September 2017

In YOUNG JANE YOUNG, Gabrielle Zevin, who many of our readers know from THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY, has written a book that at its core looks at what happens when you are young and make a mistake. Well, not just any mistake, but rather you have an affair with your very high-profile boss, a Congressman, when you are an intern and you get outed for it. Where does one go on after this? Well, if you are Aviva Grossman, you leave South Florida and head to Allison Springs, Maine --- and you change your name to Jane Young and become an event planner. Yes, you are following me here, an event planner in Maine.

Are shades of Monica Lewinsky in here? Yes. There are many reminders that in this digital age nothing can be hidden. Ever. Your past literally is a few keystrokes away.

It's a book that is smart and funny as Gabrielle does a wonderful job of creating characters whose stories engage you. The four narrators --- Aviva/Jane, Rachel (Aviva’s mother), Ruby (Aviva’s daughter) and Embeth (the Congressman’s wife) --- are each strong in her own right, and layering them gives readers a 360-degree view.

Circumstances evolve where Aviva/Jane are ready to run for public office, and at this moment there’s a question if THE secret can stay secret. And at the same time, Ruby really wants to know who her father is.

There are brilliantly witty moments set in South Florida that are pitch perfect. The drama that surrounds event planning is fun reading. There is a Choose Your Own Adventure element towards the end that works on one level, but you know there truly is just one way this story can be played.

Once I closed it, I wanted to talk about it with someone. In a book group? You could have fun with this one. It’s topical, and wonderful about the friendships among women.