How Do You Know? by Meredith Schorr

How Do You Know?
by Meredith Schorr
Pages: 270
Date: December 2 2014
Publisher: Booktrope Editions

Review
Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0
Read: December 25 to 26 2015

My second book that I have read that had been written by this author.

I’m vaguely surprised, in the end, by where I ended up rating this book. I have many a review wherein I make comments about the age of the participants, in a manner suggesting that if they hadn’t been so much younger (or, occasionally, older) I’d feel a closer connection to the book and/or possibly like the book more. Well, I should have just loved this book here, eh? I mean, it ‘starred’ a woman of my own age, not near, not slightly older, slightly younger, but my own age. And the setting was my own city.

Before I go further, no I didn’t assume that I’d love a book simply because of these characteristics (age of characters, setting). Just hadn’t run across the specific characteristics much and figured I’d like it more than I did.

Hmm. I just noticed that the book is listed as a first in a series. The other book I’ve read by Schorr is/was also the first book in a series. That one, the other first in a series book, actually either having the second book just now appearing or appearing shortly. Considering how this story unfolded, well . . . not important. (hmm. Rereading this . . . I had some point. I've no idea what that point is now).

The book opens with one Maggie Piper, 38 and with the love of her life, Doug. She works in a law firm as the marketing person. But not staff. I’ve no real idea what that means, where she actually is in the hierarchy, just that there was this big point made over and over again that she was ‘not staff’. As in, perfectly acceptable to turn up at an ‘attorney-only’ party. But whatever that means, she’s that. She loves her job, her man, and seems to like her family and friends too. She’s about to turn 39 though, days away or something like that, I forget now how close. And that reminds her of how close she is to 40. So she freaks out.

Did I mention she loved her man? Well, they’ve been going out for a while now, three years or so, live together even. Well, those aren’t just words she bats around. The love one I mean. She does in fact love him. The stuff they do the life they live. Etc. But . . . she isn’t really sure if he really and truly is ‘her one true love.’ So, she asks for a moment or to think about things. Instead of a break, like she requested, he breaks up. ‘If you don’t know now if you really love me, you won’t know after a break!’ he screams (or, actually, mutters with shiny eyes). What an asshole.

So. She’s now 39 and single. I mentioned 38 before; they broke up on her day of birth. So, 39 and single. Starring at the dating pool again. Naturally she does a second stupid thing. She dates her boss. Not literally the next second. Months are going by in this book. It’s set over slightly more than a year 39-40. But, yeah, she dates her boss. Because he’s so . . . um . . . something. They appear to have nothing in common, but at least she’s not stuck with a guy she loves, likes being with, and even likes watching television (which the boss doesn’t like doing; nor like amusement parks, another thing both Doug and Maggie love).

I’ve no inherent problem with reassessing where you are, what you are doing with your life. But the way she went about it with her man was like kind of stupid. Then to go off and date your boss? That’s just . . . icky. And no, I’m not picturing my own boss and shuddering – putting us in place of Maggie and whatever the guys name is in this book. No the icky part was getting involved with someone either higher up or lower down the chain of command. Getting involved with a coworker is kind of iffy enough without adding layers of power one way or another.

So, the book unfolds. Doug is off dating others. Maggie is dating others. Life continues. Her friends drift in and out of her life. She drinks a lot. Talks to her television. Spontaneous breaks into victory dances after guessing correctly about stuff occurring on the television. You know, life moves on. A slice of her life has been scooped up and offered for people to peer at. To a certain extent, reminding myself that this is a slice of a person’s life, helped keep me interested and moving on instead of focusing on some of the ‘dumb’ decisions made.

Not a bad book per se. Just odd. Maggie had read a lot of romantic books. She just knows there’s supposed to be angst and conflict and stuff, so it just must mean something if there wasn’t any with her relationship with Doug (pre-break up). Interesting twist. Not sure I particularly liked any of the characters as people, but meh.

December 28 2015