Dangled Carat by Hilary Grossman: one girl's attempt to convert the ultimate commitment-phobic man into a doting husband with a lot of help from his family and friends
Hilary had gotten used to dating the commitment-phobic Marc, thirteen years her senior. They had a great relationship—why rush into things? She saw no need to pressure him for marriage, believing that when the time was right, he would propose. But after they had been together for four years, their friends decided to take matters into their own hands, pushing Marc to propose and making Hilary realize how much she really did want to marry the man that she loved. Unfortunately, Marc still wasn't ready—and their friends’ meddling in the form of a faux engagement party led to a disastrous New Year’s Eve that brought their relationship to an inevitable turning point. In this relate-able, lighthearted, and playful memoir, Hilary reminisces about her life before Marc—from the insecure and awkward teenage years she spent in a back brace and dealing with the loss of her father, to her early relationships and, finally, to the day she met Marc and realized that she really wanted to see him again. Through their first date—even though Hilary was technically seeing someone else at the time—and the ease of their early time together until Marc first decided that they were moving too quickly, up until that fateful New Year’s Eve, Hilary shares the details of their relationship and how Marc’s inability to commit led her to find an inner strength and confidence she didn't know she possessed. For anyone who has ever dated a commitment-phobe, who has found their patience wearing thin with the one they love, or who has sat around wondering if he is ever going to pop the question while trying to remain the very picture of patience and grace, Hilary's humorous and honest story will hit home.
I was very fortunate to get to participate in this Blog Tour with Chick Lit Plus and have enjoyed every minute of it. Be sure to stop by and see all the tour stops for more reviews and inside Q&A with Hilary herself!
I was so excited to start reading this book as soon as I got my copy because it is a memoir! I love reading memoir's because you feel instantly more attached to the author and the characters because they have a meaning of real experiences behind them. I feel that Grossman did an amazing job at letting us into her life without it becoming to intimate and personal.
I feel that this book did a great job at walking the audience through some real situations that a lot of people struggle with on a daily basis...young adult and adult situations. In this memoir Grossman takes us to an all familiar place of commitment issues and how she and her husband worked their way through them. I found myself nodding away in understanding as she took us through all levels of the relationship and I routed them on the entire way! Even though at points I just wanted to shake Marc and say 'Come On Already!!' I knew that they were meant for each other and time would be on their side.
I think this is a very charming and relate-able book. Lots of laugh's, struggles, ups and downs...but most of all...this is a story full of love that made it through the test of time.
