Then Came You: A Novel [Hardcover]

Jennifer Weiner (Author)

Book Description

Release date: July 12, 2011

Jules Strauss is a Princeton senior with a full scholarship, acquaintances instead of friends, and a family she’s ashamed to invite to Parents’ Weekend. With the income she’ll receive from donating her “pedigree” eggs, she believes she can save her father from addiction.

Annie Barrow married her high school sweetheart and became the mother to two boys. After years of staying at home and struggling to support four people on her husband’s salary, she thinks she’s found a way to recover a sense of purpose and bring in some extra cash.

India Bishop, thirty-eight (really forty-three), has changed everything about herself: her name, her face, her past. In New York City, she falls for a wealthy older man, Marcus Croft, and decides a baby will ensure a happy ending. When her attempts at pregnancy fail, she turns to technology, and Annie and Jules, to help make her dreams come true.

But each of their plans is thrown into disarray when Marcus’ daughter Bettina, intent on protecting her father, becomes convinced that his new wife is not what she seems…

With startling tenderness and laugh-out-loud humor, Jennifer Weiner once again takes readers into the heart of women’s lives in an unforgettable, timely tale that interweaves themes of class and entitlement, surrogacy and donorship, the rights of a parent and the measure of motherhood.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Weiner has emerged as one of the biggest names in popular fiction.” —USA Today

“Jennifer Weiner’s bestselling novels twist humor and topical issues into can’t-put-down stories. Her latest follows the lives of four women who explore conflicting notions of family and motherhood.” —Houston Chronicle

“The conflicts enmeshing all these characters...are gripping, and Weiner’s elucidation of socio-economic determinism is as sharp as ever.” —Kirkus

"A savvy tale… told with equal parts love and longing--whether it be for a partner, a purpose, or a family." —Publishers Weekly

“Compelling...a page-turner. Enjoy this title for its humor mixed with a sympathetic portrayal of real women’s lives and challenges.” —Library Journal

“In this warm and winning yarn, Weiner draws readers into the lives of each woman, and brings them together in an unexpected and ultimately rewarding way. Another surefire hit for the popular author." —Booklist

"Then Came You offers an eye-opening perspective on parenthood in an age where the family is ever evolving." —BookPage

“If you’re a Weiner fan you’ll lap it up. And if you don’t know her yet, here’s the place to start.” —The Washington Post

"Weiner's ability to mix humor, drama and the simplicity of real life makes her newest novel her best to date. The characters are relatable and universal, and readers will remember them long after the last page. With writing that flows like a conversation between best friends - effortless but meaningful - Then Came You is the perfect summer read." —The Houston Chronicle

"Weiner brings her trademark wit and humor to this lively story." —Parade

About the Author

Jennifer Weiner is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of ten books, including Good in Bed, In Her Shoes, which was made into a major motion picture, and The Next Best Thing. A graduate of Princeton University, she lives with her family in Philadelphia. Visit her online at JenniferWeiner.com.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Atria Books; First Edition edition (July 12, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9781451617726
• ISBN-13: 978-1451617726
• ASIN: 1451617720
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (168 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #285,890 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

JENNIFER WEINER is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of ten books, including Good in Bed, In Her Shoes, which was made into a major motion picture, and The Next Best Thing. A graduate of Princeton University, Weiner lives in Philadelphia with her family. To learn more, find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or at JenniferWeiner.com.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#37 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Literary Fiction

#54 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Literary

#72 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary

#96 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary Fiction

#37 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Literary Fiction

#54 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Literary

#72 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary

#96 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary Fiction

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

120 of 127 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Best Weiner Book Since Good In Bed July 12, 2011

By Kelly Houser VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

I'd be lying if I said that I love everything Jennifer Weiner has written. While I consider myself quite a fan, I have found my enthusiasm for her work waning a bit with her last few books. I desperately needed a Weiner novel to redeem my faith in her as an author. When I was offered a review copy of Then Came You I was both thrilled and hesitant. I wanted to love one of her books again but was afraid I would be disappointed. Disappointed, I was not!

Then Came You was absolutely fabulous! Written like a Jodi Picoult novel with different narrative voices or points of view, Then Came You tells the story of four women, with little in common, who become hopeless entangled with each other through a surprising common bond: a child. With infertility and science at the core of this novel, Then Came You is surprisingly emotional. How each of the four women come together to play a role in the life of this child is both beautiful and heartbreaking.

Weiner crafted a very well-written story. The characters came across as very honest and genuine. The plot of the novel, while it could have easily become bogged down by the mundane or unimportant, flowed crisply and really kept me engaged. I couldn't put this novel down because I was so invested in the characters and the plot. Weiner also evoked much emotion from me. I laughed aloud at portions of this book. I also cried.

Then Came You was an amazing read. One that I thought about long after I read the final page. I highly recommend this novel.

44 of 50 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Meh July 20, 2011

By Sue Pea

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'm pretty sure I have read all Jennifer Weiner's books to date. As I read through her earlier works and finished them, I eagerly looked forward to what came next. I liked her characters and cared about what happened to them. Her stories were fun, easy reads. A lot like potato chips. Once I started it was hard to put them down. So I was hoping for the best when I started Then Came You. Unfortunately, I'm halfway through and feel like I have to force myself to keep reading. Please tell me there is a pay off at the end. Midway through the story I feel like she's still setting the stage for a story about characters I'm not sure I even care about all that much. They just don't ring true for me. How am I supposed to feel about India? Do I hate her or like her enough to sympathize? She just doesn't ring true, as with the rest of the cast. There was a vibrancy to Weiner's characters in her earlier books that just isn't coming through with this one. I agree with other reviewers who feel that the plot is very thin. I will probably stick it out to the end but really, I'm already looking for something else to read.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars disappointing July 16, 2011

By SCOTUS fan

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I really liked Weiner's first few books, mostly because she took people with quirks and made them lovable and memorable. Then Came You has two major problems, in my view: She treats the community of people involved in infertility treatment simplistically, and she doesn't give us a quirky character to fall in love with over the course of the novel.

The first thing I'd say is that dealing with infertility is not this easy, even for billionaires. And the anonymity thing that clinics insist upon? They really do insist on it. And the feelings of a surrogate? Complex enough that what Annie does and feels in this book does not ring true, not at all. And the ending? I just can't imagine a world in which this situation would ever, ever occur. Much more likely? Litigation. Bitter fighting. Refusal to honor the various legal agreements in place.

The four main characters are two-dimensional. They don't struggle at all with their decisions regarding the infertility issue - and that's just amazing. Real people do. The characters struggle just a bit more with their romantic decisions, but just a bit. There's nothing here to make us buy in and cheer at the end.

In short, this novel is just too thin to be interesting. If it were Jennifer Weiner's first book, she might sell a few copies, but she wouldn't develop a cult following.