Book Review: Landline by Rainbow Rowell

I like to read books that make me feel good. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the book itself has to have a happy, feel good story. In fact, usually for me it’s the opposite. It just means that I need to find it enjoyable. I’m not particularly worried if a book is well written or isn't, I’m more concerned about whether I’m engaged in the story. Does it keep me entertained enough to read no matter what situation I’m in? Or do I need to sit in a quiet room with no distractions to make sure I can concentrate? And does it keep me entertained enough to not check my Instagram feed? A few of my favourite themes in books are problems that need solving, romance, and moral dilemmas, think Jodie Picoult or We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. I like a book to make me think about the world and appreciate the amazing things I have in my own life, but I also don’t need it to “change my life”. I read for fun, and I’m ok with that.So, let me start by saying, I haven’t written a book review properly since high school and chances are, I’m probably pretty rusty at it! So why have I decided to write one? For a couple of reasons. Firstly, I just really feel like writing, so why not write about the books I’ve been reading. Plus, I feel that writing a few book reviews might make me a better and more engaged reader. Whether that’s true or not, I’ve had the urge to put together a review about my most recent book. So here goes.

Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Landline by Rainbow Rowell, follows busy working mum Georgie McCool through one of the most challenging moments in her life. On one hand she is about to get everything she has been working towards in her career. On the other, following that path may have serious repercussions for her marriage. The story takes us through her discovery that everything may be falling apart, and in a funny twist, shows us how she might be able to put it all back together, if that is really what she wants.The back of the book promised to pull at my hearts strings, give me a laugh, take me through a difficult decision and deliver a love story. And I'm happy to report, it did not disappoint.

So what did I think of Landline?

I really enjoyed it. It ticked so many boxes for me that I could hardly put it down. I’m not a fast reader, but this was such an easy read that I finished it in only four days. I loved Georgie as the main character because she seemed so real to me. Not perfect, but not ridiculously flawed. Just normal. Her struggle to decide what to do with the second chance she’s been given seemed like a real life situation we could all find ourselves in. This could have been quite a heavy subject. But the introduction of the magic telephone helped to keep it light-hearted.Landline was written in a way that made me feel like I was realising what was happening at the exact same moment as Georgie. It had me totally immersed in the story line. I also liked that the love story wasn’t an epic love story for all times, it was real, everyday love.Overall, I found Landline had a juicy life struggle but was written in a way that left me entertained and not feeling sad. I found it to be an effortless read perfect for a sleepy Sunday. I wish I owned a copy to display on my bookshelf. (Pity I borrowed this one from the library!) This is the first of Rainbow Rowell's books that I’ve read and I’m looking forward to reading more! I gave it four out of five stars on Goodreads.I hope you enjoyed reading my first book review, I enjoyed writing it. Let me know in the comments if you would like to read more reviews like this in the future.Cheers, Jess