Here is a warm bath of a novel that draws you in over any objections you might have.
At the advanced age of 37, Andi, an interior decorator, has met her dream mate in Ethan, a landscape designer. All that stands in the way of happily ever after are two nagging issues. Andi has long dreamed of having a child of her own with Ethan, but four years have gone by with no pregnancy. And Ethan has two daughters, the adoring and adorable Sophia and troubled teen Emily, who sees Andi as cramming a wedge between her and her father.
Because their mother is an alcoholic, the girls are frequently with Andi and Ethan. Stepdaughter Emily sulks, stews and lashes out, mostly at Andi. Guilt-tripped Ethan is unable to stick to his punishments for Emily, despite her repeated episodes of boozing, pot-smoking and liaisons with sketchy boys. When Emily is arrested in a drunken-driving incident, Andi has an eye on the exit ramp of marriage until she realizes that Emily's thickening figure is actually baby fat — the kind that only goes away after nine months and a trip to the maternity ward.
A teen's unwanted baby and a woman desperate for a child make for a potent combination, and this plot goes pretty much where you'd expect it to go.
But Green's sympathetic portrayals of Andi and Emily resonate, and so put this novel several notches above a Lifetime movie script. Supporting characters are just as engaging, especially Andi's gay neighbors, Drew and Topher, with an impeccably designed home and always-ready mojitos, cappuccinos and wise advice.
Another Piece of My Heart is a zippy read that satisfies, as tempting as a just-opened box of Girl Scout Thin Mints. Go ahead and indulge.
