Mr. Maybe By Jane Green (b+)

I stumbled upon this novel while browsing a used book shop. The place was dusty, but the alluring smell of old books... What can I say? I love taking the time to myself, away from all things men and delving into books. I wanted something out of my usual paranormal, murder mystery niche. I wasn't sure if I'd like it and was honestly skeptical about the book. But the Mr. Maybe title called, as I guess it probably has to other single girls like me? I don't know. I decided to give it a chance and was pleasantly surprised!

It is admittedly more 'chick lit' than I like but the sarcastic, witty quips of the main character managed to keep me hooked. While at first glance Libby, the protagonist seems shallow and materialistic, you connect with her despite the odds. She just wants to live the high life, to no longer have to struggle in her PR job.

She's very set on finding Mr. Right and by that she means marrying into money and living a privileged life. What's worse is that she dates men, changing herself, trying to fit into a mold that she doesn't really fit... trying to force herself to find a Mr. Right when it just won't work.

Yet she has a fling with a guy she has some great chemistry with (Nick) and he becomes her 'Man of the Moment'. He's not rich and he doesn't stack up when she compares him to her list of qualities Mr. Right should have. She figures her relationship with him is playing it safe because how could she ever take a relationship with someone like that seriously?! He's not at all what she wants for her future.

Of course, as fate would have it love doesn't care about her plans. They fall for each other anyways and Nick breaks up with her due to his fear of commitment. It's heartbreaking because while the character can't see it, you can see that they are great together. No, they might never have the best life... but they have each other! God, I'm really turning into a sap, but hey... it's a romance for women... what can I say?

Libby eventually recovers and pursues Ed, the man who fulfills all of her Mr. Right qualities... even if he is a horrible kisser and they have none of the chemistry she had with Nick. I hated Ed's character and the way she described him... bile rose. The whole time you want to shout at the character, tell her to correct the error in her ways. Their relationship is based on what they can get out of being together. He likes Libby as a charm for his arm. Libby likes Ed for the stability he provides. It's all mechanical and... wrong.

It related to the inner girl in me who still believes in fairy tales. That girl who has had her heart broken and stomped on before... It really touched on how you have to be completely vulnerable when you allow yourself to love. With Ed she was safe. She didn't have to open up or let herself feel. With Nick it was a whirlwind of raw emotion. It's 100% relateable.

This excerpt could have been right from one of my break-ups I swear.

"And yes, maybe you're right, maybe I'm being over dramatic, maybe I'm blowing this up into something much bigger than it is because I'm feeling sorry for myself, but why the hell not, huh? Why the hell can't I feel like this, and whether it's true or not, it certainly feels true right now. And it feels like s***. And oh my God, I'm never going to wake up next to him again. And oh my God, I'm never going to look in his eyes as we're making love, and oh my God, he's going to be doing that with someone else, and probably very soon, and me? I'm going to be on my own for the rest of my bloody life."

That was one of her break-downs after her break up with Nick and you can feel all her pain in those scenes.

The book is all about finding love and how it's not always what you expected. It's about the pain and pleasures of love. It's about the fear of letting yourself be vulnerable.

I loved the British humor and the style the author used. She seems to write exactly what I think on a day to day basis but says it more eloquently than I ever could. It was just a cute, fun read that I could really get into.

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Great review! Thank you for taking the time to write this up so other members can learn from your experience with this piece of literature! Keep up the great work. We hope to see more from you. =)</div>