When I discovered this book at the LPO book fare in New Orleans, I just had to take it, if it only was for the first sentence on the back:
"If Elisabeth Ferguson had her way, she'd spend her days savouring good books, cooking great meals, making fun of tedious suitors, and waiting for the love of her life to walk in the door."

I liked it in the beginning, was a bit bored during the first part, and almost loved it through the second half. A fine book, maybe too nice for wild release (as I'd like to know where it goes), but definitely too good to get bored on my bookshelf. And I already have an idea who is going to have it next...

"The day after graduation, lanky and self-righteous, she participated in a March of Dimes Walk-a-Thon: walked fifteen miles of the twenty-mile course and then developed fierce shin splints. She sat down by the side of the road waiting for one of the trucks which periodically drove by collecting exhausted walkers. She was massaging her legs, daydreaming of a hot bath, when a young legless man on a wooden dolly passed by where she sat, pulling himself along with his gloved hands. And, by God, Elisabeth got up and walked the last five miles. Three days later, when she was able to walk again, she flew back to San Francisco."

(...)

"So where are your folks?"
"Dead. I'm an orphan. What about you?"
"My dad died in Korea. My mom's in Los Angeles, same house I grew up in."
"Do you like her?"
"I adore her. She's a sweetheart. I just can't stand to be in the same room with her for more than ten minutes."

(...)

"Come here," he said. No. "Do you just want to cry for a while?" Yes, she nodded, with her head sideways on the mantel. "You sure look beautiful in that kimono. I sure love you, Elizabeth. Do you believe that?" After a minute she nodded. "I want to get married someday. But you gotta trust me more. I trust you with everything I have. And there's no reason - I give you my word - you can't trust me."
And so Elizabeth, at that moment, lifts her head off the mantel and decides to trust him, decides that he was telling the truth and that she was a faithless foolish old woman. When she looks at him, and he can see he has won, he decides that from that moment on he will be faithful to Elizabeth, will give up - and it was an easy decision - the other, occasional women.
"I really love you," he said. "I want to hold you all night."

(...)

"Right now, you're feeling like there's a vacuum in your life - I swear to you, I know the feeling perfectly. But remember what James said?"
"Nature hates a vacuum."
"Yeah. And so all sorts of stuff rushes in to fill it."
(...)"Try to be a good sport, baby. Sharon feels as bad as you do. It's a run-of-the-mill shitty thing. Life is full of them. And it always feels better to be kind."

"God is just a word," said James. "It means truth, and you know, the truth shall set you free."
"Yeah?"
"To face and tell and love the truth is what they mean by 'God'."

Had a bit of trouble getting into this but am now devouring it. Interesting insights into friendship; and into obsessing about relationships. I'm intrigued by the parallel accounts of the daughter and the mother trying to come to terms with the world - this makes it all sound much more sappy than it is - it's actually pretty funny, with lots of carefully-observed details that ring very true.

More when I've finished it and digested it a little more!

And now for the update - I really enjoyed this and found it had a lot of significant things to say. And I especially liked the sometimes preposterous, intimate, supportive conversations between the two women friends. And Elizabeth's struggle to find her place in the world. Lots and lots of things going on in this book, thanks a lot to Lucca for passing it on to me.

“You see” he said “we’ve finally met our match. I figure we don’t have a chance; we might as well go for it. As I see it,” he said, leaning forward to pour them more brandy, “we are difficult, weird people and we make each other laugh. We’re very kind to each other, mostly and we drive each other wild in bed. I wait all day to see you again. You make me so happy, all warm and filled-up inside. It’s like other people feel about having Jesus on their side. Is this too mushy?”

To be passed on this evening to a Finnish friend, curious to see what she thinks of it and where it travels to next

Have to digest before making a proper entry...

Got the book from polar-bear and read it, and just loved it!

Gonna read it ASAP (i wish!)