Love and Miss Communication by Elyssa Friedland + a Giveaway

Thirty-four-year-old Evie Rosen is at a crossroads. Still smarting over a breakup with her ex - who claimed he was against marriage - and seemingly unable to find Mister Right, she finds herself increasingly fed up with the dating game and everything that goes with it. But at least she has her career. 

Until she doesn't. 

After being fired over a bevy of personal emails the company claims broke their server, Evie decides enough is enough. No more internet. No more email. And best of all, no more checking up on her ex. Of course the whole thing is prompted not only by her firing but also by the discovery that the never-going-to-marry ex has gotten hitched! When her beloved grandmother is diagnosed with breast cancer, Evie feels even more pressure to meet someone and settle down. But with online connection being everything these days, Evie soon discovers that her lifestyle change is affecting her relationships with both friends and family. 

Summer is just around the bend, folks, but you'd never know it where I live. Nope, we had snow over the weekend! Nevertheless, or maybe thanks to that, I've definitely been craving some lighter fare to brighten my mood and Elyssa Friedland's debut promised just that.

I did come away with mixed feelings about the book as a whole Much of the first chapters felt quite similar to various other reads in this vein. While that's by no means a deal breaker for me, I had hoped that Friedland would separate herself from the pack just a tiny bit early on.

Fortunately the book picks up around the time Evie's grandmother gets sick. The relationship between Evie and her grandmother is great. Taking the story beyond simply being concerned about settling down to being concerned about potentially losing someone she's so close to (someone who has stressed the fact that she'd like to see Evie married before she dies) added a depth to the story that was missing in the first chapters.

I had to applaud Evie for attempting to unplug. Some of her friends were a little less accepting of her choice and I definitely felt for Evie there. Berating someone over missing evite-only events after they've told you to pick up the phone instead of emailing would seriously put me over the edge! I did quite enjoy the way Evie's love life and work life progressed. And I loved Evie's friends as a whole.

While I can't say reading Love and Miss Communication improved my weather situation, it definitely left me with the warm and fuzzies upon turning the final page. And I get to share that with one of you lucky readers! I've got one copy of Love and Miss Communication up for grabs here. To throw your name in the hat, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below before Monday, May 25. US only and no PO boxes please.

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