Love Walked In
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4.3 • 170 Ratings
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
From the New York Times bestselling author of Watch Us Shine comes a “bewitching, warmhearted grown-up fairy tale about old movies, charming princes, and finding happily ever after in the place where you’d least expect it” (Jennifer Weiner).
When Martin Grace enters the hip Philadelphia coffee shop Cornelia Brown manages, her life changes forever. But little does she know that her newfound love is only the harbinger of greater changes to come. Meanwhile, across town, Clare Hobbs—eleven years old and abandoned by her erratic mother—goes looking for her lost father. She crosses paths with Cornelia while meeting with him at the café, and the two women form an improbable friendship that carries them through the unpredictable currents of love and life.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Philadelphia cafe manager Cornelia Brown drifts effortlessly through her unattached life, unapologetic for idealizing romance and breathlessly recommending The Philadelphia Story to the reader and everyone else. Eleven-year-old Clare is a child of divorce whose mother, a successful party planner, is quickly going to pieces. In alternating chapters of Cornelia's first person and Clare's free and direct third, poet de los Santos, making her novel debut, tells the story of their finding each other. That Cornelia, early on, immediately falls for Cary Grant doppelg nger Martin Grace is no surprise; his relation to Clare, revealed a third of the way in, isn't really either. As she discovers maternal instincts she wasn't sure she had, Cornelia works up the courage to face her own feelings for Clare with honesty. As Martin exits, Cornelia's childhood friend Teo enters, but neither makes much impact, and Clare's rather serious issues get reduced to Clare-did-this, Clare-thought-that episodes. The two main characters exist for one purpose: to enact a cross-generational, strong-but-vulnerable-and-loving, screenplay-ready femininity. Chick lit? You bet: with rights sold in at least eight countries, and, indeed, to Paramount Sarah Jessica Parker will star and coproduce with Sideways's Michael London. The book is fine, but for this property, it's a case of waiting for Carrie to walk in.
Customer Reviews
Nicely written
This is possibly one of my favorite books I own. Cornelia is engaging as a protagonist, and steers away from being a manic-pixie girl stereotype even with her eccentricities. Clare is absolutely heartbreaking, but completely loveable. My only criticism is the development of Cornelia and Teo's relationship. It seemed rushed? Overall though, it's a sweet book that isn't overly flowery or too try-hard. Definitely give it a read.
Wonderful
If you need a good read about love in e eryday life this is it. Thanks for a wonderful read.
An annual read
I read this book once a year to reconnect with these characters. So eloquently written, you can't help but be engrossed in the lives of these beautiful characters. Love is exemplified in so many ways in this book. Be ready to reread quotes, paragraphs, and pages.. It's that good.