Sunday, April 18, 2021

Book Review: "A Girl Like You" by Cari Scribner

A Girl Like You, the debut novel by Cari Scribner, is an entertaining and poignant look at starting over again and figuring out what you want.

When Jessica Gabriel’s second marriage ends, she finds herself wondering whether happiness is possible for a woman on the downward slope toward 60. And what does she even want the third time around?

“I’d grown up on Cinderella and Snow White fairy tales, without question believing there was a prince out there for me. I never really got behind the idea of being saved by that prince, because I was always quite certain I could save myself, but that wildly romantic notion of having a soulmate? I’d bought into it big time.”

Lonely, craving sex and companionship, and sadder than she expected about her marriage ending, she knows it’s time to start over. Armed with a new haircut and a gym membership, she gets a job, learns to fix things around the house, and, with the convincing of her two adult kids and her best friend, she decides to take a tentative step into the world of online dating.

What she quickly finds is a motley crew—some men who are more emotionally damaged than she is, some whom she thinks might have promise (but only briefly), and some whom are wrong from the start. And then there are a few for whom she lets her guard down, emotionally and sexually, only to discover that they aren’t what they seem.

I really enjoyed A Girl Like You, and the characters were all really appealing. It’s nice to have a story with an older woman as the main character when she's not portrayed as a doddering idiot or a burden, and have her explore her sexuality as well as her vulnerability. The book is funny, sometimes sad, and definitely a bit steamier than I anticipated. And you’ll never look at clothespins the same way again!

Cari Scribner provided me with a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!!

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