Book Club December 2019- Landline

This month, Denise picked Landline which I originally read back in 2014. I did not end up deciding to re-read this one, so I am re-posting my original review from 5 (yes 5!) years ago. The funny thing is that I remember thinking only ok thoughts about this book and remembering that I read another book that was similar to it and liking that more. But when I look back on my ratings and my review, I raved about this book! Funny how your memories work.

By: Rainbow Rowell
Published Year: 2014
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pages: 310

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble. That it’s been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply — but that almost seems besides the point now.

Maybe that was always besides the point.

Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can’t go. She’s a TV writer, and something’s come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her — Neal is always a little upset with Georgie — but she doesn’t expect to him to pack up the kids and go home without her.

When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she’s finally done it. If she’s ruined everything.

That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts . . .

Is that what she’s supposed to do?

Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened?

First Impressions

Rowell has won me over so much with her other 3 books that I did not even read the summary of this book before I decided to read it. I found out that she had a new book coming out and it immediately went on my to-read list based solely on the fact that it was written by Rowell. The cover though is super cute. I really like the fact that the cover is grey but that the spine is grey and pink stripes. I would definitely have picked up this book based on the cover.

What I thought

Rowell, you have done it again! I love this book a lot. On my Rowell rating list, I have to say that this might have beat out Eleanor and Park for my 2nd favorite Rowell book (at the very least, they’re now tied).

I finished this book in a day. First off, I want to say that I had absolutely nothing else to do that day but read. BUT! I think I would have finished this book quickly even if I had things to do. It’s an easy read and is fast paced. There is never a slow moment in this story and you will find yourself sucked in. Next time you look up you’ll realize that you’re halfway through the book and you don’t know how you got there. I love books like that. Wonderful.

Yet again, Rowell has made me fall in love with her characters. I don’t know how she manages to do this every time, but I have yet to be annoyed by one of her main characters. They all have such depth and complexities that you really understand why they are the way they are and you accept them for it. Georgie is in her mid-thirties and is a comedy writer. Neal is her husband and is a stay-at-home dad. They have been together for 17 years and their marriage is complex. It’s not as easy as it used to be, and neither of them seems to be very happy. This all comes to a head when the week of Christmas, Georgie has to cancel the family trip to Omaha to see Neal’s family to work on writing for a new show, with her writing partner and best friend, Seth. While Georgie assumes that Neal is going to cancel the whole trip because she can’t go, Neal is so fed-up, that he brings their girls to Omaha without Georgie.

Being in a long-term relationship (7 years, holy cow!), this book spoke to me on so many levels. I will start by saying that all I wanted to do while reading this book was find my boyfriend and hug him and squeeze him and tell him I love him. It’s that kind of book. It deals with the issues of what happens when both people in the relationship start to take each other, and their relationship as a whole, for granted. If you are in a relationship, I think it will really make you think about your relationship, open up your eyes a little bit, and possibly make you feel like you’re not alone in ever having felt like Georgie and Neal do. If you have never been in a relationship or a long-term relationship, I think you will still enjoy this book, but maybe at a different level.

As a side note, I would love to see this book as a movie. I think it could translate really well to screen if done correctly. On the other hand, it’s one of those stories where if it’s done the wrong way it would be a disaster. Either way, I would really like to see Georgie and Neal come to life.

There is not one bad thing I can say about this book. It is well written, has wonderful characters, is paced beautifully, and makes you think. I would definitely recommend that you pick up this book and read it NOW.