Book Review: Georgie, All Along
I received this galley in exchange for an honest review.
Author: Kate Clayborn
Genre: Romance
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publish Date: January 24, 2023
Format: eBook
★★★★★
This book is perfect for those that like: Charming but chaotic parents, giant fluff ball dogs that fart, female friendships
You might not like this book if you aren’t into: Parental abuse, mentions of cancer, or mentions of possible SA
Favorite Line: “This is a one-way sorry.” ~ Levi Fanning
The Book
Longtime personal assistant Georgie Mulcahy has made a career out of putting others before herself. When an unexpected upheaval sends her away from her hectic job in L.A. and back to her hometown, Georgie must confront an uncomfortable truth: her own wants and needs have always been a disconcertingly blank page.
But then Georgie comes across a forgotten artifact--a "friendfic" diary she wrote as a teenager, filled with possibilities she once imagined. To an overwhelmed Georgie, the diary's simple, small-scale ideas are a lifeline--a guidebook for getting started on a new path.
Georgie's plans hit a snag when she comes face to face with an unexpected roommate--Levi Fanning, one-time town troublemaker, and current town hermit. But this quiet, grouchy man is more than just his reputation, and he offers to help Georgie with her quest. As the two make their way through her wishlist, Georgie begins to realize that what she truly wants might not be in the pages of her diary after all, but right by her side--if only they can both find a way to let go of the pasts that hold them back.
Honest and deeply emotional, Georgie, All Along is a smart, tender must-read for everyone who's ever wondered about the life that got away . . .
my thoughts
How do you talk about a book that you absolutely fall in love with from cover to cover? I mean, talking about books we dislike is so easy - words flow, examples of “things gone wrong” jump out - it’s all just so effortless to break down what we don’t like about a book. But when we love it? When it consumes us and imprints on our hearts? Yeah, that’s hard to put into words.
I mean, I want to be eloquent and tell you about how masterful Kate Clayborn is at writing character-driven stories where people are complicated and messy and move too fast and also too slow and how they make me cackle but also leave me breathless and raw. I want to give you thoughtful commentary on how she can take a well-worn trope of “moving back home to reset your life” and turn it into a deeply layered look at what it means to truly get to know yourself and have the courage to let others know you, past mistakes and all. I want to write paragraphs about the way her words unlock things I thought were carefully hidden deep in my brain and how she not only gives a voice to those unsaid feelings but also leaves me feeling seen. But like Levi, when he’s in the middle of fussing over his feelings for Georgie, I’m being fussy about my words. Nothing seems right. Nothing seems to encompass how good this book is and how much I loved it.
Y’all, I know this is so far removed from any sort of real review because I’m talking about this book so abstractly, but again, HOW do you put into words that this book left me vulnerable, full of hope, and in love with love without giving away all the goodness of all that is Georgie and Levi and their love story?
In the end, this book is one of those that you need to go in with little more than the summary and let it unfold on you. Plots, characters, tropes, all of it seems on the surface like you know what you’ve signed up for, but I promise you that if you put your trust into Kate Clayborn, she will guide you through this story in the most beautifully frustrating, but gentle, absolutely-couldn’t-have-happened-any-other-way (just be patient!) way.
more about the Author
Kate Clayborn is the critically acclaimed author of seven novels. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Oprah Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Bookpage, and more. By day she works in education, and by night (and sometimes, by very early morning) she writes contemporary romances about smart, strong, modern heroines who face the world alongside true friends and complicated families. She resides in Virginia with her husband and their dog.