I guess we've kind of reviewed Emily Giffin's books the wrong way round: Something Borrowed was her debut, but we reviewed Something Blue first. That doesn't matter though- these books complement each other and can be read in either order. Something Borrowed is told from the point of view of Rachel, who is about to turn thirty and having a bit of an early mid-life crisis. Her best friend since school Darcy seems to have everything: a wonderful man, a glamorous job in PR and a wedding to plan. Rachel on the other hand, feels lost and overlooked. Especially whenever she's with Darcy.
Life perks up a little when she finally realises she has great chemistry with a man she's known for years... shame he also happens to be Darcy's fiance, Dex....
You would think that a woman lusting after her more beautiful friend's man would come across as desperate and nasty, but Giffin is careful to make sure that doesn't become the case. Although sometimes I felt frustrated with Rachel, most of the time I was sympathetic to her feelings and wanted Dex to pick her!
It helps that Darcy isn't a very sympathetic character, and we want Rachel to step out of her shadow. I thought the exploration of the two women's friendship was excellent, especially the idea that your friends may be more of a habit than people you have true connections with- and the way we stay in close contact with people out of familiarity, even if they're not good for us... But also that the thought of losing a friendship, even an imperfect one, can be devastating. I think most women will relate to that. Plus, I love the New York taxi cab cover!
I better not give away the ending, although if you've read Something Blue (or our review of it, oops!) you'll already know how things turn out. Even so, it's still a great read, highly recommended. And not just by me- according to the cover Marian Keyes, Meg Cabot and Lauren Weisberger couldn't put it down either!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Like this? Try Something Blue by Emily Giffin; Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner.
