Sundays at Tiffany's

The cover blurb sounded promising, it's a James Patterson - or is it? Who is this Gabrielle Charbonett? - and so I was lured in. I admit, I stayed up til 2:00 a.m. "reading it" last night... although the truth is, I mostly skimmed the first sentence of every paragraph, all the while thinking "Really? This was published? It reads like a high school English writing class assignment." It's gimmicky, but the promise of the gimmick isn't fulfilled very well. Jane is likeable, and the two characters in the opening are charming, but the plot is ridiculous (and not the gimmicky part - the way it's written). The writing is downright cheesy at times. Thank god the chapters - the one thing that makes this believable as a work of James Patterson - are short. UGH. Don't read this unless you're looking for a primer on what a bad novel looks like. I'm going to have to be very careful with future JP novels... maybe I'll become a better library patron.

You can see by my rating I loved the book. What I don't get is the reception by readers at Amazon.com. This happened with the last book I read of his, YOU'VE BEEN WARNED. I'm not a Patterson groupie. Here's why. I began watching movies that were from his books. I rarely mix books and movies. One reason is usually to do so would result in a huge disappointment. Besides, life is too short to waste doing that - at least for me.

It was when my kids became hooked on the Maximum Ride series that I picked up one of his book. The one I mentioned above. Loved it. Then went on to SAIL and again, loved that book. So naturally, I picked up this one.

It's a little out there, but the story remains believable. There wasn't a boring moment and the ending was a bit of a surprise. What more could I want from a book? I have more of his books on the to-read list and who knows? Given enough time, maybe I'll become a groupie. My kids love him and I loved the last three books, plus all the books of his made into movies. Looks like I am off to a good start.

It was when my kids became hooked on the Maximum Ride series that I picked up one of his book. The one I mentioned above. Loved it. Then went on to SAIL and again, loved that book. So naturally, I picked up this one.

It's a little out there, but the story remains believable. There wasn't a boring moment and the ending was a bit of a surprise. What more could I want from a book? I have more of his books on the to-read list and who knows? Given enough time, maybe I'll become a groupie. My kids love him and I loved the last three books, plus all the books of his made into movies. Looks like I am off to a good start.

After reading many of the other reviews, I wanted to include my '2 cents'. Yes it is different, but if you have read many of Patterson's books, you realize that happens. I enjoyed this one because it is simple and romantic. I love the Woman's Club mysteries, as well as the ones with Max. I have read some of the Alex Cross ones and Patterson just uses different styles depending on what type of story that it is. The ones that this closely can be compared to are: Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas and Sam's Letters to Jennifer. Yes, the are different but that doesn't make them bad.

I read this book because it has James Patterson's name on it. However, it was really awful. The story was so juvenile that I kept thinking this book must belong in the young readers department. I see some reviewers thought it was a touching story. I thought it was trite and poorly written.

Once again, I have fallen in love. James Patterson's new book has, yet again, delivered the kind of emotion one feels when one is hungrily, desperately and hopelessly in love. I cannot even begin to gather the words to describe this book.

I'll start with the summary found at the back of the book...(Warning, spoilers!!! as I have added a bit more detail)

Jane Margaux is a lonely little girl. Her mother, Vivienne, a powerful Broadway producer, makes time for her only once a week, for their Sunday trip to admire jewelry at Tiffany's. Jane has only one friend: a handsome, comforting, funny man named Michael. He's perfect. But only she can see him. Michael can't (and does not) stay forever. On Jane's 9th birthday he leaves, promising her that she'll soon forget him. According to him, this is just how things go.

Years later, in her thirties, Jane is just as alone as she was as a child. And despite her own success as a playwright (she wrote Thank Heaven and it was based on her life with her imaginary friend Michael and how it ended with him leaving), she is even more trapped by her overbearing mother. She's seeing Hugh, a conceited and self-indulgent actor who sees only himself and treats Jane as trash. Then she meets someone - a handsome, comforting, funny man. He's perfect. His name is Michael...and yes, he is the same Michael from her childhood.

(spoiler alert!! stop reading here if you want to read the book for yourself)

Jane does not understand how Michael can be the same man 23 years later. Michael is also as confused as she is. She's supposed to forget him but she didn't. He's not supposed to run into the kids he befriended but he has ran into Jane.

Suddenly they meet and its as if she was nine again. Michael would be there when she went to work and he would be there when she was done with work. He would listen to her, laugh with her and spend time with her. He would surprise her with flowers and walk her home every night. It was never a dull moment when they were together.

But Michael starts to question what brought them together. He starts experiencing things he has never experienced before. Such as, getting nicked while shaving, crying, and this unbelievable pain in his chest that he would feel every time he would see Jane. Is this love? Is he falling in love? Is this how love feels? To be happy every moment of every day? To look forward to the day even though you know its just going to be the same routine at work? To know that no matter what happens, someone out there is thinking of you the same way you are thinking of them?

And while he was in church, the answer came to him. It was his job to ease her passing into the afterlife. Jane was dying. He suddenly wanted to make the last days she was going to spend on earth happy. He brought her to Nantucket, her favorite place on earth and they spent several heavenly days together. But then Michael had an idea - he would sacrifice himself so that Jane could live. He then left her in the middle of the night and took off without a word.

This time, I ask you, how would it feel to wake up smiling and in love and then to find out that the reason you are smiling has left you? Jane went home crying and heartbroken. Michael had left her - twice!

But on the way back from Nantucket, Michael had a sudden feeling that Jane was dying. He started walking fast. Then he ran. He ran as fast as he could. And when he opened the hospital door - he saw her - he saw the reason why he was brought to her - Vivienne was dying.

Vivienne died but without saying goodbye to her daughter. Jane was able to make it to the hospital just in time and Michael was with her. He would be with her for the rest of her life.

Up to now, I still cannot figure out what Michael is. Is he an angel? I don't know. All I know is that love is timeless and needs no explanation. It knows no boundaries and when it happens, its a miracle. :)

Thank you James Patterson for writing another wonderful romance novel! I loved your first two books (Sam's Letters to Jennifer and Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas).

To all those who want to feel the love, I highly recommend any of the three books. They are just amazing.