My Best Friend’s Girl by Dorothy Koomson is a story written in first person and the storyteller (and protagonist) is Kamryn Matika or better known as Ryn.On Ryn’s thirty-second birthday, she receives a mail from her best friend Adele Brannon (or Del) telling her that she is dying of leukaemia and needs to see her urgently. But the problem is Ryn’s no longer friends with Del ever since she discovered that Nate (Ryn’s fiancé) had slept with her. Even worse, both her friends, out of the affair, produced a baby girl named Tegan. Ryn only found out about that three years after Tegan’s birth and in all those years, she was the little girl’s godmother. Nate never knew he was the father because nobody told him.
At her deathbed, Del begs Ryn to adopt Tegan. Not only does Ryn have to relive the pain of the affair, she is now forced to take on the product of their betrayal. She doesn’t even want to have children of her own and now this? She agrees to the adoption because there really isn’t much choice in the matter and she misses her best friend too. When she first collected Tegan from Del’s parents’, Ryn is aghast because the poor girl has been ill treated (read: abused) and she is no longer the bouncy baby Ryn knew. The adoption process soon begins but to do so, Ryn would need to get in touch with the biological father, Nate. This is the end of Ryn’s live as a single, go-getter, successful woman as she now juggles between her career and being a mother to Tegan who calls her Mummy Ryn.
In between all of this, Luke Wiseman, Ryn’s new boss comes into the picture and they irritate each other crazy. Luke talk and look down on Ryn, and she hates him for that. Then Luke meets Tegan for the first time and falls in love with her instantly. Tegan becomes the bridge that closes the gap between Luke and Ryn. Eventually, his heart belongs to Ryn too. But that doesn’t mean their relationship is not tested when Nate comes back into the picture.
Tegan is an adorable kid and for a five-year old, she has amazing logic. My favourite Tegan-phrase is “Really and truly?” – She just loves to use that one. Luke’s characterization seems too good to be true but I do think overall, the book has a good premise. Ryn’s journey to forgiveness and self-discovery is wonderful. I also feel that Koomson took the easy way out in certain parts of the story but My Best Friend’s Girl is still a good read. And I love the cover!
Sounds like a good read, Alice! I really feel sorry for the child, after all she's the innocent victim. I love the cover too. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Melody! I feel for Tegan too. She's the sunshine in the story...
ReplyDeleteI read this too! My review can be found at http://a-freaks-review.blogspot.com/2007/12/my-best-friends-girl.html
ReplyDeleteYes, Cmate. I remember you did and I've read your review too. :)
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to that little girl! Not only has she lost her mother, but she was abused too.:-(
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a book I can read. I am already in love with Tegan!
ReplyDeleteThis was a really emotional, but really good read. Well worth reading!
ReplyDeleteWendy, it's very sad. Del (Tegan's mom) was also treated the same way by her father when she was younger. :(
ReplyDeleteHi Gautami, Tegan is a very nice little girl. I know you'll like her. :D
Hi Marg, I'd say that too. Thanks for popping!
That's a very complicated situation. It must be a very emotional story.
ReplyDeleteIt's quite emotional, Rachel. I wonder what I'd do if I were in Ryn's shoes. It's going to be very painful.
ReplyDeleteOne of those book that I been meaning to get copy of, but just kept forgetting *grin*..
ReplyDeleteGreat review!
I hope you'll read it, Julia. It's not the usual chick-lit but it's worth reading anyway. :D
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