Got this in a swap for Boy meets Girl on www.readitswapit.co.uk

I did enjoy this book. It was cleverly written, not heavy going, and just an enjoyable story about people, but at the same time there was quite a bit of commentary about society.

It's set in the suburbs in America and focuses on the parents of small children. I think some of the characters personify everything that is annoying about parents of small children and what makes having kids oh so off putting.

The two main characters are Sarah - daughter Lucy and husband who is more interested in a computer tart - who is wondering where her life and excitement went... and Todd - son Aaron and overachiever marvellous wife - who is a stay at home dad supposedly about to start his amazing career soon. And there's a recently released child molester living in the area - which was a tricky character to bring it, because you can't show them in a sympathetic light, all things considered, and yet Perotta has been clever in not demonising him into some 2D stereotype.

Mix them all together and the story starts...

I did really enjoy the film - which did prompt me to want to read the book. It's great but also a little depressing in releasing that we've all got to grow up eventually and this is life. The book did end a little differently to the film and I can't decide which ending I thought worked best.

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Taking to the bookmeet tomorrow. I hope someone wants to take it home.

Picked up as a 'leftover' from August 2008's BC Meetup in York.

Planning to give it another chance at a York meet...

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

returning to the York meet, as promised...

This has obviously been on a little walkies somewhere for a few months - I think it might have been lodging with David for a while. Looks interesting so it's one for the TBR pile.

I enjoyed this one, despite my doubts from looking at the cover. I liked the stories of Sarah and Todd, but somehow the child-molester thread in the novel failed to engage me and I'm still not quite sure why it was there. This book is not very big on plot and its appeal relies mostly on the characterisations which are very good. I'm not going to give anything away but I did like the ending. An easy read but not silly or trivial.

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Releasing to the OBCZ.

Available on the OBCZ bookshelf at Reception at BBC Radio York, Bootham Row, York. Open 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday.

I've taken this from the BBC Radio York OBCZ, which is now closed.

If this is your introduction to bookcrossing, welcome. Please make as few or as many comments about the book as you choose.

The book is now yours to do with as you choose. Keep it, pass it on, but please leave the label, so it can keep in touch with us.