A review by nononanette
The Girl In Times Square by Paullina Simons

4.0

This book kind of threw me. After reading it I looked at other reviews and saw "this author could use a ruthless editor." Made me laugh because I totally agree, except I still was fascinated by the book. Sure, parts annoyed me and at first I didn't think I would stick with it. I skimmed some sections but eventually went back to reread as I got used to the authors style. Ironically, for a book that covers issues too innumerable to list (the biggies were alcoholism, cancer, family disfunction in many forms, missing persons, and political fanaticism), it starts slowly with Lily's life as just one big parade of nothing; her life was bound up in living vicariously through others. But I loved how the author slowly adds color, depth and detail to every character (sometimes too much!) and her plot, while best not looked at too carefully, actually works for the most part. I ended up loving Lily, her doctor, her friends, her art but let's face it, it was was Spencer who kept us reading. I was desperate to understand him, to discover if he would ever find any peace, make any sense of his life, and his relationship with lily was so complex. they both were complex. She was naively oblivious and yet saw things so clearly. She was so young. You had to wonder if he would have fallen for her if she hadn't needed someone to help her. I was disappointed with how her relationship with her brother developed. I expected so much more from that.

I looked through Simmon's book list and discovered Spencer is a main character in another book that starts 13 years earlier, Red Leaves. It's another mystery, one that reminds me a bit of Gone Girl. I found the beginning basketball game frustrating but since I was familiar with her style, persevered and was rewarded.