REVIEW: Bookends by Jane Green

Title: Bookends
Author: Jane Green
1st Published: 2000
Genre: Fiction
Page Count: Paperback, 368 pages
Read: July, 2012
First Sentence: The first time I met Josh, I thought he was a nice guy but a transient friend. The first time I met Si I fell hopelessly in love and prayed I'd somehow be able to convert him.

Goodreads Synopsis: Catherine Warner and Simon Nelson are best friends: total opposites, always together, and both unlucky in love. Cath is scatterbrained, messy, and–since she had her heart broken a few years back–emotionally closed off. Si is impossibly tidy, bitchy, and desperate for a man of his own. They live in London’s West Hampstead along with their lifelong friends, Josh and Lucy, who are happily married with a devil-spawn child and a terrifying Swedish nanny, Ingrid.

All’s well (sort of) until the sudden arrival of a college friend–the stunningly beautiful Portia, who’s known for breaking hearts. Though they’ve grown up and grown apart from Portia, the four friends welcome her back into the fold. But does Portia have a hidden agenda or is she merely looking to reconnect with old friends? Her reappearance soon unleashes a rollicking series of events that tests the foursome’s friendships to the limit and leaves them wondering if a happy ending is in store.

Fortunately, Cath has plenty to take her mind off Portia’s schemes–like her gutsy decision to leave her job in advertising to fulfill her dream of opening a bookstore. And then there’s James, the sexy real-estate agent who keeps dropping by even after the bookstore deal is done. With his irresistible smile and boyish charm could he be the one to melt Cath’s heart?

REVIEW
When I first saw this book I thought it was a nice cover, and I read about Jane Green in one of the Goodreads Monthly Newsletters. So, when I saw it I was like what the hay, people seem to like her work. Then when I was reading the book. I thought it was an okay novel. Nothing special. Just parts in that where like okay? Why? Like I feel this book could have been much better without Portia or the whole HIV thing... I believe if she would have used cancer or another disease I wouldn't have minded as much but HIV?! Why? (Watch the documentary House of Numbers to see why the whole HIV thing bothers me.)

Also it's place did not makes sense it just came out of no where. I think that if this book would have been written through the perspective of simon it would have made it bit more sense and I may just have liked this book a lot more. I gave this book two stars because it has a lot of pontential to be a generally good book, but in my personal opinion... I didn't like it, but I do have a feeling that if this book were to be a movie or tv show I may just like it a bit more then two stars, but whomever works on it will have to angel this book. Like Gossip Girl (I actually prefer the tv show then the books... I read the books before the tv show... so you can't get mad at me.)

NEGATIVES:
• It was to much for me.
• I didn't really care for the characters.
• I didn't really like all the "twists," "turns," and "complications."
• Didn't understand the why the whole HIV was needed.
• I didn't like Portia's place in this book... I don't think she was even a nessary character.

POSITIVES:
• I like Simon.
• I like how Catherine's personalty grows through out the book. (Actually, most of the characters personality grow in the in of the book. I just felt like this needed more planning.)
• I like when they open the shop for the first time. (Didn't like how they got the shop.)
• I think that if they make this book into a movie I may just like it a little bit better. (If they take off the HIV part that is... I still don't understand WHY?! That even needed to be in the book.)
• I the author had a good philosophy vibe, things women and people in general should notice or realize at one point in their life.
VIDEO REVIEW:

MY FAVORITE QUOTE(S):
“... you don't have to wait for someone to treat you bad repeatedly. All it takes is once, and if they get away with it that once, if they know they can treat you like that, then it sets the pattern for the future.” ― Jane Green, Bookends


Overall
I feel like the author could have done a better job. In the end this book was just not for me. If you believe that you may like the book based on the synopsis the by all means check it out. Don't let me stop you.
My Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Overall (Goodreads) Rating: 3.57 Stars
( o u t . o f . f i v e . stars)

[ Check out @ Goodreads ] [ Bookends Excerpt ]