Lucky

I read this book in about four hours, being unable to put it down. The characters are very well-developed, from Kasey, whom I'd like to meet, to her selfish, materialistic husband, whom I could not stand. For those reviewers who were upset about Kasey falling into another man's arms, I can only say that marriage does not mean that a person is chained for life no matter how awful their spouse is and that her husband deserved what he got. I think this book delivered some powerful lessons about standing up for what you believe in and about the true nature of love. Hooray for Kasey!!!

READ THIS BOOK IN ONE NIGHT, & COULDNT PUT IT DOWN. AFTER READING THIS I RAN OUT TO GET THE OTHERS IN THE "NEXT" SERIES. ON MY 3RD ONE

"It's so hard to be more than you ever thought you could be." That line written by author Jennifer Greene at the end of the foreword page had me in tears. Having lived through the past year with a teen-age son who was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, I could immediately empathize with Kasey Crandall and her concerns for her baby daughter. The fact that her own husband didn't believe her was unforgivable. He was too wrapped up in being the generous loving husband and father when everything went his way. Kasey had a decision to make in order to become the woman she knew she could be. Marriage is about trust and acceptance. Sure, Graham, her husband, gave her everything she wanted materially, but he didn't allow her to be true to herself. Marriage is not about completing your life with another, it's about enriching your life and sharing your life. I'm so glad Kasey learned that at the end. I would have liked to know more about Jake's parents. Aside from some backstory and Jake's accompanying his father to a party, we don't learn too much more about Jake's interaction with his parents. His 15-year-old son who was learning how to drive was written very well. I look forward to more of Jennifer Greene's stories. Loved this one.

Up front, I'll confess I'm a Jennifer Greene fan and friend. I was a fan first and lucky enough to become a friend over the years. I don't think anybody writes better about the human heart. I don't know any author who can write a story about the frailties of characters and still make us care about them. NeXt is a line that allows a lot of room for characters and authors to take a look at the human experience. Jennifer Greene delivers. In language, in characters, in story, she gives a reader a book that will leave the reader with insight, with her heart touched. Grab this book. IMMEDIATELY! And I say that as a reader, not just as a Jennifer Greene fan and friend.

Kasey Crandall believes she's the luckiest woman, living a pampered life as the wife of a wealthy older man who surrounds her in luxury. The birth of her daughter Tess, a child her husband never really wanted, makes Kasey wonder just how lucky she is. The arrival in her life of Jake McGraw, a man whose drinking cost him his place in the elite world Kasey inhabits, challenges her to reexamine her values and make the choices necessary for her daughter's well-being. LUCKY is a daring book in which Jennifer Greene takes huge risks and delivers a triumphant story about the power of love. If you like romantic novels that play it safe, this book isn't for you. However, if you like stories that stray way outside the lines but remain true to human nature and the passions that guide us, you will love LUCKY.