A man falls in love with a woman he’s never met because he reads her e-mails. Wait don’t go!! No, it’s charming, really I promise!!

You wouldn’t think a story about an adult man creeping on two women’s private email conversation would be cute and charming, but this is a Rainbow Rowell book, so of course it is.

“I know that people change. I thought … I thought we’re going to change together. I thought that’s what it meant to be in love.”

Lincoln is lost in life. He’s been reeling ever since his girlfriend broke up with him first year in college. He now has several degrees and a job he took to pay his bills while he figured it all out. His job entails reading employee’s email that has been flagged for personal or inappropriate content. It’s a night job, not much happens except for Jennifer and Beth’s correspondence which immediately draws him in.

“I think I missed my window.”

“What window?”

“My get-a-life window. I think I was supposed to figure all this stuff out somewhere between twenty-two and twenty-six, and now it’s too late.”

He spends his nights reading and falling in love with Beth. And he’s still no closer to figuring out what he wants to do in life, when suddenly a mysterious love interest shows up in Beth’s life…

“I want someone whose heart is big enough to hold me.”

Attachments obviously shouldn’t work. The premise is creepy AF, but it works because Rowell keeps the focus on Lincoln and his issues with maturities, growing up and letting go of the past. The book becomes an ode to letting go of past love in order to get ready to love again, whatever love interest is fulfilled is a mere side-story to the actual story of moving out, getting an apartment, and getting over the ex that broke up with him almost a decade before.

“I’m sort of… coming off a bad relationship”

“When did it end?”

“Slightly before it started.”

Rowell is an expert in writing charming, witty character that you want to hang out with. Attachments is no exception. It’s sweet and witty and some very pleasant hours spent in figuring out whether or not they kiss in the end.

 

CBR10Bingo: So Popular! I’ve always meant to read this, so perfect excuse!