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Dear Will
A delightful new twist on the comedy of manners, Dear Will is a wry look at love lost and found through the eyes of a perplexed but altogether charming man. At forty-one, Will Gerard's life finally seems to be coming together. He has worked in publishing for years, but only now as a newly minted literary agent based in his hometown of Washington, D.C., has he struck pay dirt. A couple of high-profile sales and a glowing profile of Will in The Washington Post have lent him a measure of fame -- not to mention a flood of mail in the form of unpublishable manuscripts and query letters.
But one letter Will receives is different: It is from a young woman who hints that he might be her biological father. This news plunges Will headlong into his own past, to the childhood he spent in Bangkok, Thailand, during the Vietnam War and the girl he met there (and years later abandoned), who may be the mother of this young woman. What makes Will's personal journey all the more wrenching and poignant is that it comes in the midst of another pressing dialogue about fatherhood. Six weeks earlier, Will met Annie Leonard, the woman of his dreams, who is childless -- and anxious to become a mother herself.
Dear Will explores the myths and challenges of modern romance and parenthood from the man's point of view. Author Karl Ackerman has written a funny, perceptive, and honest book about family -- the one you're born into, and the one you create.
But one letter Will receives is different: It is from a young woman who hints that he might be her biological father. This news plunges Will headlong into his own past, to the childhood he spent in Bangkok, Thailand, during the Vietnam War and the girl he met there (and years later abandoned), who may be the mother of this young woman. What makes Will's personal journey all the more wrenching and poignant is that it comes in the midst of another pressing dialogue about fatherhood. Six weeks earlier, Will met Annie Leonard, the woman of his dreams, who is childless -- and anxious to become a mother herself.
Dear Will explores the myths and challenges of modern romance and parenthood from the man's point of view. Author Karl Ackerman has written a funny, perceptive, and honest book about family -- the one you're born into, and the one you create.
320 pages, Paperback
First published April 10, 2000
21 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 28, 2011
A good ending, but the journey to it is such a convoluted mess that it is just not worth it.
May 28, 2022
too much-
February 9, 2017
I liked the insider stuff about writing and publishing, but the main character's actual story arch was kind of boring.
July 18, 2024
I really wanted to dislike Will Gerard through most of this book. Knowing what he was really thinking helped his case somewhat. It's like a coming of age story for a 40 year old man. It was well written and held my interest. It ended well even though it didn't really tie up all the loose ends.
Will Gerard is a literary agent (fascination job). Who has some major commitment issues. He meets the woman of his dreams but can't handle it because he's obviously a commitmentphobe. Shortly after, he gets a letter from a young woman who is possibly his daughter. The resulting crisis is humorous and sad at the same time. I wanted to slap the man through most of the book.
Ok so maybe I still don't completely like him, but I do feel some sympathy.
Will Gerard is a literary agent (fascination job). Who has some major commitment issues. He meets the woman of his dreams but can't handle it because he's obviously a commitmentphobe. Shortly after, he gets a letter from a young woman who is possibly his daughter. The resulting crisis is humorous and sad at the same time. I wanted to slap the man through most of the book.
Ok so maybe I still don't completely like him, but I do feel some sympathy.
April 13, 2009
This was something I plucked off the library shelf, mostly because I don't know if I've ever read a book about a literary agent before. I ended up liking it more than I thought I would.
Can men write chic lit? Because that's a bit what this felt like. The main romantic interest in the story, though, seemed oddly underwritten. Ackerman doesn't devote much time or energy to explaining why Will fell for Annie; he just tells us he did and moves on. And even the major plot about finding out he may have a child was slightly underwritten. The thing that kept me reading, though, was the relationship with his nephew, Teddy, which was warm and engaging. Teddy and Will's relationship was the real love story for me, here, and the reason I kept reading.
Can men write chic lit? Because that's a bit what this felt like. The main romantic interest in the story, though, seemed oddly underwritten. Ackerman doesn't devote much time or energy to explaining why Will fell for Annie; he just tells us he did and moves on. And even the major plot about finding out he may have a child was slightly underwritten. The thing that kept me reading, though, was the relationship with his nephew, Teddy, which was warm and engaging. Teddy and Will's relationship was the real love story for me, here, and the reason I kept reading.
November 16, 2016
An interesting book. An interesting read. The author writes well and the story from the main character's viewpoint is quite good. I guess one could classify this book as a romance as Will struggles with his emotions and his feelings for Annie. Does he want to be a father? Does he want to get married? Annie makes him feel like he has never felt before. While he loves his current life and recognizes that he would have quite a different life with Annie he feels somehow whole when he is with her. Will finds that he truly loves Annie but it means that he would give up what he has now. Quite a strange situation for a forty year old man. I liked this read. It's well done and thoughtful.
November 15, 2008
Chick lit featuring a 41 yr old guy as the protagonist. He spends much time being concerned over the possible failure of the main love affair but since we never really see them in the relationship, it's hard to care much what happens. Just wasn't as interesting as the cover made it sound.
December 19, 2014
I liked this book. It is a story of a normal man and a normal woman who fall in love and have to deal with stuff in the past in order to build the future.
December 31, 2011
This was interesting and bittersweet.
March 23, 2013
40 Yr Old Literary Agent Finds Love and Races Against Biological Clock
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews