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Everyone Else's Girl
Meredith McKay has gone to a lot of trouble to create the picture-perfect life for herself-far away from her troublesome family, thank you. When her father's car accident forces her back to her hometown, however, she soon discovers that there's no running away from family issues--there's only delaying the inevitable. Can anyone sort out a lifetime of drama in one hot summer? Throw in a hot guy from back in high school with an ax to grind, a best friend turned enemy turned soon-to-be-sister-in-law, and of course, the sometimes irritating, sometimes delightful members of her own family, and Meredith is on her way to figuring out that a trip through the past is the best way to move forward. With one revelation after another coming to light, Meredith must reexamine all the things she+s ever believed, including the truth about herself. Could it be that she isn't the picture-perfect good girl she always thought she was?
256 pages, Paperback
First published October 21, 2005
About the author
Megan Crane
57 books658 followersUSA Today bestselling, RITA-nominated, and critically-acclaimed author Megan Crane has written nearly 145 books – and counting. She’s won fans with her romance, women’s fiction, chick lit, and work-for-hire young adult novels as well as with the Harlequin Presents, Harlequin Dare, Harlequin Historical, and contemporary cowboy books she writes as Caitlin Crews. She loves romance in all its forms, from cowboys to military heroes and beyond – including her take on futuristic and historical Vikings in turn, outlaw bikers, and fairy tale princes. She has a Masters and Ph.D. in English Literature, has taught creative writing classes in places like UCLA Extension’s prestigious Writers’ Program, and is always available to give workshops (or her opinion). She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her comic book artist husband, though, at any given time, she is likely to either be huddled in a coffee shop somewhere or off traveling the world. Preferably both.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
April 10, 2016
The book is just only 272 pages and I took almost a week to finish it. Life is not even hectic, but this is one of the hardest books for me. Not because how complex it is but simply just because I couldn't digest any of the content at all.
I picked up this book at first thinking that maybe I can have some sort of another Sarah Dessen kind of read. But, obviously, I was wrong. I understand how the plot is going and deeply understand the struggle of the main character. Everyone can relate to the main character, Meredith. She is very simple and people in this age always seem to face the same dilemma as her. A lot of us are trying to fight whatever is inside us. We always try to be nice and forgot how much it meant to have a thinking of our own.
But, regardless of how much I understand the main character's dilemma, it doesn't strike me as relatable at all. I understand Meredith, but I was so reluctant to relate her to anyone that I ever known to have the same struggle as hers. Personally, I believe that Meredith has even more potential to bring out of her. She is just too simple, yet her actions seems to show otherwise. Her complex way of thinking just made me think of her as a person who likes to overthink.
I want to understand her more, but, Megan Crane's writing style doesn't lead me to that. Her struggle is just so brief that it feels like nothing at all. Her pain feels unreal. Her character just needs more exploration, I believe.
And not just that, the whole environment which Meredith is living in seems like it doesn't make sense at all. I couldn't bring myself to agree with her age, her parents, her friends and well, basically, everything.
But again, this is just me being me. I have something against confused characters. But, maybe, if you love books about finding yourselves, you might want to give this a try. This book will show you how much being fake doesn't worth your time at all.
I picked up this book at first thinking that maybe I can have some sort of another Sarah Dessen kind of read. But, obviously, I was wrong. I understand how the plot is going and deeply understand the struggle of the main character. Everyone can relate to the main character, Meredith. She is very simple and people in this age always seem to face the same dilemma as her. A lot of us are trying to fight whatever is inside us. We always try to be nice and forgot how much it meant to have a thinking of our own.
But, regardless of how much I understand the main character's dilemma, it doesn't strike me as relatable at all. I understand Meredith, but I was so reluctant to relate her to anyone that I ever known to have the same struggle as hers. Personally, I believe that Meredith has even more potential to bring out of her. She is just too simple, yet her actions seems to show otherwise. Her complex way of thinking just made me think of her as a person who likes to overthink.
I want to understand her more, but, Megan Crane's writing style doesn't lead me to that. Her struggle is just so brief that it feels like nothing at all. Her pain feels unreal. Her character just needs more exploration, I believe.
And not just that, the whole environment which Meredith is living in seems like it doesn't make sense at all. I couldn't bring myself to agree with her age, her parents, her friends and well, basically, everything.
But again, this is just me being me. I have something against confused characters. But, maybe, if you love books about finding yourselves, you might want to give this a try. This book will show you how much being fake doesn't worth your time at all.
June 7, 2017
This is one of those ~find yourself~ books that didn't really work for me. All of the plots felt like afterthoughts, and I didn't care about anyone. Her family was so obnoxious from top to bottom, and when you don't feel invested in the main either, there's a problem. The two stars are for Scott, who is the bullied neighbor-turned-hot-guy who has had a crush on her forever.
August 25, 2008
I found this in the condo we're staying at in Hawaii. It was perfect for a beach read, about a young woman who returns to her hometown in New Jersey and gets dragged back into her screwed-up family and high school relationships. The character development was lacking something, and I found that it all tied up into neat little packages at the end. The author has an England connection, which always appeals to me being married to a Brit, so I might check out some of her other novels (that have received better reviews). I liked the relationship between the protagonist and her spunky sister (the best character, in my opinion). I found it a bit hard to contemplate having a romantic relationship with someone who had joined in humiliating you as a kid...but maybe I'm just not forgiving enough!
In high school fortunately I steered clear from girls like Meredith's friends. Yikes!! I knew girls like them (and boys like Christian), but not well. However, I also have very few long-term connections from my high school era. So perhaps it was difficult for me to relate to the plot.
In high school fortunately I steered clear from girls like Meredith's friends. Yikes!! I knew girls like them (and boys like Christian), but not well. However, I also have very few long-term connections from my high school era. So perhaps it was difficult for me to relate to the plot.
August 4, 2007
I enjoyed this book so much. It's typical chicklit, but it didn't have a pair of shoes on the cover. hee.
It was a story about this lady named Meredith who graduates from college and moves away from her crazy family and builds a new and perfect life. But then, she has to go home to help out her dad and to be in her brother's wedding. The brother is marrying her best friend from high school, though they aren't really friends anymore. Wackiness ensues.
The youngest sister, Hope, is hilarious.
It was a story about this lady named Meredith who graduates from college and moves away from her crazy family and builds a new and perfect life. But then, she has to go home to help out her dad and to be in her brother's wedding. The brother is marrying her best friend from high school, though they aren't really friends anymore. Wackiness ensues.
The youngest sister, Hope, is hilarious.
February 13, 2011
I have never related to a book as much as I did to this one. It sucks always having to be the nice one, the one who acts like everything is fine when it's really not and that's exactly what Meredith is doing. I loved her character because she was so real and she is the perfect example of so many women, who are passive. I'm not like this as much as I used to be but after reading this I deff remember how easily walked on I was. I loved this boom though and I feel like it's the excellent story of how high school really affects people even if you're 28 now. Loved it!
May 23, 2008
This book is NOT PG-13, it's more like rated R! I didn't know since a friend randomly picked it for our casual "book club". It has an interesting story about being an adult and having to live with your parents again and how you regress and not only feel like a teenager you act like one too. I liked it but wouldn't recommend it since it's pretty scandalous.
December 2, 2009
Eh. Solidly chick lit. Pretty unbelievable - and it's hard to find actual growth and change in the characters. The main character, especially; the whole story is about her going back to her roots and deciding she pretty much hates herself. Obvious and tedious without any real insights. That said, it's a quick read and parts of it are entertaining.
October 10, 2015
I really like this author and this book. Her voice as a writer is eerily similar to my personality.It's funny,sarcastic and all over enjoyable.
January 8, 2020
Not for me. Boring.
January 21, 2024
Meredith a 28 year old woman, who ends up living at home with her parents when her father has a car accident and her mother has her dream holiday in Europe.
Meredith McKay reconnects with her high school friends and family while taking care of her Father in New Jersey, leaving her almost perfect life and boyfriend behind in Atlanta for the summer.
Along the way Meredith learns about her family, herself, past friends and enemies, as she determines the next steps in her life .
Meredith meets up with old relationships and determines that her life in New Jersey is not too bad after all.
A fun quick cosy read.
Romance, rediscovering oneself and relationships.
The only flaw to this book, is wanting more detail to some of the characters it seemed to touch base on some situations, and never came back .
But a great fun read , and finally off my TBR it's been there for way too long 😁
Meredith McKay reconnects with her high school friends and family while taking care of her Father in New Jersey, leaving her almost perfect life and boyfriend behind in Atlanta for the summer.
Along the way Meredith learns about her family, herself, past friends and enemies, as she determines the next steps in her life .
Meredith meets up with old relationships and determines that her life in New Jersey is not too bad after all.
A fun quick cosy read.
Romance, rediscovering oneself and relationships.
The only flaw to this book, is wanting more detail to some of the characters it seemed to touch base on some situations, and never came back .
But a great fun read , and finally off my TBR it's been there for way too long 😁
September 8, 2017
I have read several of this author's books and enjoyed all of them. This one was cute but not her best. It was shorter than her other ones and not as developed. It was a cute story but nothing exciting. It was a good non-thinking chick lit book in between other more serious books. I would recommend if you want a quick read but nothing special.
February 8, 2012
Meredith has been called back to where she grew up because her former childhood best friend is marrying her brother and although they don’t speak anymore, that wasn’t a good enough excuse not to attend the hens night. Whilst she’s back at home, Meredith’s dad is involved in a car accident as he is returning from driving her mother to the airport for her flight to Europe for the ‘trip of a lifetime’ with her sister. He breaks his leg and as their house is ‘made up entirely of stairs’ it’s determined that someone has to look after him. Meredith’s brother and sister take giant steps back despite the fact that they still live at home (younger sister) and nearby (brother). Meredith now lives in Atlanta (the home is in New Jersey) but somehow it’s decided that Meredith is the perfect option. After all she doesn’t mind, she is always the nice one, doing nice things for people. And her job isn’t that important, not like her brother Christian’s job! And although her younger sister Hope has graduated from college and is just bumming around before doing some travelling, she’s playing the young and wildly irresponsible card. So Meredith arranges leave, tells her boyfriend Travis that she won’t be home for a while and settles back into her childhood bedroom to play nursemaid to her father.
Whilst in town she runs into Scott Sheridan, the school geek that Meredith’s brother bullied relentlessly, to the point of making up a game entitled “Scotty Sheridan sucks because…” that they would play on long car trips. Although Meredith never participated in the bullying as she was far too nice for that, she acknowledges that she didn’t exactly help either. But Scott Sheridan doesn’t look like a geek these days. Actually, Scott Sheridan is sort of hot. And Meredith finds herself oddly attracted to him and it seems he can’t stay away from her either.
Her time at her parents place will make her question everything – from what makes her happy, to her job and career options, to her wonderful relationship with Travis and if it is what she really wants. Her and her family will lay secrets and animosities bare and Meredith will face some home truths about her personality.
I read one of Megan Crane’s books, Frenemies, last year on a whim and really liked it. I was looking for something light and fluffy to read after completing Never Let Me Go so I thought another of her books might suit. While I liked this one, I didn’t like it as much as I liked Frenemies. And that’s because I kept getting infuriated when I read it. So mad in fact, that I’d have to put it down and take a few deep breaths and calm myself down before picking it up and going on with it. The reason?
Meredith. The main character. She was an insufferable doormat!
I know she truly saw herself as the good daughter/sibling, eager to please. The one that was nice, that was never mean to people, the one that people turned to. But when her father has an accident and needs care – although he only has a broken leg, so I’m not sure why that equals round the clock care, but anyway – her brother and sister basically bully and belittle her into doing it. Christian, her brother, is quite frankly, a massive douche. If my brother spoke to me the way Christian speaks to his sisters, I’d sock him in the mouth. He’s arrogant, self-important, patronising and a huge jerk who seems to think that he can boss people around whilst simultaneously stepping back because he’s far too busy and can’t be involved, despite living 30-40 minutes drive away from their father. His snide little “Oh Meredith can do it, she loves that sort of stuff, don’t you Meredith?” made me dislike him instantly and after that I couldn’t come back around to him at all, no matter what.
Meredith’s younger sister Hope is only fractionally better. Twenty-two and having just graduated, she actually still lives in the family house sponging off their parents, but isn’t available to do any of the caring because she can’t be bothered. Meredith is the reliable sister so Hope is embracing the young and irresponsible label to the point of ridiculousness. And people are fine with it. The father even makes a crack that he’s her only source of income presently but not sharply enough to actually suggest she earn it. She sleeps most days and goes out most nights and does very little at first but she sort of redeems herself a little during the course of the book by helping Meredith learn to loosen up and have a bit of fun and remember that she’s only in her late twenties, not seventy.
Even though her siblings annoyed me, I think Meredith herself annoyed me more for allowing herself to be treated this way. She’s basically belittled as having some unimportant job and life and told to uproot herself and look after their father and then her brother admonishes her several times for not doing a good enough job of it, but he’s not concerned enough to actually help out himself! I’d have told him to shove it but Meredith doesn’t stand up for herself because good girls apparently don’t do that. It meant that I couldn’t really settle in and enjoy the story, particularly the interactions with Scott Sheridan as much as I would’ve liked because I was always so irritated with the family dynamics.
Whilst in town she runs into Scott Sheridan, the school geek that Meredith’s brother bullied relentlessly, to the point of making up a game entitled “Scotty Sheridan sucks because…” that they would play on long car trips. Although Meredith never participated in the bullying as she was far too nice for that, she acknowledges that she didn’t exactly help either. But Scott Sheridan doesn’t look like a geek these days. Actually, Scott Sheridan is sort of hot. And Meredith finds herself oddly attracted to him and it seems he can’t stay away from her either.
Her time at her parents place will make her question everything – from what makes her happy, to her job and career options, to her wonderful relationship with Travis and if it is what she really wants. Her and her family will lay secrets and animosities bare and Meredith will face some home truths about her personality.
I read one of Megan Crane’s books, Frenemies, last year on a whim and really liked it. I was looking for something light and fluffy to read after completing Never Let Me Go so I thought another of her books might suit. While I liked this one, I didn’t like it as much as I liked Frenemies. And that’s because I kept getting infuriated when I read it. So mad in fact, that I’d have to put it down and take a few deep breaths and calm myself down before picking it up and going on with it. The reason?
Meredith. The main character. She was an insufferable doormat!
I know she truly saw herself as the good daughter/sibling, eager to please. The one that was nice, that was never mean to people, the one that people turned to. But when her father has an accident and needs care – although he only has a broken leg, so I’m not sure why that equals round the clock care, but anyway – her brother and sister basically bully and belittle her into doing it. Christian, her brother, is quite frankly, a massive douche. If my brother spoke to me the way Christian speaks to his sisters, I’d sock him in the mouth. He’s arrogant, self-important, patronising and a huge jerk who seems to think that he can boss people around whilst simultaneously stepping back because he’s far too busy and can’t be involved, despite living 30-40 minutes drive away from their father. His snide little “Oh Meredith can do it, she loves that sort of stuff, don’t you Meredith?” made me dislike him instantly and after that I couldn’t come back around to him at all, no matter what.
Meredith’s younger sister Hope is only fractionally better. Twenty-two and having just graduated, she actually still lives in the family house sponging off their parents, but isn’t available to do any of the caring because she can’t be bothered. Meredith is the reliable sister so Hope is embracing the young and irresponsible label to the point of ridiculousness. And people are fine with it. The father even makes a crack that he’s her only source of income presently but not sharply enough to actually suggest she earn it. She sleeps most days and goes out most nights and does very little at first but she sort of redeems herself a little during the course of the book by helping Meredith learn to loosen up and have a bit of fun and remember that she’s only in her late twenties, not seventy.
Even though her siblings annoyed me, I think Meredith herself annoyed me more for allowing herself to be treated this way. She’s basically belittled as having some unimportant job and life and told to uproot herself and look after their father and then her brother admonishes her several times for not doing a good enough job of it, but he’s not concerned enough to actually help out himself! I’d have told him to shove it but Meredith doesn’t stand up for herself because good girls apparently don’t do that. It meant that I couldn’t really settle in and enjoy the story, particularly the interactions with Scott Sheridan as much as I would’ve liked because I was always so irritated with the family dynamics.
May 31, 2019
I really enjoyed this book for what it was. I found it fell apart about midway due to the ending she was trying to get to but having to get there was blocking her way. The characters are somewhat relatable but the main character's reactions are not realistic.
February 15, 2019
I liked this book. I was looking for something light, a good chick lit type book and it delivered.
April 15, 2020
I didn’t care much about the characters and the plot was predictable. I wanted the main character to stop being so hard on herself. 2.5 stars
January 12, 2022
An easy read, which is a good reminder of what life can be like when living in your childhood home with an unwell parent as an adult. There is some entertaining plot to go around that theme.
May 27, 2023
I’m sure this was better when it was released in 2005… I just can’t with the “girl comes back to her home town” storyline. Probably because I still live in my home town 🤷🏻♀️
April 13, 2024
This was a cute read. I think I would have enjoyed it first if I didn’t just finish some good thrillers but overall I’m not mad I read this. Would be a good book to read at the beach.
December 19, 2015
In ‘Everyone Else’s Girl’, Meredith temporarily moves back to her hometown to take care of her father who has sustained a broken leg due to an accident. Her decision is also due to the fact that her siblings can’t be relied on. Her brother, Christian is a busy lawyer who’s in the midst of making wedding preparations with his soon-to-be wife Jeannie (formerly Meredith’s close friend. Her sister, Hope is selfish and currently freeloading and spending her time clubbing. Meanwhile, their mother is on a long-planned trip with her sister.
In the beginning, none of the characters were actually likeable. Meredith was the typical nice, responsible girl yet she was annoying in the sense that she shouldered all the burden without standing up for herself or letting her siblings know that they should rightfully help take care of their father. Christian was self-centred, patronizing and bossy and expected Meredith to be at their father’s beck and call 24/7 despite knowing that she had sacrificed a lot just to be back in New Jersey with them. Hope was incredibly lazy, selfish and irresponsible.
However, as I turned the pages I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the characters were fleshed out and weren’t all that bad. This especially applied to Hope who was really refreshing as she was supportive of Meredith and didn’t judge her for a particular terrible thing that she did. Instead, despite being younger and seemingly immature, she imparted some valuable advice and proved that she could be trusted. Ironically, Jeannie who was supposedly a mean girl was the one giving Meredith a much-needed wake-up call.
Although romance didn’t play a major role in the story, it was surprisingly good as Meredith and Scott had great chemistry but I still found it weird that after so many years he still had feelings for her even though he used to be ridiculed by her and her family as well as friends. No matter how much you like someone, surely you’d be appalled that they could treat you that way regardless of whether they were active or passive participants. I was incredibly irritated by how Meredith treated her boyfriend Travis as he definitely deserved better.
As much as I didn’t quite like Meredith, I enjoyed reading about how she gradually changed for the better. This book explored a couple of topics such as love and self-discovery in an enlightening and light-hearted manner without letting them overshadow the characters and story development. All of the characters had their respective flaws and that made them seem real. The one thing which was a little unbelievable to me was how Meredith stumbled into several people she went to school with and no one had a problem recognizing the other.
Overall, ‘Everyone Else’s Girl’ was a delightfully quick read filled with believable characters, positive messages and lots of realism.
In the beginning, none of the characters were actually likeable. Meredith was the typical nice, responsible girl yet she was annoying in the sense that she shouldered all the burden without standing up for herself or letting her siblings know that they should rightfully help take care of their father. Christian was self-centred, patronizing and bossy and expected Meredith to be at their father’s beck and call 24/7 despite knowing that she had sacrificed a lot just to be back in New Jersey with them. Hope was incredibly lazy, selfish and irresponsible.
However, as I turned the pages I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the characters were fleshed out and weren’t all that bad. This especially applied to Hope who was really refreshing as she was supportive of Meredith and didn’t judge her for a particular terrible thing that she did. Instead, despite being younger and seemingly immature, she imparted some valuable advice and proved that she could be trusted. Ironically, Jeannie who was supposedly a mean girl was the one giving Meredith a much-needed wake-up call.
Although romance didn’t play a major role in the story, it was surprisingly good as Meredith and Scott had great chemistry but I still found it weird that after so many years he still had feelings for her even though he used to be ridiculed by her and her family as well as friends. No matter how much you like someone, surely you’d be appalled that they could treat you that way regardless of whether they were active or passive participants. I was incredibly irritated by how Meredith treated her boyfriend Travis as he definitely deserved better.
As much as I didn’t quite like Meredith, I enjoyed reading about how she gradually changed for the better. This book explored a couple of topics such as love and self-discovery in an enlightening and light-hearted manner without letting them overshadow the characters and story development. All of the characters had their respective flaws and that made them seem real. The one thing which was a little unbelievable to me was how Meredith stumbled into several people she went to school with and no one had a problem recognizing the other.
Overall, ‘Everyone Else’s Girl’ was a delightfully quick read filled with believable characters, positive messages and lots of realism.
August 16, 2012
I liked this enough to read more of her writing. And I appreciated that Meredith grew as a person over the course of the story. I did enjoy the twist that, while you think she's actually a great person, you discover, as she does, that her inaction and ability to let herself be pulled along through her life was a flaw in itself. Some of the supporting characters, especially Scott and Hope, made the story richer, both in how they fleshed out Meredith's character a acted as foils. I think I enjoyed Christian and Jeannie more toward the end, but that might have been a reflection of Meredith's journey and the fact that this is told in first person.
Despite the proximity to NYC and Philly, the setting of the story seemed nearly irrelevant, which is sort of a relief; this could have taken place just about anywhere in the Northeast and it would have resonated. If setting isn't going to have its own character, it's nice to pretend you're NOT in NJ but just some suburban locale that's been gentrified in a generic sort of way. The story is about the journey of the protagonist and the crucial element of setting in that journey is proximity to family. I think she conveyed that well.
The writing itself was reasonable - not particularly wordy, not very cerebral, some cultural references and a decent amount of description. It wasn't especially beautiful, but again, the story was about a personal revelation that occurred via reconnection to family ties. Considering that fact, I think it was told decently.
I guess probably my biggest issue with this book was that I sort of hated both of her parents. Their relationship dynamic is what precipitates much of the story, both the plot and the interaction between the siblings. So, in a way, without them, there isn't a story. And in that case, I'd say they, as a couple, were the antagonist in this story, not Scott, not Travis, not Jeannie, Christian or Hope. Or, you could extrapolate further and say that the Meredith her parent's constructed was the antagonist and the real Meredith was the protagonist. As such, maybe that's why I really didn't like the parents, because they were the embodiment of why the fake-Mer existed. And since I'm not a chronic people-pleaser (I am the oldest, after all, the people-pleaser is my sister, the middle child), well, I had a really hard time empathizing with her.
Overall, I enjoyed it enough to try more of her stuff. It wasn't amazing but it was pretty decent. Oh! One lats thing I wanted to add! Every time I read the title, it made me sing "She's everybody else's girl, maybe one day she'll be her own" (from Tori Amos' Everybody Else's Girl). I guess by the end, Meredith is her own.
Despite the proximity to NYC and Philly, the setting of the story seemed nearly irrelevant, which is sort of a relief; this could have taken place just about anywhere in the Northeast and it would have resonated. If setting isn't going to have its own character, it's nice to pretend you're NOT in NJ but just some suburban locale that's been gentrified in a generic sort of way. The story is about the journey of the protagonist and the crucial element of setting in that journey is proximity to family. I think she conveyed that well.
The writing itself was reasonable - not particularly wordy, not very cerebral, some cultural references and a decent amount of description. It wasn't especially beautiful, but again, the story was about a personal revelation that occurred via reconnection to family ties. Considering that fact, I think it was told decently.
I guess probably my biggest issue with this book was that I sort of hated both of her parents. Their relationship dynamic is what precipitates much of the story, both the plot and the interaction between the siblings. So, in a way, without them, there isn't a story. And in that case, I'd say they, as a couple, were the antagonist in this story, not Scott, not Travis, not Jeannie, Christian or Hope. Or, you could extrapolate further and say that the Meredith her parent's constructed was the antagonist and the real Meredith was the protagonist. As such, maybe that's why I really didn't like the parents, because they were the embodiment of why the fake-Mer existed. And since I'm not a chronic people-pleaser (I am the oldest, after all, the people-pleaser is my sister, the middle child), well, I had a really hard time empathizing with her.
Overall, I enjoyed it enough to try more of her stuff. It wasn't amazing but it was pretty decent. Oh! One lats thing I wanted to add! Every time I read the title, it made me sing "She's everybody else's girl, maybe one day she'll be her own" (from Tori Amos' Everybody Else's Girl). I guess by the end, Meredith is her own.
May 22, 2019
Started off annoying, but really gets in depth about who we truly are vs who we pretend to be.
Meredith McKay decided years ago to leave her hometown of Hoboken, New Jersey and all of the high school headaches and drama behind her. She hasn't broken ties, she just made a life for herself in Atlanta. Now her brother Christian is getting married to her ex-best friend Jeannie, and Meredith returns for the bachelorette party and other pre-wedding events. What is it about coming home again that reverts us to high school memories and behavior, even ten years later?
As Meredith gets ready for her return to Atlanta and normal life, her mother takes off on a six week dream trip to Europe. Unfortunately, her father is involved in a car accident on the way home from the airport and a severely broken leg leaves him unable to take care of himself. Meredith's younger sister Hope, who recently graduated from college and is home to regroup, isn't willing to help much, and Christian is too busy with work and wedding plans. Meredith decides to take a leave from work and sets herself up as the nice, helpful girl everyone things she is. But is Meredith really that person?
The story starts off slowly. After Meredith takes on the martyr role to care for her father, I was ready to chuck the book and tell her to grow a backbone. But fortunately, that's where the plot was headed and exactly the lesson Meredith was to learn over the course of the next two hundred pages. What begins as a standard plot about family becomes a deeper look at self-discovery and making choices with the help of family, not in spite of it.
One irritation for me was that the tension between Jeannie and Meredith is palpable and lasts through most of the novel. The reader doesn't discover the 'straw that broke the camel's back' moment until very late, and it's anti-climactic when revealed. Though a minor part of the story, it bothered me to have this unknown hanging around when it wasn't that big a deal. However, the dynamics between friends, family, and even neighbors with Meredith make for a very well-rounded character study.
Over-riding all these themes is the idea of coming home - are we adults, or do we become teenagers again when we are in our parents' home? Everyone Else's Girl provides both food for thought and head-nodding-in-agreement humor. Megan Chance's sophomore effort shines with reality and drama, all developed through detailed characters and situations.
Meredith McKay decided years ago to leave her hometown of Hoboken, New Jersey and all of the high school headaches and drama behind her. She hasn't broken ties, she just made a life for herself in Atlanta. Now her brother Christian is getting married to her ex-best friend Jeannie, and Meredith returns for the bachelorette party and other pre-wedding events. What is it about coming home again that reverts us to high school memories and behavior, even ten years later?
As Meredith gets ready for her return to Atlanta and normal life, her mother takes off on a six week dream trip to Europe. Unfortunately, her father is involved in a car accident on the way home from the airport and a severely broken leg leaves him unable to take care of himself. Meredith's younger sister Hope, who recently graduated from college and is home to regroup, isn't willing to help much, and Christian is too busy with work and wedding plans. Meredith decides to take a leave from work and sets herself up as the nice, helpful girl everyone things she is. But is Meredith really that person?
The story starts off slowly. After Meredith takes on the martyr role to care for her father, I was ready to chuck the book and tell her to grow a backbone. But fortunately, that's where the plot was headed and exactly the lesson Meredith was to learn over the course of the next two hundred pages. What begins as a standard plot about family becomes a deeper look at self-discovery and making choices with the help of family, not in spite of it.
One irritation for me was that the tension between Jeannie and Meredith is palpable and lasts through most of the novel. The reader doesn't discover the 'straw that broke the camel's back' moment until very late, and it's anti-climactic when revealed. Though a minor part of the story, it bothered me to have this unknown hanging around when it wasn't that big a deal. However, the dynamics between friends, family, and even neighbors with Meredith make for a very well-rounded character study.
Over-riding all these themes is the idea of coming home - are we adults, or do we become teenagers again when we are in our parents' home? Everyone Else's Girl provides both food for thought and head-nodding-in-agreement humor. Megan Chance's sophomore effort shines with reality and drama, all developed through detailed characters and situations.
March 16, 2010
Something about this book bothered me.
It is about Meredith, Meredith moved miles away from her entire family to escape their clutches. Her mother goes on vacation and her father breaks his leg and needs someone to take care of him. Instead of one of her siblings, who live within miles of him, Meredith (the responsible one) packs up and stays with him. Not only is she stuck in her hometown hours away from her boyfriend, but she also has to deal with her ex-bestfriend and soon to be sister in law. The nerdy boy from highschool is hot, and Meredith finds herself shying away from the responsible, sensible woman she thought she was.
This book was a lot about how people perceive you, how you perceive yourself and how the views differ. I was constantly relating this book to Frenemies by Megan Crane, but it really is nothing at all like it, and that was a shame.
I will probably pick up another one of Megan Crane's novels, but I was kind of bored with this one.
It is about Meredith, Meredith moved miles away from her entire family to escape their clutches. Her mother goes on vacation and her father breaks his leg and needs someone to take care of him. Instead of one of her siblings, who live within miles of him, Meredith (the responsible one) packs up and stays with him. Not only is she stuck in her hometown hours away from her boyfriend, but she also has to deal with her ex-bestfriend and soon to be sister in law. The nerdy boy from highschool is hot, and Meredith finds herself shying away from the responsible, sensible woman she thought she was.
This book was a lot about how people perceive you, how you perceive yourself and how the views differ. I was constantly relating this book to Frenemies by Megan Crane, but it really is nothing at all like it, and that was a shame.
I will probably pick up another one of Megan Crane's novels, but I was kind of bored with this one.
June 19, 2007
This book is about a Meredith McKay. Naturally, I had to track it down, because I am that easy. I didn't expect anything - just planned to skim, enjoy the name. First thing I noticed was that her sister-in-law to be, with whom she used to be close but was now estranged, was named Jeannie. I laughed. Sadly, there were no Johns, Elizabeths, Sams, Radeks, etc. *g*
And yet, I liked it. A surprisingly amount, really, for having zero expectations. I read it through in one night. I liked the fact that all of the characters were realistically screwed up - everyone had faults, no one was completely right or wrong; the characters felt fully drawn and real. I liked how the storylines unfolded and the characters and their relationships changed. I also identified with Meredith more than I should have, given how totally screwed up she was. *g*
(Original review: Just got this today and read the first chapter. No John in sight, but the sister-in-law is a Jeannie, which amused me. Also, any book that starts out with the maid of honor wearing a strap-on at the bachelorette party can only be made of win.)
And yet, I liked it. A surprisingly amount, really, for having zero expectations. I read it through in one night. I liked the fact that all of the characters were realistically screwed up - everyone had faults, no one was completely right or wrong; the characters felt fully drawn and real. I liked how the storylines unfolded and the characters and their relationships changed. I also identified with Meredith more than I should have, given how totally screwed up she was. *g*
(Original review: Just got this today and read the first chapter. No John in sight, but the sister-in-law is a Jeannie, which amused me. Also, any book that starts out with the maid of honor wearing a strap-on at the bachelorette party can only be made of win.)
October 6, 2008
I wasn't sure what to think of this one at first...I didn't know whether to hate Meredith for being so spineless and not standing up for herself, or to hate her family for taking advantage of that. At one point I was actually talking to Meredith -- "Fight back!!"
However, I ended up really, really liking this book, and I'm glad I stuck with it. We all learn "growing-up lessons" throughout our whole lives, and sometimes (as in Meredith's case) it takes a huge life change and some hard self-searching to learn what's wrong and how to change it. This seems to happen to me quite a bit now at (almost) 30...or maybe I just pay more attention to it now. In any case, I really identified with this book - it's one I'm still thinking about even after I've finished it.
This one also passed the true test of great books for me these days -- it made me laugh. The quirky characters were often hilarious (Dad in the basement with his fish tanks), and I loved the snappy dialogue between Meredith and her siblings. Overall, I found this one a great read, and I'm looking forward to reading Megan Crane's other books.
However, I ended up really, really liking this book, and I'm glad I stuck with it. We all learn "growing-up lessons" throughout our whole lives, and sometimes (as in Meredith's case) it takes a huge life change and some hard self-searching to learn what's wrong and how to change it. This seems to happen to me quite a bit now at (almost) 30...or maybe I just pay more attention to it now. In any case, I really identified with this book - it's one I'm still thinking about even after I've finished it.
This one also passed the true test of great books for me these days -- it made me laugh. The quirky characters were often hilarious (Dad in the basement with his fish tanks), and I loved the snappy dialogue between Meredith and her siblings. Overall, I found this one a great read, and I'm looking forward to reading Megan Crane's other books.
July 11, 2013
Easy read about a 28 year old who returns to her parents house to prepare for her brothers wedding & ends up staying for 6 weeks. While her mom finally gets to experience a chance of a lifetime trip to Europe, her father ends up in a car accident on the way back from the airport. Being the responsible middle child, Meredith takes extended time off from work in Atlanta, to watch her dad in New Jersey, while her youngest sister refuses to help & her older brother is busy with wedding planning & works only 1/2 an hour away from his parents. It's a reflection about life in high school, how everyone had either let the past go or continually relives their glory days of youth. It's about growing apart & coming back together as adults, while falling for the, once nerdy now hot, guy across the street.
July 15, 2008
I've usually try and limit the amount of fluff I read. I guess I've become a book snob over the years. At times, I even hesitate to admit when I've read fluff, like I don't want to include it on my "read" list. However, I'll admit this: I went to the library yesterday specifically looking for a Megan Crane book because I wanted a quick read that was purely entertainment.
I got exactly what I was looking for. Also, with the theme of the book being journey of discovery by a woman who lived her life to please everyone without thought to what made her happy, it gave me a lot to think about in respect to my own life.
Note: if this book was a movie, it'd be rated-R for language and sexual content.
I got exactly what I was looking for. Also, with the theme of the book being journey of discovery by a woman who lived her life to please everyone without thought to what made her happy, it gave me a lot to think about in respect to my own life.
Note: if this book was a movie, it'd be rated-R for language and sexual content.
April 13, 2011
I ended up really enjoying Everyone Else's Girl. I wasn't sure about it when I first started reading it back when I was 8 months pregnant. Now that I've had the baby and picked it back up again, whatever was bothering me about it before stopped bothering me. It's a fun story about a chick in her 20's who moves back home to take care of her father who has broken his leg, since her mother is on a long awaited trip, her brother is consumed with his upcoming wedding to her best friend, and her younger sister is too busy with her own life. She finds herself sucked back into a world she thought she'd escaped after high school, and learns a lot about herself, the person she thought she was, and the life she thought she wanted. This book reads like a Sara Bareilles song, fun, light and girly.
October 10, 2014
At first, I hated Meredith's siblings and former bff Jeannie, but they all grew on me in the end.
Meredith is relatable, in the sense when we find ourselves lost on our own perspectives of ourselves, when we don't know what to do with our own life, when we just follow everyone's drums but our own, when we pretend to be someone just to please others.
I kinda hated Scott for being mean on Meredith, for playing with her (exorcism?!?!?! yeah, right) and admitting he likes her only when Meredith admitted it first.
This is a refreshing book from the typical boy-meets-girl or cutie-sweetie contemporaries/chick lits
Meredith is relatable, in the sense when we find ourselves lost on our own perspectives of ourselves, when we don't know what to do with our own life, when we just follow everyone's drums but our own, when we pretend to be someone just to please others.
I kinda hated Scott for being mean on Meredith, for playing with her (exorcism?!?!?! yeah, right) and admitting he likes her only when Meredith admitted it first.
This is a refreshing book from the typical boy-meets-girl or cutie-sweetie contemporaries/chick lits
February 3, 2009
I could NOT put this book down once I started reading it. This was the first book I read of Megan's and it certainly won't be the last.
I adore her writing style...the dialogue flows, so much so, that it's like watching a movie.
Latent teen angst, family issues, hometown homecoming and adult self-realization...who hasn't experienced any or all of that in their lifetime. As a "nice girl" myself, this one certainly got me thinking as well.
Megan...ever thought about writing a sequel? I'd love to see how Meredith and Scott end up. :-)
I adore her writing style...the dialogue flows, so much so, that it's like watching a movie.
Latent teen angst, family issues, hometown homecoming and adult self-realization...who hasn't experienced any or all of that in their lifetime. As a "nice girl" myself, this one certainly got me thinking as well.
Megan...ever thought about writing a sequel? I'd love to see how Meredith and Scott end up. :-)
November 5, 2010
This is another book I have read multiple times. It's one of those books that you can find and read something new into each time. It's a bit deeper than the standard chick lit and isn't really a book about love, as it may seem at times. It's a book about finding and figuring oneself out. I love Megan Crane's writing style and this book follows her others in that respect. It is well-written, funny and with some substance. It is easy to relate to any and all of the characters at one time or another.
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