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Today I will discuss "Heart of the Matter" by Emily Giffin - a book that was sent to me as a wonderful surprise from Jonita the Book Chick. In fact, she and her sister-in-law even met the author recently and had her sign the book's copy. Read about the experience here. I'm also going to share a delicious banana toffee squares recipe with you.
WARNING: There are spoilers that I mention about this book!
Do you know the clear signs of a well written story and carefully developed characters? I think it occurs when you find yourself saying things like, "Gosh, that could be me!" or "Holy crap, that sounds just like what I've said or done!" That is how I felt while reading (or listening to I should clarify, since it was technically an audiobook on CD) "Heart of the Matter".
I really enjoyed the novel although I'll admit that it took me the first two CD's before I got into it... but once I reached the third CD and then the fourth, I was listening to one and a half CD's per day until I finished the book. I used my daughter Vivian's two-hour naptime as my window of uninterrupted opportunity.
The book involves two women, Tessa and Valerie, and the story is told from their different points of view. Without realizing it, the ladies are connected through Tessa's husband Nick Russo who becomes the surgeon of Valerie's son Charlie after a burn accident occurs. Nick and Valerie-- the single mom attorney-- form a friendship that eventually crosses the line into something more, even passionate.
Meanwhile, Tessa is juggling the stay-at-home motherhood life - raising two young children after she decided to quit her teaching job. She struggles with her new identity and becomes a bit lost as the surgeon's wife whom she never sees. Her bitterly divorced mother warns her about the choices she makes, about deciding to stay home and becoming an idle housewife.
Once Nick admits his infidelity to Tessa, both she and Valerie take a hard look at their lives and what they will do next. Each questions their own heart and happiness -- what it will take for them each to feel whole again. The author, Giffin, did an excellent job at offering little insights into each main character.
It was scary how much I identified with Tessa.... the panicky housewife and mom who often can't hold it together. She left her job to spend time at home and because the career stressed her out. Yet being at home also proves to be challenging. I can soooooo understand this! I only hope that I can avoid the plastic friendship circles she had partaken in, along with the gossip and drama over schools. I don't blame Tessa for little rants and comparisons to other females here and there.... as women, we all do it. But on occasion, I did find her a bit too pleasing, untruthful and clingy.
I felt sorry for Valerie and her situation as well - being stuck in a hospital for months wondering if her son's face and hand would return to normal after that horrible fire accident at a friend's house. However, I never excused her for what she did -- becoming involved with a married man. And yet Giffin did such a convincing writeup for all the reasons why it happened that you do become lost in the passion. I was sympathetic but not completely understanding of the unfolding events.
The most interesting part to me regarding the whole book though was the role reversals of the female leads at the end -- how strong Tessa and confident ended up being in the final chapters when throughout the story she was always falling apart. And how Valerie was so confident and together in the beginning but then she fell apart and became so vulnerable at the end. These traits of both women is what affected and attracted Nick to each of them. And ultimately what determined the outcome of their love triangle.
As I read about the lives of each women, I found myself thinking of my own life. I began asking Kirk if he's happy in our marriage, making sure I'm doing everything I can for him and our family as a stay at home mom and wife. Hahaha, that may sound crazy I guess.... I know he is happy and satisfied with our roles right now. He tells me that sentiment quite often. Yet something about the similarities between Tessa and me made me question my own situation and how I treat Kirk when he comes home from work on a busy day. But that just marks the details of a great writer.... Emily Giffin had me so caught up in the characters that I began reflecting on my own life!
Overall, I would recommend this book to others, especially those who enjoy women's fiction (aka chick lit). Even though I wish some things ended differently in the story, I'd tell my friends about this novel and I would definitely consider reading more of Emily Giffin's books. Her themes of lost identity, motherhood struggles and the quest for happiness are ones that many of us can relate to in our lives.
What I like about a book on CD like this one is that while I listen, I can bake, clean the kitchen, fold laundry, or do whatever I want. Actress Cynthia Nixon did a great job reading the novel and altering her voices a bit. However, I wonder if I'd view the characters in quite the same way.... Tone and sarcasm are inflected so I question if I'd view the undertones in the same manner that Nixon did. Regardless, I would obtain an audio book again because it is a fun way to listen to a story while getting things done around the house.
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Throughout the book, holidays and family gatherings were mentioned. The hospitality among family and friends made me think of comfort foods, especially desserts. Then I happen to come across a delicious sounding recipe called "Banana Toffee Cake" that I just recently tried.
This scrumptious dish seemed like something that Tessa or Valerie would enjoy. I altered it to become the below-listed perfect dessert, cut into squares. Kirk loved it so much. He even called it an "orgasm in the mouth" after he took a bite. I guess you could say the 'heart of the matter' for my husband is due, in part, to the wonderful foods I prepare for him. :-)
I hope you enjoy this if you try it!
Banana Toffee Squares
Ingredients:
-2 bananas, ripened and mashed
-1/2 cup of brown sugar
-1/4 cup of unsalted butter
-1 egg
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 and 1/4 cup of flour (I used white wheat flour)
-1/4 tsp baking powder
-1/4 cup of yogurt (I used Greek yogurt, vanilla flavored)
-1/4 cup of buttermilk
-1 and 1/2 toffee pieces divided (I used a bag of Hershey's Heath toffee bits)
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 8 x 8 pan with cooking spray and put it aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter, banana and sugar together using a mixer. Mix for about three minutes until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Blend together using mixer. In a smaller, separate bowl whisk the yogurt and buttermilk together. Sift the flour and baking powder in another bowl. Begin adding 1/3 of the flour mixture to the banana mixture; then add in 1/3 of the buttermilk mixture. Alternate the wet and dry ingredients, pouring them into the banana bowl until used up. Continue using the mixer, blending the mixture on low speed, to make the cake batter. Once fully blended, gently fold in all toffee pieces except for 1/4 of the bits. Pour the batter into the greased 8 x 8 pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 toffee pieces on top of the cake in the pan. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes. Insert a knife to test for doneness.
Let it cool completely. Cut into 16 squares. (I used a plastic knife for better results) Dig in. Refrigerate any leftovers you have in an air-tight container.
(Note: Consistency will be similar to a moist bread, like bread pudding BUT without the pudding. It's soooo good!)
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Coming soon, I'm going to review the book "Eat, Pray Love." I will also share my delectable Panko Crusted Chicken Parmesan Recipe with you. Kirk says it's the best chicken parmesan he's ever tasted!
Also, look for my upcoming topics on modern day friendship bracelets and why I need help becoming OCD!
Cheers and best wishes!
4 comments:
I will definitely be looking out for this book. It sounds like a great read or listen to.
I often identify easily with the characters in some of the books that I read. It makes me question my actions or be proud of where I am or where I'm going. I guess, in a lot of ways, books have the capability of helping me to see myself.
I will be looking forward to your review of Eat, Pray, Love. I didn't finish reading it but I hope to get back into it.
I read this book recently, and I think I was a bit disapointed by it. I’ve read her others, and enjoyed them, but this, I think, was my least favorite of hers! I found Tessa to be very unlikeable, I can’t say why, and while Valerie wasn’t my favorite, I found myself liking her a bit more, though not much more! It was hard to relate to either character, which may have something to do with my dislike. I would have liked to hear more from Nick’s view. Perhaps alternating the chapters between him, Tessa and Valerie would have been better, because I saw almost nothing from him! Also, there didn’t seem to be a whole lot of drama. I kept waiting for some sort of explosion, some major action, some huge shock, but there was nothing.
I hope her next book is better…
Have you read any of her other books?
Sounds like an interesting book and your review was great! But, I just love the recipe and I surely will try it. Looks yummo-licious! Thanks for sharing, cher!
@ Chocolate Covered Daydreams - Simone, I'm going to send you my copy! I love passing along books to friends and others who I think would enjoy them! :-)
@ Marguerite - It's very tasty. Let me know if you like it after you make it OR if you change the recipe any.
@ Lexilooo - Thanks for weighing in your thoughts Lexi! I have NOT read any of Giffin's other books. This was my first so I didn't have much to compare it to. Because I listened to it on CD, I think my experience was different. If I had read it the way you did, I might not have liked it as much, I'll admit. Perhaps it was the reader Cynthia Nixon making it more interesting for me. I agree that Tessa wasn't likeable during most of it. And that honestly worried me b/c I see some similarities between her and me. So I was glad to read it and realize a few things about myself and ways I can avoid becoming that plastic wife. who doesn't tell what she's really thinking/ feeling. I also agree with you on Nick -- it would have been nice to hear his point of view. I was also a little disappointed by the ending. I felt that Valerie's situation was unresolved. It would have been cool to have her son Charlie write the last chapter years later with an update on his burn scars, etc. Oh well, until I write my own book, I always TRY to find something likeable about the story, LOL.
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