Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Cobble Hill, by Cecily von Ziegesar {ends 8/23}

The thing was, she'd already gotten so used to pretending, it had become real. The idea of attempting to do anything—walk to the corner deli for toilet paper, open the mail, pay the bills, attend to the Blind Mice fan page, shop online for new clothes for Teddy—just seemed exhausting. She had always been the "responsible adult" in their marriage, the one who made sure the bills and taxes were paid and filed, Teddy's shots up-to-date, Stu's fan mail in order. Now she used Post-its for toilet paper until Stu brought home more. The bills stacked up under the bed, unopened, and the late fees accumulated. The fans continued to post adoring stupid shit whether anyone responded or not. And when Stu took Ted for his checkup, even Dr. Goldberg said Ted's short pants looked fine with long socks.

Besides, she liked it. She liked pretending to have MS and staying in bed. It didn't feel like she was doing nothing. It felt like she was doing something earned and deserved. She was resting.

I was excited to see a new novel coming out by Cecily von Ziegesar, because I used to LOVE both the Gossip Girl books and also the TV show. This is almost like a more grown-up version of Gossip Girl, and still includes plenty of drama.

Official synopsis:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Gossip Girl series, a deliciously irresistible novel chronicling a year in the life of four families in an upscale Brooklyn neighborhood as they seek purpose, community, and meaningful relationships—until one unforgettable night at a raucous neighborhood party knocks them to their senses.

Welcome to Cobble Hill.

In this eclectic Brooklyn neighborhood, private storms brew amongst four married couples and their children. There’s ex-groupie Mandy, so underwhelmed by motherhood and her current physical state that she fakes a debilitating disease to get the attention of her skateboarding, ex-boyband member husband Stuart. There’s the unconventional new school nurse, Peaches, on whom Stuart has an unrequited crush, and her disappointing husband Greg, who wears noise-cancelling headphones—everywhere.

A few blocks away, Roy, a well-known, newly transplanted British novelist, has lost the thread of his next novel and his marriage to capable, indefatigable Wendy. Around the corner, Tupper, the nervous, introverted industrial designer with a warehose full of prosthetic limbs struggles to pin down his elusive artist wife Elizabeth. She remains… elusive. Throw in two hormonal teenagers, a ten-year-old pyromaniac, a drug dealer pretending to be a doctor, and a lot of hidden cameras, and you’ve got a combustible mix of egos, desires, and secrets bubbling in brownstone Brooklyn.

Smart, sophisticated, yet surprisingly tender, Cobble Hill is highly entertaining portrait of contemporary family life and the colorful characters who call Brooklyn home.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel. The characters were all very well fleshed-out, and it was interesting to see some of their story arcs.

von Ziegesar must like setting her stories in the NYC area, too; this one was based in Brooklyn (Gossip Girl primarily took place in Manhattan, although some of the characters lived in Brooklyn).

It was also interesting to see how the characters all knew each other—we don't initially know how, at first, and then later we see how all of their lives are interconnected.

(and on a random note, I especially liked the meal box delivery mentions—"Full Plate, and "Grandma's House"—definitely a spinoff of services like "EveryPlate" and "Hello Fresh"!)

4 stars out of 5.

{click here to pre-order! It will be out on October 20, 2020.}

GIVEAWAY:

Two of my lucky readers will win a copy of Cobble Hill!

Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Sunday, August 23rd, at 11:59pm EST, and winners will be emailed the next day, and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner(s) will be chosen.

Open to BOTH U.S. and Canada!

Good luck!

Cobble Hill, by Cecily von Ziegesar