Yes, when I had surgery, a neighbor bought groceries and brought them over so my hubby and kids wouldn't have to do without! Very sweet of them :)
Sounds like it's worth the read!
wendyhines (at) hotmail (dot) com
I have received lots of wonderful random acts of kindness, like when a strange once paid my toll on the tollway!
Thank you for the giveaway :)
hurdler4eva(at)gmail(dot)com
I would love to read this book! Many yrs ago, at the grocery store I wanted to get a stamp to mail a letter but all they had was a book of stamps and I couldn't afford that and some stranger behind me gave me a stamp out of her purse. I was so tickled,because the post office was too far to walk! Thanks! jacquecurl1@gmail.com
When the person in line in front of me didn't have their Air Miles card so he gave the Air Miles to me.
wandanamgreb (at) gmail (dot) com
I was stuck because my car broke down and I had to leave it in the garage to be fixed for almost a week. I had no clue how I was going to get my son off to daycare and then get myself to work. I had just started dating someone(we had only been on two dates) and he insisted that I borrow his car for as long as I needed it. It was was one of the nicest things that someone has ever done for me
Canadian Contests, Freebies, Coupons, Deals, Games and Chat - join us at CoolCanucks.ca
bluebelle0367(at)hotmail(dot)com
My boyfriend (who is now my hubby) joined the Army and his graduation from Basic Training was in Oklahoma and his dad called me a month or so before graduation and offered to take me there. It was so nice.
bjhopper(at)me(dot)com
After Hurricane Katrina, I moved from New Orleans to Washington DC, and the outpouring of kindness was pretty unbelievable. I left everything behind, and someone from the new job I got up here got in touch with a friend of hers who pretty much gave me two entire rooms of furniture. I couldn't believe how giving people really can be.
I'd love to win this, sounds amazing!
bellasnovella @ gmail.com
After Hurricane Katrina, I moved from New Orleans to Washington DC, and the outpouring of kindness was pretty unbelievable. I left everything behind, and someone from the new job I got up here got in touch with a friend of hers who pretty much gave me two entire rooms of furniture. I couldn't believe how giving people really can be.
I'd love to win this, sounds amazing!
bellasnovella @ gmail.com
Someone rang the door bell and ran, leaving $100 at Christmas time the year my husband was out of work.
Jolynn_Reads@yahoo dotcom
Blair lewis
blairwlewis@gmail.com
Yes My daughter wrote me a poem while I was in the Hospital with Cancer. I frames it and read it everyday!!!!
Random acts of custody-I had surgery and one of my friends brought my husband and I dinner for about 5 days after.
very thoughtful-i was off from work and she would take me out.
chocolateandcroissants at yahoo dot com
I can't think of anytime I was a recipient of a "random act of kindness". I've had people who have done things for me when I needed it, but I can't think of when it occurred "randomly".
nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com
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