Life After Yes: A Novel
Lawyer turned author and blogger Rowley spins a heartfelt, earnest, if uneven, tale of post-9/11 New York City. It's January 2002, and corporate lawyer and lifelong New Yorker Prudence Quinn O'Malley has just accepted a wonderful, majestic, classic marriage proposal in Paris. But an unsettling dream the next night featuring three grooms and her father, who died on September 11, makes her rethink her plans. Still reeling from her father's death, Quinn might not be ready for marriage. Her fiancé, Sage, tries to be supportive and patient, but a family tragedy in his own past and his overbearing mother complicate the situation. Quinn tailspins into binge-drinking and impulsive decisions, trying to reconcile her past self with a future that might seem perfect on the outside, but may not be what she really wants. Sage, her two best girlfriends, and her personal trainer are on board to help her move forward. Although Rowley's quirky characters and lavish descriptions of New York show promise, the blend of dark self-discovery and frothy, party-driven chick lit doesn't quite jell, while cutesy metaphors and stilted double entendres further disturb the pace.(June)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.