Then Came You

By: Jennifer Weiner
Publisher: Atria
Publishing Date: July 2011
ISBN: 978-1451617726
Reviewed by: Mary Lignor
Review Date: July 2011

What can be said about this wonderful book? There aren't enough adjectives in the English language to laud Ms. Weiner's latest work.

This is the ultimate love story with many different stories included. Here's just a few 'for instances' - you will have to make your own decisions.

First, we have Julia Strauss (Jules). When the story opens she is a senior at Princeton. A scholarship student who loves to take the bus to the Mall and have lunch all by herself. She knows that her classmates, as rich as most of them are, would never take the bus anywhere. She has many acquaintances in her classes but no friends, and she is unable to ask her parents for advice. Her dad is a drug addict who has left the family and moved in with someone else and her mom and brother are okay but, she doesn't see them very often. She decides to sell her eggs to a fertility clinic to raise money to help her father get off drugs and lead a normal life.

Second, Annie Barrow. Annie is a married woman with two small children. Her husband, Frank, is working security at the airport and is taking classes to become an airplane mechanic. The Airline business is not in very good shape at the moment and Annie and Frank are struggling to make ends meet. She thinks that she will be able to make extra money by becoming a surrogate mother to an infertile couple who want a child.

Third, India Bishop. India has had quite a life moving from place to place and finally ending up in New York City. She has changed her name and her face and figure and taken off at least five years of her age when she meets an older man, Marcus Croft, who is rich beyond all her expectations. He has three grown children who are not too happy about these plans but, are not able to do anything about it at the moment. She thinks that if they are able to have a child things will be AOK. But, she has not had any luck carrying a child to term so they decide to find a surrogate.

Now, you must see where the author is going with this storyline. This story is so sad and funny at the same time when everyone's plans go south that you'll wonder if it will all turn out all right.

Quill Says: This author is so fantastic. She makes these characters seem both humorous and heartwarming at the same time. Readers will love and hate almost everyone in the book. Readers will also think that they have met all of these people; they are so real. Run out and pick up this book, you won't be sorry.