This was a strong “meh” from me… I appreciated the Chicagoland references but the implosion of all the relationships was hard to enjoy

Nothing revolutionary in the format although the part in the final act that you always know is coming (after they are happy - the last misunderstanding or roadblock to keep them apart) was mercifully short… the story held my interest and the sexy parts were sexy

This felt like a slow start for me - but I finished it pretty quickly. Cecily’s letter to Kate at the end was beautiful… the slog thru Nick and her mom Rita was not.

“A good life is about the books we read, the things we care about, the friends we love, and the care with which we love them. And a good life is also about how we choose to treat ourselves…. I know you can do anything, I know you will do everything.”

It will never rain roses: when we want to have more roses, we must plant more trees. - George Eliot

Only got about 1/3 of the way thru - this was not enjoyable to me - listening to abuse and gaslighting. Life is too short for me to finish.

Change starts with the voices of a few

Alice was near impossible to root for.

Even though I was *assigned* the Brothers Karamazov in HS I don’t think I ever read it because this plot/storyline did not seem familiar…

This book felt a little like “eating my vegetables” - I finished it, but I didn’t like any of the characters. It was a little hard to care what happened to any of them.

And also a little hard to believe some of their actions / motivations - James in particular. Did he REALLY not remember to look for the bag?! And their arch rivals adopted their dog even though it was all over the news that it was suspected the dog had been eaten?!

I can’t speak to the immigrant experience - but the dog metaphors / allusions / etc seemed really over the top.

A palate cleansing read after the last thing I attempted.

Funny - with enough twists and turns that it didn’t turn out as I expected

Three word summary: ovaries before brovaries