Last week's post turned out differently than I had anticipated. I was actually going to give an example of a Chick Lit character getting it all and as I worked out my post I realized something about it: Although I was discussing the second book in the series the first book, which I was using as a set up, was an old friend in disguise. In fact I felt that the book was Persuasion with a few tweaks for modern times and an ending where the heroine didn't get it all, but almost got it all.
The book I'm talking about is Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin. I had an affinity for this book even before I realize it was Persuasion. I relate quite a bit to the lead character and the fact that we share the same first name and same middle initial makes her seem all the more real to me.
The plot is slightly different. Rachel does turn Dex down, but not for marriage and not because of a family friend urged her to do so. Rachel turns Dex down because she feels she does not deserve him, but her best friend Darcy does. But fate is mysterious and Rachel and Dex start dating secretly even though Dex is marrying Darcy at the end of the summer. I am not one for cheating. I truly despise it, but Emily Giffin is amazing in making the read sympathize with Rachel. I think it is because Darcy is quite the handful and an obnoxious friend. But Dex and Rachel make it work in the end and Darcy is history. So Rachel doesn't get it all because her lifelong friendship with Darcy. So her ending is bittersweet.
My problem was with the second book where a very unlikeable Darcy does end up getting a great guy and a happy ending. But I digress. I love finding books I love that have bits of other books I love. It's like a scavenger hunt where you find one piece of a book in another and then keep searching for it in other places. It's like turning the corner and running into a friend you haven't seen for sometime. It made me want to read Persuasion over again.
But instead of reading Persuasion over again I got trapped in another book. I downloaded One Night in Boston for free on my Kindle. It is everything a writer shouldn't do with a classic plot. It's contrived and I could see everything coming from a mile away. All the old cliches were there and I really didn't like it. I didn't even finish it. Instead I should have reread Persuasion, which is what I'm doing now.
Do any of you have a book plot that you love? One that you look for or will automatically buy a book if it's similar? Persuasion is mine. I love to see what other people do with it.
What's your favorite plot? Who first introduced you to it and who do you think did it best?
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