Book Review: Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin

Pages: 341

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: April 1, 2005

Source: Personal copy

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "The New York Times bestselling novel about a woman who falls in love with a man she shouldn't.  Rachel is an attorney living and working in Manhattan who has always been the good girl-until her thirtieth birthday, when her best friend Darcy throws her a party. That night after too many drinks Rachel ends up in bed with Darcy's fiance. Although she wakes up determined to put the one-night fling behind her, Rachel is horrified to discover that she has genuine feelings for him.  As the September wedding date nears, Rachel has to choose. She discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk it all to win true happiness."

Rachel is a lawyer in NYC and is the quintessential good girl.  Her best friend, Darcy, is the polar opposite. She's outgoing and fun loving; plus, she is engaged to Dex, Rachel's dreamy friend from law school.  Darcy loves to throw a good party and throws one for Rachel's 30th birthday, but Rachel, after too many drinks, ends up in bed with Dex.  When all is said and done, Rachel realizes that she, deep down, has feelings for Dex. Now, good girl Rachel finds herself in a precarious situation where she must choose either her friendship or follow her heart even if it means hurting her best friend. Things aren't always easy and there's always a gray area in Emily Giffin's debut novel, Something Borrowed. It's the ultimate chick-lit novel!

Rachel is a character that I'm sure we can all relate to in someway.  She has always done the right thing and has always been in the shadow of her effervescent best friend, Darcy. She's put her career before her social life and now finds herself single and thirty years old.  Darcy, although she has a good heart deep down, is a trying character. She is a narcissist and so extremely self-absorbed. I felt bad for Darcy for a nano second and then realized that I have no clue how Rachel puts up with her crazy antics.  It's always all about her and that gets old quickly.  

Dex is a delicious love interest in Something Borrowed and although I felt bad since he's engaged and all, I quickly forgot about that once the story unfolded.  Giffin really knows how to write a situation that's tough for all involved, but I think she depicted Dex's situation within the love triangle perfectly.

Emily Giffin and me

Simply put, Giffin gets women and takes a story where we should probably hate the protagonist and in turn, flips it on its head.  Giffin is my go to author for a beach read; it's light, it's fun, but it's smart too.  And I was so happy to have the opportunity to meet her last year at a book signing. Not only is she drop dead gorgeous, she's smart and hilariously funny. 

I can't wait to read more of her books in the future and if you are a fan of womens' fiction and haven't read Giffin's novels, you MUST check them out now!  The sequel to this book, Something Blue, is just as good! And don't forget.....you can watch the Something Borrowed movie that came out last year, which I thought was brilliantly casted and not a disappointment in the least.

*Buy Something Borrowed

*Read Chapter One

*Buy Something Blue