Synopsis
"Growing up, Josie and Meredith Garland shared a loving, if sometimes contentious relationship. Josie was impulsive, spirited, and outgoing; Meredith hardworking, thoughtful, and reserved. When tragedy strikes their family, their different responses to the event splinter their delicate bond.
Fifteen years later, Josie and Meredith are in their late thirties, following very different paths. Josie, a first grade teacher, is single—and this close to swearing off dating for good. What she wants more than the right guy, however, is to become a mother—a feeling that is heightened when her ex-boyfriend’s daughter ends up in her class. Determined to have the future she’s always wanted, Josie decides to take matters into her own hands.On the outside, Meredith is the model daughter with the perfect life. A successful attorney, she’s married to a wonderful man, and together they’re raising a beautiful four-year-old daughter. Yet lately, Meredith feels dissatisfied and restless, secretly wondering if she chose the life that was expected of her rather than the one she truly desired.
As the anniversary of their tragedy looms and painful secrets from the past begin to surface, Josie and Meredith must not only confront the issues that divide them, but also come to terms with their own choices. In their journey toward understanding and forgiveness, both sisters discover they need each other more than they knew . . . and that in the recipe for true happiness, love always comes first.
Emotionally honest and utterly enthralling, First Comes Love is a story about family, friendship, and the courage to follow your own heart—wherever that may lead." (Goodreads)
Trying Not To Be Biased
A friend of mine recommended the books of Emily Giffin back in 2011, and I devoured all of her published works within a matter of months. At the time, I was slowly dipping my toes back in the reading pool and needed to know what was good out there, so I was grateful to be exposed to the world Emily Giffin has created, one where characters from every book can interact with each other, where we get a peek into the lives of those we've already read about. Giffin's strong point has always been love, relationships, and the complications that go with them. I loved that her characters were human, that they sometimes made poor choices or were completely unsure of themselves. She also talks about the relationships as they have already been established, and that means that we get to learn about the "happily ever after". I still hold her in high regard and really enjoyed most of her books...until The One and Only, which came out a couple of years ago. I, along with many other Giffin fans, was let down. When I saw that she was releasing a new book this year, I was more hesitant than excited. Could she reach the bar she had set for herself with her previous work? Could she surpass the disappointment of her last book? Needless to say, I kept my expectations low for this one.
Two Views, One Story
Aside from TO&O, the last few books Giffin has written have been from two different perspectives. I like this type of storytelling, especially when there is a rift between the two characters in question, because we get to see both sides of the story. In the case of First Comes Love, we read about Meredith and Josie, sisters with a life-long contentious relationship that has only gotten harder since the death of their older brother. Both Meredith and Josie have big questions to answer and decisions to make, and we follow them as they decide what to do.
Flawed or Just Unlikable?
A character's choices might make you cringe, but you can still root for them. Unfortunately, I didn't feel that way about either character. I felt more for Josie's portion of the story, mostly because she is aware of what she wants or what she might have to do, even if it is painful. It was really hard for me to have any sympathy towards Meredith. Meredith's conundrum stems from the fact that she doesn't really seem to know how to say "no". That's a relatable issue for sure, but that doesn't mean she has to take it out on everybody in nasty ways. She goes to her friends or therapist looking for validation for her behavior (they don't really give in, thankfully). She resents Josie for being the exact opposite of her. I know this character is rooted in reality, but I just couldn't feel for her. She didn't show her heart, only her anger, even in the quiet moments only the reader could see. I am okay with rough characters who are mad at the world, but only if I can see the honesty behind it all...and that wasn't there for me with Meredith.
Overall
3 Stars
This book was an average read for me. Emily Giffin's writing is still engaging enough to keep me flipping through the pages, but the characters she created don't have the same ability to evoke emotion from me like they have in the past, which is one of the reasons I've always enjoyed her as an author. Considering the sister relationship is a big part of the marketing for the book, I felt that it could've been touched upon way more than some of the other plot points. If you're writing a story about sisters "needing each other", than maybe show more interactions, good and bad.
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