Book Review
Grade: A
M-I-S-T-A-K-E – is what it would be to not read this book.
That was the code Meg snuck into the wedding program for Reid Sutherland. meg is an artist who focuses on hand lettering – she is much in demand for her skills particularly in making custom planners. Her life took off after the New York Times profiled her as the “Planner of Park Slope.” Reid Sutherland is a quantitative analyst on wall street who was set to marry his boss’s daughter. Reid is quiet and very focused on math. He comes across as formal and maybe a little snobbish. I think of him very much as a Mr. Darcy type – but maybe without the arrogance and condescension. When Meg met Reid and his former fiance to go over the final version of the program – she knew this was not a match made in heaven. One year later, Reid comes to find Meg and ask her about the coded message in the program. This sets the two of them on a path to finding each other – and maybe themselves.
Meg is a really amazing woman. She moved to NYC after a personal trauma – to restart her life. In the course of that she manages to overcome her fears and build a successful business. When Reid re-enters her life she is at a crossroads – her roommate and best friend is moving out, after months of gradual distance between them and she has a strong artistic block. Meeting Reid and looking at things from a new perspective helps her unblock creatively – and emotionally. Meg starts out the book as extremely non-confrontational and avoids any and all arguments. With Reid she learns to let go and finds herself as a person and an artist.
Reid has been keeping a pretty major secret through all of this. His secret complicates their lives in ways Meg could have never envisioned.
The writing and story here are beyond wonderful. It is a beautiful, honest look at personal growth with an incredible side of romance and love. I also adored the descriptive elements about Meg’s lettering. Can I buy one of her planners, like yesterday??
Reading this on an e-reader may have done the overall book a disservice, however. I am guessing the print edition may have more beautiful lettering elements that weren’t present in the e version, but I wish they were!
A fabulous read.
I received this as an ARC for free, but these opinions are all my own!
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This Book, That's Life 