Monday, July 30, 2012

Scarlett's Review of 'I Couldn't Love You More'




by 


  • Paperback: 432 pages
  •  Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
  •  Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0446584622
  • ISBN-13: 978-0446584623

My Review

Jillian Medoff's poignant story, I Couldn't Love You More, is a cautionary tale of the risks of playing it safe, being the good girl, chasing after validation and being on the fence when it comes to commitment when your heart is not in it: it is trapped in the past.  When the power of an old lover holds the dangerous allure of what might-have-been, the quest for resolution and healing of old wounds becomes more important to Eliot than living in the here-and-now with a real man, his two children, ex-wife and the problems that go along with them.

Medoff teases out the dangerous trap of the 'in love' mythology as she unravels the ties that bind Eliot to each of her family members. Eliot's inability to leave the past behind begins to destroy her family.  Her fear of being left ultimately haunts her as she reacts to her old lover as if a stranger to herself. The 'real' Eliot was a wounded, misunderstood, child who would never compromise the emotional stability of her children.  Who is this new Eliot?  This stranger?  Eliot's internal dialogue pulls the reader in to this moving, human, story of a woman's confusion on her painful path to personal clarity. The ties that bind fray when boundaries stretch too far, then familiarity becomes foreign and one stands separated from those who once shared confidences.  The intimacy that sustained her is gone. Eliot senses the Earth shift beneath her when crisis confronts her family.  

I Couldn't Love You More is an incredible story! Most of the story reads in beautiful prose, with logical flow and a well developed story line. However, I must say that I felt the ending was too convenient.The resolution of all of Eliot's troubled relationships, after such a catastrophe, seemed unrealistic.  Aside from that, this story earned a well-deserved 5 of 5 hearts!

Disclaimer:  This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  My review reflects my honest opinion of the work.


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