Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publication: July 8, 2014
By: St. Martin's Press
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5 Stars! 

*This should be required reading for all married couples.*

Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble. That it’s been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply — but that almost seems besides the point now.

Maybe that was always besides the point.

Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can’t go. She’s a TV writer, and something’s come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her — Neal is always a little upset with Georgie — but she doesn’t expect to him to pack up the kids and go home without her.

When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she’s finally done it. If she’s ruined everything.

That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts . . .

Is that what she’s supposed to do?

Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened?

Every once in awhile, I come across a story that hits so close to home, I have to double check to make sure there isn't a disclaimer like, "Names of characters have been changed to protect the identity of the people this story is REALLY about. Namely, Jen." (Which happens to be me for those of you not keeping up.)

The first time I read the blurb for LANDLINE, I teared up. I knew this was going to be a tough read despite the fact that I'm the complete opposite of Georgie, professionally speaking. I knew I was going to identify with her and her situation like few other characters and it SCARED.THE.SPRINKLES.OFF.MY.CUPCAKE! For real. 

But I read it anyway. 

And it was like a roundhouse kick in the feels. I laughed, I cried, I cringed and loved every minute of it! 

I'm DEAD SERIOUS when I say this book should be required reading for all married couples. (My cousin gets married next week and the copy I picked up at BEA will be in her wedding gift with a note that says, "Read this in one year. Repeat every year after.") 

Why?

Be-cause, THIS is what marriage and family looks like. Only funnier and way more entertaining. 

See, when you first get married, it's really hard to see beyond the guy in the suit or the girl in the pretty dress. Heck, I could barely see past the wedding cake. Probably because my new husband had just smashed a fistful in my face and there was some stuck on my eyelashes, up my nose, and down the front of my dress. (In his defense, I started it.)

 
Every bride and groom is convinced that the way they feel about that person on that day, in that moment will last FOR-EVERRRRR!

Yeah, good luck with that. 

Especially after you factor in jobs, kids, a house, maybe even a health or financial crisis here and there. It doesn't take long for you and Pookeybear to become little more than roommates who hook up every once in awhile.

This is essentially what happens to Georgie. By all accounts (and appearances) her life is fine. 

Her marriage is fine. 

The kids are fine. 

Her career is episodes away from everything she's always dreamed of having! Clearly Georgie is F.I.N.E.

Except...she's not. Not really. And that's the problem. 


You can have hopes and dreams and PLANS, but that doesn't guarantee life will turn out how you imagined. Because Life is Life. It does what it wants. And when it looks nothing like how you thought it would, you have to decide whether to muscle through or throw in the towel. 

Georgie is no different. When faced with spending the holidays alone, she does what most of us would do. She goes to her Mom's house. There, she stumbles upon her old landline telephone and what starts off as the most confusing phone call EVER turns out to be an opportunity of a lifetime. 

She gets a chance to go back. To remember the who, what, where, why and how she fell in love with her husband to begin with. This may sound silly to people who aren't married, but to those of us who've been on this marriage-go-round a year or two, or ten (or eighteen), we KNOW what this feels like. How easy it is to forget. 

THIS IS GEORGIE'S SHOT TO FIX EVERYTHING!

Or not. 

What I liked best about LANDLINE, besides Rainbow Rowell's writing and her amazing story telling abilities, is how it makes you think. It makes you feel, but more importantly, it makes you appreciate that there is still time. 
Time to remember. 
Time to tell the one(s) you love that you love them. 
Still. 
Forever.
Always.

Read it. Love it. And then go make-out with your Pookeybear. :D