The Book of Jane [Paperback]

Anne Dayton (Author), May Vanderbilt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 12, 2007

Jane Williams is the happiest woman in New York. She has a dream job, a perfect Manhattan apartment, and a man she wants to marry. Her whole life is mapped out to the finest detail, and things just can't get any better. But in a New York minute, everything changes. After an evening on the town with a hot Hollywood actor her PR firm is wooing, she wakes up to a day filled with strange occurrences—a weird mark on her face and a red-haired woman who seems to be following her every move. This bizarre day turns increasingly horrible, and over the course of it, Jane loses her boyfriend, her best friend, her job, her home, maybe even her dog. Unsure of why she's being tested, Jane struggles to hold herself together while her world falls apart. Has God forgotten her?

In this witty and contemporary retelling of the story of Job, Jane discovers what she really wants, after nearly everything she holds dear slips away. Filled with the sophistication and excitement of city life, but sprinkled with humor and strong values, this new novel from the Dayton/Vanderbilt team charms, inspires, and warms the heart.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A lighthearted chick lit version of the Book of Job? Improbably, it works, primarily because of the marvelous humor and urbane sensibility that mark this third novel from the authors of Consider Lily and Emily Ever After. On a dime, New York publicist Jane Williams loses everything she holds dear—her boyfriend, her cool West Village apartment, her enviable job. To top it off, her dog gets sick, she's released as Brownie troop leader to the daughters of Manhattan's glitterati, and she's got a bizarre facial rash, making Jane lament that her life is now "worse than a country music song." Slowly, Jane comes to see God's love and providence in new ways—"though he hides it well, God must still be in charge," she muses—and is surprised to find herself developing romantic feelings for a Darcy-esque nemesis. Sex and the City without the sex, Dayton and Vanderbilt's novel is a laugh-out-loud love song to New York City. (June 12)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Jane has it all--a career in public relations, the perfect boyfriend, a great West Village apartment, and a strong faith in God. That faith is tested when, in quick succession, her boyfriend leaves her, an untrue rumor costs Jane her job, and a storm floods her apartment. She finds her way out of this mess with some unlikely help from her ex-boss' nephew Coates, who challenges her to be spontaneous and to follow her true calling. Dayton and Vanderbilt, the authors of Emily Ever After (2005) and Consider Lily (2006), have written another novel that blends the fun and romance of chicklit with themes of Christianity. Here, they attempt a modern retelling of the Book of Job. The trendy fashions, city setting, and pop-culture references will be familiar to chick-lit fans, but they may be put off by the religious overtones. Aleksandra Kostovski
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Broadway; 1 edition (June 12, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767926552
• ISBN-13: 978-0767926553
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #930,772 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome fun book with a message, July 27, 2007

By 

Lisa M. Hendey "Mom, Blogger, Podcaster, Author" (Fresno, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Book of Jane (Paperback)

Chick lit based on the Old Testament character Job? Who comes up with an idea like this? The answer is writing partners and cool chicks Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt. The Book of Jane is the duo's third outing into the world of "Good Girl Lit", a squeaky clean take on the popular women's genre.

The thing is, it works. I've been known to pick up a chick lit book from time to time, guiltily turning a blind eye to the "adult themes" that run so rampant in these tomes. But I'd much rather just read good, clean, fun fiction. This is where Dayton and Vanderbilt come in. The Book of Jane is a great book about a young woman named Jane Williams who seems to have the world by the tail. She has the perfect career, the perfect Manhattan apartment, and the perfect boyfriend. She's also a faith-filled person who wears her values on her sleeve. But the thing is, Jane's faith has never truly been tested. Sure, it's easy to profess a profound belief when everything is going according to her perfectly scheduled agenda for life. But will the same hold true when the wheels start to fall off the cart? Who among us hasn't faced this same dilemma? It's easy to say we are believers when life is smooth sailing, but when the going gets tough we may begin to question whether or not our loving God is paying attention to our prayers.

The Book of Jane is a page turner from start to finish. With a non-denominational approach to religion, the book will appeal to women of any faith background. I loved the book's message about searching for what you truly want in life - it turns out that sometimes what seems "perfect" on the surface is not really what's best after all. Finding the strength to emerge through life's myriad challenges seems easier if you have a solid relationship with God to help you through. Sometimes you have to step away from what may be considered the safest path in order to find satisfaction in this life. So often, the greatest happiness comes in being of service to others.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Book of Jane is the Best Yet, June 13, 2007

By 

Chick-Lit Fan - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of Jane (Paperback)

Chick-lit at its best! The Book of Jane is a terrific read. You won't want to put it down. It's funny, witty, and yes tender. We've all had times in our lives like Jane's. Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt have delivered yet another super book! Thanks girls.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Why Me????, November 7, 2007

By 

Deborah "Books, Movies and Chinese Food" (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Book of Jane (Paperback)

Jane had it all. Great job, wonderful boyfriend, good apartment. Everything was going well for her. But then it all comes crashing down. Her boyfriend dumps her. She loses her job. Her apartment gets halfway destroyed. Rumors are spread about her. And she has this weird rash on her face that won't go away. It's enough to make anyway jump off the deep end. But thanks to her faith in God and a cute guy who seems to pop up at the right moments, Jane learns how to get through it all.

Christian chick lit just keeps getting better and better these days. It's great to read about stories about young women who are Christians with strong faith yet still like to shop for shoes and hunt for guys. Dayton and Vanderbilt's characters live like real people do without being all high and mighty or overly trying to witness to others. They show their faith by their actions, not trying to convert everyone they see. This book was tons of fun to read. Jane is a great character, very multi dimensional and easy to relate to. I felt for Jane especially during the scene where she tries to call her friend for help. Curse words would have uttered out of me at that point. I love the scenes in the hotel. I felt happy that something finally good was going for her. The storyline is a chick lit parable of the book of Job, but luckily Jane doesn't have it half as bad as he did (although the rash on her face would cause her to think she did). She handled things better than I would have in her situation. I would have been faced with the urge to throw something at the perpetrator of all the rumors about her. And her boyfriend: ARGGGHH! I have no complaints at all about this book. I couldn't stop reading it and now I want everyone else to. A funny hip read with a strong message about faith and belief in God. This is a book I could pass along to others even those who don't normally read Christian fiction. Highly recommended for a good time.