Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg

I have always been an Elizabeth Berg fan and "The Last Time I Saw You" only adds to my list of books of hers that have been great reads. All of her books have quirky characters and the plot lines never fail to keep you wondering how the story will conclude.

If you everydaydreamed about what all the "poular people" from your high school were like decades later , then you will have much to enjoy in this story. It revolves around the classmates that attend their 40th high school reunion. Dorthy is newly divorced, Pete is still the class heartthrob and Candy is still the class beauty. Also attending are some of the more "ordinary" classmates like Mary Alice, the plain girl and Lester the math nerd that is now a vet.
During the course of the reunion you come to know each character and find out how their lives have turned out since graduation. Have some of them gotten past their high school reputations and are some of them still stuck in old habits and personalities? In the course of the story you will find out the answers to the above questions and some of those answers might surprise you. Save an evening to enjoy this sweet story and you might want to pull out your own old high school yearbook and wonder "Whatever happened to...."

Emily and Einstein by Linda Francis Lee

If you haven't any Irish Pubs to frequent this Saint Patrick's Day may I suggest you spend an evening with a really wonderful book ? There might not be any green beer involved but I guarantee you a good time.

Emily's life has spiraled out of control. Her rich and handsome husband, Sandy, has just been killed in an auto accident and his family wants her evited from the family owned apartment. She is overwhelmed by grief and she has problems at her work as well.

Sandy, Emily's husband, has his own problem. At the time of his accident he was on his way to tell Emily that he is tired of her and wants a divorce. If it isn't evident I'll let you know that Sandy isn't the husband that Emily thought she had. After Sandy's untimely demise, he has been given the task of trying to redeem himself by "the old Man". Is "is the old Man" God you ask? I'll let you decide that for yourself. If it is God, he has a sense of humor. As a result Sandy's soul is inhabiting the body of Einstein, a dog. His task is to help Emily get over her loss and to go on with her life.

The book is told in alternating chapters using Emily's perspective and that of Sandy/Einstein. I can tell you what happens next is sweet and uplifting. Even though Emily has problems you can tell that she is a good, loving person and didn't deserve the hits her life is taking. It's really amusing to read Sandy's/Einstein's chapters beginning with Sandy's disbelief that he's come back as a lowly dog. Did I say already that Sandy isn't the husband that Emily believed him to be? Or that he might not be a good man?

Over the course of the book, which is filled with new friends, job problems and the dispute with Sandy's remaining family , you come to care for Emily and root for her and wish her the best. At the end of the book you have to grudgingly admit that Sandy has changed and you almost feel sorry for him being a dog.

So if you want to know what happens to Emily or to find out if Sandy stays a dog forever take the time to treat yourself to this charming story about second chances in life.

"An Object of Beauty" by Steve Martin

"An Object of Beauty" is the latest offering from talented actor and musician Steve Martin.
I have never read any of his previous works but knew that he was a writer as well as an actor. When I started the book I was pleasantly surprised. He is a talented and entertaining author!
This particular book is abut the art world. The buying and selling and history of art to be exact. Initially it sounded a little boring but it was far from it. Martin used a fictional story as a vehicle to give the reader a lot if interesting information about art.
Our "heroine" is Lacey Yeager, who wants a career in the art world in New York. Lacey is young enough and ambituous enough to do whatever it takes to succeed. And she ruthlessly does anything.
The story is told by Daniel Franks, a writer for an art magazine that had a "one night encounter" with Lacey and can't seem to get over her. As a result, he meets Lacey for countless lunches and dinners and continues as Lacey's friend and confidant. He'd still like the relationship to be different and hopes fruitlessly that Lacey will view him in a different way.
During the course of the story , you realize that sometimes Lacey isn't very nice or even very honest in her career and romantic dealings. She becomes successful at her career at the expense of others and she is never really close to anyone, not even her family.
I enjoyed reading Lacey and Daniel's stories but couldn't help but feel that Lacey was a person heading for a big fall and a life of being alone. To say anymore about that would spoil the story.
I read a review about the book and the reviewer complained that the plot was skimpy but I would respectfuly disagree on that point. There was plenty to keep me interested in. I wanted to find out how the lives of Lacey and Daniel ended up. There is a good resolution to the story and even a surprise at the end.
This book would be a good one for a book group because there's a lot of interesting art information as well as an entertaining story