Then She Found Me

I was a young mom when I discovered this book at the local library. Although I'd always been a voracious reader, it had been a few years since I'd found anything that engrossed me. With rambunctious toddlers to tend, I found myself reading Parents magazine instead of the sharp, insightful, quirky fiction that I'd always loved. And then I found Elinor Lipman. I think the description on the back of the book pulled me in: toad-sized earrings? Should be an interesting character, I thought. I read the book in one sitting and then flipped to the first page and read it over again. I was starved for fiction and Elinor Lipman served up a delicious entree in a completely unique way. She doesn't get the credit she deserves for being one of the first (and best) of the witty-women-fiction-writers who are now so common.Lipman's gift for dialogue, her light touch and her original, imperfect but charming characters make her a modern-day Jane Austen. She can write a comedy of manners better than anyone who's currently publishing. The romance between April and her unlikely Prince Charming is a touching surprise, and the tension between the laid-back, no-frills April and her overbearing birth mother is perfectly depicted through Lipman's well-chosen descriptions and naturally witty dialogue. She makes it look easy.When I worked at a bookstore, I recommended this book to anyone who was looking for a well-written light love story with a bit of an edge. I'll always have a special place in my heart for this book: it was the first novel I read after a few years of reading nothing but baby-related stuff, and it reminded me again how fiction can really touch your heart. I'm glad I made time for this book, and I'm glad I bought my own copy and have reread it several times since that first day (my kids are teenagers now and this remains on my all-time favorites list!) Although some of her subsequent books haven't been as engaging, Elinor Lipman remains a master at what she does, creating memorable heroines and surprising love interests, dialogue that crackles with wit, and plot lines that are a wonderful escape from the harsh realities of most of today's good fiction. A new book from Lipman is always a cause for celebration and a reason to shell out the extra bucks for a hardcover.

Then She Found Me is a fun, unusual read about a girl whose exotic, outrageous birth mother finds her as an adult. The main character grew up happily with an adoptive family. When both of her adoptive parents die Bernice, her birth mother, tracks her down. She proves, however, to be not as easily molded as Bernice would like, which provides interesting tension throughout the book. In addition to interesting character development, both with family and romantic relationships, the book sparkles with witty, realistic dialogue and funny turns of events. The plot, like Bernice, tends toward outrageous, but it is easy to be drawn in none-the-less, and to believe everything that happens. An enjoyable, thought-provoking read.

From the first one I picked up, "Isabel's Bed" I read nothing but Elinor Lipman until I had gone through all of her books. "Then She Found Me" is an amusing story, a good read. I am sure any women that reads this book will find passages that she can relate to her own life. That is why Lipman's books are so amusing because they are a part of us all, or a part of something we would all like to be. I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for an entertaining story, that is both funny and enlightening at the same time.

I was skeptical about this book as I am not a fan of humorous novels, but this book was a shining exception. Several parts made me laugh out loud, but other parts were so touching and dramatic. I couldn't put this book down!

I finished Isabel's bed and ran out to get another Lipman book. I wasn't disappointed in the least. I found this book to be a wonderful ride full of pathos & humor. The characters (in both books) are truly believable and quirky, the kind of people you would come to know and love. The story is so entertaining yet, touches deep truths with sensitivity, humor, astuteness and compassion. Elinor Lipman is brilliant as a writer and I think it is a mistake to think of her as a light comedy writer even though she is hysterical. I'd love to meet Ms. Lipman, she's wonderful at dialogue and I think we would laugh a lot.