Title: Next Year I'll Be Perfect
Author: Laura Kilmartin
Publisher: Booktrope
Published Date: September 29, 2012
Buy on Amazon: Paperback & Kindle
Author Website: http://laurakilmartin.com/
Synopsis:
Sarah always thought her life was on track, that is until her 29th
birthday party. The discovery of a list her younger self put together
outlining what she wanted to achieve by the age of 30 turns Sarah’s
world upside down. Suddenly, her seemingly happy life and career look
lackluster and Sarah sets off on a journey to transform her life. On her
quest to achieve perfection one month at a time – a happy marriage,
partnership in a law firm and being able to fit in a size six purple
suede miniskirt – Sarah learns to challenge society’s ideals of
achievement.
Filled with harsh reality, humor, and romance, Next Year
I’ll Be Perfect explores what true happiness and success is all about.
My Thoughts:
Laura Kilmartin's, Next Year I'll Be Perfect, is a hilarious, fast-paced novel that fits nicely into the Chick Lit genre. At the age of 29 Sarah is a lawyer with a small, tight-knit group of friends. Livvie is her partner in crime while Sarah's 'brothers' David and Eddie are her go-to boys whom she leans on for advice, venting, and encouragement. Sarah lives in an apartment above the diner she is partner in and while she does not have a significant other, life is good.
This all changes on the night of Sarah's fun and carefree 29th birthday party. Sarah's happiness is drastically altered when Livvie presents to her a list Sarah made when she turned 25. Included in the list were goals that she hoped to have accomplished by the age of 30. Reading the list, Sarah realizes that not much had changed in the 5 years that had passed (except for getting rid of her cheating boyfriend.) Looking over the list, Sarah decides she has 1 year to accomplish the goals she made for herself. What happens next is a funny story following the sarcastic and sometimes bad-tempered Sarah as she tries to accomplish her goals. To make her list more easily attainable, Sarah decides that she will probably not be able to reach her goal of sleeping with George Clooney, so she reluctantly marks it off her list.
I absolutely loved the back story that Kilmartin created for Sarah. Sarah's father is best friends with his partner on the police force, Jeremy. Unfortunately, one evening Sarah's mother and Jeremy's wife are killed in a car accident. The two men, not knowing what else to do, decide to raise their children in a pieced together family. Jeremy's sons, David and Eddie, are like the brother's Sarah never had.
From my own personal experience I can say that 30 definitely sneaks up on you. Yesterday it seemed like I was 21, today 30. When I turned 29 I immediately began to grieve for my twenties, even with a year left. I didn't think about the 365 awesome days I had left being twenty-something. Instead, I felt the clock and calendar ticking towards the horrible June day when I would officially be OLD. I feel that Sarah felt this way as well and handled her last year in her twenties much the same. Instead of focusing on making 29 a GREAT year, she was intent on having the perfect life by the age of 30. As long as she was checking off items on her list, she was on track. However, by the time Sarah reached age 30, she realized the goals on her list didn't make her successful or happy.
Laura KilMartin's novel, Next Year I'll Be Perfect, is a funny and warm read that I recommend to all Chick Lit lovers. Easily read in an evening or two, you will find a constant smile on your face as you take in KilMartin's witty dialogue, heartwarming characters, and the hilarious situations Sarah finds herself in. Enjoy!
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| Laura Kilmartin |
Thank you Candace! I'm so glad you enjoyed the book!
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