The Boy I Loved Before

I have a confession to make. I normally don't read books set in England. I don't know why; maybe it's because I can't relate to the locations. I pulled this off the shelf at the library and didn't realize it was set in England until I began reading it. I almost stopped right there, but the storyline is one of my favorites so I continued. I am glad I did. Colgan was able to capture the confusion of her character and the incredible sense of a 32-year old being trapped in a 16-year old's body. I loved that. How amazing it would be to be able to "see" oneself at that age once again. It's easy to look back on our teenage years and think life was great, but we certainly do forget how confining it was and how, once we get used to the freedoms of adulthood, it would be impossible to go backwards. I liked the character and found her situation to be both silly and interesting. I also like the conclusion of the story. It was very satisfying. All in all, I really enjoyed this book, and read it in one sitting. And yes, I also noticed the errors in Tashy's name in the questions at the end of the book!

The Boy I Loved Before by Jenny Colgan is an interesting take on a known concept. While at her best friend's wedding, thirty-two year old Flora wishes to be sixteen again. Her wish is granted, but with a unique twist: she does not go back in time sixteen years and relive her teenagedom in the 80s, but rather in the present day. The writing was quite lively and made me laugh out loud many times. Pop culture references run rampant throughout the book. Flora is silly, serious, selfish and selfless in turns, realizing that she never really grew up, but that adulthood does have its good points. If you enjoy books or films that employ the "be careful what you wish for" / "wanting to be young again" plotline, and if you enjoy comedies, definitely check out this book. It's worth the read.

Yep, this is light-hearted fantasy. Can you imagine having a 32 year old friend of yours suddenly show up as a 16-year old? And say that the last time she saw you was at your wedding, which isn't scheduled for another month? What would you do? Well, isn't it obvious? You would ask how you looked! And how the wedding went. Yes, Flora, the heroine of this story by Jenny Colgan, has gone back in time. But only a month back, not 16 years back. Still, she has the knowledge of a 32-year old. Will she stun her friends with her skills at cooking? Yes, you can read this book and find out. Is this mainly a comedy or is it a more serious look at what we'd do if we had a chance to live part of our lives over again? I was laughing too much to figure that out.

This is a travel-back-in-time story a la "Big" and "13 Going on 30", but with a twist. In this case, Flora's parents go back in time with her, and only people who love Flora recognize her in her 16-year-old body. Much of the book is shallow and lacks an emotional core, but toward the end, Flora makes a connection with a boy her "age" and makes peace with her issues in a believable way. She also manages to make things better for the people she loves as a result of her time travel. Overall, though Colgan's prose is glib without a lot of depth for much of the book, the ending is very satisfying and makes the book as a whole worth reading.

Thirty something accountant Flora Scurrison seems to have it all making plenty of money though the hours seem endless and having a nice boyfriend Oliver who treats her well. So Flora wonders why life seems unfulfilling and tasteless. At the wedding of her best friend Tashy, Oliver proposes. Instead of leaping for joy, Flora wishes she could start over again. To her shock, something magical or a curse occurs; Flora finds herself as a high school sixteen year old, but not back in time. It is still the Bush Junior period, not the Reagan era and Tashy is still getting married next month. Tashy and Oliver are in their thirties though they recognize the sixteen years old Flora. Over the next month Flora relives her teens, but will need to decide between thirty-two and sixteen when Tashy says I do. THE BOY I LOVED BEFORE is a refreshing chick lit tale with a few twists that bring an entertaining uniqueness to the story line. Similar in some respects to Peggy Sue Got Married with a Fountain of Youth twist as Jenny Colgan's heroine does not go back in time only in age; Flora's reliving her school days is amusing to follow as she brings adult knowledge with her. Chick lit fans will enjoy this humorous entry that is based on something many people dream of: a second chance at youth with the knowledge of experience. Harriet Klausner