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Then Came You
The lives of four very different women intertwine in unexpected ways in this new novel by bestselling author Jennifer Weiner (In Her Shoes; Best Friends Forever). Each woman has a problem: Princeton senior Jules Wildgren needs money to help her dad cure his addiction; Pennsylvania housewife Annie Barrow is gasping to stay financially afloat; India Bishop yearns to have a child, an urge that her stepdaughter Bettina can only regard with deeply skepticism until she finds herself in a most unexpected situation. Interlocking dramas designed to ensnare; bound to be a bestseller.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
About the author
Jennifer Weiner
63 books23.6k followersJennifer Weiner is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of eighteen books, including Good in Bed, In Her Shoes, and, most recently, That Summer. A graduate of Princeton University, she lives with her family in Philadelphia. Visit her online at JenniferWeiner.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,120 reviews
September 6, 2011
Jennifer Weiner has a way with words -- there's no doubt about that. She has an ease with the written word that carries the reader along easily, and is descriptive and funny.
But.
Having a way with words doesn't make for a great book, any more than being a good actress makes a great movie. There's so much more to it.
I fear that JW is a one-note writer, the way Goldie Hawn (to carry on the actress metaphor) is a one-note actress. No matter what movie Goldie is in, she's Goldie. Contrast that to, say, Glenn Close or Meryl Streep, someone who disappears into the role... and you see what I mean.
So with this understanding, it's not contradictory for me to say that Then Came You was well-written... but it was still a lousy book.
The writing was clear and descriptive, but the multi-angle perspective just did not work. Every woman, from Annie, the no-college, decidedly middle-class mom of two, to the uber-upper-class Bettina, to WASPy Jules, all sounded EXACTLY the same. I often had to leaf back to the beginning of the chapter to see who was narrating.
Also, without blowing the whole plot for those of you who are still going to read it... the huge "revelations" about India's past were decidedly anticlimactic. I thought we'd learn that she had traded her child for crack, or had a few murders in her past. Nah. When the reveal came, it was downright disappointing.
One final note -- didn't JW cover the surrogate angle, with the dad who dies before the kid is born, in "Certain Girls?" There's plenty of material out there without resorting to copying yourself.
At least there wasn't a dog named Nifkin in this one.
But.
Having a way with words doesn't make for a great book, any more than being a good actress makes a great movie. There's so much more to it.
I fear that JW is a one-note writer, the way Goldie Hawn (to carry on the actress metaphor) is a one-note actress. No matter what movie Goldie is in, she's Goldie. Contrast that to, say, Glenn Close or Meryl Streep, someone who disappears into the role... and you see what I mean.
So with this understanding, it's not contradictory for me to say that Then Came You was well-written... but it was still a lousy book.
The writing was clear and descriptive, but the multi-angle perspective just did not work. Every woman, from Annie, the no-college, decidedly middle-class mom of two, to the uber-upper-class Bettina, to WASPy Jules, all sounded EXACTLY the same. I often had to leaf back to the beginning of the chapter to see who was narrating.
Also, without blowing the whole plot for those of you who are still going to read it... the huge "revelations" about India's past were decidedly anticlimactic. I thought we'd learn that she had traded her child for crack, or had a few murders in her past. Nah. When the reveal came, it was downright disappointing.
One final note -- didn't JW cover the surrogate angle, with the dad who dies before the kid is born, in "Certain Girls?" There's plenty of material out there without resorting to copying yourself.
At least there wasn't a dog named Nifkin in this one.
November 12, 2018
Excellent audio narration on this one, a lovely story of four women told by different voices which was necessary, I think. This was an entertaining read dealing with the on point topic of infertility. In this instance, surrogacy.
I was captivated throughout, this was an easy read. Four women with very different backgrounds, intertwined. Jules needs the money to help her father, she will donate her eggs. Annie is a struggling young mother, she needs more financial stability with a growing young family. Annie will act as the surrogate. She forms an instant bond with India, who is to be the mother, India is a woman whom Bettina cannot stand - she is the daughter of India's husband, one of the richest men in the country. What is India hiding? Bettina is determined to uncover whatever is lurking behind India's perceived shady history. The story brings these ladies together, all with rich and complex pasts, to a satisfying finale.
Highly recommended as an audio read, I was interested from the very beginning to end. My first of this author, and lucky am I as my work catalogue has a handful more audio copies of other titles.
I was captivated throughout, this was an easy read. Four women with very different backgrounds, intertwined. Jules needs the money to help her father, she will donate her eggs. Annie is a struggling young mother, she needs more financial stability with a growing young family. Annie will act as the surrogate. She forms an instant bond with India, who is to be the mother, India is a woman whom Bettina cannot stand - she is the daughter of India's husband, one of the richest men in the country. What is India hiding? Bettina is determined to uncover whatever is lurking behind India's perceived shady history. The story brings these ladies together, all with rich and complex pasts, to a satisfying finale.
Highly recommended as an audio read, I was interested from the very beginning to end. My first of this author, and lucky am I as my work catalogue has a handful more audio copies of other titles.
August 14, 2012
I don't read "chick lit". It's just not my style. I prefer science fiction, literary fiction and mystery/thrillers. Stories about women and relationships and emotions just isn't my style. It's not that I don't like those elements in the books I read, I just don't want them to be the be-all and end-all of the story. However, Jennifer Weiner has been making waves lately by analyzing the number of stories and reviews the New York Times runs about women authors vs. male authors. So, I thought I'd give one of her books a shot to see what her writing is like.
When I checke Then Came You out of the library, I expected to spend my reading time rolling my eyes and groaning. The premise is such utter chick-lit fodder. However, I ended up getting sucked into the story from the first chapter. I grew attached to the characters. I was interested in their drama. I usually hate drama. Yes, it was sappy and cheesy and all those other things I expected. However, I couldn't stop turning the pages and kept reading even at times when I shouldn't have been reading. I figured Ms. Weiner must have been doing something right to get me so engaged. Therefore, I'm giving this book 4 stars.
When I checke Then Came You out of the library, I expected to spend my reading time rolling my eyes and groaning. The premise is such utter chick-lit fodder. However, I ended up getting sucked into the story from the first chapter. I grew attached to the characters. I was interested in their drama. I usually hate drama. Yes, it was sappy and cheesy and all those other things I expected. However, I couldn't stop turning the pages and kept reading even at times when I shouldn't have been reading. I figured Ms. Weiner must have been doing something right to get me so engaged. Therefore, I'm giving this book 4 stars.
July 31, 2011
Pathetic women all having to do with babies. It was doomed from the beginning. I didn't like any of the women and found many aspects of the book unbelieveable and of course it was totally predictable.
I was so looking forward to reading this book. I love Jennifer Weiner and have read all of her books. It could have been way better. My biggest issue is the characters didn't match their descriptions.
Jules seemed like a freshmen in high school rather that a Princeton graduate. Why was she hanging out in the mall, hiding from people when she was this tall, gorgeous, intelligent blond woman?
Annie seemed like an old, washed up ugly women wirh bad teeth but she was ony 22 and supposedly beautiful. Why did she "obey" her husband when he told her to quit her job at Target when they were poor but then turn around and become a surrogate which he also disapproved of? Wouldn't it have been easier to work at Target?
Bettina seemed liked a crotchedy, old spinster who had Daddy issues for marrying a 40 yr old woman despite him being 55. Hello, that isn't even a big age difference, and wouldn't she want him to be happy? I mean, hiring a private investigator to look into this woman! Worry about your own life. She seemed like a closet lesbian that hated the world. Why would Darren want to date her? She was mean and vindictive.
Then India never had a chance with me because of her name. I hate this name. It is a country afterall. She wasn't even Indian. I don't know what she was. What was this business she owned? It was not really explained. And why would she borrow jewelry from a client? Wouldn't that make her look desperate and maybe not such a great business investment to clients? She was out to marry Marcus for his money but then we are supposed to believe she ended up loving him? They seemed like acquaintances. Weiner never really developed their relationship. There seemed to be no connection between them. It was never explained why she couldn't have children. Her and Marcus never even had a discussion about having any children. Then all of a sudden she is getting a surrogate with a donated egg and of course it all worked on the first try. Then she books off when Marcus dies of a heart attack and misses the birth of the baby to rectify her past. Who would believe that? And who cares about her past? You would think she would be putting all her effort into being a good mother to her dead husband's baby. And when she comes back she is okay with rasing the child with all these other women? I thought she was supposed to be a woman who triumphed and perserved, who was determined and relentless in her pursuit to get things she wanted, like a rich husband and baby. Again, not believeable.
This book had potential but had way too many flaws. I liked how each chapter was told by one of the four women and how they were all connected, although we have two seconds to absorb that information before the book ends. I just didn't believe any of them and thought they were all too despearate and pitiful. This book may have worked back in the '50s but Then Came the Modern Woman. This book doesn't represent the women of the present day, or at least I hope not.
I was so looking forward to reading this book. I love Jennifer Weiner and have read all of her books. It could have been way better. My biggest issue is the characters didn't match their descriptions.
Jules seemed like a freshmen in high school rather that a Princeton graduate. Why was she hanging out in the mall, hiding from people when she was this tall, gorgeous, intelligent blond woman?
Annie seemed like an old, washed up ugly women wirh bad teeth but she was ony 22 and supposedly beautiful. Why did she "obey" her husband when he told her to quit her job at Target when they were poor but then turn around and become a surrogate which he also disapproved of? Wouldn't it have been easier to work at Target?
Bettina seemed liked a crotchedy, old spinster who had Daddy issues for marrying a 40 yr old woman despite him being 55. Hello, that isn't even a big age difference, and wouldn't she want him to be happy? I mean, hiring a private investigator to look into this woman! Worry about your own life. She seemed like a closet lesbian that hated the world. Why would Darren want to date her? She was mean and vindictive.
Then India never had a chance with me because of her name. I hate this name. It is a country afterall. She wasn't even Indian. I don't know what she was. What was this business she owned? It was not really explained. And why would she borrow jewelry from a client? Wouldn't that make her look desperate and maybe not such a great business investment to clients? She was out to marry Marcus for his money but then we are supposed to believe she ended up loving him? They seemed like acquaintances. Weiner never really developed their relationship. There seemed to be no connection between them. It was never explained why she couldn't have children. Her and Marcus never even had a discussion about having any children. Then all of a sudden she is getting a surrogate with a donated egg and of course it all worked on the first try. Then she books off when Marcus dies of a heart attack and misses the birth of the baby to rectify her past. Who would believe that? And who cares about her past? You would think she would be putting all her effort into being a good mother to her dead husband's baby. And when she comes back she is okay with rasing the child with all these other women? I thought she was supposed to be a woman who triumphed and perserved, who was determined and relentless in her pursuit to get things she wanted, like a rich husband and baby. Again, not believeable.
This book had potential but had way too many flaws. I liked how each chapter was told by one of the four women and how they were all connected, although we have two seconds to absorb that information before the book ends. I just didn't believe any of them and thought they were all too despearate and pitiful. This book may have worked back in the '50s but Then Came the Modern Woman. This book doesn't represent the women of the present day, or at least I hope not.
May 13, 2012
Jennifer Weiner's, Then Came You just found itself a permanent spot on my 'Favorite Books' bookcase. I'm not referring to my 'Ordinary Books' bookcase that is in our guest bedroom- I am talking about my office bookcase that holds all of my favorite novels. Not just any book can find its way onto these shelves, but as soon as I started reading Weiner's Then Came You I realized there was something special about it.
Then Came You takes place during current times. Weiner tells her story from the point of view of 4 different women that at first glance have nothing in common. Jules is a gorgeous blond, blue eyed Senior at Princeton. On the outside it seems like she has the perfect life, however she is hiding a hurtful family secret. Annie is a 24 year old wife and mother of two young boys. As happy as she is with her life, she can't help but feel discontent with her current situation. Running her household zaps her energy while the constant struggle for money makes her wish for things she and her family does not have. Bettina is the daughter of a New York Billionaire. She does not fit into the party scene, she would much rather spend her time at her job appraising art for an auction house. She is fairly content in her life until her father shows up with his new bride, India. India feels that she won the brass ring when she married her wealthy husband. The struggles she went through as a child, teenager, and adult all seem worth it. She has finally made it, what more could she want?
Then Came You has all of the aspects I look for in a great work of fiction. There are strong female characters that are well written and seem real to me. I may not like a certain character but Weiner makes sure that I can sympathize with her. The dialog is witty and there are twists that I did not see coming. At one moment I found myself laughing while the next moment I was trying not to let the tears fall. I was also able to escape reality while reading Then Came You...as much as a mother of a two year old can escape reality (during some of my reading my daughter made it her mission to get my attention by splashing me from her baby pool that my feet just happened to be resting in.)
Then Came You tackles many important current issues, one of which is Egg donation and Surrogacy. Weiner does a fantastic job opening up the door for discussion of this practice. How does the egg donor feel about the situation? Will she ever regret her decision or want to know about her biological baby in the future? Can the Surrogate easily tell herself that the baby she is carrying is not really hers? How will she feel once the baby is delivered and placed in its Mother's arms? What about this new Mother, how does she react to the newness of it all? Can she easily bond with the baby, or will she feel like a babysitter? All of these crucial feelings and more are covered in Then Came You.
Jennifer Weiner's Then Came You is an excellent novel that I highly recommend. If you are looking for a book with heart and humor, Then Came You should be your first choice!
Then Came You takes place during current times. Weiner tells her story from the point of view of 4 different women that at first glance have nothing in common. Jules is a gorgeous blond, blue eyed Senior at Princeton. On the outside it seems like she has the perfect life, however she is hiding a hurtful family secret. Annie is a 24 year old wife and mother of two young boys. As happy as she is with her life, she can't help but feel discontent with her current situation. Running her household zaps her energy while the constant struggle for money makes her wish for things she and her family does not have. Bettina is the daughter of a New York Billionaire. She does not fit into the party scene, she would much rather spend her time at her job appraising art for an auction house. She is fairly content in her life until her father shows up with his new bride, India. India feels that she won the brass ring when she married her wealthy husband. The struggles she went through as a child, teenager, and adult all seem worth it. She has finally made it, what more could she want?
Then Came You has all of the aspects I look for in a great work of fiction. There are strong female characters that are well written and seem real to me. I may not like a certain character but Weiner makes sure that I can sympathize with her. The dialog is witty and there are twists that I did not see coming. At one moment I found myself laughing while the next moment I was trying not to let the tears fall. I was also able to escape reality while reading Then Came You...as much as a mother of a two year old can escape reality (during some of my reading my daughter made it her mission to get my attention by splashing me from her baby pool that my feet just happened to be resting in.)
Then Came You tackles many important current issues, one of which is Egg donation and Surrogacy. Weiner does a fantastic job opening up the door for discussion of this practice. How does the egg donor feel about the situation? Will she ever regret her decision or want to know about her biological baby in the future? Can the Surrogate easily tell herself that the baby she is carrying is not really hers? How will she feel once the baby is delivered and placed in its Mother's arms? What about this new Mother, how does she react to the newness of it all? Can she easily bond with the baby, or will she feel like a babysitter? All of these crucial feelings and more are covered in Then Came You.
Jennifer Weiner's Then Came You is an excellent novel that I highly recommend. If you are looking for a book with heart and humor, Then Came You should be your first choice!
May 24, 2012
Chick lit really isn't my thing. But hey, this is the start of summer. Reading is supposed to be light and fluffy, right? Besides, my library is currently out of audio books I'd like to listen to, and this one appeared on the shelves, so....
Then Came You is the story of four women. None of these women are especially likable or relatable. They all have "daddy issues" and they all have difficulty relating to other people in general and other women especially.
At the center of the story is India, a trophy wife and gold-digger who is passing off her 43 years as 38 to her insanely rich older husband. When they attempt to have a baby, they discover that she is infertile and turn to surrogacy to create their family. Initially, India was my favorite. She is flawed, and therefore so much more likable and relatable than the other three women. She has made mistakes in the past which, at the very least, makes her more interesting. However, towards the end of the novel we learn that her mistakes were the result of matters beyond her control and she really wasn't the screw up she was presented as. That is a shame. Incidentally, India's mother is a hippie flake who was largely absent from her childhood, and her father non-existent. Her first husband was an older man and her current husband, Marcus is also much older than her. India does not appear to have any female friends.
Bettina is India's stepdaughter, and Marcus' only daughter. (Marcus does have two sons, but they do not play a prominent role in this story.) Bettina's only purpose appears to be a bitch with daddy issues. From day one she is suspicious of India, and intensely dislikes her. But to be fair, Bettina pretty much intensely dislikes everyone she meets. Bettina is 23 years old, and her parents have been divorced for years. Yet her most passionate wish is for her parents to get back together even though she has a fair amount of disdain and disrespect for her new-agey mother. She is so distrustful of India that she hires a private detective to look into India's past. It is also worth mentioning that Bettina has no friends, has never had a boyfriend.
Jules is the egg donor in this soap opera. Poor Jules is so beautiful and athletic and smart that she suffers the attention of hoards of men wanting to date her. All the time. The first time we meet her we have to listen to how annoying it is when men approach her for a date. Sorry, not feeling the sympathy here. She is a recent Princeton grad, yet she hates Princeton students. Jules is not from a wealthy family, and apparently that makes her more worthy of her education than her classmates? Or something. But she (tell me if this sounds familiar) has no friends and although she (unlike Bettina) has dated, she doesn't have any significant romantic relationships. Jules parents are also divorced. Her mother doesn't play an important role in this story, but her dad does. Jules dad is a long time alcoholic and drug addict. Jules hates her step mother, seeing her as an enabler (eh, she probably is.) At any rate, Jules sells her eggs so that she may send her daddy to an expensive rehab facility.
Finally we meet Annie, the surrogate mother. Annie is also 23, and a married mother of two. Her husband works while she stays at home with the kiddos. Annie has a relationship with her mother, honestly can't remember if her father is in the picture at all. She hates her sister because her sister is thin (status post lap band surgery), has a rich doctor husband, and a college degree. Guess what? Annie doesn't have female friends. Her hubby, Franklin, is her high school sweetheart. Annie decides to become a surrogate for the money and the chance it will provide her to help her family to get out of debt. Initially Franklin goes for it, but we flash forward to Annie being preggo and suddenly Franklin has an issue with Annie's pregnancy. This all came out of the blue, and we readers are left to ponder the reason for Franklin’s disapproval.
Of course, this being chick lit, all four women eventually meet up and after some initial uneasiness form an awesome female power band of sistas. Hrm....
The three younger women in this story: Bettina, Jules and Annie are so bitter and so dislikable. These ladies aren't even 25, yet they all sound like hardened, angry and depressed middle aged people. Furthermore, they are all so very judgmental that I didn't want to relate to their problems, even if I could. Bettina ~ poor little rich girl. Jules ~ hates being pretty, hates "privileged" classmates, hates her junior analyst job even though she is making six figures straight out of college! Annie ~ jealous of her sister, and justifies it by saying her sister is mean. Whatever bitches!
Author Jennifer Weiner spent the entire story feeding us the miserable (albeit somewhat entertaining) drama of these unhappy women and yet expects us to believe that the arrival of sweet little baby Rory brings them all together in some pro-female, screw-you-nuclear-family happiness. Yeah.
Even though all these women really want for themselves and their parents is a nuclear family.
Even though these women are fairly self-absorbed and have difficulty relating to others and making friends.
Even though Weiner does a great job at creating and presenting characters who are a hot mess, she does not present them with the skillz to overcome their shortcomings. We are just expected to click our heels three times and believe.
Sorry, not buying it. Rather than spend an entire novel building up the conflict, this story would have been so much better had some time been spent reading about characters learning to overcome and work through conflict.
But, whatever. This isn't snarky, but its still chick lit. I didn't expect to be blown away and I wasn't.
Then Came You is the story of four women. None of these women are especially likable or relatable. They all have "daddy issues" and they all have difficulty relating to other people in general and other women especially.
At the center of the story is India, a trophy wife and gold-digger who is passing off her 43 years as 38 to her insanely rich older husband. When they attempt to have a baby, they discover that she is infertile and turn to surrogacy to create their family. Initially, India was my favorite. She is flawed, and therefore so much more likable and relatable than the other three women. She has made mistakes in the past which, at the very least, makes her more interesting. However, towards the end of the novel we learn that her mistakes were the result of matters beyond her control and she really wasn't the screw up she was presented as. That is a shame. Incidentally, India's mother is a hippie flake who was largely absent from her childhood, and her father non-existent. Her first husband was an older man and her current husband, Marcus is also much older than her. India does not appear to have any female friends.
Bettina is India's stepdaughter, and Marcus' only daughter. (Marcus does have two sons, but they do not play a prominent role in this story.) Bettina's only purpose appears to be a bitch with daddy issues. From day one she is suspicious of India, and intensely dislikes her. But to be fair, Bettina pretty much intensely dislikes everyone she meets. Bettina is 23 years old, and her parents have been divorced for years. Yet her most passionate wish is for her parents to get back together even though she has a fair amount of disdain and disrespect for her new-agey mother. She is so distrustful of India that she hires a private detective to look into India's past. It is also worth mentioning that Bettina has no friends, has never had a boyfriend.
Jules is the egg donor in this soap opera. Poor Jules is so beautiful and athletic and smart that she suffers the attention of hoards of men wanting to date her. All the time. The first time we meet her we have to listen to how annoying it is when men approach her for a date. Sorry, not feeling the sympathy here. She is a recent Princeton grad, yet she hates Princeton students. Jules is not from a wealthy family, and apparently that makes her more worthy of her education than her classmates? Or something. But she (tell me if this sounds familiar) has no friends and although she (unlike Bettina) has dated, she doesn't have any significant romantic relationships. Jules parents are also divorced. Her mother doesn't play an important role in this story, but her dad does. Jules dad is a long time alcoholic and drug addict. Jules hates her step mother, seeing her as an enabler (eh, she probably is.) At any rate, Jules sells her eggs so that she may send her daddy to an expensive rehab facility.
Finally we meet Annie, the surrogate mother. Annie is also 23, and a married mother of two. Her husband works while she stays at home with the kiddos. Annie has a relationship with her mother, honestly can't remember if her father is in the picture at all. She hates her sister because her sister is thin (status post lap band surgery), has a rich doctor husband, and a college degree. Guess what? Annie doesn't have female friends. Her hubby, Franklin, is her high school sweetheart. Annie decides to become a surrogate for the money and the chance it will provide her to help her family to get out of debt. Initially Franklin goes for it, but we flash forward to Annie being preggo and suddenly Franklin has an issue with Annie's pregnancy. This all came out of the blue, and we readers are left to ponder the reason for Franklin’s disapproval.
Of course, this being chick lit, all four women eventually meet up and after some initial uneasiness form an awesome female power band of sistas. Hrm....
The three younger women in this story: Bettina, Jules and Annie are so bitter and so dislikable. These ladies aren't even 25, yet they all sound like hardened, angry and depressed middle aged people. Furthermore, they are all so very judgmental that I didn't want to relate to their problems, even if I could. Bettina ~ poor little rich girl. Jules ~ hates being pretty, hates "privileged" classmates, hates her junior analyst job even though she is making six figures straight out of college! Annie ~ jealous of her sister, and justifies it by saying her sister is mean. Whatever bitches!
Author Jennifer Weiner spent the entire story feeding us the miserable (albeit somewhat entertaining) drama of these unhappy women and yet expects us to believe that the arrival of sweet little baby Rory brings them all together in some pro-female, screw-you-nuclear-family happiness. Yeah.
Even though all these women really want for themselves and their parents is a nuclear family.
Even though these women are fairly self-absorbed and have difficulty relating to others and making friends.
Even though Weiner does a great job at creating and presenting characters who are a hot mess, she does not present them with the skillz to overcome their shortcomings. We are just expected to click our heels three times and believe.
Sorry, not buying it. Rather than spend an entire novel building up the conflict, this story would have been so much better had some time been spent reading about characters learning to overcome and work through conflict.
But, whatever. This isn't snarky, but its still chick lit. I didn't expect to be blown away and I wasn't.
July 8, 2013
**Possible Spoiler: info was in the synopsis on the book I had, but apparently it is not on every copy**
I told the book club girls I wanted something light and fun, and they gave it to me....sort of. It was an easy read, and it kept my attention. It really wasn't what I thought it was going to be at all. In the synopsis it tells you it is about a couple who have a surrogate and while the surrogate is pregnant the father dies. This doesn't happen until the very end of the book. There were just too many characters. All of the characters were interesting enough, but we didn't get to know them as well as I would have liked. I didn't like the Bettina character at all. It seems like they tried to give her some redeeming qualities, but she was such a spoiled brat that even the little bit of good she did, did not make me like her any better. The ending was just a tad too easy. The entire book is a complicated situation, and it is just unrealistic to think that things would end up so neat in wonderful with no loose ends. I didn't love, but I didn't hate it. It was what I asked for light easy reading
I told the book club girls I wanted something light and fun, and they gave it to me....sort of. It was an easy read, and it kept my attention. It really wasn't what I thought it was going to be at all. In the synopsis it tells you it is about a couple who have a surrogate and while the surrogate is pregnant the father dies. This doesn't happen until the very end of the book. There were just too many characters. All of the characters were interesting enough, but we didn't get to know them as well as I would have liked. I didn't like the Bettina character at all. It seems like they tried to give her some redeeming qualities, but she was such a spoiled brat that even the little bit of good she did, did not make me like her any better. The ending was just a tad too easy. The entire book is a complicated situation, and it is just unrealistic to think that things would end up so neat in wonderful with no loose ends. I didn't love, but I didn't hate it. It was what I asked for light easy reading
August 11, 2013
Then Came You is pretty much a soap opera in book form. I don't know how else to describe this book. It has all the drama-llama-riding in it that every typical old-fashioned soap opera has. I'm not a big fan of soap operas but I do watch one or two episodes of these Very Famous (here, anyways) German Soap Operas when they're on and I catch them. It's always the same. There's drama and there's trying to deal with too many issues at once in one episode (bulimia, drug abuse, unhealthy relationships, for example), which doesn't help the potrayal of them, when the authors are trying to juggle dealing with thousand frigging issues at ones. Apart from that, I don't connect with nor care about any of the characters because of the over-the-top character traits most of them have and show. Anyway, after I watch episodes of these soap operas, I don't feel like I've entirely wasted my time (after all, there is better stuff I could do but it's not like I would end up doing it) but I just know that it wasn't necessary to watch it, if that makes sense.
Then Came You was totally okay at first. It was slow-paced, sure, but at some point, it got a Revenge-esque vibe, which always makes #1 Revenge fan Rosie Rose very happy. But after a while, it lost all of its (very little) Revenge vibe and turned into full-blown soap opera stuff. I love Revenge, I know it has fairly enough ridiculous stuff but it's still awesome and that's what Then Came You just wasn't? (Which is why I'd rather stop comparing it to Revenge.)
Anyway, it was a fairly quick read that entertained me (more or less), had a few heartbreaking moments (yes, I know it succeeded in trying to manipulate me into feeling stuff, I didn't cry, though, so I win) but in the end, I might as well have watched a soap opera on TV, which would at least give me a few hunks to look at. Will I try something else by Weiner? Maybe, when I'm in a feel-like-reading-a-soap-opera mood but probably not.
Then Came You was totally okay at first. It was slow-paced, sure, but at some point, it got a Revenge-esque vibe, which always makes #1 Revenge fan Rosie Rose very happy. But after a while, it lost all of its (very little) Revenge vibe and turned into full-blown soap opera stuff. I love Revenge, I know it has fairly enough ridiculous stuff but it's still awesome and that's what Then Came You just wasn't? (Which is why I'd rather stop comparing it to Revenge.)
Anyway, it was a fairly quick read that entertained me (more or less), had a few heartbreaking moments (yes, I know it succeeded in trying to manipulate me into feeling stuff, I didn't cry, though, so I win) but in the end, I might as well have watched a soap opera on TV, which would at least give me a few hunks to look at. Will I try something else by Weiner? Maybe, when I'm in a feel-like-reading-a-soap-opera mood but probably not.
August 12, 2011
The idea for this story was fanfrickintastic. The execution was abysmal. In Little Earthquakes, Weiner successfully alternated between multiple female narrators. This time around, not so much. The narrator (one of four) would be going about her daily life and suddenly, she'd be flashing back to her senior year of high school, or her dad's DUI when she was 14, or her mom running away to an ashram with her yogi, and then blah blah back to the present. By the time , I just didn't care. I didn't care about the completely underdeveloped characters and this continued to the end, when I started skipping entire paragraphs so I could finish faster.
And may I ask, who proofread this thing? I mean, REALLY? "I took the subway uptown and dashed up the stairs two at a HOME..." (pg 316) I don't know 'bout you all, but I certainly run up the stairs two homes at a time. And that's just a smidgen of the errors in this book. Ugh. I have go to re-read Good in Bed before I end up hating Jennifer Weiner completely.
Not happy with you this time around. Not happy at all.
And may I ask, who proofread this thing? I mean, REALLY? "I took the subway uptown and dashed up the stairs two at a HOME..." (pg 316) I don't know 'bout you all, but I certainly run up the stairs two homes at a time. And that's just a smidgen of the errors in this book. Ugh. I have go to re-read Good in Bed before I end up hating Jennifer Weiner completely.
Not happy with you this time around. Not happy at all.
September 22, 2015
I expected more from this book. I haven’t read Weiner’s other novels but I watched and loved In Her Shoes with Cameron Diaz, based on one of Weiner’s novels, and I though anything she writes should be good. She has many glowing reviews, often employing words like ‘hilarious’ or ‘heart-warming’ to describe her novels, but I didn’t find this particular story either hilarious or heart-warming.
It was okay, a professionally written and edited book, and I read it to the end, but it started slowly, was emotionally distant, kept me faintly bored until the mid-way point, and the ending was disappointing.
I couldn’t really care for any of the protagonists, but at least they were alive and consistently flawed throughout the tale. Then, suddenly, as the ending approached, the author “fixed” them. A jealous husband repented and apologized, declaring that his wife’s happiness is more important to him than his pride. A cold, self-absorbed bitch turned into a loving woman for no reason and went on an atonement spree. And I stopped believing the story.
Maybe Weiner’s other books are better, but I’m not inclined to try another one yet.
It was okay, a professionally written and edited book, and I read it to the end, but it started slowly, was emotionally distant, kept me faintly bored until the mid-way point, and the ending was disappointing.
I couldn’t really care for any of the protagonists, but at least they were alive and consistently flawed throughout the tale. Then, suddenly, as the ending approached, the author “fixed” them. A jealous husband repented and apologized, declaring that his wife’s happiness is more important to him than his pride. A cold, self-absorbed bitch turned into a loving woman for no reason and went on an atonement spree. And I stopped believing the story.
Maybe Weiner’s other books are better, but I’m not inclined to try another one yet.
July 22, 2011
I found this book rather flat, with a lot of cookie cutter characters. The book is told from a number of perspectives, but none of the voices really come to life. The whole thing really felt contrived, as if the author said "Surrogacy and egg donations - I bet a story about that would sell!" and then wrote down every cliche about it she could think of.
June 9, 2018
Um livro que fala sobre a vida de três mulheres que passam por momentos difíceis e que um bebé une-as a todas e traz mudanças para as suas vidas.
July 16, 2012
this is the first jennifer weiner book i have ever read, & unsurprisingly, i checked it out of the library solely because of the infertility plotline. this is back when i was still trying to get knocked up (now i'm three months pregnant). i'm not so sure i will be reading jennifer weiner again in the future.
this book got really convoluted really fast, but a quick plot summary: a self-made PR guru marries a really rich dude. they want to have a baby together but don't have much luck conceiving. they finally decide to use donor eggs & a surrogate. the egg donor is a pretty girl who attends princeton & sells her eggs so she can use the substantial payday to send her dad to rehab to treat his alcoholism. the surrogate is a sweet but broke mother of two just looking to raise a little extra money for her family. her husband does not approve of her surrogacy, i guess because it makes him feel like less of a man that he can't support his family all on his own? they split up for a while during the pregnancy. a fourth character is the rich dude's adult daughter, who is skeptical of her glamorous PR stepmom & thinks she must be a goldigging hussy out to steal her father's millions or something. she hires a private investigator who discovers that PR lady did indeed change her name & is in fact a bigamist. she married her high school english teacher & was never officially divorced. but before any of this comes to light officially, rich dude kicks the bucket & PR lady heads for the hills. when the baby is born, prissy stepdaughter is named guardian.
eventually all of the women come together to raise the baby in a different way that honors their contributions, which...i don't really think that's how it works. the book even acknowledges that the egg donation company never should have given the baby's guardian any info about the donor, but they did, basically because prissy stepdaughter was all, "i never asked for this baby, but now that i have her, i want to know whose eggs she came from!" yeah, that's not really the way it works. i don't know. there was A LOT about the "plot" of this book that didn't make a damn lick of sense. & i'll estimate that perhaps 60% of the text is just exposition. the narration keeps swapping among the women, but just when it seems like we're getting a forward trajectory happening, weiner is all, "jay kay!" & puts the brakes on everything so the egg donor can wax rhapsodical for another seven pages about how men have always been attracted to her thick golden hair or whatever.
not my thing, i guess.
this book got really convoluted really fast, but a quick plot summary: a self-made PR guru marries a really rich dude. they want to have a baby together but don't have much luck conceiving. they finally decide to use donor eggs & a surrogate. the egg donor is a pretty girl who attends princeton & sells her eggs so she can use the substantial payday to send her dad to rehab to treat his alcoholism. the surrogate is a sweet but broke mother of two just looking to raise a little extra money for her family. her husband does not approve of her surrogacy, i guess because it makes him feel like less of a man that he can't support his family all on his own? they split up for a while during the pregnancy. a fourth character is the rich dude's adult daughter, who is skeptical of her glamorous PR stepmom & thinks she must be a goldigging hussy out to steal her father's millions or something. she hires a private investigator who discovers that PR lady did indeed change her name & is in fact a bigamist. she married her high school english teacher & was never officially divorced. but before any of this comes to light officially, rich dude kicks the bucket & PR lady heads for the hills. when the baby is born, prissy stepdaughter is named guardian.
eventually all of the women come together to raise the baby in a different way that honors their contributions, which...i don't really think that's how it works. the book even acknowledges that the egg donation company never should have given the baby's guardian any info about the donor, but they did, basically because prissy stepdaughter was all, "i never asked for this baby, but now that i have her, i want to know whose eggs she came from!" yeah, that's not really the way it works. i don't know. there was A LOT about the "plot" of this book that didn't make a damn lick of sense. & i'll estimate that perhaps 60% of the text is just exposition. the narration keeps swapping among the women, but just when it seems like we're getting a forward trajectory happening, weiner is all, "jay kay!" & puts the brakes on everything so the egg donor can wax rhapsodical for another seven pages about how men have always been attracted to her thick golden hair or whatever.
not my thing, i guess.
July 21, 2011
I gave this just 2 stars because I think I would have liked the book better if Ms. Weiner had focused more on the 4 women interacting, than on their individual stories. Really, the story doesnt begin until 60% of the way through the book, and even then it falls flat - the twist is unexpected, but it seems she had to have a quick, tidy ending to keep the book short enough. Until the climax, it is slow reading of a lot of background. While this is necessary for character development, it was a bit too much and detracted from the meat of the story.
It just fell flat for me - too slow, too tidy of an ending, and not enough interaction of the characters to really understand how each person's individual decision affected the other, and ultimately, how those decisions affected the newly formed and unexpected relationships that had to be forged.
It just fell flat for me - too slow, too tidy of an ending, and not enough interaction of the characters to really understand how each person's individual decision affected the other, and ultimately, how those decisions affected the newly formed and unexpected relationships that had to be forged.
July 26, 2011
I hated this book. I read Good in Bed ages ago - one of the first ARCs I ever received. I loved it; I loved In Her Shoes. I thought I'd be a Weiner fan for a long time, but have started to lose interest in the past few books, maybe growing out of her writing, maybe a declining quality in the books - which ever. Not only did I hate this book, but I hated myself for slogging through every single superficial, poorly written, contrived page.
There's an audience for this kind of book and the other ratings seem to reflect that, so I guess I'm just in the minority here. If you like Candace Bushnell and can sympathize with pretty unlikable characters...go for it. I now know that I'm done with Weiner and won't subject myself to another one of these.
There's an audience for this kind of book and the other ratings seem to reflect that, so I guess I'm just in the minority here. If you like Candace Bushnell and can sympathize with pretty unlikable characters...go for it. I now know that I'm done with Weiner and won't subject myself to another one of these.
July 24, 2013
"What I was learning was that having felt, sometimes, less satisfying than wanting, that dreaming of all this luxury was somehow better than actually possessing it, because once you had it, it could all be taken away."
The days must have been dragging for me that I let myself be distracted and displaced for a while but this time I did not slow my pace as I pored over the pages I felt myself reading toward my own demise. Reading and nothingness. . .
Then Came you is a gut-tightening, bone-melting, heart-fluttering tale of four different women in their quest for love and longing, for financial contentment and security, and how they struggle with their problems and deal with the harsh reality of life in their usual aplomb.
Jules, a gorgeous blonde, a senior in Princeton, she has no real friends but few acquaintances, a pretty much isolated character, a drug addict's daughter. She needs money and in the grand scheme of things, she agrees to sell her "pedigree eggs" to save her father from alcohol addiction.
Annie, a wife and a mother of two kids finally believes she's doing something noble by accepting a job: to be a surrogate and that is to carry someone else's child.
India, who spent hours of exercise and thousand dollars' worth of Botox shots look younger than her age, she's one of those model-beautiful women who is a living testimony to the fine art of plastic surgery, a fraud, a phony, a cunning, manipulative social climber who embarks herself on a journey of love, marriage and social status. She thinks that Marcus Croft is the real deal, a prized possession straight up from a treasure chest, that he's "the one" that she's been looking for, to bail her out of the gutter, that is.
Bettina, an average-looking woman, a billionaire's daughter, she loves her father so much she thinks that India, her new stepmother is not what she appears to be that underneath her heels, and fancy jeans and Chanel jacket is a gold digger and cold-hearted wench. Her only wish is her father's happiness more than anything in the world and she will do everything to protect him from the Wicked Witch of the East.
xxxxxxxx
As the author says in an interview, there's one thing they are in common that she identified with these women and that is the thing that brings them altogether - the desire for what they don't have and the longing for what they had once and will never get again. Bettina and Jules both want their families back. India wants the promise of security forever. Annie wants to be the giver instead not the taker.
I felt their own loss and it weighed me down just a little and I suddenly wonder about the loss itself and what loss and what even the threat of loss can do to a person. I can never imagine how it is like, losing someone you dearly love. I have already lost two of my favorite persons in my life and I cannot even begin to imagine losing any of my loved ones now.
India Bishop is by far my favourite character in the story. Oh, wow. That must have shocked you, I suppose. I thought she's the kind of female character to face life with either a shallow laugh, or a sharp retort, but never in tears. Boy, was I wrong? Yes, she made me furiously mad at her. I would curse, smirk, and laugh at her face and I think marrying someone for the sake of money is a bit of a letdown unless you already have enough triumphs in that department then it's safe to conclude that nothing is impossible in this world if you have the "assets" and scheming abilities, you know the works. But, to be honest, or candid, whatever, she stands out to me than the rest of them because love changed her. After the deluge I was reminded again that the real world isn't at all black or white that some journeys have to really be heartbreaking and painful, but the ones that are, are also life-changing. India's point of view made me believe that people like her deserves a second chance to start over. It also made me understand that some people have it harder than the rest of us and that a trip through this world can be both exhilarating and terrifying ride at the same time.
Overall, it's a tender and thought-provoking read. It will test your faith, your beliefs about procreation and urge you to do a little introspection about how much you can give up for the sake of money and how far will you go. The author cleverly pulls you in and tugs your heartstrings you never know you have, making you feel like you're part of their clique. The characters are very relatable you end up really invested in their stories. They become so real to you as if you can hear their voice, feel their anguish, reel over their happiness and all you can do is grab your quivering heart with a rare intensity.
A few shudders and choking sobs later, I hugged my pillow against my chest and took a deep breath, glad of the small reprieve for it ended just like I'd imagined. Who would have thought that a new baby, this innocent little creature could bring hope and ties them together, perhaps, it's true that life is what happens when you least expect it. Ah, what a wonderful thing, this feeling, to be emotionally satisfied and yet full of wonder. I finally realized who the woman is in the cover and I feel another wave of loneliness settle throughout my body again. Sometimes all you need is a picture to speak for itself.
I choose this song, I Found The Reason, because I think it pretty much explains everything that what comes is better than before and that things will get better eventually. How can something so beautiful as this song feels oddly refreshing and woefully short?
[image error]
Every night, I'd fallen asleep with his arms around me and his face nestled in my neck. Every morning, he'd brought me tea and kissed me, "You're my favorite person in the world," he would say. What will become of me? I wondered again.
Soundtrack of the day: I Found A Reason by Cat Power
The days must have been dragging for me that I let myself be distracted and displaced for a while but this time I did not slow my pace as I pored over the pages I felt myself reading toward my own demise. Reading and nothingness. . .
Then Came you is a gut-tightening, bone-melting, heart-fluttering tale of four different women in their quest for love and longing, for financial contentment and security, and how they struggle with their problems and deal with the harsh reality of life in their usual aplomb.
"Someday, I thought I would like to be somebody's mysterious benefactor, too, giving gifts to someone who didn't know me, watching, from a distance, their delight."
Jules, a gorgeous blonde, a senior in Princeton, she has no real friends but few acquaintances, a pretty much isolated character, a drug addict's daughter. She needs money and in the grand scheme of things, she agrees to sell her "pedigree eggs" to save her father from alcohol addiction.
"I hadn't ever thought about college, or traveling, or waiting to start my own family, or having anything that you could call a career as opposed to just a job. I lived my life like a meal that had been set in front of me, never asking if there were other choices or even if I was hungry."
Annie, a wife and a mother of two kids finally believes she's doing something noble by accepting a job: to be a surrogate and that is to carry someone else's child.
"My face, my body, my youth - these were my commodities. I had a decent-size investment account, a nicely diversified portfolio that hadn't taken too hard a hit in the latest downturn, but it wasn't even close to being a true-fuck you money, and true-fuck you money was one thing I was sure I wanted. Money, and what it could buy, what it could do, what it could keep you safe."
India, who spent hours of exercise and thousand dollars' worth of Botox shots look younger than her age, she's one of those model-beautiful women who is a living testimony to the fine art of plastic surgery, a fraud, a phony, a cunning, manipulative social climber who embarks herself on a journey of love, marriage and social status. She thinks that Marcus Croft is the real deal, a prized possession straight up from a treasure chest, that he's "the one" that she's been looking for, to bail her out of the gutter, that is.
"It wasn't until I'd dropped off the rental car and was flying back to NY that I figured out what else I wanted; my father's safety, his happiness, an assurance that he would not get his heart broken again."
Bettina, an average-looking woman, a billionaire's daughter, she loves her father so much she thinks that India, her new stepmother is not what she appears to be that underneath her heels, and fancy jeans and Chanel jacket is a gold digger and cold-hearted wench. Her only wish is her father's happiness more than anything in the world and she will do everything to protect him from the Wicked Witch of the East.
xxxxxxxx
As the author says in an interview, there's one thing they are in common that she identified with these women and that is the thing that brings them altogether - the desire for what they don't have and the longing for what they had once and will never get again. Bettina and Jules both want their families back. India wants the promise of security forever. Annie wants to be the giver instead not the taker.
I felt their own loss and it weighed me down just a little and I suddenly wonder about the loss itself and what loss and what even the threat of loss can do to a person. I can never imagine how it is like, losing someone you dearly love. I have already lost two of my favorite persons in my life and I cannot even begin to imagine losing any of my loved ones now.
India Bishop is by far my favourite character in the story. Oh, wow. That must have shocked you, I suppose. I thought she's the kind of female character to face life with either a shallow laugh, or a sharp retort, but never in tears. Boy, was I wrong? Yes, she made me furiously mad at her. I would curse, smirk, and laugh at her face and I think marrying someone for the sake of money is a bit of a letdown unless you already have enough triumphs in that department then it's safe to conclude that nothing is impossible in this world if you have the "assets" and scheming abilities, you know the works. But, to be honest, or candid, whatever, she stands out to me than the rest of them because love changed her. After the deluge I was reminded again that the real world isn't at all black or white that some journeys have to really be heartbreaking and painful, but the ones that are, are also life-changing. India's point of view made me believe that people like her deserves a second chance to start over. It also made me understand that some people have it harder than the rest of us and that a trip through this world can be both exhilarating and terrifying ride at the same time.
Overall, it's a tender and thought-provoking read. It will test your faith, your beliefs about procreation and urge you to do a little introspection about how much you can give up for the sake of money and how far will you go. The author cleverly pulls you in and tugs your heartstrings you never know you have, making you feel like you're part of their clique. The characters are very relatable you end up really invested in their stories. They become so real to you as if you can hear their voice, feel their anguish, reel over their happiness and all you can do is grab your quivering heart with a rare intensity.
A few shudders and choking sobs later, I hugged my pillow against my chest and took a deep breath, glad of the small reprieve for it ended just like I'd imagined. Who would have thought that a new baby, this innocent little creature could bring hope and ties them together, perhaps, it's true that life is what happens when you least expect it. Ah, what a wonderful thing, this feeling, to be emotionally satisfied and yet full of wonder. I finally realized who the woman is in the cover and I feel another wave of loneliness settle throughout my body again. Sometimes all you need is a picture to speak for itself.
I choose this song, I Found The Reason, because I think it pretty much explains everything that what comes is better than before and that things will get better eventually. How can something so beautiful as this song feels oddly refreshing and woefully short?
[image error]
Every night, I'd fallen asleep with his arms around me and his face nestled in my neck. Every morning, he'd brought me tea and kissed me, "You're my favorite person in the world," he would say. What will become of me? I wondered again.
Soundtrack of the day: I Found A Reason by Cat Power
December 23, 2022
This story follows the lives of 4 different women. It all centers around a baby and how they are all connected. One might think it might be confusing to read about four different women but the story flowed and each chapter you knew whose story you were reading about. I cared about every one of them and was rooting for the world to come out right for them all. A great read when you want to be transported from your own worries.
September 19, 2012
To call Jennifer Weiner's latest novel "Then Came You" a beach read is only partially accurate. Yes, it is one of those books that women love to take along to the beach for an easy read, but this one will surprise you - it is much better written than that classification. This is the story of four women whose lives become entwined by circumstance (one baby) and the story unfolds via each character giving voice to a chapter one after the other.
The book begins with Jules' narrative. She is a student at Princeton - blonde, bright, beautiful and athletic - everything one could wish for in an egg donor. Needing a large sum of money to rescue her father from an untenable situation, she agrees to donate eggs to an infertile couple.
The second narrator is Annie, a woman in her early 20s with two young children of her own already, she agrees to become a surrogate, both to financially help her struggling family and because she is a natural "mother".
Next we are introduced to Bettina, the privileged only daughter of billionaire Marcus Croft, who was devastated when his wife left him to follow her guru to an ashram in New Mexico. She seeks to protect him being hurt again and is distrustful of his new, much younger wife....
India....who desperately wants a baby with her new husband and is unable to become pregnant. She develops a relationship with Annie when she is carrying her husband's child.
To this mix, add the back stories of each character, their individual family dynamics and one unforeseen glitch to the plan that has huge repercussions for all the women. The author does a very good job holding your interest and the fact that this is an easy read, does nothing to negate the moral and psychological issues it raises. I found this to be an enjoyable read, my favorite of Jennifer Weiner's, and I would recommend it.
The book begins with Jules' narrative. She is a student at Princeton - blonde, bright, beautiful and athletic - everything one could wish for in an egg donor. Needing a large sum of money to rescue her father from an untenable situation, she agrees to donate eggs to an infertile couple.
The second narrator is Annie, a woman in her early 20s with two young children of her own already, she agrees to become a surrogate, both to financially help her struggling family and because she is a natural "mother".
Next we are introduced to Bettina, the privileged only daughter of billionaire Marcus Croft, who was devastated when his wife left him to follow her guru to an ashram in New Mexico. She seeks to protect him being hurt again and is distrustful of his new, much younger wife....
India....who desperately wants a baby with her new husband and is unable to become pregnant. She develops a relationship with Annie when she is carrying her husband's child.
To this mix, add the back stories of each character, their individual family dynamics and one unforeseen glitch to the plan that has huge repercussions for all the women. The author does a very good job holding your interest and the fact that this is an easy read, does nothing to negate the moral and psychological issues it raises. I found this to be an enjoyable read, my favorite of Jennifer Weiner's, and I would recommend it.
March 23, 2020
I think this might have been my favorite of Jennifer Weiner's books to date - and that says a lot since Good In Bed has topped my list since it was published!
This book was both complex and relatable and the characters were more real than any of her previous books. Weiner consistently writes imperfect, yet still likable, characters which makes her work more interesting. However, in this book, the characters were not only imperfect but downright unlikable at times. They did things that were far outside of my comfort zone, but still managed to come back to a place where you could like them.
One of the themes of this book is that idea that "it takes a village" but in this case, it was not necessarily about raising a child. The book perfectly expressed that no matter who we are, no matter what material possessions we may have, we are never truly autonomous. We need others in our lives to live fully. When we try to exist without that human connection, we are not necessarily living life fully. On the other side, this book explored the complex emotional and ethical considerations that go into choosing to have a baby, and the medical interventions that are sometimes required to make that dream a reality. From that perspective, there are many reasons both for and against, but somehow Weiner managed to write the story without obvious bias.
This book was both complex and relatable and the characters were more real than any of her previous books. Weiner consistently writes imperfect, yet still likable, characters which makes her work more interesting. However, in this book, the characters were not only imperfect but downright unlikable at times. They did things that were far outside of my comfort zone, but still managed to come back to a place where you could like them.
One of the themes of this book is that idea that "it takes a village" but in this case, it was not necessarily about raising a child. The book perfectly expressed that no matter who we are, no matter what material possessions we may have, we are never truly autonomous. We need others in our lives to live fully. When we try to exist without that human connection, we are not necessarily living life fully. On the other side, this book explored the complex emotional and ethical considerations that go into choosing to have a baby, and the medical interventions that are sometimes required to make that dream a reality. From that perspective, there are many reasons both for and against, but somehow Weiner managed to write the story without obvious bias.
January 12, 2013
At the bookstore, it was stuck somewhere between Mystery, Fiction and Romance. Glad I picked it up on a whim. Such a satisfying read, easy to lose yourself in the lives of these women. Didn't know I liked chic lit *shrug* Running down a list of JW titles, oOoh there's that, that and that... shall just have to read them all :)
Favourite Lines:
P40
"Shit," I said, and shut my eyes. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit."
"Oh, babe," said Marcus.
P44
If he kissed you, you'd know you were kissing a man, not one of these pampered, facialed metrosexuals who could tie scarves better than a Frenchwoman and talk knowledgeably about moisturizers.
P48
He's a fish. You're a big girl. Play him in easy, and remember: you're smarter than he is.
P130
Pregret - the sadness over something that hasn't happened yet.
P166
"You got a man?" he persisted.
"None of your business."
"Taking that as a no," he said cheerfully...
P172
Change is the only constant. Sorrow is like a leaf in a stream. Sit on the banks. Watch it pass.
P180
I would have been comfortable in an era of corsets and clear expectations, of good manners and muted voices, where men didn't hawk phlegm on the street and undress you with their eyes and use fuck and shit like yes and please.
Found Typo:
P221
more then once
Favourite Lines:
P40
"Shit," I said, and shut my eyes. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit."
"Oh, babe," said Marcus.
P44
If he kissed you, you'd know you were kissing a man, not one of these pampered, facialed metrosexuals who could tie scarves better than a Frenchwoman and talk knowledgeably about moisturizers.
P48
He's a fish. You're a big girl. Play him in easy, and remember: you're smarter than he is.
P130
Pregret - the sadness over something that hasn't happened yet.
P166
"You got a man?" he persisted.
"None of your business."
"Taking that as a no," he said cheerfully...
P172
Change is the only constant. Sorrow is like a leaf in a stream. Sit on the banks. Watch it pass.
P180
I would have been comfortable in an era of corsets and clear expectations, of good manners and muted voices, where men didn't hawk phlegm on the street and undress you with their eyes and use fuck and shit like yes and please.
Found Typo:
P221
more then once
July 5, 2012
I was pondering what kinds of books men read that women don't, in the effort to come up with a less derogatory term than Chick-Lit for this book. Nick suggested that the corollary is spy or adventure fiction, in which men are faced with dangers, intrigue, and beautiful women. I think this is accurate in that women like to be confronted with novels in which women are strong and rise to challenges, but are more realistic that the challenges they face are likely to be things like paying rent and finding a community of support. There's also an aspect of gossip and voyeurism involved, where it is fun to watch and judge people for their choices. So call it Gossip Fiction, or Domestic Fantasy, or Paparazzi Stories.
Whatever you call it, Weiner is one of my favorite authors writing these kinds of novels, and I respect her just as much as Le Carre or John Grisham, or even Jeffrey Eugenides (as he proved out in The Marriage Plot).
It's interesting to watch 4 women's stories come together as they all, in their own way, become mothers, but the novel was a bit disappointing in its lack of depth into the positives, and more about how women abandoned by their mothers are half-constructed, flawed creatures. Judgey ones, too.
Whatever you call it, Weiner is one of my favorite authors writing these kinds of novels, and I respect her just as much as Le Carre or John Grisham, or even Jeffrey Eugenides (as he proved out in The Marriage Plot).
It's interesting to watch 4 women's stories come together as they all, in their own way, become mothers, but the novel was a bit disappointing in its lack of depth into the positives, and more about how women abandoned by their mothers are half-constructed, flawed creatures. Judgey ones, too.
August 25, 2011
I still can't tell you what made me want to pick up this book, since I so rarely read grown-up books. But pick it up I did. And it was okay. But it wasn't great.
My biggest complaint is that there wasn't a good way to tell how much time had passed in the story. Other than the epilogue, which had a year attached to it, I have no idea how much time passed in the story, and certainly not from one chapter to the next. In fact, things that were mentioned in one chapter would not have happened yet in the next chapter, though to be fair, the chapters rotated in perspective of each of the 4 main characters. But still, I shouldn't have to guess at how many years transpired over the course of a few chapters or the whole book.
I also felt like the story was incredibly slow to get going. Some of the characters didn't ring true to me, even after learning all of the backstory. Really, especially after knowing the backstory. And the ending was a little too happy-with-a-big-bow-wrapped-around-it for me.
Bonus: Wawa mention!
My biggest complaint is that there wasn't a good way to tell how much time had passed in the story. Other than the epilogue, which had a year attached to it, I have no idea how much time passed in the story, and certainly not from one chapter to the next. In fact, things that were mentioned in one chapter would not have happened yet in the next chapter, though to be fair, the chapters rotated in perspective of each of the 4 main characters. But still, I shouldn't have to guess at how many years transpired over the course of a few chapters or the whole book.
I also felt like the story was incredibly slow to get going. Some of the characters didn't ring true to me, even after learning all of the backstory. Really, especially after knowing the backstory. And the ending was a little too happy-with-a-big-bow-wrapped-around-it for me.
Bonus: Wawa mention!
May 26, 2012
This book is okay. There was a lot that could have been done with this book, but it failed to satisfy me.
The concept was brilliant---4 total strangers who become intertwined over a IVF baby.
The story built steadily and logically. The characters becoming involved with each other made sense.
But the climax was just there---nothing special.
And the anti-climax could have been something brilliant but it didn't leave me breathless either.
This is definite "chick lit". It has a lot of discussion topics for reading groups about serious topics for today's woman.
I won't say this book good or bad---I just felt very neutral. COmpared to Ms. Weiner;s other books, this one felt as if rushed writing it because the story wasn't developed enough for me.
I would recommend this for reading groups because of the discussion topics the book contains as well as the potential the book contained that wasn't developed.
I wouldn't recommend this book for a pleasurable read. It lacked too much to satisfy me. There are too many excellent books to waste time and money on this average book.
The concept was brilliant---4 total strangers who become intertwined over a IVF baby.
The story built steadily and logically. The characters becoming involved with each other made sense.
But the climax was just there---nothing special.
And the anti-climax could have been something brilliant but it didn't leave me breathless either.
This is definite "chick lit". It has a lot of discussion topics for reading groups about serious topics for today's woman.
I won't say this book good or bad---I just felt very neutral. COmpared to Ms. Weiner;s other books, this one felt as if rushed writing it because the story wasn't developed enough for me.
I would recommend this for reading groups because of the discussion topics the book contains as well as the potential the book contained that wasn't developed.
I wouldn't recommend this book for a pleasurable read. It lacked too much to satisfy me. There are too many excellent books to waste time and money on this average book.
July 5, 2011
Jennifer Weiner keeps getting better and better. A very complex story about issues that haven't been tackled often in mainstream women's fiction. I loved all the stories of the women in this book. It's not often that I cry over a book, bur I did this one. I simultaneously didn't want it to end AND wanted to know what was going to happen.
July 9, 2019
“The thing about bad decisions is that they don’t feel like bad decisions when you’re making them. They feel like the obvious choice, the of-course-that-makes-sense move. They feel, somehow, inevitable.”
July 27, 2012
"Awesome!!!!! Jennifer is a great writer with humor and characters you fall in love with. Twist of fate of 4 different gals and how they connect and come together! "
May 9, 2018
Li o outro livro da autora e devo dizer que este é muito melhor. A história de mulheres e da maternidade vista de uma forma completamente diferente! Adorei!
October 7, 2022
Šo grāmatu paņēmu no plaukta kā bufergrāmatu (palate cleanser) starp citām grāmatām, kā vieglu izklaidi. Un izrādījās ļoti laba chick lit lasāmviela!(nosaukums gan super neveiksmīgs un neizteiksmīgs). Jennifer Weiner ir talantīga rakstniece, kas jebkuru sižetu iznesīs ar humoru un glanci. Bet sižets nav zemē metams un galvenajās lomās ir teju tikai sievietes - sievas, meitas, mātes, draudzenes - dažādos vecumos un dzīves situācijās. Laulība, partneru izvēle, surogātgrūtniecība, neauglība pusmūžā, ģimenes /pāra nesaskaņas - visa plejāde. Interesanti līdz pat pašām beigām. Iesaku, ja gribas “iekrist grāmatā”. Chicklit 5 ⭐️
May 6, 2012
Jules Strauss goes to Princeton University. She is approached one day while at the mall. A man tells her about a opportunity where she can make a lot of money. The catch is, Jules would have to give away her eggs. The man he is from the Princeton Fertility Clinic. Jules agrees to sell her eggs. She is really doing it for her father. He is an alocohtic. The money would help pay for him to go to rehab.
Annie Barrow is a mother of two boys and a wife. Her husband is in the military. They are struggling for money. Annie wants to help with the finances. That is why she signed up to be a surrogate mother.
India is married to weathly Marcus Croft. They have been trying to have a child. After two miscarriages, they decide to use a surrogate. Everything is looking up for India and Marcus until Marcus's daughter, Bettina finds out the truth about who India really is.
I felt the most connected to Annie. She is a good mother and wife. She was warm and friendly. The other person that I connected with in tbe beginning was Jules. She had a good heart. She still wanted to beleive that her father could be cured. I must admit that I did not see where her romantic relationship was headed. It was out of left field at first. In the end, it made sense.
India I was impartial to in tbe beginning. I thought like the rest of the people that she was just a trophy wife. I was intrigued by her although as I did want to learn her deep, dark, secret. In the end, she won me over and even had me cheering for her. Bettina, I found to be a very unhappy, bitter, and vendicative person. Even at the end, when she did step up and prove herself for me it was a little too late.
This book is more than just a fun, beach read. This book had depth, good story line, and nice characters. I sat down to start reading this book and when I did get up to take a quick break, I was already half way done with the book. You need to make sure that Then Came You is on your summer read list.
January 19, 2015
One of the things I love most about Jennifer Weiner’s books is how I get so engrossed into her books without even trying very hard. A major reason for this is her ability to create characters that are not only filled with depth and substance, but with heart that draws various emotions from her readers. Then Came You illustrates this concept beautifully, which made it such an enjoyable and moving read.
Weiner wrote a beautiful story about 4 women (Annie, Jules, Bettina, and India), each with their own distinct personalities and stories. Even though the book switches narratives between each of these women, the story never felt disjointed. You knew each of them are connected to each other so, really, it’s the story of their journey that gets them to that point that makes up the heart of the book. It is a journey that is as unique as each of the women and yet they all carry a common theme of love, loss and how money (or lack of it) can affect one’s decisions and the path they take. This gives their tales a sense of continuity while also being unique in their own right. Weiner really brought her characters to life with her intelligent and poignant writing, infusing it with her familiar wit and charm.
Then Came You is what I would consider a “character-driven book”. Jules, Annie, Bettina, and India each brought something to the table and carried the story in their own way. Weiner created such vibrant and strong characters that made it easy for me to care about and relate to them in some form. This is nothing new for me in regards to her books. It’s one of the things that I can count on from her. Then Came You is another Weiner winner for me.
Weiner wrote a beautiful story about 4 women (Annie, Jules, Bettina, and India), each with their own distinct personalities and stories. Even though the book switches narratives between each of these women, the story never felt disjointed. You knew each of them are connected to each other so, really, it’s the story of their journey that gets them to that point that makes up the heart of the book. It is a journey that is as unique as each of the women and yet they all carry a common theme of love, loss and how money (or lack of it) can affect one’s decisions and the path they take. This gives their tales a sense of continuity while also being unique in their own right. Weiner really brought her characters to life with her intelligent and poignant writing, infusing it with her familiar wit and charm.
Then Came You is what I would consider a “character-driven book”. Jules, Annie, Bettina, and India each brought something to the table and carried the story in their own way. Weiner created such vibrant and strong characters that made it easy for me to care about and relate to them in some form. This is nothing new for me in regards to her books. It’s one of the things that I can count on from her. Then Came You is another Weiner winner for me.
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