Scan barcode
vlreid's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely love the fact that my final book of 2023 is another 5-star book! This is the second book in Marisa de los Santos' "Love Walked In" series; I read the first one a couple of years ago.
Some of the same characters are included in this book, plus several new ones. The plot revolves around Cornelia, who has moved to suburban Philadelphia with her husband, Teo. After a few false starts, she makes friends with her neighbor, Piper. She also meets Lake in the grocery and they immediately connect. Not everything is going smoothly for these women; they are each having a challenging year for a variety of reasons. I laughed, I cried, and I couldn't stop reading the book.
De los Santos' writing is incredible -- sharp, witty dialog; elaborate descriptions; wonderful language. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more by this talented author!
Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.
Some of the same characters are included in this book, plus several new ones. The plot revolves around Cornelia, who has moved to suburban Philadelphia with her husband, Teo. After a few false starts, she makes friends with her neighbor, Piper. She also meets Lake in the grocery and they immediately connect. Not everything is going smoothly for these women; they are each having a challenging year for a variety of reasons. I laughed, I cried, and I couldn't stop reading the book.
De los Santos' writing is incredible -- sharp, witty dialog; elaborate descriptions; wonderful language. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more by this talented author!
Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.
utahmomreads's review
4.0
Cornelia Brown has just moved to the suburbs and been instantly snubbed by her neighbor Piper. Piper is the Queen Bee of the neighborhood. She's judgmental, sharp and apparently has it all together. Immediately at odds, Cornelia has found a nemesis before she's made a friend. But after a chance encounter with Lake at the grocery store, Cornelia is sure she's found the perfect friend. She and Lake have a lot in common and hit it off but she's not fully comfortable when it becomes clear that Lake isn't being fully honest with her.
Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos is a novel about interactions and relationships. Full of flawed characters who make mistakes and keep secrets and serve a friend and comfort each other. The characters are so real that they could be people in your own neighborhood.
I was drawn to the author's style. Cornelia's tangential and at time self-aware voice is refreshing. She's witty and doesn't take herself too seriously. Just when you think she's impervious, she becomes entirely human and collapsible. I greatly admired her character and wished I could have been more like her when I had my own meeting with a woman I hoped would be a friend and definitely wasn't.
The story is told from the perspective of Cornelia, her nemesis Piper and Lake's thirteen year old son Dev. I instantly liked Cornelia (I am familiar with her from de los Santos's novel Love Walked In). Piper is a character that I had to grow to love but I was constantly amused by her. Piper becomes a fully fleshed-out human being. She feels real to me--imperfect, judgmental and at the same time selfless and loving.
Overall, I adored this novel. I felt empathy for the characters. There is a revelation in the novel that initially worried me that the entire book would be ruined but it came together and after rereading some earlier sections, I appreciated how the situation was handled.
There is a lot of swearing in the novel which definitely turned off several members of the book club.
Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos is a novel about interactions and relationships. Full of flawed characters who make mistakes and keep secrets and serve a friend and comfort each other. The characters are so real that they could be people in your own neighborhood.
I was drawn to the author's style. Cornelia's tangential and at time self-aware voice is refreshing. She's witty and doesn't take herself too seriously. Just when you think she's impervious, she becomes entirely human and collapsible. I greatly admired her character and wished I could have been more like her when I had my own meeting with a woman I hoped would be a friend and definitely wasn't.
The story is told from the perspective of Cornelia, her nemesis Piper and Lake's thirteen year old son Dev. I instantly liked Cornelia (I am familiar with her from de los Santos's novel Love Walked In). Piper is a character that I had to grow to love but I was constantly amused by her. Piper becomes a fully fleshed-out human being. She feels real to me--imperfect, judgmental and at the same time selfless and loving.
Overall, I adored this novel. I felt empathy for the characters. There is a revelation in the novel that initially worried me that the entire book would be ruined but it came together and after rereading some earlier sections, I appreciated how the situation was handled.
There is a lot of swearing in the novel which definitely turned off several members of the book club.
abbywebb's review
4.0
[b:Belong to Me|2113410|Belong to Me A Novel|Marisa de los Santos|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1204946187s/2113410.jpg|2212314] started off as another chick-lit novel but quickly developed into much more. The story was told from the point of view of three characters: two thirty-something women neighbours, and one 13 year old genius.
It took a while for the characters to really intertwine but what resulted was a tremendously genuine story with characters that had you rooting for them (even when they were being devilish).
This book was definitely a good summer read, and probably also enjoyed in the fall, winter, and spring. Recommended for anyone looking for a not-so-fairytale story that remains heartwarming all the same.
It took a while for the characters to really intertwine but what resulted was a tremendously genuine story with characters that had you rooting for them (even when they were being devilish).
This book was definitely a good summer read, and probably also enjoyed in the fall, winter, and spring. Recommended for anyone looking for a not-so-fairytale story that remains heartwarming all the same.
book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
Audio book narrated by Julia Gibson
This is a sequel to de los Santos’s first novel - Love Walked In - continuing the story of Cornelia and Teo. However, if you have not read the first book (and I haven’t), you can still enjoy Belong to Me.
Set in a trendy Philadelphia suburb, the novel focuses on three women whose paths cross and the unlikely friendships they form. Cornelia is a petite city girl who has left New York for the suburban life when her husband, hunky doctor Teo Sandoval, gets a new job. Piper Truitt is the Queen Bee of the neighborhood, perfectly dressed and coifed, the self-proclaimed arbiter of taste and appropriate behavior among her set, the perfect mother with perfect children and a perfect home. Lake Tremain, like Cornelia, is a newcomer, but she is a single mother working as a waitress and trying her best to provide an enriched education for her genius son, Dev.
De los Santos alternates point of view among three characters, and does a reasonably good job of this. I did think that some of the plot elements were rather like a soap opera, and the competing story lines resulted in some plot elements not getting sufficient exposition. I would really have liked to read Piper’s story in more depth – that would be an interesting novel all on its own. I did enjoy the writing; occasional phrases really caught my attention (“a confetti of noise” for example). I was engaged and interested from the beginning, though I did think the ending was a bit rushed. I do plan to read her first novel, and would read other works by her.
Julia Gibson does a credible job on the audio performance. She was able to sufficiently differentiate the characters, tricky when you have so many conversations between two or more women. I thought her pacing was good as well.
This is a sequel to de los Santos’s first novel - Love Walked In - continuing the story of Cornelia and Teo. However, if you have not read the first book (and I haven’t), you can still enjoy Belong to Me.
Set in a trendy Philadelphia suburb, the novel focuses on three women whose paths cross and the unlikely friendships they form. Cornelia is a petite city girl who has left New York for the suburban life when her husband, hunky doctor Teo Sandoval, gets a new job. Piper Truitt is the Queen Bee of the neighborhood, perfectly dressed and coifed, the self-proclaimed arbiter of taste and appropriate behavior among her set, the perfect mother with perfect children and a perfect home. Lake Tremain, like Cornelia, is a newcomer, but she is a single mother working as a waitress and trying her best to provide an enriched education for her genius son, Dev.
De los Santos alternates point of view among three characters, and does a reasonably good job of this. I did think that some of the plot elements were rather like a soap opera, and the competing story lines resulted in some plot elements not getting sufficient exposition. I would really have liked to read Piper’s story in more depth – that would be an interesting novel all on its own. I did enjoy the writing; occasional phrases really caught my attention (“a confetti of noise” for example). I was engaged and interested from the beginning, though I did think the ending was a bit rushed. I do plan to read her first novel, and would read other works by her.
Julia Gibson does a credible job on the audio performance. She was able to sufficiently differentiate the characters, tricky when you have so many conversations between two or more women. I thought her pacing was good as well.
timna_wyckoff's review
4.0
just as satisfying as Love Walked In....not really super deep, but also not just fluff - a *very* good read...like a feel-good movie
alidottie's review
3.0
I remember really liking Love Walked In, so I was disappointed in this sequel story. The twists whether expected or unexpected didn't cut it for me. I didn't feel invested or interested really in anyone except Dev. Oh well. Not a horrible read, just didn't live up to my expectations. Really a 2 and a half
ptothelo's review
4.0
I'm not a big fan of the revelation at the end, though if I was paying more attention I guess I should have saw it coming. But I was really wrapped up in the characters, so much so that until Clare walked in, I forgot that the main couple in the book was the couple from Love Walked In. It just felt like a different book and the the characters felt richer and there were more interesting conflicts and some people went through some unexpected changes. I couldn't put it down, even when I wanted to shut my eyes there close to the end.
melanie_books's review against another edition
5.0
In a delightful follow up to Love Walked In, Cornelia's story is continued as she and Teo move to the suburbs and begin to build a life there. Cornelia envisions finding the companionship her mom had in her neighborhood but is disappointed when her neighbors, led by the perfect but snippy Piper, don't welcome her with open arms. She finally finds a friend in Lake, a single mom to Dev, a sweet and smart 13 year old. But not everything is as it seems: perfect Piper's life and marriage is falling apart and Lake seems to be keeping secrets.
I was excited to continue Cornelia's story but a bit trepidatious since sequels are not always as good. However, I thought that this story was an excellent follow up to Love Walked In. Same snappy storytelling, fantastic storytellers, and the occasional heartbreaking plot twist. I love how the author explored the importance of female friendships and their need for transparency. Dev was a little darling and his relationship with Clare was cute and sweet. The plot twist was great and very well set up - making the reader understand all sides of the situation and thus making it even more sad. The resolution at the end was great, but as with any beautiful story, left me wanting more!
I was excited to continue Cornelia's story but a bit trepidatious since sequels are not always as good. However, I thought that this story was an excellent follow up to Love Walked In. Same snappy storytelling, fantastic storytellers, and the occasional heartbreaking plot twist. I love how the author explored the importance of female friendships and their need for transparency. Dev was a little darling and his relationship with Clare was cute and sweet. The plot twist was great and very well set up - making the reader understand all sides of the situation and thus making it even more sad. The resolution at the end was great, but as with any beautiful story, left me wanting more!
shirleytupperfreeman's review
A great read. Will be on my favorite books of the year list.