Something Borrowed (Hardcover)

by Emily Giffin (Author) "I was in the fifth grade the first time I thought about turning thirty..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, Notre Dame, July Fourth (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
An unexpected love affair threatens a long-lived friendship in this soap opera–like debut from Atlanta ex-lawyer Giffin. Since elementary school, Rachel and Darcy have been best friends, with Darcy always outshining Rachel. While single Rachel is the self-confessed good girl, an attorney trapped at a suffocating New York law firm, Darcy is the complete opposite, a stereotypical outgoing publicist, planning a wedding with the handsome Dex. After Rachel's 30th birthday party, she knocks back one drink too many and winds up in bed with Dex. Instead of feeling guilty about sleeping with her best friend's fiancé, Rachel realizes that Dex is the only man she's really loved, and that she's always resented manipulative Darcy. Rachel and Dex spend a few weekends in the city together "working" while Darcy's off with friends at a Hamptons beach share, but finally Rachel realizes she'll have to give Dex an ultimatum. The flip job Giffin pulls off—here it's the cheaters who're sympathetic (more or less)—gives Dex and Rachel's otherwise ordinary affair extra edge. Rachel would be a more appealing heroine if she were less whiny about her job and her romantic prospects, and rambling dialogue slows the story's pace, but this is an enjoyable beach read—one that'll make readers cast a suspicious eye on best friends and boyfriends who seem to get along just a little too well.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
*Starred Review* Chick lit is already a crowded genre, but Giffin's compelling debut truly stands out. It is as much about the meaning and value of friendship as it is about love, and it takes some risky chances that pay off. Rachel is celebrating her thirtieth birthday with her friends, including her lifelong best friend, Darcy, and Dex, Rachel's handsome friend from law school and Darcy's fiance. One thing leads to another and Rachel ends up in bed with Dex. Suddenly, all of her repressed feelings for him rush to the forefront, and Dex says he feels the same. But thoughts of Darcy nag at Rachel. Perfect, pretty Darcy has always gotten everything she's wanted, as well as things that Rachel wanted, like her admission to her first-choice college. But Rachel and Dex can't deny their attraction, and Rachel wonders if they might possibly have a real future together. It's a gamble to cast her heroine in a potentially unsympathetic light, but Giffin manages to create empathy for her likable characters without cheapening the complexity of their situation, making for a genuinely winning tale. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (June 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031232118X
• ISBN-13: 978-0312321185
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (423 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #110,269 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!!!, January 28, 2005

By	Mercedes L. Johnmeyer "The Most Happy" (Kingsland, GA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

OK, I normally HATE chick-lit books, and that was what I was expecting when I picked this up, but actually, I loved it! I read all the reviews before starting this, and seeing as how everyone raved about it, I gave it a shot. So glad I did.

Rachel and Darcy have been best friends since their childhood in Indiana. Now they are both living in NYC and Rachel has just turned 30...and also just slept with Darcy's fiance. When I first started reading peoples reviews, I couldn't believe how they all rooted for Rachel and Dex...but after getting deeper and deeper into the book, I was doing the same thing! I actually grew to despise Darcy. She was so incredibly immature for a woman of 29 yrs. How Rachel managed to stay friends with her all that time was beyond me, but I loved the character of Rachel.

She's so down-to-earth, and I found myself saying a bunch of times, 'I know EXACTLY what she means!!', or, 'I've been there, and that's just what I was thinking to'. The ending was also really good. Half of it was a complete surprise, and I was very satisfied with the other half. I'm really looking forward to 'Something Blue' coming out this summer. Hopefully it will continue the saga of this very entertaining group of people. I definitely recommend!!

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A step beyond "chick lit", July 10, 2004

By	E. Griffin (Wilton, CT, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Like so many other current novels, Something Borrowed focuses on good looking, successful, fun, and somewhat outrageous women in Manhattan looking for true love. The similarity to these other books ends there, as Something Borrowed explores an illicit relationship from the perspective of the woman having an affair with her best friend's fiance.

Rachel is a transplant from Indiana, unhappily employed in NYC as an associate at a law firm. Her best friend, Darcy, is engaged to marry one of Rachel's friends from law school. Darcy is the perfect girl--pretty, vivacious, always gets what she wants, although somewhat petulant and demanding. Just a few months before the wedding, Rachel has a one night stand with Darcy's fiance that develops into a full fledged love affiar.

Emily Giffin treats what could be an awkward topic with respect and empathy for all the characters. Although Darcy is at times portrayed as a stereotype, most likely to be a better foil for Rachel's good girl persona, the reader is also treated to Darcy's sense of fun and loyalty. This is a remarkably well written first novel, and one that I highly recommend.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, December 16, 2004

By	M. M. Murray "Princess Buttercup" (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I must admit, I was a bit skeptical when I read the back. How on earth was I going to like someone who sleeps with her best friend's fiancee? But I knew I wanted to read it and am so glad I did. The characters are wonderfully developed and once you realize what kind of person Darcy is, you can't help but root for Rachel. This is one of those books you don't want to end. It looks like Emily Giffin has a new book, "Something Blue", I hope it is a continuation of these characters! Even if it isn't a sequel, I can't wait till it comes out, since Giffin does an outstanding job of creating likeable and memorable characters. Highly recommended!