After Ten

Title:  After Ten

Author:  Michele Shriver

Publication Information:  SMC Publishing. 2011. 211 pages.

Book Source:  I received this book through the LibraryThing Member Giveaway program free of cost in exchange for an honest review. The book was delivered through Smashwords.

Favorite Quote:  Success should be measured by your standards and no one else's.

After Ten is the story of four women who meet in the first year of law school. They become friends, and discuss where they expect their lives to take them in ten years. They agree to meet in ten years time to see if expectations meet reality. The book moves back and forth between the four characters and back and forth through the ten years telling their stories. Not surprisingly, life takes unexpected turns for all of them both in positive and negative ways. Whether or not the friendship lasts is for you to discover in the book.

This book is definite chick lit. The plot is not a new one. The issues raised - lost loves, parental disapproval, siblings, care taking for elderly parents, alcoholism, building a marriage, bonds of friendship - are common but real life issues. They are issues we can all relate to in some way. Different ones will strike a chord with different people. That perhaps is the value of this book - to remind us that no matter what the issue we may be facing, we are not alone. Others face the same things, and if we are lucky, we have people around  us to help us get through.

Overall, It's not a bad book, but it's not a memorable book. A quick weekend or airplane read.