Confessions of an Ex-Girlfriend

by Lynda Curnyn

Ex-Girlfriend Emma Carter has a lot on her mind. Her boyfriend got a life—in L.A. Her hairdresser found God. And that extra ten pounds of "relationship flab" she acquired while falling in love with a commitment-phobe has just put her out of the running for new romance—or so she thinks. But before Emma can get on with her life, she's got to face a few startling truths about being single in New York City....

Confession #5: Marriage suddenly seems like a social disease. Even the latest bride in my family—my mother—has put me to work in the service of her wedding day. What about us non-brides-to-be? Working in the warped little world of wedding planning has only led me to one conclusion; If you don't get married in this world, you get nothing. Once, in an editorial meeting, I jokingly suggested that a woman should get a bridal shower when she turns thirty, wedding or not. Everyone looked at me as if I were some kind of nut. I am 31 years old; am I not entitled to free Calphalon yet?

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Romance, Adult

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Lynda Curnyn is a native New Yorker who hasn't migrated very far from her Brooklyn birthplace. She grew up on Long Island and has since made Manhattan her home.

After getting a liberal arts degree from New College at Hofstra University, she went on to New York University for her master's degree in English Literature, even contemplated a Ph.D until she realized she didn't want to spend her 20s in the library. So she did what all good English majors do-she went into publishing. Now, after more than a decade of working with some of the top authors in women's fiction, she has settled down to her dream life of full-time writing. In between plotting novels and stories, Lynda enjoys hanging out with her family, dishing with her girlfriends, and summers spent on Fire Island.

Reviews

[Inge (Inge1990) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I like chicklits, I didn't really like this one. Maybe it is because of the nagging main character Emma. She is always complaining that she is overweight and that is the reason why nobody wants her. Is it really so difficult to make a main character which may be overweight but is happy with herself??? Like really, 5 kilo, or 10, will not make a guy run away.... Is it really then that every girl starts panicking because is a bit overweight? I'm not, and the last time I checked, I was a girl..
And she is constantly nagging about the fact that Derrick left her. She cannot let it go. Also she has a bit to wild imagination. When she has a date or met somebody she likes, she starts imagining her life with them..
Although I really hate this, the story itself is quite okay. I will not recommend this book to somebody else as there are far better chicklits.

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like all these chick lit books, Emma is the single woman living in the fast-paced city, trying to find love -- but all in the wrong places. Especially when she falls for a guy who has made it clear that he was waiting for his big break, a break that moved him across the country, leaving her behind as the Ex-Girlfriend.

Notes: This book didn't draw me in, so I took a long time reading it (also, a detour when I read Harry Potter once again after watching the third installment in the theaters). Although it was fun, and like the usual chick lit I read, I got annoyed by Emma. She seemed to play victim to everything and was just to pessimistic about everything -- but I suppose that's what one does once she is a Single Girl.

[Maddy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reshelving to be read at a later date, possibly... DNF around page 35.

This didn't draw me back in when I put it down. Maybe I can't relate to the character as much as I should be able to? The pressure to get married is not as bad on women as it was almost twenty years ago when this was written (2002). At least, not where I live and I'm probably the age of the main characters. They sound like they're all youngish professionals in their late twenties or early thirties.

I think I was also hoping for more drama too. I read the first few chapters and it's not very dramatic. Perhaps I'm still used to the intensity of Outlander (which I finally finished) and these are just very different books. I wanted to read more classic romance so I had a better idea of what's on the market and what works have influenced our culture and writers today.

Admittedly, the title was what drew me in. I thought "Well, this is going to be good- juicy, dramatic." I wanted to know what was up in this relationship that made her break-up with him. He dumped her actually and she still acts like they are in a relationship to everyone she knows because she doesn't want anyone's pity. That was kind of sad, honestly. So fun gossipy drama, there was not much or perhaps not enough for me.

[Breanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into this book open minded ended up finding Emma to be similar to a girl I knew in real life, where everything is self pity, desperately holding on to a guy who clearly had no interest anymore, with so much winy.

Emma and this girl are very similar in the controlling the narrative factor where they try to make everyone around them seem like it's good or perfect. but also with the fact when someone else is Happy they aren't content the interest isn't on them


I was hoping to be voting for Emma this whole time but I just couldn't handle the self pity and the desperately wanting the guy she can't have.

[Caroline David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was kind of your typical early 2000's love story gone wrong turned right again. I enjoyed it but it's not the first thing that would come to my mind if I wanted to read a love story. I would overall recommend to someone else.

[Carmen Rodriguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me parece bien encaminada en señalar que lo importante para una chica no debe ser una pareja, debe ser encontrar quién es y qué metas tiene en la vida, es entretenida y de fácil lectura, pluma muy ligera, pero no demasiado trascendente...

[Tonya · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok. I like that there was character growth, but the overall tone of the book was kinda shallow.

[ValiaRikou · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be honest the hero was tiresome but the book was easy to read and fast paced.

[Amanda Woolley · Rating 3 out of 5]

An average read but quite relatable with a sprinkling of humour in places

[Sherri Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Confessions Of An Ex-Girlfriend is one woman’s journey to find meaning in the end of her two year relationship when the man she loves accepts a job in L.A. and leaves New York and her behind. Emma struggles through most of this book living a very dysfunctional life. She is stuck in a boring job at a bridal magazine writing articles that are intended to sell the institute of marriage and all its glitz and glitter to brides to be. Emma’s mother is preparing to get married for the third time and wants Emma’s help and expertise with the planning. Emma has not told her parents about her change in relationship status. Emma’s father is lawsuit happy and may or may not have fallen off the wagon (again). She desperately needs highlights, but her hairdresser can only make time for his spiritual lessons and his guru. Her unwanted single status forces Emma to take a long, hard look in the mirror and acknowledge some facts (no matter how painful) about being single once again.

Even though Emma knew from their first date that her boyfriend would move to L.A. as soon as he sold a screenplay, that event did not happen for two years, in which time Emma got completely comfortable in the relationship and put it out of her mind. Why do we ignore these glaringly obvious relationship red flags? How do Emma and the rest of us develop relationship amnesia and completely forget these events and then walk around like the walking wounded wondering what happened? One thing that annoyed me about Emma is that she spends several pages pining for this jerk instead of getting angry. I felt she should have gotten angry a lot sooner. Two years spent in a relationship, regardless of the red flags at the beginning, is a long time. The last thing I want to see is Emma feeling sorry for herself, while sitting by the phone on the chance that he might call. When Emma finally does get angry and lets him know it, I was cheering. Let him have it, Emma. Rip him a new one.

I really liked Emma’s best friends, Alyssa and Jade. Where Alyssa is sweet and kind and in a committed relationship, Jade is the complete polar opposite. Jade is anti-relationship where Alyssa is living with her boyfriend. Emma fits perfectly in the middle between them. I was amazed how these three different women could be such good friends, but they are and it works. In the early days of Emma’s singleness, Alyssa and Jade both play a vital role in helping Emma reinvent herself.

I also liked that Emma wasn’t afraid to throw herself back in the dating pool, no matter how scary it was or unprepared she was. I loved that Emma does not strike gold right away either. I really enjoy a story that is realistic and having Emma start dating after a long term relationship and find Mr. Perfect on her first attempt would not have been believable for me as a reader.

Whether we’re ex-girlfriends or supportive shoulders to friends going through it, this is a good story that will appeal regardless of the situation. Fans of chick-lit and romance will appreciate how Emma comes out of her ordeal willing to take chances without losing her romantic side or becoming bitter.

[Lauren RM · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't even remember where I picked this book up. I think it was in a basement or someone was going to recycle it and I saved it, thinking it would be a good pick me up read between all the philosophy my freshman year of college. I never read it in college. Six years later, I rediscovered it. I was right, it would have been a good pick me up read.

Unfortunately my copy is missing three pages - the three pages that constitute the only sex scene in the book. I can't vouch for that part of it.

The story is cute and the ending is a little saccharine. The writing is very conversational. It is, as promised, peppered with confessions that perfectly map out everything I never want to admit I feel after a break up. Watching Emma struggle was sometimes really hard, but she hovered between clueless and comedic and I felt like I would be personally ditching her if I stopped in the middle. By the end she seems so content that I no longer felt the need to keep her company, and instead wanted to go out and live my life. A curious effect for a book to have...

Definitely enjoyable. Personable. It can make you think but you don't have to. Felt a little like a good trashy chick flick.

[Bridget Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. The last chick lit book I read was so horrible that I was worried going into reading this one; however, I was pleasantly surprised. The author was "real" with her expectations for the main character and her friends. She didn't make any of the 3 women out to be lame or unrealistic. I enjoyed that she made the one girl single and only about sex because as most books they leave that only up to the males in the story. This book was a quick read and enjoyable the whole way through. Some things were a little predictable but it was ok because the writing was so much better than other chick lit novels I have read. I would read more of this author and would recommend this as a good chick lit book.

[Shari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma is an early 30s bridal magazine writer who has the worst luck and the hardest time recovering from a break-up. In her time of despair she has 2 wonderful best friends on the opposite ends of the love spectrum: Alyssa who's always in love's good graces, and Jade who loves to lust. Meanwhile her mother has fallen in love, and asked Emma to help plan her wedding. These circumstances take Emma through shock, surrealism,heartache, and really ironically funny circumstances.She learns a lot about herself and emerges with a profound self awareness...give or take a few psyco habits...hell hath no fury... This book might very well be my BIBLE, when it comes to heartache.

[Merredith · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a random chick lit book, where the main woman spends the most of the book pining after her ex boyfriend. They were together for 2 years and he always said he'd leave her and move to LA if his screenplay sold, and it did, and he did. It's weird, because their whole relationship seems so shallow and like they'd been together a month, not 2 years. Anyway, she's also a writer, but writing for a wedding magazine, and she whines about the career front as well. I did like her 2 friends better than her. I won't give away the ending, but it was happy. Very neatly tied up. Yes, this is 100% chick lit…not bad, but it somehow seemed lacking..

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

We all can relate to the main character. Nearly everyone of us has at one point or another suffered a break-up. I absolutely LOVE chick lit novels but this one was just Mediocre for me. I neither loved it nor hated it.

Chick Lit novels are usually brainless reads so I was expecting that much from it, but this book lacked any additional substance. It was a light, breezy read but left nothing to remember it by. This is a book I would recommend for a break after reading an intense thriller or mystery when your head needs a break and you want to clear your mind from the intensity of your last novel.

[Kristin]

This book wasn't terrible. But it wasn't great either. It was really very, very neutral. I didn't find myself sympathizing with the main character for her break up, nor did I think that she was whining too much. But I really don't see the point in reading something about someone else's break up. Maybe it's a good book to read when you've just suffered a break up yourself. I admit that I picked this book partly just because of the title and didn't really read on what it was about when I did, but the title suggests something far more scandalous than the stereotypical break up girl.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

The thing that intrigued me the most about this book was that the main character had my name and her ex-boyfriend was the name of my at-the-time boyfriend. The book had potential (I liked the way Curnyn sporatically wove in her "confessions" throughout the text) but for the most part it fell short. Her "confessions" end up being more like random thoughts, than confessions, and in the end I will pass it off as a girly-book.

[Nanci · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I wasn't too sure I liked this book. The character is very likable except for the fact that she is a total wreck after a recent breakup with her boyfriend. About 1/3 through I put it down and started to read something else, but then I gave it another shot and I realized I was looking at it all wrong...or rather that was the point of the book. The reader isn't really suppose to like the "wrecked Emma" who can't seem to find her self esteem except through having a man in her life.

[Nifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually am finding this book to be way under-educational. Like mind numbing. I'm trying to get through it, but it's hard. The main character, Emma, seems really weak. She keeps basing her life's worth on the opinion of others and her self worth on pointless comparisons of herself to others, and of course, everyone else is in a better place. I'm about half way through it and I really hope she grows some balls soon or else I'm putting it away.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Emma's comfortable relationship is over when her boyfriend moves to California for a job. This would be difficult for any person to go through. The beginning of the book focuses on this concept for a great deal of time. It has many of the stereotypical scenarios for a single girl going through this. I kept expecting something much more interesting to occur but it never really got there.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pleasant enough read, nothing memorable except for the 2002-era gay slurs and otherwise dismissive attitude towards homosexuality (the main character comes home with a guy whose apartment is immaculate and immediately frets that he might be gay and she uses the term "light in the loafers" like a complete grandma). I was only 9 for most of 2002 though - was it excusable even then?

[Danielle Foley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fabulous. Following the break up of a two year relationship, it bares all in learning to cope and overcome. The confessions are fantastically realistic and yet funny. I could not put it down. I laughed a lot and have already passed the book on to a close friend!

[Brenda Kelton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a slow read, but an enjoyable read of girl who's dealing with her boyfriend of 2 years. Many times I found myself nodding because I knew exactly how she felt. My only problem with the book is that it was so slow.

[Charity · Rating 3 out of 5]

More disappointing than I had anticipated. The characters were pretty much archetypes. There aren't a lot of memorable aspects of this book.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember reading this - but not sure if I remember the plot. I know I finished it, which meant it kept my attention.

[Allison IG: RNs_booknook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny. Any girl who's been dumped can relate to.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alissa hated it......I don't think she could finish it. I liked the fact that I could read it and turn my brain off. It was funny, I laughed outloud a few times. Good weekend read.

[Janell · Rating 3 out of 5]

not my type of book was glad when it was over but over all ok

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was just sooooooooo riveting that days after I finished it, I couldn't remember if I read it or not...

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly unique format, but not as captivating as other (very) similar beach reads.