Emily Giffin

Something Borrowed Emily Giffin The smash-hit debut novel for every woman who has ever had a complicated love-hate friendship. Rachel White is the consummate good girl. A hard-working attorney at a large Manhattan law firm and a diligent maid of honor to her charmed best friend Darcy, Rachel has always played by all the rules. Since grade school, she has watched Darcy shine, quietly accepting the sidekick role in their lopsided friendship. But that suddenly changes the night of her thirtieth birthday when Rachel finally confesses her feelings to Darcy's fiance, and is both horrified and thrilled to discover that he feels the same way. As the wedding date draws near, events spiral out of control, and Rachel knows she must make a choice between her heart and conscience. In so doing, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk everything to be true to yourself.

A Novel

Something Borrowed

Something borrowed

Moonie

Jennifer Gosnell

I couldn’t even make it to the end of the first chapter. The main character, Rachel, is positively insufferable. She hates her best friend, is wildly jealous of her, and is perfectly find to cheat with her fiancée. I dunno, I just had zero investment in these awful ppl.

Ashley shackelford

I really enjoyed this book; it was a simple read.

★★★☆☆
3.00 STARS 

Recommended by my workmate. It was good enough. I am not into the concept of 'cheating', actually, whatever the circumstances are. Darcy cheating on her fiancé wouldn't justify Rachel and Dexter's actions. It was just so wrong of Darcy to cheat Dex, but making an excuse out of it to betray her will NEVER be right. The whole situation was just so complex that I don't want myself in the middle of it, if it ever happens in my real life. I would definitely root for Rachel and Dex given a different circumstances, but not entirely with this. I liked the tension between them, the spewing romance and all. I sometimes forget that their secret relationship is wrong, and it was wrong of me. I do wish their relationship never started out like this. If only they discovered their feelings a lot earlier, the time when Darcy was still out of the picture, it would have been nice. Otherwise, I totally disapproved of their relationship. 

Overall, I still liked this book in general.

Alecx Motus

I remembered loving this book when I first read the series a few years ago. But as I was rereading it, it was hard for me to believe that somebody would stay best friends with someone who keeps holding you back and is constantly just making you feel subpar. I didn't feel for either characters because I felt they stayed the same way throughout the book. It was a light and easy read but I can't say I enjoyed it as much as I thought I did the first time I read it.

Lauren Grey

Something Borrowed was so much fun to read. I couldn't help but smile and laugh as I made my way through it. I really enjoyed it!

As I browsed through other reviews I realized that many others did not seem to like the book which I found shocking. The book was hilarious and terribly honest, which I appreciated. They despised Rachel and Dex which I still do not understand. Throughout the entire book, I despised Darcy. I found her to an awful friend and a self-centered human being. I didn't like her at all and didn't feel bad for her in the least (and once you reach the end, how could you possibly feel bad for her?). Sure she had her sweet moments, but for the most part she was just over the top and manipulative. I identified more with Rachel (not that I have ever cheated lol), but with having a best friend who overshadows you or just being attached to someone like Darcy (we all know someone like her). 

I'll be honest, I rooted for Rachel and Dex the entire time. I found him to be handsome and smart and sincere. Yes, he and Rachel were in the wrong and cheating is definitely not something I want to be a part of, but the situation was all kinds of messed up. Yes, Dex should have called it off way sooner, but Darcy wasn't innocent during this whole debacle which is important to remember. 

I really liked the ending (the whole book really!), just swooning and smiling and getting all giddy. I especially loved Ethan and Hillary, who kind of set the friendship into perspective. We all need friends who will just tell it like it is, but also let us make our own decisions. 

When you pick up Something Borrowed, you understand the storyline. The back synopsis tells you it is about cheating and a rocky friendship, so don't act so shocked that it happens. Try and put yourself in Rachel's shoes... I very much enjoyed this book and will most likely read it again someday!

Jennifer Eggleston 

** spoiler alert **
           I would give this a 3.5 ... I liked it and it was okay. I have to agree with Ethan, Rachel could be pretty dim for someone so smart. Sometimes I just wanted to shake her and yell, "WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE!" I was glad that Dex finally manned up and went for love instead of obligation. 

I must say this is the first time I became annoyed with a character's "voice" - first person normally doesn't bother me BUT Rachel kind of plucked my nerves. I think it plucked due to the fact I am familiar with that voice in my own life and I have Darcy-esque friends ... 

Something Borrowed is a quick read and is definitely a piece of Chick-Lit goodness that left me with some thoughts about the life I am living. 

Can't wait to see the movie so I can drool over some Dex (Colin Egglesfield) and Ethan (John Krasinski)! :)

Mounir Bashour

Entertaining and well written for the genre.

Jaymie Lemke

A fast read about new love and old friends. A great book to take to the beach.

Shannon Arputharaj

Grown up Chick-Lit is the best way to describe the nature of this novel. It was as predictable as ever but somehow it made it that much more entertaining. Scenes were described as real and raw as in a movie. It was as dramatic as possible. 
Rooting for the mistress was honestly a great relief. I enjoyed it and I'm excited to read the second one. Though, I don't think I can possibly be swayed in the wife's direction. We'll see!

Amanda Kordeliski

This is a great chick lit book, I really enjoyed it. I started it one evening and read it all in one sitting. The sequel, Something Blue, is about the best friend in this novel and I am eager to read her story next since I could not stand her in this book. It is a fast read and the characters are believable and funny. It is an interesting plot line about at what point love trumps loyalty to a life long friendship.

bailey moore

As seen on Caity Reads.

Although the plot of Something Borrowed was fairly predictable I do love how Emily Giffin wrote this. I think she did a great job with the characters and they definitely make this novel for me. I thoroughly enjoyed them and the roles that they each played in the book. This story focuses on two life-long best friends, Rachel and Darcy. Rachel is your thirty year old, plain Jane, good girl attorney who never really goes for what she wants. Darcy is her complete opposite; she's pretty, popular, outgoing, and engaged to an extremely handsome lawyer named Dex.

You learn fairly early on that Rachel has known Dex since law school and has had feelings for her for quite some time. She never really saw herself as his type. At her birthday party one thing leads to another, and they end up sleeping together. Now with an affair such as this, one may normally frown upon this relationship; but Rachel's character is one that some people may be able to relate to and be sympathetic toward; I am one of those people.

Rachel does have some feelings of guilt, but throughout the story she also learns a ton about herself, about her friendship with Darcy, and about what she wants out of life. I loved how the story wasn't all about the affair with her friends fiance, but also about Rachel finding herself. I absolutely loved Rachel as the main character. And I absolutely hated her friend Darcy, which is fine, I'm pretty sure that's the feeling you are supposed to have toward this character.

I really loved Dex, even though he makes some bad decisions, he's a great guy. I do have to say that Hillary, Rachel's friend from work, was probably my favorite character in the book. She's funny and she cares about Rachel a lot and it really shows.

5/4/2011: 
I just re-read this book in preparation for the movie. Is it weird that when I see previews for movies about books I read and enjoyed, I almost want to read the book again more than I want to see the movie? Don't answer that. :) 

I enjoyed this book every bit as much the second time around. I was shocked by just how much I loathed Darcy upon reading this again. I remember disliking her the first time, but I don't remember feeling quite that strongly. 

Great (re-) read. Now I can see the movie this weekend. :)



4/1/2007: 
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Something Borrowed A Novel

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