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I Regret Everything: A Love Story
From the author of The Angry Buddhist : “An intoxicating and ultimately moving modern romance . . . A story that’s all the sweeter for its shadows” ( Los Angeles Review of Books ).
I Regret Everything confronts the oceanic uncertainty of what it means to be alive, and in love. Jeremy Best, a Manhattan-based trusts and estates lawyer, leads a second life as published poet Jinx Bell. To his boss’s daughter, Spaulding Simonson, at thirty-three years old, Jeremy is already halfway to dead. When Spaulding, an aspiring nineteen-year-old writer, discovers Mr. Best’s alter poetic ego, the two become bound by a devotion to poetry, and an awareness that time in this world is limited. Their budding relationship strikes at the universality of love and loss, as Jeremy and Spaulding confront their vulnerabilities, revealing themselves to one another and the world for the very first time. A skilled satirist with a talent for biting humor, Seth Greenland creates fully realized characters that quickly reveal themselves as complex renderings of the human condition―at its very best, and utter worst. I Regret Everything explores happiness and heartache with a healthy dose of skepticism, and an understanding that the reality of love encompasses life, death, iambic pentameter, regret, trusts, and estates.
“Affecting and funny.”― The New York Times
“Edgy and sweet, witty and wise, I Regret Everything is rollicking good fun. It’s also, in the end, a deeply moving love story between two unforgettable characters discovering what it means to truly be alive.”―Maria Semple, New York Times –bestselling author of Where’d You Go Bernadette
“A poignant story of dreams and the way they can crash into the reality of the dreamers.”― Booklist .
I Regret Everything confronts the oceanic uncertainty of what it means to be alive, and in love. Jeremy Best, a Manhattan-based trusts and estates lawyer, leads a second life as published poet Jinx Bell. To his boss’s daughter, Spaulding Simonson, at thirty-three years old, Jeremy is already halfway to dead. When Spaulding, an aspiring nineteen-year-old writer, discovers Mr. Best’s alter poetic ego, the two become bound by a devotion to poetry, and an awareness that time in this world is limited. Their budding relationship strikes at the universality of love and loss, as Jeremy and Spaulding confront their vulnerabilities, revealing themselves to one another and the world for the very first time. A skilled satirist with a talent for biting humor, Seth Greenland creates fully realized characters that quickly reveal themselves as complex renderings of the human condition―at its very best, and utter worst. I Regret Everything explores happiness and heartache with a healthy dose of skepticism, and an understanding that the reality of love encompasses life, death, iambic pentameter, regret, trusts, and estates.
“Affecting and funny.”― The New York Times
“Edgy and sweet, witty and wise, I Regret Everything is rollicking good fun. It’s also, in the end, a deeply moving love story between two unforgettable characters discovering what it means to truly be alive.”―Maria Semple, New York Times –bestselling author of Where’d You Go Bernadette
“A poignant story of dreams and the way they can crash into the reality of the dreamers.”― Booklist .
256 pages, Paperback
First published February 3, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
March 11, 2015
"Our lives are lived with the illusion of control and then there are moments rare as wisdom when we abandon the pretense that we are masters of our fate."
New York City wills and trusts lawyer Jeremy Best has nearly always taken the safe choices in his life, causing him more regrets than he'd like. He does have one interesting secret: he's also a poet of some promise, publishing under the pen name Jinx Bell. He certainly dreams of renown, but beyond having his poems published in a few literary journals, he keeps his talent hidden.
He is utterly unprepared for the arrival in his life of Spaulding Simonson, the 19-year-old troubled daughter of his boss. Although she refers to Jeremy at age 33 as "already halfway to dead," somehow she knows that Jeremy and Jinx Bell are one and the same. And she loves his poetry. Spaulding is unpredictable, emotional, even erratic at times, but fiercely intelligent and immensely talented.
Jeremy can make a long list of reasons why he shouldn't get involved with Spaulding, the least of which is he's on the partnership track at his law firm and he's just received news that shakes him to his core. But he can't seem to get her out of his system, and she is inexplicably drawn to him, particularly as he encourages her to live her own life and never give in.
Seth Greenland's I Regret Everything is a story of an unlikely couple, one who is trying to be less predictable and one who is trying to take control of her life for perhaps the first time. It's the story of letting your heart have power over your head, even though that's the last thing you're comfortable doing. It's also a story of wordplay, of poetry, of creativity. Because the book shifts in perspective between Jeremy and Spaulding, the tone shifts with their personalities, which is unsettling for a brief second, but wonderful once it kicks in.
I absolutely loved this book. It threw me for a loop a few times (in a good way), and I wondered just where Greenland would take the plot, but Jeremy and Spaulding are such unique characters that drew me in instantaneously. Greenland is such an excellent writer, and his narrative occasionally has a near-poetic quality. I couldn't sleep last night, so I devoured this book in practically one sitting, and as much as I loved it, I'm disappointed it's done. Bravo.
See all of my reviews (and other stuff) at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
New York City wills and trusts lawyer Jeremy Best has nearly always taken the safe choices in his life, causing him more regrets than he'd like. He does have one interesting secret: he's also a poet of some promise, publishing under the pen name Jinx Bell. He certainly dreams of renown, but beyond having his poems published in a few literary journals, he keeps his talent hidden.
He is utterly unprepared for the arrival in his life of Spaulding Simonson, the 19-year-old troubled daughter of his boss. Although she refers to Jeremy at age 33 as "already halfway to dead," somehow she knows that Jeremy and Jinx Bell are one and the same. And she loves his poetry. Spaulding is unpredictable, emotional, even erratic at times, but fiercely intelligent and immensely talented.
Jeremy can make a long list of reasons why he shouldn't get involved with Spaulding, the least of which is he's on the partnership track at his law firm and he's just received news that shakes him to his core. But he can't seem to get her out of his system, and she is inexplicably drawn to him, particularly as he encourages her to live her own life and never give in.
Seth Greenland's I Regret Everything is a story of an unlikely couple, one who is trying to be less predictable and one who is trying to take control of her life for perhaps the first time. It's the story of letting your heart have power over your head, even though that's the last thing you're comfortable doing. It's also a story of wordplay, of poetry, of creativity. Because the book shifts in perspective between Jeremy and Spaulding, the tone shifts with their personalities, which is unsettling for a brief second, but wonderful once it kicks in.
I absolutely loved this book. It threw me for a loop a few times (in a good way), and I wondered just where Greenland would take the plot, but Jeremy and Spaulding are such unique characters that drew me in instantaneously. Greenland is such an excellent writer, and his narrative occasionally has a near-poetic quality. I couldn't sleep last night, so I devoured this book in practically one sitting, and as much as I loved it, I'm disappointed it's done. Bravo.
See all of my reviews (and other stuff) at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
March 13, 2015
Have you ever read something that somewhat mirrored your own life experiences? This novel exemplifies what I’ve either seen or been through, and that was a tough pill to swallow. More on that later. The title is very interesting; I believe a lot of people live with regrets as Jeremy did, and start reflecting when they’re near the end of their life.
"A guy can look like Brad Pitt but if he's got those eyes there's duct tape, rope, and a shovel nearby"
What I thought was quite clever was how the author alternated POVs of Jeremy and Spaulding with each chapter, and was able to write their tone and way of speech completely different from one another. I’m serious! Reading Spaulding and Jeremy’s POV was like night and day.
"You caught me, dude. You're better off knowing that people lie and life sucks and figure out how to deal with that reality."
I could deeply relate to both main characters: Jeremy and Spaulding. Specifically with Jeremy’s health issues (I had a different type) and Spaulding’s past habit of “playing with her life”. I’m not going into specifics because I’m not trying to spoil it for anyone. Their story reminds me to live everyday as it were my last - something I didn’t do before. I only wish that Jeremy fought more and wasn’t as resigned about dying (for lack of a better word). It does feel like he gave up, and I’m just not okay with that. You have to fight and all things are possible if you believe beyond a shadow of a doubt; I wish that message was in the story…
"Everyone has their tragedy, Mr. Best"
"What does that mean?"
"The awful thing that comes to define their lives. Like when your brain says lawyer but your heart screams poet."
I do admire Spaulding finally taking back her life and living it on her own terms. It’s not easy to resist societal pressures. I thought the budding romance between Jeremy and Spaulding was beautiful and heartfelt. It took its time and made everything all the more worthwhile. Unfortunately it reminded me of my friends Jen and Adriianna, who had advanced stages of cancer and finally found love in the last few years of their life before passing away. It gutted me to be reminded of that, and I cried for a long while afterwards.
"Stop acting like you're going to die. Never give in. Your words."
The writing was astounding and I rather enjoyed how the author incorporated poetry into the story. A little depressed after reading this, but I still think it’s a great book!
July 21, 2015
I really wanted to like this book.
The problem? For one thing, it was really ironic that there was a lot of talk about cliches in the beginning, and how writers should avoid them, and yet this whole story is a cliche. Middle-aged writer falls in love with a barely legal teenage Manic Pixie Dream Girl, they have an affair, tragic tears, blahblahblah. And cancer thrown in. That plot is very overdone. Not to mention really creepy.
And the language drove me nuts. I get that the two characters are poets, but, really, some of the word choices were just ridiculous. NO ONE talks like that, and it all sounded super pretentious. (The other irony is that there was a whole section about people who dislike uncommon, obscure vocabulary, and how they can "fuck off." That person is me.)
And, finally, strike three was the whole, "I just rescued this young girl from being potentially murdered and raped and now she's having sex with me." Literally no woman I know would want to have sex with someone right after she was nearly assaulted. Yuck.
I did like the character of Marshall however.
Just... nothing in this book sat right with me. So, two stars. Sorry. Just not for me.
The problem? For one thing, it was really ironic that there was a lot of talk about cliches in the beginning, and how writers should avoid them, and yet this whole story is a cliche. Middle-aged writer falls in love with a barely legal teenage Manic Pixie Dream Girl, they have an affair, tragic tears, blahblahblah. And cancer thrown in. That plot is very overdone. Not to mention really creepy.
And the language drove me nuts. I get that the two characters are poets, but, really, some of the word choices were just ridiculous. NO ONE talks like that, and it all sounded super pretentious. (The other irony is that there was a whole section about people who dislike uncommon, obscure vocabulary, and how they can "fuck off." That person is me.)
And, finally, strike three was the whole, "I just rescued this young girl from being potentially murdered and raped and now she's having sex with me." Literally no woman I know would want to have sex with someone right after she was nearly assaulted. Yuck.
I did like the character of Marshall however.
Just... nothing in this book sat right with me. So, two stars. Sorry. Just not for me.
October 23, 2015
Two stars from me, but there is definitely an audience for this. Decent writing but so very cliché ridden. Doomed 33 year old lawyer (but he's REALLY a poet) falls in love with 19 year old Manic Pixie Dream Girl (but her soul is as old as the elements.) I know there are lots of young women who find a state of arrested adolescence attractive in a man instead of seeing it for the red flag that it is, and there are lots of middle aged men desperate to romanticize their desire to fuck teenage girls. I'm really not in either of those categories so this turned into a hate-read for me about halfway through. I did like Spaulding's character well enough, although she might as well be named Holden Caulfield; those chapters were much more tolerable but still, big thumbs down for me here.
March 24, 2015
For a novel that is comprised of so few pages – it sure is loaded with a lot of ‘heart’ (and big words too). This is a simple story, in that it has a limited cast of characters and takes place in a fairly short period of time. But to use an overused idiom, sometimes less is more. Seth Greenland surely packs this story with more - more feeling, more wisdom, more thought provoking situations, more raw emotions than most epic award winning novels encompass.
Greenland tells the story sequentially from beginning to end alternating the narrating between the 2 main characters. Despite being patched together from two seemingly different vantage points – a brilliant 30 something year old male lawyer/poet and a 19 year old mentally disturbed girl – “I Regret Everything” has a harmonious flow and in fact delivers a synergistic effect to the overall reading experience.
The complexity and great depth of Jeremy comes as no surprise based upon his dual life as a wills & trusts lawyer and as a published poet. The author displays Jeremy’s expertise as an accomplished and clever lawyer and talent as a versatile and gifted poet. Then there’s Spaulding - a seemingly basket-case of a girl. Greenland reveals her poetic inner thoughts, “Consumed with a deepening sense of the great distance between here and a future I cared about, there was a vast longing that seemed to take on a corporal form and lie at my side, enveloping me, soft breath whispering isolation. Exhausted, there would be no rest. Homesick, I had no home.”
I was not inclined to want Jeremy and Spaulding to develop an adult relationship. How could an intimate relationship between these two be anything other than warped? Well, just as the story telling blended so well together – so too did the personas of Jeremy and Spaulding. This is evidenced by Jeremy’s wry inner thoughts, “The mix of bliss and terror was wholly new. How could I not be smitten with someone who after nearly being murdered references Beowulf?”
(Spoiler alert)
By the end of the novel Greenland has created a relationship that can best be described by the word “synergy” – the whole (their relationship) really does feel so much greater than the sum of the parts (their individual life experiences). Based upon their journey together, Jeremy comes to an inner peace, “I don’t want to struggle to describe things anymore. I want to let experience happen without the filter of intellect.”
Spaulding is strengthened (even fixed) by the realization that she, without the need to really change or dilute the essence of her self, is worthy of someone’s unconditional love and that, probably, she doesn’t really need to be cured of anything, “He’d even written about me and when I read those parts it was hard to not be able to thank him for getting so much of it right. We think words bring us close to people when they’re gone but they’re a comfort, not a substitute. Words can summon a memory but absence has no cure.”
My advice would be to read this novel as a poem of Jeremy’s, not as one of his legal documents. Savor it. Spend time with the artistic language. Don’t breeze through it looking for the main gist. You won’t regret the extra time you spend.
Greenland tells the story sequentially from beginning to end alternating the narrating between the 2 main characters. Despite being patched together from two seemingly different vantage points – a brilliant 30 something year old male lawyer/poet and a 19 year old mentally disturbed girl – “I Regret Everything” has a harmonious flow and in fact delivers a synergistic effect to the overall reading experience.
The complexity and great depth of Jeremy comes as no surprise based upon his dual life as a wills & trusts lawyer and as a published poet. The author displays Jeremy’s expertise as an accomplished and clever lawyer and talent as a versatile and gifted poet. Then there’s Spaulding - a seemingly basket-case of a girl. Greenland reveals her poetic inner thoughts, “Consumed with a deepening sense of the great distance between here and a future I cared about, there was a vast longing that seemed to take on a corporal form and lie at my side, enveloping me, soft breath whispering isolation. Exhausted, there would be no rest. Homesick, I had no home.”
I was not inclined to want Jeremy and Spaulding to develop an adult relationship. How could an intimate relationship between these two be anything other than warped? Well, just as the story telling blended so well together – so too did the personas of Jeremy and Spaulding. This is evidenced by Jeremy’s wry inner thoughts, “The mix of bliss and terror was wholly new. How could I not be smitten with someone who after nearly being murdered references Beowulf?”
(Spoiler alert)
By the end of the novel Greenland has created a relationship that can best be described by the word “synergy” – the whole (their relationship) really does feel so much greater than the sum of the parts (their individual life experiences). Based upon their journey together, Jeremy comes to an inner peace, “I don’t want to struggle to describe things anymore. I want to let experience happen without the filter of intellect.”
Spaulding is strengthened (even fixed) by the realization that she, without the need to really change or dilute the essence of her self, is worthy of someone’s unconditional love and that, probably, she doesn’t really need to be cured of anything, “He’d even written about me and when I read those parts it was hard to not be able to thank him for getting so much of it right. We think words bring us close to people when they’re gone but they’re a comfort, not a substitute. Words can summon a memory but absence has no cure.”
My advice would be to read this novel as a poem of Jeremy’s, not as one of his legal documents. Savor it. Spend time with the artistic language. Don’t breeze through it looking for the main gist. You won’t regret the extra time you spend.
February 27, 2015
Seth Greenland was a writer-producer on one of my favorite TV shows, Big Love, so when I heard that he had a recently published novel, I Regret Everything- A Love Story, I had to read it.
Jeremy Best is a 33 year-old trust and wills attorney in Manhattan. If that sounds like a boring job, he also writes poems under the name Jinx Bell, which doesn't sound like a poet's name to me, but it works for him.
He has minor success as a poet, and he is very good at his day job. So good that that the managing partner wants to offer him an early partnership, if he can settle a pesky matter with one of their biggest clients.
Spaulding Simonson is the nineteen-year-old daughter of said managing partner. She wanders into Jeremy's office and begins a conversation. The two have an immediate spark, and their banter is endearing. Spaulding is an intriguing young woman, and she is impressed that Jeremy is a poet.
Spaulding had a serious nervous breakdown and she has problems with her divorced parents. Neither of them really want her around, and after a fighter with her mother, she ends up living with her father's new family in suburban Connecticut.
I Regret Everything starts off strong right away with a great first paragraph, and doesn't let go from there. The language is poetic, as befits a novel about a part-time poet. And as befits a screenwriter and playwright, the writing is also compact. There are no wasted words here, no long-winded descriptions of people or place.
And yet, the characters and storyline are well-drawn. We understand fully who Jeremy and Spaulding are, and watching their relationship develop is enjoyable. After dreaming that he killed a Minotaur, Jeremy describes himself:
"The dream made no literal sense because I was a coward, incapable of attacking anyone with a cutting remark, much less a blunt object."
Spaulding loved poems that rhymed because "it was a representation of order in the universe and that was something (she) craved." So Spaulding was attracted to Jeremy's poetry and Jeremy was intrigued by Spaulding's daring.
As circumstances throw them together, they are faced with obstacles (or else this wouldn't be a love story). The obstacles are serious enough to force them to really evaluate what they want in life.
I Regret Everything is a modern-day love story that feels like a classic romantic novel. I loved both Jeremy and Spaulding, and if you are a fan of classic novels like Jane Eyre, you will love I Regret Everything. And contrary to Jeremy's motto "never give in", I urge you to give in to this lovely story.
Jeremy Best is a 33 year-old trust and wills attorney in Manhattan. If that sounds like a boring job, he also writes poems under the name Jinx Bell, which doesn't sound like a poet's name to me, but it works for him.
He has minor success as a poet, and he is very good at his day job. So good that that the managing partner wants to offer him an early partnership, if he can settle a pesky matter with one of their biggest clients.
Spaulding Simonson is the nineteen-year-old daughter of said managing partner. She wanders into Jeremy's office and begins a conversation. The two have an immediate spark, and their banter is endearing. Spaulding is an intriguing young woman, and she is impressed that Jeremy is a poet.
Spaulding had a serious nervous breakdown and she has problems with her divorced parents. Neither of them really want her around, and after a fighter with her mother, she ends up living with her father's new family in suburban Connecticut.
I Regret Everything starts off strong right away with a great first paragraph, and doesn't let go from there. The language is poetic, as befits a novel about a part-time poet. And as befits a screenwriter and playwright, the writing is also compact. There are no wasted words here, no long-winded descriptions of people or place.
And yet, the characters and storyline are well-drawn. We understand fully who Jeremy and Spaulding are, and watching their relationship develop is enjoyable. After dreaming that he killed a Minotaur, Jeremy describes himself:
"The dream made no literal sense because I was a coward, incapable of attacking anyone with a cutting remark, much less a blunt object."
Spaulding loved poems that rhymed because "it was a representation of order in the universe and that was something (she) craved." So Spaulding was attracted to Jeremy's poetry and Jeremy was intrigued by Spaulding's daring.
As circumstances throw them together, they are faced with obstacles (or else this wouldn't be a love story). The obstacles are serious enough to force them to really evaluate what they want in life.
I Regret Everything is a modern-day love story that feels like a classic romantic novel. I loved both Jeremy and Spaulding, and if you are a fan of classic novels like Jane Eyre, you will love I Regret Everything. And contrary to Jeremy's motto "never give in", I urge you to give in to this lovely story.
April 28, 2015
seth greenland's great. reader beware: very hard to put this book down.
made me want to publish my poetry.
nope changed my mind. not about his book, it's great.
too shy to publish my poetry.
made me want to publish my poetry.
nope changed my mind. not about his book, it's great.
too shy to publish my poetry.
April 18, 2020
LOL at all these reviews: When did 33 become middle-aged?
I enjoyed this voraciously on a cosy covid-stay-at-home weekend (plus a few baths before that), and I wanted to give it 4 stars. Certainly I recommend it for recreational reading, with a bonus smattering of thoughts on poetry. Two things keep me back: First, we are told that the romance is enormous in all ways, and I found the story touching, but I didn't actually feel it. Something missing for me in the evocation department. I found Spaulding's relationship with her brother Marshall at least as stirring in any depth -- and it is that relationship that provides the excellent closing. Second, unless I am missing something, which is certainly not unlikely, her poem at the end, which needed to be incandescent, was awful. I kept reading it thinking it couldn't be that bad, and I get that she/Greenland tried a terza rima or somesuch challenging scheme, but it is an embarrassingly bad poem. "At trusts and estates he did excel"? "Our interplay resembled a jiving jazz quartet." Resembled? Seriously?
I enjoyed this voraciously on a cosy covid-stay-at-home weekend (plus a few baths before that), and I wanted to give it 4 stars. Certainly I recommend it for recreational reading, with a bonus smattering of thoughts on poetry. Two things keep me back: First, we are told that the romance is enormous in all ways, and I found the story touching, but I didn't actually feel it. Something missing for me in the evocation department. I found Spaulding's relationship with her brother Marshall at least as stirring in any depth -- and it is that relationship that provides the excellent closing. Second, unless I am missing something, which is certainly not unlikely, her poem at the end, which needed to be incandescent, was awful. I kept reading it thinking it couldn't be that bad, and I get that she/Greenland tried a terza rima or somesuch challenging scheme, but it is an embarrassingly bad poem. "At trusts and estates he did excel"? "Our interplay resembled a jiving jazz quartet." Resembled? Seriously?
March 12, 2015
Jeremy Best is a lawyer by day but his alter ego is that of the poet Jinx Bell. His boss's daughter, Spaulding, discovers his identity and immediately strikes up a sort of friendship. But as Jeremy faces down a truly life-altering discovery, their relationship blossoms into something more.
Greenland has such a way with words. I read something recently praising an author's wordsmithing and that's exactly what Greenland is - a wordsmith.
Stylistically he plays with both Jeremy and Spaulding's narration opting for no quotation marks in Spaulding's chapters. Their voices are both very well established in the narrative and that particular quirk of style makes Spaulding's chapters that much more unique to her character. The interplay between the two, laid out in chapters that alternate their POVs, provides a fun bit of he said she said as well.
I wasn't sure what to expect out of this book and now that I've finished I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it. On the one hand, it's a bit of a downer. More than a bit. And I definitely didn't think the book was going to take the direction that it did in terms of Jeremy's story. But the relationship between the two characters is endearing and they are undoubtedly two of the most human characters I've encountered in some time. By that I mean not just coming across as real people you might meet on the street, but imperfect and eccentric in a way you only experience in those closest to you.
Greenland has such a way with words. I read something recently praising an author's wordsmithing and that's exactly what Greenland is - a wordsmith.
Stylistically he plays with both Jeremy and Spaulding's narration opting for no quotation marks in Spaulding's chapters. Their voices are both very well established in the narrative and that particular quirk of style makes Spaulding's chapters that much more unique to her character. The interplay between the two, laid out in chapters that alternate their POVs, provides a fun bit of he said she said as well.
I wasn't sure what to expect out of this book and now that I've finished I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it. On the one hand, it's a bit of a downer. More than a bit. And I definitely didn't think the book was going to take the direction that it did in terms of Jeremy's story. But the relationship between the two characters is endearing and they are undoubtedly two of the most human characters I've encountered in some time. By that I mean not just coming across as real people you might meet on the street, but imperfect and eccentric in a way you only experience in those closest to you.
April 29, 2015
I Regret Everything: A Love Story by Seth Greenland, isn't a sappy story as some readers might expect. It's a beautifully written piece of literary fiction about two individuals who care deeply for one another, but the odds are stacked against them.
Jeremy Best is a 33 year old NYC estates and trusts attorney, a boring job, but one he does well and, for which his efforts will be rewarded as he is on the partner track for the law firm he works for. He's a pretty lonely guy and his secret passion is writing poetry under the name, Jinx Bell.
Spaulding Simonson 19, is the daughter of one of the managing partners of Jeremy's law firm, Thatcher, Sturgess and Simonson She has spent time in a psych hospital, and her feuding divorced parents just don't seem to have any time for her. She longs to be q writer herself, and she knows Jeremy's Jinx Bell secret. Initially, she tells Jeremy that at 33, he is already half-dead, but it's soon obvious that there is a mutual attraction, especially after Jeremy learns something that makes him reassess his life.
Without saying too much more about what happens, other than the odds are against them, this is one of those wonderful surprise reads where the flawed characters just come alive on the pages. There is a lot to love about this story, so if you are the least bit intrigued, do yourself a favor and read this one.
4.5/5 stars
(library)
Jeremy Best is a 33 year old NYC estates and trusts attorney, a boring job, but one he does well and, for which his efforts will be rewarded as he is on the partner track for the law firm he works for. He's a pretty lonely guy and his secret passion is writing poetry under the name, Jinx Bell.
Spaulding Simonson 19, is the daughter of one of the managing partners of Jeremy's law firm, Thatcher, Sturgess and Simonson She has spent time in a psych hospital, and her feuding divorced parents just don't seem to have any time for her. She longs to be q writer herself, and she knows Jeremy's Jinx Bell secret. Initially, she tells Jeremy that at 33, he is already half-dead, but it's soon obvious that there is a mutual attraction, especially after Jeremy learns something that makes him reassess his life.
Without saying too much more about what happens, other than the odds are against them, this is one of those wonderful surprise reads where the flawed characters just come alive on the pages. There is a lot to love about this story, so if you are the least bit intrigued, do yourself a favor and read this one.
4.5/5 stars
(library)
March 27, 2015
Spoiler alerts, people, please. I didn't read reviews of this book before reading it, thank goodness. I didn't know what was going to happen, and it was a better read because of that. I found the surprises and the tension an enjoyable part of the reading experience.
After the first two chapters, I wasn't sure I was going to like the book, but Greenland successfully pulls off the romance without any creepiness. Jeremy is a good man.
I liked the alternating chapters - Jeremy, then Spaulding, then Jeremy, then Spaulding. It's a strength of the book that they flowed so well and provided a cohesive narrative.
The writing is great, and I appreciated the intelligence of the two main characters. I found the other characters nicely drawn.
None of the events in the book seem implausible (and if they do, it's fiction). The collection of events seemed almost implausible, but then I remembered that sometimes life is just like fiction.
Another strength of this book is what wasn't in it. Greenland didn't focus attention on the peripheral activity. He doesn't tell you every detail of a particular plot line. He talks about it when it becomes important again. That was refreshing.
March 20, 2015
story showing that similar sensibilities and interests may be more important than age in any relationship. The language of the novel becomes poetic in parts, with stream of consciousness occasionally mixed in with lines of poetry. The story line itself is engaging, two people in an unlikely relationship, helping each other in spite of the odds. The narrative is in the first person, alternating with Spaulding's and Jeremy's points of view. I rated this novel a 5 out of five, and highly recommend it for poets and non-poets alike.
(I received a complimentary review copy of this book for a book tour).
(I received a complimentary review copy of this book for a book tour).
May 10, 2018
I will say that the writing style for this book was very good; it was clean and crisp. Enjoyably contemporary. The subject was its' failure.
Middle aged man with no family or love life has an affair with hot young girl who finds him irresistible and fascinating and he improves her life in the long run, redeeming his own doomed life in the end. He escaped his bad choices and goes out with a bang. And there was such a casual feeling about it - that it was a cliche and knew it but went on anyway. Had certain elements not been tropes it would have been a better read.
Middle aged man with no family or love life has an affair with hot young girl who finds him irresistible and fascinating and he improves her life in the long run, redeeming his own doomed life in the end. He escaped his bad choices and goes out with a bang. And there was such a casual feeling about it - that it was a cliche and knew it but went on anyway. Had certain elements not been tropes it would have been a better read.
November 10, 2015
A charming book that reminds me of short stories from the "New Yorker." A 33 year old trusts and estates lawyer encounters the off beat 19 year old daughter of his boss, and their budding relationship and love of poetry form the rocky core of the short novel. Like all new relationships, theirs has a precarious nature and is further challenged by a fatal medical diagnosis. Greenland tells his tale with sly wit and tender humor that delights.
September 21, 2016
I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I loved the beginning and couldn't tell if I liked it anymore by the end. The age difference between the protagonists felt...unnecessary? I wish we'd been given more of Jeremy's perspective at the end of the book. I preferred him to Spaulding. Or maybe I preferred his perception of Spaulding to Spaulding's self-narrative. I love the title.
June 27, 2017
Witty and poignant.
August 26, 2017
I enjoyed this book so much I was looking forward to a re-read even before I’d finished it for the first time.
I’d read one of his previous novels – The Angry Buddhist, also terrific b t w – so I Googled him to see what else was on offer, expecting more social-political satire. And this book doesn’t disappoint, although it is essentially a love story.
I was immediately hooked by the title; but it threw me off balance because it implies a cynical protagonist, like a character from one of those I’m-in-a-relationship-from-hell type comedies. But the tone is positively endearing, with a charm that hits you in the funny bone, as an uncertain love affair blossoms in potentially impossible circumstances.
I can’t reveal why the protagonist regrets everything; I’ll leave that for you to discover, and please do, you’ll be safe in the hands of a great storyteller, full of wit, with a subtext of wisdom. I was completely enchanted - read it almost without putting it down. An absolute treat; and deserving of a wide audience.
I’d read one of his previous novels – The Angry Buddhist, also terrific b t w – so I Googled him to see what else was on offer, expecting more social-political satire. And this book doesn’t disappoint, although it is essentially a love story.
I was immediately hooked by the title; but it threw me off balance because it implies a cynical protagonist, like a character from one of those I’m-in-a-relationship-from-hell type comedies. But the tone is positively endearing, with a charm that hits you in the funny bone, as an uncertain love affair blossoms in potentially impossible circumstances.
I can’t reveal why the protagonist regrets everything; I’ll leave that for you to discover, and please do, you’ll be safe in the hands of a great storyteller, full of wit, with a subtext of wisdom. I was completely enchanted - read it almost without putting it down. An absolute treat; and deserving of a wide audience.
January 6, 2022
The young (17-ish) concierge at my local library recommended this to me. She was so excited to recommend a book, so I decided to read it.
The writing style was interesting. Sometimes quotes were used for conversation, but mostly they weren't. But the story line kept my attention and I binged on the day I finished it because it really was that good. I couldn't give it five stars because the author chose to use "cock" and "pussy" - two of my least favorite words during a sex scene.
The writing style was interesting. Sometimes quotes were used for conversation, but mostly they weren't. But the story line kept my attention and I binged on the day I finished it because it really was that good. I couldn't give it five stars because the author chose to use "cock" and "pussy" - two of my least favorite words during a sex scene.
April 16, 2024
I generally take issue with 30+ year old men being smitten with teenage girls.
That said, I found this book sad. Past the subject matter (which was sad), it left me with a bit of a forlorn feeling. Maybe in all the ways that the surroundings were described as being austere.
Also, the teenage girl had a LOT more empathy/sympathy for her parents than any teenager I’ve ever met. And they were pretty awful people.
That said, I found this book sad. Past the subject matter (which was sad), it left me with a bit of a forlorn feeling. Maybe in all the ways that the surroundings were described as being austere.
Also, the teenage girl had a LOT more empathy/sympathy for her parents than any teenager I’ve ever met. And they were pretty awful people.
September 4, 2021
Books don’t often surprise me. There is no clear explanation for why I liked Jeremy and Spaulding. Both were flawed characters and they let those flaws control them on occasion. Maybe because it seemed they outgrew their flaws I came to like them. That seems weak but it is the best I can do. And like any book I really like, I will be thinking and feeling this one for a while to come.
March 13, 2018
I liked this story. I didn't think I would. I thought for sure it would be a DNF but it wasn't. Once I started reading and got further into the story the more I wanted to know. I couldn't put it down until I finished it.
April 3, 2018
An offbeat book. Beautiful. So what if it's a little sentimental and sappy? Everyone should have a little sentiment and sappyness (?) in their life. I loved it. Bless Jeremy and Spaulding for finding love in the most unlikely place and with a most unlikely partner.
February 4, 2019
Easy to read and easy to want to keep reading, but a bit predictable and definitely cliche, which might just be another way of saying that Greenland does a good job of capturing Best’s shallow poet-lensed search for meaning and Spaulding’s voice as a 19-year old unreliable narrator.
May 15, 2017
Charming little love story. Started out light with a comedic tone but got sorta serious. Well written enjoyable prose.
December 17, 2019
melodramatic wish fulfillment
September 23, 2021
This is a lazy review, but the book was good, interesting enough to hold my attention. Unfortunately fairly forgettable. Mainly this is my favorite title and I love it for that.
October 21, 2021
I loved the plot of this book but I found the writing style hard to read. Very poetic but no one talks like that in real life. However I loved the ending
October 8, 2025
This started out kind of slow, but ended up so unbelievably beautiful and sad. It's a love story that isn't obviously a love story until the end. I'm glad I read it.
August 21, 2018
This was a title I randomly picked up from the library, and I am so glad I took a chance on it. The book switches between two narrators and both were very funny and easy to root for. I enjoyed being in their heads and though the end is sad, it left things on a hopeful and satisfying note.
March 24, 2015
Admittedly, I did not love this book like so many others have. And by that, I mean I might be the only person to give a 2.5 star review that I would bump up to 3 because Goodreads refuses to work in halves and whole numbers makes me feel like I'm making a commitment I'm not ready for. Also, I'll be the first to say I feel like maybe I am not smart or hipster enough to read this. I feel like to really just get this book and have it move you so, you almost need to be like a cast member in Portlandia, a show I don't get the fuss about.
There, I said it. I'm like the anti-hipster and I don't know what's wrong with me.
But this is the story of Jeremy and Spaulding. The really GREAT thing is that the chapters alternate between their point of view, so it does make for a rather fast read. I will always appreciate books like that because it's like a mental trick that keeps me reading when I legitimately should be sleeping. The only thing that kind of drove me a bit batty is that there literally are no quotation marks. Now, I don't know if it's just my review copy, or if this is a thing now, we just snub our noses at punctuation. It's very reminiscent of James Frey who uses no punctuation and his paragraphs follow zero grammatical rules and yet I love it so. I don' t know, but until I got used to this in the first few chapters, I found myself re-reading passages and determining that they are indeed, part of a conversation.
Here's what I love about the book: character development? Spot on. Spaulding is a bit of an odd duck for me, but she's quirky and she feels like someone you would know. Jeremy as well, he's trying to be a lawyer and while he's not bad at it, he really wants to be a poet. And poets really don't make enough to pay bills so he struggles with this and balancing adulthood. Together, it's kind of an imperfectly perfect match. Although the book is a bit of a downer, it's a realistic downer. You totally know a couple like this and you find yourself not sure if you are rooting for them or not because they don't make sense together, but maybe that's why they would make sense together.
I'm sure you're following my logic, here.
There are some one liners in the book that are hilarious, but they are so far and few between that you wish there were more. If there were more, I feel like I would have been hooked by this book. Instead, I'm left feeling indifferent. It wasn't bad by any means, it just isn't one that I would readily blurt out when someone asks for a book recommendation. It's one that will be on my shelf and I'll casually remember. Seth does have a website and you can visit that HERE. If the name sounds familiar, it's probably because you recognize him as a writer-producer for the HBO series Big Love. Which I didn't watch because I'm too poor for HBO, but I have friends who were obsessed with the show .
There, I said it. I'm like the anti-hipster and I don't know what's wrong with me.
But this is the story of Jeremy and Spaulding. The really GREAT thing is that the chapters alternate between their point of view, so it does make for a rather fast read. I will always appreciate books like that because it's like a mental trick that keeps me reading when I legitimately should be sleeping. The only thing that kind of drove me a bit batty is that there literally are no quotation marks. Now, I don't know if it's just my review copy, or if this is a thing now, we just snub our noses at punctuation. It's very reminiscent of James Frey who uses no punctuation and his paragraphs follow zero grammatical rules and yet I love it so. I don' t know, but until I got used to this in the first few chapters, I found myself re-reading passages and determining that they are indeed, part of a conversation.
Here's what I love about the book: character development? Spot on. Spaulding is a bit of an odd duck for me, but she's quirky and she feels like someone you would know. Jeremy as well, he's trying to be a lawyer and while he's not bad at it, he really wants to be a poet. And poets really don't make enough to pay bills so he struggles with this and balancing adulthood. Together, it's kind of an imperfectly perfect match. Although the book is a bit of a downer, it's a realistic downer. You totally know a couple like this and you find yourself not sure if you are rooting for them or not because they don't make sense together, but maybe that's why they would make sense together.
I'm sure you're following my logic, here.
There are some one liners in the book that are hilarious, but they are so far and few between that you wish there were more. If there were more, I feel like I would have been hooked by this book. Instead, I'm left feeling indifferent. It wasn't bad by any means, it just isn't one that I would readily blurt out when someone asks for a book recommendation. It's one that will be on my shelf and I'll casually remember. Seth does have a website and you can visit that HERE. If the name sounds familiar, it's probably because you recognize him as a writer-producer for the HBO series Big Love. Which I didn't watch because I'm too poor for HBO, but I have friends who were obsessed with the show .
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