Customer Reviews

The Me I Used To Be (Harlequin Next Tall)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

At sixteen, Allyson Cole was forced to give up her baby daughter for adoption, an excruciating situation made even more so by her not knowing, or understanding, why Sonny McGraw, the baby's father and her first love, had simply taken off without a word of explanation before he knew Allyson was pregnant. Yes, he was only eighteen himself, but in the six months they'd been together, they'd been each others' worlds, and Allyson had trusted Sonny more than she'd ever trusted another human being.

Now Allyson's in her early fifties, a successful restaurateur in Portland, in a solid, long-term relationship with a terrific guy who very much wants to marry her. But Allyson - who sees the baby she gave up in every redheaded woman who crosses her path - is still saddled with too much guilt, and haunted by too many unanswered questions from her past, to fully embrace her future.

Then, her previously-unknown sixteen-year-old grandson shows up on her doorstep, with the shattering news that his mother, Allyson's daughter, has died three weeks previously. With that, Allyson's tenuous hold on the present is shaken as well, leading her to the decision to embark on an extended roadtrip to Texas with the equally shattered, and wary, teenager to meet his grandfather. . .and possibly find the answers to at least some of the questions that have plagued her for more than three decades.

THE ME I USED TO BE is a warm, witty and poignant exploration of some of the most realistically complex, and appealing, characters I've encountered in a long time. Jennifer Archer's prose is lovely without a hint of pretension, never getting in the way of Allyson's narration of her own story. Characters are vulnerable, screwed up and courageous all at the same time, and I loved them for it. Fans of both women's fiction and romance will find a lot to make them happy here. I see a very bright future for this extremely talented new author.

I predicted stardom for Jennifer Archer after reading her first book, and I haven't changed my mind. I read THE ME I USED TO BE in two sittings and hated to put it down. Every emotion rang true, and even though the novel is told only through the eyes of Ally, the main character, Archer does such a masterful job of showing the emotions of the other characters, you don't realize you're not inside their heads, because you absolutely know what they're thinking and feeling. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

I couldn't put this book down. It's not easy to find books that can capture a reader like this. Not only does it explore real life issues and questions, but it does so in a way that is realistic and will touch readers. The Me I Used To Be is a great read for women of all ages.

This is one of those books you can't put down. The emotion is even and believable and the characters true. Jennifer Archer delivers a winner with THE ME I USED TO BE.

This book explores the consequences of choices made at a very fragile time in the life of the main character. I was faced with similair choices and have often wondered what whould have happened.This author hits those emotions with incredible accuracy and pulls you thorugh the turmoil of dealing with the fallout thirty years later. This is a fabulous read.

I really enjoyed reading this book because the story was great. I'm 16 years old, just like Nick so I can relate to him. The only problem was I thought it was kind of repetitive. She just kept repeating the story about her and Sonny and by the time I finished reading the book I had the story completely memorized. I just think there should've been more to it, the author should have been more creative with that part of the book. But, overall I liked it.

Allyson Cole knows why she suffers from a commitment phobia, but never reveals her reason to her persistent boyfriend Warren Noble, who periodically proposes, but she has always turned him down. However, the thirty-six years old health food restaurant owner shocks herself more than her stunned lover when she finally gives in and says yes though her fears rip her stomach into overdrive.

Perhaps her agreeing to marry Warren is because deep down she had a premonition that something from her past will return; that very night the teenage grandson she never met arrives at her door. Nick Pearson is the son of the daughter that Allyson gave up for adoption twenty years ago. He insists he has no one to turn to as his mom just died. Stunned and wanting to help him as she could never do with her daughter, Allyson and Nick go on a journey to find his grandfather, a person she has not seen since she was a small child, but inside she knows she is seeking to make amends with those she cherishes including her Nick.

Nick is the catalyst, but Allyson is the focus of this fine tale of a woman facing middle age forced to face bitter memories that she buried in the back of her mind. Allyson matures rapidly partially because she knows Nick needs her, but mostly because she encounters the emotional baggage that she has avoided for years. Jennifer Archer hits a bulls-eye with this fine portrayal of a woman having somewhat a second chance to right her mistakes.

Harriet Klausner