Where We Belong
Publication Date: July 24, 2012
Pages: 384
Emily Giffin is another one of those authors that I stalk while I impatiently wait for a new novel. It seems like it's been forever since her last book,
Heart Of The Matter, was released, but let me just say that it was well worth the wait.
Marian Caldwell is a thirty-six year old successful producer living in New York. She is two years into her relationship with Network Exec, Peter. Marian is starting to pressure Peter for more. Marriage, babies, the whole works. Yet things do not go well when Marian's eighteen-year-old secret shows up on her doorstep and everything that was stable in Marian's life is suddenly shaky.
Eighteen-year-old Kirby Rose is feeling like she doesn't fit in with her family. She always knew that she was adopted, but it wasn't until recently that she started wondering about her birth mother. Because she was eighteen, the adoption agency freely gave her the name and address of her birth mother and one weekend she (unbeknownst to her parents) takes off for New York City to find her Mother. To say that their reunion was rocky is an understatement, but they muddle through together. Marian is excited to see Kirby, yet nervous that she will ask about her Father, the man who never knew that Marian was pregnant. Together they set off to find Conrad Knight, each woman with their own fears about what his reaction will be when they show up on his doorstep.
Where We Belong is a heartwarming tale about regrets, forgiveness, acceptance, and most importantly family. The author did an amazing job of bringing Kirby and her family to life. It was fascinating to see the differences between the world that Kirby actually grew up in and the world that she might have grown up in, had Marian not given her up for adoption. And the argument could be that Kirby's working class family provided the better childhood than her "rich" birth mother could have given her. I like how the author was also careful not to really cause angst between Kirby and her family when she started seeking out her birth mother, they were cautious, yet very supportive, despite their own fears of losing their daughter.
Bottom line, fans of Emily Giffin are going to love and appreciate
Where We Belong. The characters are multi-dimensional with unexpected depth. And the story of Kirby and Marian is one that will touch your heart. If you are a fan of the wonderful Emily Giffin, you will not be disappointed.
I've slowed waaaay down while reading this so I can savor it. I'm halfway through, and I'm loving it!
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