[PW] Identify this novel?

[Callum Finlayson]

I don't know about a novel, but it sounds like the plot of about 50% of Rom-Com movies made in the last two decades!

Although he read it recently is there any indication of when it was written and/or set?


  Callum



>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: project-wombat-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org 
>> [mailto:project-wombat-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org] On 
>> Behalf Of Judy Woodward
>> Sent: 24 August 2007 00:14
>> To: list at project-wombat.org
>> Subject: [PW] Identify this novel?
>> 
>> Our patron has been searching fruitlessly for a novel that he 
>> read within the last few years. I am posting a detailed email 
>> he sent me about his memories of the book. The book he wants 
>> is NOT either of these:
>> 
>> WHICH BRINGS ME TO YOU by Steve Almond and Juliana Baggott.
>> 
>> LARRY'S PARTY by Carol Shields
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Here is what he remembers:
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> A list of scenes from the book I remember:
>> 
>> 1. Early in the book (first chapter) the main character and 
>> his female interest meet at a wedding dance / reception. Soon 
>> after, they accidentally meet again at a party at a friends 
>> home. The book is the story of their developing romance. We 
>> read about the main character's efforts to work through his 
>> "funny, old fashioned, perhaps chauvinistic" attitudes about 
>> dating, marriage, commitment, sex, etc.
>> 
>> 2. There is a scene where the main character and his female 
>> interest are in an art gallery discussing paintings.
>> 
>> 3. I remember another scene in the book: The main character 
>> (the guy) is in a booth in a bar, with his long time friend, 
>> continuing the on-going main theme of the book, which is 
>> "women, relationships, dating, commitment, marriage, sex, 
>> what works and what doesn't, etc," and to prove a point to 
>> his friend, the main character says he will use his "pick up" 
>> lines on the good looking female bartender. The conversation 
>> between the female bartender and the main character is very 
>> witty and entertaining. The female bartender agrees to meet 
>> the main character after work, but the main character has a 
>> change of heart and realizes he is not being honest with 
>> himself or the female bartender if he pursues her, when his 
>> real desire is for a relationship with the woman he met at 
>> the wedding dance.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Key facts I remember:
>> 
>> 1. Either the main character or his love interest is an 
>> architect. If I were a betting person, (I'm not) I would bet 
>> $100 on this!
>> 
>> 2. The main character and his love interest get a 
>> relationship going, then I think they break it off while (The 
>> Conflict) while the main character "goes through the crisis 
>> of examining his values and ideas about dating, commitment, 
>> marriage, etc. In the end I believe they get back together.
>> 
>> 3. The main character is a guy, in his late 20's or early 30's.
>> 
>> 4. The main character has a good buddy - a "side kick" of sorts.
>> Through out the book, these two men have many conversations, 
>> from a guy's perspective, about "dating, relationships, 
>> commitment, etc. The dialogue through out is quite humorous 
>> and poignant.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Not sure, but nagging fragments:
>> 
>> 1. I thought the title was "catchy" in the sense that it 
>> talked about relationships with the opposite sex. I think of 
>> things like: "Making friends with the opposite 
>> sex.....communicating with the opposite sex......
>> 
>> 2. I would bet a $100 the author is a male. I'm not sure, but 
>> I think it was the authors first book. He may have got a 
>> creative writing degree of some kind at Princeton or Yale or 
>> Harvard, some place like that. I think the author is a man. 
>> From the east coast. I think he went to a prestigious east 
>> coast school.
>> 
>> 3. Adult Fiction. Romantic story. Could be called a light / 
>> romantic / comedy / drama.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Ring any bells?
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> Judy Woodward
>> judywoodward1 at gmail.com
>> _______________________________________________
>> Project Wombat
>> list at project-wombat.org
>> http://www.project-wombat.org/
>> 
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