Do You Come Here Often? (edició 2005)

This book was incredibly slow going until about the last quarter when it suddenly picked up pace and became much more interesting. Good character development, however, the storyline of Maggie could have either been removed (there are other ways to get across the meaning she was bringing) or developed further. As it stood, while I could relate well to her (especially her fear) I tended to be irritated by a chapter arriving that focused on her because there was so little to her storyline.

Great ending and great characters, let down by a slow pace for most of the book and an extra, undeveloped storyline (Maggie). ( )

I started this book believing it to be a chick-lit story of a single, thirty-something woman who wonders if her current relationship is heading nowhere. And it is, in part, that type of story. Even more so, however, it's a book about second chances, about finding out that there's more to life than stability, and that what you want and what you need are often two very different things.

Grace Fairley lives a life that many women would envy. She lives in South West London, has a so-handsome-it's-almost-a-sin fiancé, Spencer, fabulous friends, and, well...nothing. She's been engaged to be married for over two years with no wedding in sight, Spencer once again has to work on an important case on her birthday, and he offers her cash-cash-for that special, romantic birthday present. Which, if Grace has anything to say about it, just may need to be a sexual aid, since Spencer can't be expected to run late for work. If Spencer, the crème de la crème divorce lawyer of London is Mr. Right, why does he suddenly feel like Mr. Wrong times twenty?

For Jimi Malik, being half-Indian and half-Irish has always served him well, at least when it came to women. Who could resist those eyes, that physique, that silver-tongued Indian devil? No one, it seems, and Jimi has relished every minute of it. That is, until he does something that surprises everyone, including himself-he proposes to Kylie, a model from Canada. But, the final joke is on Jimi, when he ditches his own stag party, suddenly feeling restless, put-upon, and nothing like the man who in six months made up a pet name for the woman he supposedly loves.

When Grace and Jimi meet up at a cab stand, the shock is immediate-for these two characters went to school together, engaged in the rituals of adolescence, became friends, advanced to the boyfriend/girlfriend stage, and then broke each others hearts.

What follows is a book about renewing old friendships, dealing with new heartaches, and overcoming the past. DO YOU COME HERE OFTEN? is a great book about finding out that love sometimes comes in very strange packages-at the most inopportune time. ( )