Love Walked In: Book Review

Since my internship ended [blog post to come], I have been able to read... alot. Luckily enough for me, over the past few months due to flea markets and trips to good will, I have been able to score some cheap books, some only costing 50 cents! I recently read Love Walked In, by Marisa De Los Santos, and I have to say, I was hesitant about reading it, like I am with all books that I haven't heard anything about. However, I'm so glad I read this book right up to the last page.

Synopsis from Barnes & Noble:

A tribute to classic film and true romance, Love Walked In tells the story of two women – one older, one younger – and the unexpected ways in which their lives are forever changed by chance.

For thirty-one-year old Cornelia Brown, life is a series of movie moments, and "Jimmy Stewart is always and indisputably the best man in the world, unless Cary Grant should happen to show up." So imagine Cornelia's delight when her very own Cary Grant walks through the door of the hip Philadelphia café she manages. Handsome and debonair, Martin Grace sweeps Cornelia off her feet, becoming Cary Grant to Cornelia's Katharine Hepburn, Clark Gable to her Joan Crawford. Meanwhile, on the other side of town, eleven-year-old Clare Hobbes must learn to fend for herself after her increasingly unstable mother has a breakdown and disappears. With no one to turn to, Clare seeks out her estranged father, and when the two of them show up at Cornelia's café, the lives of Cornelia and Clare are changed in drastic and unexpected ways. A cinematic and heartfelt debut that pays homage to the classic Cary Grant/Katharine Hepburn romantic comedy The Philadelphia Story, Love Walked In is sure to win over critics and readers of contemporary fiction.

My Review:

I have to admit, it was extremely tough to get through the 1st chapter, because I had never heard of the Philadelphia Story, I know some of you movie enthusiasts are probably cringing just reading that, but I'm being honest. I vowed that I would watch the movie though, so that counts for something right? I was beginning to understand the point of it though, wanting a movie kind of love. I think we all wish for that kind of romance. Marisa De Los Santos was amazing at describing the environment and what was happening to each of the characters. I enjoyed her writing style, especially giving us insight into Claire's mind, as well as Cornelia's by alternating their chapters. I did think though, in the beginning, that Claire's chapters were written entirely too adult-like; however, when I got to know her more page after page, I knew that the author had written her chapters perfectly. 

We all wish that our life was like a movie, with a fairy tale ending - music playing in the background, our men romantic, everything we'd hoped for, saying all the right things, making the night unforgettable - and sometimes even when we are the star in that movie, it's not what we wanted after all, or not what we thought it'd be. The author referenced many, many movies throughout the books, many of which - like the Philadelphia Story - I had not seen. She makes me want to go out and watch all of these movies and re-read the book, to really understand where Cornelia is coming from. 

"Love was always love; it had a rightness all it's own, even if the person feeling the love was full of wrongness" (p. 184).

"Love always matters" (p. 278).

"But getting what you love? Having what you love love you back? Oh my friend, it's a miracle; your one tiny life's head on collision with divinity" (p. 299). 

I absolutely loved the book, taking me on a journey of twists and turns. I was rooting for the guy who won her heart, since he arrived and I'm glad it ended how it did. I would definitely recommend this book to any one who is looking to get lost in a good read. I'm telling you, you can't even guess what will happen - this book will take you by surprise!

My Rating: 5 Stars