It’s interesting to read Love The One You’re With by E. Giffin (Book number 4) next to The Notebook. The stark contrast of the characters in the books and the way the story goes makes you wonder of your existence in a parallel universe. I also learned the importance of not reading chick lit back-to-back. 😯
The storytelling of Love The One You’re With is slow until halfway on the book. It is about Ellen, a city rat newlywed who tries to be a decent wife but fails miserably, as she is forced to choose between the old and the new… at a time when there should’ve been no options available.
Many would say the book’s about a woman standing on the crossroads of life, and after acting like a high school girl for so long, finally makes a choice. But really, the timing for that decision is way out there. It is not just about picking a love though. It is also about picking a life.
It spirals down when she gets uprooted from everything familiar and succumbs, and later suffocates, to a life entirely of her husband: the suburbs, his perfect socialite family, snotty, pretentious neighbors and all; and an unexpected meeting with the one who got away… especially because of the unexpected meeting with the one who got away.
The tone of the book is mostly defensive and it is terribly marked by over analyzing – the kind you get when you are neurotic or lying, or both, about what matters most. It also touches self-fulfillment, passion, chemistry, commitment, disloyalty, family, security, letting go issues and settling. This is probably one of the most curious things about the book – as you shut it close, the main character makes you feel like she’s settling.
The characters are scratch-off-the-surface built. It can be difficult to relate to them, even when the author goes through the trouble of literally telling you what the characters are like. Their picture is not solid, even for the other couple main characters: Andy, the perfect, golf playing, boy-next-door husband who could have been straight out of GQ, and Leo, the dangerous, deep, passionate, artist who could have designed the GQ cover. Either they are really bland or their personalities are simply watered down by the neurosis of Ellen.
For sure I do not have to tell you how it all ended, the title blew it all off. Love The One You’re With is very desperate housewives :roll:. If you are married, maybe you’d appreciate this. If you’re single, there are thousands of other books out there. 
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okay I’ll take your advice… the last one. hehehe!
ang hirap sa ganyang sitwasyon. sana wag mangyari sa akin. scary huhuhu!
oks lang yan basta marunong tayong magcommit np 🙂 welcome sa litterbox. 🙂
you lost me when you mentioned the word read in your opening line
sorry
hehe
sa presinto ka magpaliwanag. 😆
the title really sounds good. 🙂
hmm, im single though, so alam na.. hahaha!
relax ka lang pag naging double ka dire-diretso na yan at darating yung punto na hindi mo na alam pano ba ang feeling ng single.
I assume she stays with her husband ?…. love the one you’re with already, and don’t dwell on what might have been, because we ourselves are not entirely sure, either, if being with the person who got away could have been a life made in heaven.
yes, she came back after cheating on him once she realized the passionate guy cannot give her the security her husband provides. but i agree on your take on just moving forward. no sense in creating problems for yourself by going back and forth.
i like your book reviews! haha. i could get a few pointers here and there. i have a review blog. however it is haphazardly done… since im still on october and i keep on reading and watching movies and the backlogs are piling up. -_-
regarding the book… well…. if the chick lit is based on a married woman… having those issues. hehehe. it really doesnt float my boat.. if its chick lit i prefer them to be single!! maybe because im still single. nyahahaha.
thank you tina. i honestly don’t think if anyone really bothers to read my book reviews. but i don’t care i like putting them up still 😆 of course that’s what you’d like. it creates more understanding that way. maybe you can read where she went by gayle forman. we can read it together if you like.
naintriga tuloy ako sa book na ito. mahanap nga sa bookstore. o kaya, pahiram na lang. 🙂
si eds nga din daw eh. pang desperate housewives din ba ang type mo liz? 😀
ambilis mo naman, kala ko 1 book a month eh nakakadalawa ka na. hehehe, ako hindi pa din nakakausad sa Dear John, laging pagod kasi pumapasok pa din ako kahit kabuwanan ko na. anyway, mukhang gusto ko tong book na to. makahanap nga ng copy nito next stop ko sa bookstore.
this is my 4th this month eds. 🙂 i hope you can have a go with your 1st book. for sure you’d be busy once you deliver. yes, you can read this, i think this would go well with those who understand what it is like to be married. i almost said trapped, but let us stick with married.