Free to a Good Home
Author: Eve Marie Mont
Publication Date: July 6, 2010
Publisher: Berkley
ISBN: 978-0425234785
291 pages
A delightful debut novel about a woman coming to terms with past disappointments and forging a bright new future-man and dog included.
Noelle Ryan works as a veterinary technician at a New England animal shelter, helping pets find homes. If only it were as easy to find one for herself. After discovering she can’t have children-and watching her marriage fall apart after a shocking revelation by her husband-she feels as sad and lost as the strays she rescues.
She can’t seem to get over her ex, Jay. Unfortunately, all Jay wants from her is a huge favor: serving as caretaker for his elderly mother, who blames Noelle for the breakup. While Jay heads off to Atlanta to live the life of a bachelor, Noelle is left only with her Great Dane, Zeke, to comfort her. But when a carefree musician named Jasper tugs at her heartstrings, giving her a second chance at life- and at love- Noelle comes to realize that home is truly where the heart is.
My Thoughts:
There are times when we read books that we bring our past life experiences with us into the story. Other times we are just looking for a fun read, a way to escape real life for a few hours. And then there are the times we are looking to identify with a character, to see how someone else might
pan>handle a situation that we currently find ourselves in. That’s why we all rate books differently. My opinion about a book is influenced heavily by my ability to relate to the character, to understand him/her, and to find meaning in his/her thoughts and actions. Being a great story helps too!
Free to a Good Home is a book that I connected with, right from the beginning. Noelle Ryan is a woman who happens to be the same exact age I am. She is struggling to identify herself after her divorce to a man who turned out, as a complete surprise to just about everyone, to be gay. Noelle is also battling infertility. She is the tpe of person who wants to please everyone, do everything for everyone. Everyone, of course, except for herself. When Noelle meets Jasper, her relationship with him allows her to begin to explore her own self-worth and self-identity. She learns to stick up for herself and to do things for herself - things that will finally make her happy.
I am a huge dog lover so reading about Noelle’s career as a vet tech and working in an animal shelter held my interest. I loved reading about Zeke, her Great Dane, as well as the other dogs that she interacts with throughout the book. Since children are not in my future, I really do see my dogs as being my “fur” babies.
I feel like this story was meant for me. I’ve found that books that deal with any type of infertility issue allow me to explore other people’s mind-sets and give me permission to just be okay with being who I am, fertility issues and all. The author has a tremedous understanding of what I am going through as a woman, struggling to identify who I am and what I should be. Nine years ago, when I got the news that I would be unable to have children, my life changed in a heartbeat.
I loved this book. I connected with this book. I would highly recommend this book to others. It seems that I’ve been reading a lot of books lately that have made me ponder my own life, the choices I’ve made, and the choices that were taken from me before I could make them myself. I like books that make me think about my own life, books that make me feel that I’m doing what I want to be doing; that I am actually living my life and not just existing.
Bravo to Eve Marie Mont, first-time novelist – you hit this one out of the park!
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