This book brought up memories of the movie City Of Angels (which I LOVED). ~ Sheila
Elsie Porter isn’t expecting anything extraordinary when she head out one rainy New Years day to pick up a pizza for herself. Yet extraordinary is what she gets when she meets Ben Ross. Their chemistry is instant and the two start seeing each other immediately. By May, they have eloped.
Nine days later, Ben is killed.
When Elsie meets Ben’s mom Susan, Susan has no idea about Ben’s romance with Elsie let alone his marriage. With no marriage certificate yet, Elsie finds herself pushed aside as plans are made for Ben’s funeral and where he will be buried. As the story unwinds, we see flashes back to Ben and Elsie’s relationship as well as current time Elsie and Susan, two women who loved Ben dearly trying to find a way through sudden devastating grief.
Taylor Jenkins Reid bring about a powerful emotionally charged story of quick passionate love and rock bottom grief. I entered into this read cautiously, hoping I would not stumble into any thing too personally hard, and was happy to find that the book worked for me.
Imagine loving someone so quickly and passionately only to lose them before their family even knows you exist. On top of your grief, you are trying to justify your appearance to a grieving family – especially hard when the person you are trying to convince is someone as closed off as Ben’s mother, Susan.
The book’s flash backs into Elsie and Ben’s relationship and powerful love works well with the current Elsie’s story line of trying to now make sense of what she is left with. the physical remains of a relationship that started and finished in 5 months.
I had mentioned before that Taylor Jenkins Reid was a new author to me and I have enjoyed the three books I have now read of hers. Her writing is down to earth, lite with interesting story lines that make you think.
Book Journey 
I loved this one too! I have now read three books by the author, who is a new favorite. Glad you enjoyed it.
I don’t go in for books that evokes feels, but this one sounds interesting. I think more just because my brain is going “Wow, what a crappy situation!” but still.
This was such an emotional novel – I loved it.
Oh, that sounds so sad!
I’ve only read her newest, Maybe In Another Life, but I liked it very much. I’ll have to keep her other two in mind. I like the sound of this one, if I were in the right mood for it. that is.
This author is new to me. I’ll have to check her books out. This one sounds emotional, but good.
Sheila,
This sounds like a touching book. The author’s new to me. I will keep this book and author in mind.
Oh, this sounds like a heart wrencher!
I hadn’t heard of this one Sheila – though I read her more recent novel (and struggled a little with the main character from memory… though think we were supposed to). This sounds interesting AND heartbreaking!
I read a review of this book on another blog late last year and it sounds like a really great read – although not my typical book. It’s good to step outside your comfort zone though and I’m sure I’ll check out this author’s writing at some point because I’ve heard a lot of good feedback.
Sounds like a read that requires a box of tissues. An author I seem to be hearing a lot about recently, I’ll be sure to make a note of her name.