[Review] Sundays at Tiffany's - James Patterson & Gabrielle Charbonnet

Title of Book : Sundays at Tiffany’s
Author : James Patterson & Gabrielle Charbonnet
Publisher : Grand Central Publishing

America's #1 bestselling author, James Patterson, brings us a magical story about a love that transcends boundaries . . . Jane Margaux is a lonely little girl. Her mother, a powerful Broadway producer, makes time for her only once a week, for their Sunday trip to admire jewelry at Tiffany's. Jane has only one friend: a handsome, comforting, funny man named Michael. He's perfect. But only she can see him. Michael can't stay forever, though. On Jane's ninth birthday he leaves, promising her that she'll soon forget him.

Years later, in her thirties, Jane is just as alone as she was as a child. And despite her own success as a playwright, she is even more trapped by her overbearing mother. Then she meets someone-a handsome, comforting, funny man. He's perfect. His name is Michael . . .

Sundays at Tiffany’s is written from Jane Margaux’s view and third-person view. This book is the second James Patterson’s book that I’ve read. He wrote this book along with Gabrielle Charbonnet. Since I’ve only read one book by Patterson and never read Charbonnet’s work before, I’m not sure if I could recognize who wrote which point of view.

I was intrigued by the idea of an imaginary friend. At first I thought that Jane’s imaginary friend has the same age as her. The book that I have has movie tie-in cover and the cover shows a boy and a girl holding hands while sitting on a bench. Turns out, the imaginary friend is a MAN. Like a man, man. Thirty-something man. Some people might find it weird. In Jane’s situation, her parents divorced so she rarely meets her father and her mother is busy with work. Probably she needs a father figure. But I find it hard to believe a little girl like her could befriend an older stranger, even an imaginary one. Besides, in Sundays at Tiffany’s realm, instead of children creating their imaginary friend because they need one, it’s the imaginary friends who pop into children’s life. So at some point they have to introduce themselves to the children, right? Don’t all parents always tell their children not to talk to stranger?

Despite the odd, Sundays at Tiffany’s is quite entertaining. The main attraction of this book, in my opinion, is Michael (of course). I’m talking about him after Jane grows up because it would be more appropriate (and he would look less like a pedophile). He’s a sweet and nice man. He actually listens to what other people say and caring too. Okay, does that sound like there’s rarely a man like him in the real life? Maybe Patterson and Charbonnet do have a point; he’s an imaginary man after all. 

The other things that make me give three out of five for this book are the setting and Vivian’s job. I want to visit New York someday so I love books which set on New York. Vivian’s job sounds glamorous and interesting. I enjoy reading about her. Then there’s a little twist on the last few chapters of the book. It didn’t surprise me but still, a good addition for a romance novel.

It’s a pretty good read for those who needs prince charming modern-life-version. If you like reading chicklit or romance books, you might want to check this one out.