Book Review: Wish You Were Eyre

This review is a bit longer than my usual ones, but I encourage you to read it, and maybe give me some feedback on what you thought of this book. (:

Wish You Were Eyre
Heather Vogel Frederick
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Star Rating: 4.3

Summary:

It’s a dream come true for Megan, who’s jet-setting to Paris for Fashion Week with Gigi. Meanwhile, back in Concord, Mrs. Wong decides to run for mayor, so Emma and Stewart team up to make her campaign a success. Jess and Cassidy are also hoping for victories, Jess in the a cappella finals with the MadriGals and Cassidy in the national hockey championships with her teammates. In the midst of it all, the girls—along with their Wyoming pen pals, who drop in for a visit over Spring Break—dive into Charlotte BrontË’s classic Jane Eyre. Some real life romance follows, as Becca may have found a Mr. Rochester of her own.

     And then there’s the matter of a certain wedding. The book club girls, their families, the British Berkeley brothers, and even Stinkerbelle will be attending the ceremony, which means there might be some bumps before the bride waltzes down the aisle….

Thoughts:

This was an incredible journey and a beautiful series. That's really all I have to say. Er...no, I'll say more. One sentence is not enough to fully describe this series. But watching all of the characters in the book growing up, each with their own story, but each connected with each other, it really just made we want to roll into a ball and cry my eyes out when I finished the book. I had to keep telling myself that yes, this was the final book, and that was that. In my heart I almost wish the series could just keep going and going. They're so irresistible like that.

Now then, there might be a few spoilers ahead, so if you haven't read the book, I hereby really discourage you from reading further.

I think the reason that the MDBC series had both myself and so many other people hooked like a fish was because it was so realistic (well, perhaps minus the blue goat cheese in a suitcase), and we could all relate with it. All five of the girls had their own personalities and distinct quirks that both brought them closer together, but also made them their own separate people. When they all put their heads together, there really wasn't anything they couldn't overcome.

The author gave each of the girls their own moments in the story. Cassidy was her hilarious self, making me laugh so many times in the book. I love how she was so disgusted and repulsed by the idea of guys and girls dating at the beginning of the series, and yet now she's really fond of Tristan. Then there's Jess, the shy, quiet, sweet and smart girl who changed so much to be a much more outgoing person. Emma, who used to be so insecure about her weight and her looks, she's got her friends behind her now, and she's so much more confident than she was. There's Megan, who was first a foe, then a friend, then back to a foe, and finally a friend once more. She's not who she was at the beginning of the series either. Becca that snarky girl who used to harass the others, but is now fiercely loyal to them, has also made a turn for the better, and is not longer so mean. The whole series takes us from age 11 to age 16 of the girls, and it's a huge span of time where we followed their ups, their downs, their mistakes, their laughs. It's amazing.

The couples in the book were adorable. If I every have a boyfriend someday, I want him to be like a little carbon copy of Darcy Hawthorne. He's the kind of guy who makes my heart melt. He's so sweet to Jess and is always doing his best for her, but he stays true to himself. The whole Zach-Cassidy thing was teetering on the edge of me liking and disliking it. I didn't really feel like they were a good match, but I did find it funny how Cassidy said his kisses were like a dog's: enthusiastic, but with lots of slobber. I personally love how Cassidy sort of ends up with Tristan Berkeley. I really do like Tristan. While at first I considered him a British snob (not that I have anything against the Brits), but in the end I thought it was sweet that he went to find Cassidy and they did their figure skating routine together. Simon and Megan are cute together too, but not as cute as some of the others. Stewart and Emma's relationship made me want to scream sometimes, and kick the book across the room, which was a big no-no since it was July's copy. I don't know...it just made me upset how he didn't really act like Darcy did to Sophie. Be polite and nice, but don't be drooling over her. Bah! And then we have Becca, who literally found her possible Mr. Rochester.

The only huge problem I have with those relationships is that so many of them are going to be long-distance. The Berkeley brothers, and Theo Rochester all live so far away from their girlfriends, and I think this'll cause problems for them in the future. Having someone nearby isn't the same as video chatting them or emailing them.

The ending...that was beautiful. I wish the books would keep going, I really do. I would read them if she wrote more. I am glad that Mrs. Frederick tied up some of those pesky loose ends at the end, and handing over a finished product that makes us all smile and hug to our hearts forever.

These books really are comfort books. The girls go through so many hard things, but they make it through them, and it's a reminder that we can too. I can just see myself having a bad day and flipping through the pages of Pies and Prejudice and reading the ending of it where Stewart realizes that there's nothing between Emma and Rupert, and tells her he's sorry after Emma goes through so much heartache and sadness. I just know that it would be a pick-me-up on a bad day.

I'll miss this series so much. I love them all so dearly. But all good things must come to an end.

And that really is all there is to say.