Inside Out Girl
A Novel
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4.0 • 284 Ratings
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- $6.99
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
Rachel Berman wants everything to be perfect. An overprotective single mother of two, she is acutely aware of the statistical dangers lurking around every corner—which makes her snap decision to aid a stranded motorist wholly uncharacteristic. Len Bean is stuck on the shoulder with Olivia, his relentlessly curious, learning disabled ten-year-old daughter. To the chagrin of Rachel's children, who are about to be linked to the most-mocked girl in school, Rachel and Len begin dating. And when Len receives terrible news, little Olivia needs a hero more than ever.
But the world refuses to be predictable. When personal crisis profoundly alters Rachel's relationship with a wild, very special little girl, this perfectionist mother finds herself drawn into a mystery from her past and toward a new appreciation for her own children's imperfect lives.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
The second book for adults from children's novelist Tish Cohen explores grown-up themes like love, divorce, adoption, and teenage sexuality in a lighthearted, relatable manner. Divorced mother of two Rachel Berman, the editor of a parenting magazine, struggles to practice what she preaches. When she meets Len Bean—a widowed father trying his best to raise his daughter Olivia, who has a learning disability—the two families are changed forever. Cohen’s crystalline narrative voice lures readers into a heartfelt tale told from both an adult's and a child’s perspective.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Cohen throws every imaginable obstacle at her protagonists in this thoughtful but overly dramatic tale of two single parents turned lovers. Rachel Berman, the divorced publisher of Perfect Parent magazine, is striving to be just that to her two children, rebellious teen Janie and 12-year-old Dustin. Len Bean, a widowed lawyer, meanwhile, tries to manage his daughter Olivia's learning disorder, a condition that causes her to repeatedly talk about rodents and dress inappropriately. When Rachel and Len serendipitously meet, they hit it off. Soon their lives and those of their children become intertwined, much to Janie and Dustin's dismay. As tension builds for the children, a secret from Rachel's past comes to the forefront, and Len receives bad news at the doctor's office. Regret, rejection and worry abound as the plot touches on the standard societal/familial issues (divorce, teenage sexuality, adoption), and Rachel fights to create her own legacy at work. Cohen's language is pleasant and the characters relatable, but the plot is so obvious that the narrative feels like a quirky soap opera.
Customer Reviews
Sweet Story
I loved this easy to read sweet story-the story was written well enough that you felt connected to the characters-
Not worth the time
Uninteresting read. While I was hoping for a tear jerker for joys and sadnesses regarding a child with disabilities, there was too much going on with the other kids, especially the focus on the gay teen's struggles. Really took away from the story.
What a beautiful story!
I adore this book. It is different than what I normally read and i have to admit by about the tenth chapter i was hooked. It only took me 3 days to read it. That's coming from a college student who is also student teaching. I could not wait to get back to the book! I felt like it had the perfect amount of surprises and drama. The author also made the book flow very well. I plan on keeping it for when I want to read it in the future. I highly recommend this book.