May 19, 2012

Seven Year Switch Switch Paperback

"[A] lively, warm-hearted look at altering courses mid-life."
--People
Just when she's at long last figured out how to manage on her own, Jill Murray's ex-husband, Seth, is back --crashing into the man-free existence Jill and her ten-year-old daughter, Anastasia, have built so carefully. Jill's life just hasn't turned out rather the way she'd planned. By now, she'd hoped to be jetting around the world as a high-end cultural coach. Instead, she's answering phones for a local travel agency and instructing cooking classes at the community center. Enter free-spirited enterpriser Billy who hires Jill as a consultant for an upcoming business trip. Suddenly, her no-boys-allowed life is anything but.

They say that each seven years you become a altogether new person, but Jill isn't sure she's ready to make the leap. It takes a Costa Rican getaway to help her make a choice--not so much amongst the two men in her life, but amongst the woman she is and the woman she wants to be.

Praise for Seven Year Switch

"Charming, engagingly quirky, and full of fun, Claire Cook just gets it."
--Meg Cabot, bestselling author of The Princess Diaries

"Cook produces an impossible-not-to-love cast of imperfect, funny, wistful, and wise characters." --Publishers Weekly

"Reading Claire Cook might be the most fun you have all summer."
--Elin Hilderbrand, bestselling author of The Castaways

"With wit and tenderness, Claire Cook sweeps us into the life of Jill Murray, a feisty single mom attempting to stitch together a future after being abandoned by her husband. This is a delightful story of love, loss, and the surprising events that healed her heart. I cheered for Jill the entire way." - Beth Hoffman, NYT bestselling author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt

"A perfective beach read. Claire Cook once again demonstrates that she's a master in creating funny, warm, relatable characters you root for from the very firstborn page." - Allison Winn Scotch, NYT bestselling author of The One That I Want

"Smart, genuinely hilarious, and exclusively sympathetic. Like a hot bubble bath or a holiday at the beach, you won't want it to end." - Cecily Von Ziegesar, NYT bestselling author of the Gossip Girl series.

"A lot of fun to read? Definitely!" - Redbook

From Publishers WeeklyRoll out your beach blanket for this sweet summer read with regards to making errors and moving on. Struggling and sassy single mom Jill—left to raise three-year-old Anastasia when husband Seth runs away to join the Peace Corp—is just when it comes to over the excessive damage and destruction loss when Seth reappears seven years later ready to pick up where they left off. Jill wrestles with her still-raw anger and her precocious daughter's heart-breaking need for her daddy back in her life. Honey, if you don't pardon him, it'll eat you alive, counsels Jill's boss and best friend, Joni. For his part, It wasn't the life we planned, Seth explains. But Anastasia helps him do not forget it's the life he needs while Jill discovers letting go teaches you how to hold onto new possibilities. Cook (Must Love Dogs) gives rise to an impossible-not-to-love cast of imperfect, funny, wistful, and wise characters. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a section of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From BooklistWhen her husband, Seth, has an early and distinctive midlife crisis and leaves to join the Peace Corps, Jill is left alone to raise her three-year-old daughter, Anastasia. After she's was struggling to get by for seven years, Seth returns. He claims that he left a life they hadn't planned for, but is now ready to pick up where they left off and undertake again. In her latest, Cook (The Wildwater Walking Club, 2009) writes another endearing story of moving on and starting over. Jill will have to address the anger she has so long repressed, and at the same time aid her daughter comprise the father she never knew—but desperately needs—into her life. Jill copes with the support of a cast of witty and wise friends, including her boss (and best friend), Joni. Cook tells this involving story of forgiveness and acceptance with heart, charm, and characters you can't help but root for, in spite of the errors they make. --Claire Orphan

Review"[A] beach chair worthy read."
--New York Times

"[A] hot summer beach book." --USA Today

"Bestseller Cook charms again in this lively, warm-hearted look at altering courses mid-life." --People

"Seven years ago, Claire Cook told us we 'Must Love Dogs.' But must we also love ex-husbands?...Cook takes a closer look at a complex situation." --New York Post

"A beach tote couldn't ask for more." --Kirkus Reviews

Seven Year Switch Switch Paperback Picture

Seven Year Switch Switch Paperback Image

Seven Year Switch Switch Paperback Photo

Most helpful customer reviews

47 of 48 people found the following review helpful.
A delightful story...
By Beth Hoffman
Claire Cook has crafted another winner. With her trademark wit and tenderness, she sweeps us into the topsy-turvy life of Jill Murray, a feisty single mom trying to stitch together a future after she and her little girl, Anastasia, are abandoned by her husband. SEVEN YEAR SWITCH explores love, loss, anger, recovery, and the surprising events that healed the hearts of a young mother and her daughter.

The characters are fully developed, and each has endearing quirks, fobiles, and very real (sometimes delightfully convoluted) emotions. From page one to the end, I cheered for Jill the entire way.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful.
Claire Cook does it again!
By Candace L. Hammond
As a journalist I'm lucky to get advance copies of books, and always look forward to getting Claire Cook's newest tome. I receive and read a lot of books, but I have to say "Seven Year Switch" was one of the few of late I hadn't been able to wait to get to every night when I crawled into bed. I have very much enjoyed all of Cook's books, but there was a level of depth and realism in this story of single mom, Jill, that pulled me in from page one. Of course there was the humor Cook is known for, but Jill's life isn't easy, and we get to experience the tough choices she has to make right along with her. Claire Cook has the talent to move a reader while also making them laugh. Folks who already fans of Cook's will love it, and I think this one may herald in lots of new readers as well.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful.
Another great Claire Cook beach read!
By LUV2READ
I started reading and never stopped till I was finished. I simply couldn't put this book down. The characters are thoroughly convincing and the story zipped along. Lots of laughs, but also great food for thought. Jill was my favorite character, but I thought her daughter Anastasia was well drawn, and her neighbor Cynthia was a hoot and oh, so recognizable. Loved Joni and also loved that none of the characters was black and white. I am a Claire Cook fan and respect that she never lets her readers down but works hard and keeps getting better. Don't miss this one.

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Filed under Exported Products by Sabrina Cantu on May 19th, 2012.