The two begin a songwriting partnership that grows into something more once Sydney dumps Hunter and decides to crash with Ridge and his two roommates while she gets back on her feet. While music student Sydney is watching her neighbor Ridge play guitar on his balcony across the courtyard, Ridge is watching Sydney’s boyfriend, Hunter, secretly make out with her best friend on her balcony. Hoover is a master at writing scenes from dual perspectives. Sydney and Ridge make beautiful music together in a love triangle written by Hoover ( Losing Hope, 2013, etc.), with a link to a digital soundtrack by American Idol contestant Griffin Peterson.

More epiphanies occur until Lou finally gets it: Life is short, and real estate can’t hug you back.Īhern has a way with character, but her penchant for the supernatural-angels, ghosts, déjà vu-works against the weight of her story. His family really does need him, he realizes, and he really does love them. The cloning helps Lou see the error of his ways. Take one, and just for the night he can clone himself, close two business deals at the same time, then go out to celebrate while also heading home to tend to his sick wife and daughter. This leads Gabe, who’s friendly in a sanctimonious, might-be-an-angel kind of way, to give Lou magic pills. As the novel unfolds, two things become clear: Lou is so busy that he needs to be in two places at once, and Gabe is able to magically be in two places at once. Thinking it might be handy to have someone with Gabe’s powers of observation on hand, Lou gets him a job in the mailroom. They strike up a conversation, and Gabe (short for Gabriel-get it?) reveals that Lou’s boss is having secret lunches with Lou’s rival. On a cold December morning, he buys a coffee for the young homeless man in front of his Dublin office building. Wealthy executive Lou Suffern neglects his children and cheats on his wife his only friend is his all-consuming ambition. Ahern encourages readers to appreciate the important things (tradition, home, family, etc.). The author’s variation on A Christmas Carol isn’t subtle. Light holiday fare with a Lesson from Irish bestseller Ahern ( Thanks for the Memories, 2009, etc.).

The Gift by Cecelia Ahern