Seven Year Switch [Hardcover]

Claire Cook (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2010

"A perfect beach read. Claire Cook once again demonstrates that she's a master in creating funny, warm, relatable characters you root for from the very first page."
--Allison Winn Scotch, New York Times bestselling author of The One That I Want and Time of My Life

"With wit and tenderness, Claire Cook sweeps us into the life of Jill Murray, a feisty single mom trying to stitch together a future after being abandoned by her husband. This is a delightful story of love, loss, and the surprising events that healed her heart. I cheered for Jill the entire way."
--Beth Hoffman, author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt

"Claire Cook's well-traveled protagonist is smart, truly hilarious, and entirely sympathetic. Like a hot bubble bath or a holiday at the beach, you won't want it to end."
--Cecily Von Ziegesar, New York Times bestselling author of Gossip Girl and Cum Laude

A high-spirited novel from the bestselling author of Must Love Dogs and Life's a Beach that will have you planning a girlfriend getaway in no time!

Just when Jill Murray's finally figured out how to manage on her own, her ex-husband proves that he can't even run away reliably. After seven long years missing in action, he's back -- crashing into the man-free existence Jill and her ten-year-old daughter have built so carefully. And what's a good mother to do? To a child, even a deadbeat dad is better than no dad at all.

Jill's life just hasn't turned out quite the way she planned. By now, she'd hoped to be jetting around the world as a high-end cultural coach. Instead, she's answering phones for a local travel agency and teaching cooking classes at the community center.

Enter free-spirited entrepreneur Billy, who hires Jill as a consultant for an upcoming business trip. Is their relationship veering off in a new direction? And what about her ex? Jill couldn't possibly still have feelings for him . . . could she? Suddenly, her no-boys-allowed life is anything but.

They say that every seven years you become a completely new person, but Jill isn't sure she's ready for the big change. It takes a Costa Rican getaway to help her make a choice -- not so much between the two men in her life, but between the woman she is and the one she wants to be.

Praise for Seven Year Switch

New York Times "Beach Chair Worthy Read"

USA TODAY "Hot Summer Beach Book" Pick

New York Post Summer Book Pick

2010 Beach Book Festival Award Grand Prize winner

"Bestseller Cook charms again with this lively warm-hearted look at changing courses mid-life."
-People

"Cook hits her marks...a beach tote couldn't ask for more."
-Kirkus

"A lot of fun to read? Definitely!"
-Redbook

"Cook clearly owns the beach scene."
-The Patriot Ledger

"Readers will love Cook's single-mom protagonist and the witty beach-book vibe."
-Woman's World

"If you have a penchant for woman's literature that rejects bodice-ripping fantasy in favor of real women with brains, substance and sense of humor well intact, functioning in the real world with all its prickly realities, Seven Year Switch is thoroughly satisfying.
-North County Times

"As sure as the summer breezes will descend upon the shores, Claire Cook delivers yet another charming and delightful story that will capture her readers' hearts. Funny, engaging, and downright delectable, SEVEN YEAR SWITCH is this summer's must-read."
-Fresh Fiction

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Roll out your beach blanket for this sweet summer read about making mistakes and moving on. Struggling and sassy single mom Jill—left to raise three-year-old Anastasia when husband Seth runs away to join the Peace Corp—is just about over the devastating loss when Seth reappears seven years later ready to pick up where they left off. Jill wrestles with her still-raw anger and her precocious daughter's heart-breaking need for her daddy back in her life. Honey, if you don't forgive him, it'll eat you alive, counsels Jill's boss and best friend, Joni. For his part, It wasn't the life we planned, Seth explains. But Anastasia helps him remember it's the life he needs while Jill discovers letting go teaches you how to hold onto new possibilities. Cook (Must Love Dogs) creates an impossible-not-to-love cast of imperfect, funny, wistful, and wise characters. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

When her husband, Seth, has an early and unique midlife crisis and leaves to join the Peace Corps, Jill is left alone to raise her three-year-old daughter, Anastasia. After she's struggled to get by for seven years, Seth returns. He claims that he left a life they hadn't planned for, but is now ready to pick up where they left off and try again. In her latest, Cook (The Wildwater Walking Club, 2009) writes another endearing story of moving on and starting over. Jill must address the anger she has so long repressed, and at the same time help her daughter incorporate the father she never knew—but desperately needs—into her life. Jill copes with the help of a cast of witty and wise friends, including her boss (and best friend), Joni. Cook tells this involving story of forgiveness and acceptance with heart, charm, and characters you can't help but root for, despite the mistakes they make. --Claire Orphan

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Voice; 1 edition (June 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401341160
• ISBN-13: 978-1401341169
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (98 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #367,859 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I can't believe I have 8 novels, with a 9th, Wallflower in Bloom, coming from Simon & Schuster Touchstone in June 2012! I also have one husband, two kids, one dog, and 7 brothers and sisters and I'm the bestselling author of Best Staged Plans, Seven Year Switch, The Wildwater Walking Club, Summer Blowout, Life's a Beach, Multiple Choice, Ready to Fall, and Must Love Dogs, which became a Warner Bros. movie starring Diane Lane and John Cusack.

I hope you'll visit http://ClaireCook.com, where you can read excerpts of all my novels and find book club questions. And make sure you check out my writing and reinvention pages, where I share everything I've learned so far.

Come hang out with me on my Facebook author page, too: http://www.facebook.com/ClaireCookauthorpage.

And follow me at http://Twitter.com/ClaireCookwrite. I'll follow you back!

Okay, here's the rest of my story:

After decades of procrastination, I wrote my first novel in my minivan outside my daughter's swim practice at five in the morning. It was published when I was 45, and at 50 I walked the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere of the adaptation of my second novel. Midlife rocks! I love telling my story, because I think so many women (and a few good men!) have buried dreams like mine. My advice: dust them off and go for it!

I love speaking to groups, and teaching reinvention workshops for women coming into their own at midlife. I love writing novels and feel incredibly lucky to get to do it for a living -- this is the career I almost didn't have!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful story..., June 1, 2010

By 

Beth Hoffman (Kentucky) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Seven Year Switch (Hardcover)

Claire Cook has crafted another winner. With her trademark wit and tenderness, she sweeps us into the topsy-turvy life of Jill Murray, a feisty single mom trying to stitch together a future after she and her little girl, Anastasia, are abandoned by her husband. SEVEN YEAR SWITCH explores love, loss, anger, recovery, and the surprising events that healed the hearts of a young mother and her daughter.

The characters are fully developed, and each has endearing quirks, fobiles, and very real (sometimes delightfully convoluted) emotions. From page one to the end, I cheered for Jill the entire way.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Claire Cook does it again!, June 2, 2010

By 

Candace L. Hammond "Shoegal" (Brewster, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Seven Year Switch (Hardcover)

As a journalist I'm lucky to get advance copies of books, and always look forward to getting Claire Cook's newest tome. I receive and read a lot of books, but I have to say "Seven Year Switch" was one of the few of late I hadn't been able to wait to get to every night when I crawled into bed. I have very much enjoyed all of Cook's books, but there was a level of depth and realism in this story of single mom, Jill, that pulled me in from page one. Of course there was the humor Cook is known for, but Jill's life isn't easy, and we get to experience the tough choices she has to make right along with her. Claire Cook has the talent to move a reader while also making them laugh. Folks who already fans of Cook's will love it, and I think this one may herald in lots of new readers as well.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another great Claire Cook beach read!, June 1, 2010

By 

LUV2READ (Made in the USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Seven Year Switch (Hardcover)

I started reading and never stopped till I was finished. I simply couldn't put this book down. The characters are thoroughly convincing and the story zipped along. Lots of laughs, but also great food for thought. Jill was my favorite character, but I thought her daughter Anastasia was well drawn, and her neighbor Cynthia was a hoot and oh, so recognizable. Loved Joni and also loved that none of the characters was black and white. I am a Claire Cook fan and respect that she never lets her readers down but works hard and keeps getting better. Don't miss this one.