Playing House by Patricia Pearson

ISBN: 0-679-31266-8 Page count: 280

Synopsis:

Frannie Mackenzie is a Canadian living in New York City when she sleeps with a guy she hasn't known for very long. When he leaves the country for work, she travels home to Toronto to spend time with her family when she discovers she is pregnant. When a mishap with customs at the airport strand Frannie in Canada she tries to figure out her life, and how this new baby (and it's father) fit into it.

Review:

While there are some definite laugh out loud moments in this book - overall I found it to be extremely unrealistic and at times, ridiculous. Although the author is Canadian, her writing at times sounds almost like she is trying to make her characters seem British. As a Canadian myself I can tell you that there are several phrases in the book that I have never spoken, or heard said by ANY Canadian I have EVER met.

The characters in the book are easy to like, but sometimes it is frustrating reading about their lives because some of the things they say and do make no sense or are opposite to what they are trying to achieve. Their story does have a vague resemblance to a couple who have found themselves in such a situation, however they act like teenagers might and you are left with little sympathy for them because any logical person would not behave the way they do.

If you are looking for a quick and easy read, and don't care about things like continuity or character development then you might enjoy this book. Like I said, there are definitely funny parts in it, and it wasn't so horrible that I felt I couldn't finish it. But once I did finish it, I was more than a little disappointed. However, this is just my opinion - take it or leave it.