First Comes Love by Emily Giffin

Book: First Comes Love
Author: Emily Giffin
Other books by this author: Something Borrowed, Something Blue, Baby Proof, Love the One You're With, Heart of the Matter, Where We Belong, The One and Only

Goodreads

In this dazzling new novel, Emily Giffin, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Something Borrowed, Where We Belong, and The One & Only introduces a pair of sisters who find themselves at a crossroads.
Growing up, Josie and Meredith Garland shared a loving, if sometimes contentious relationship. Josie was impulsive, spirited, and outgoing; Meredith hardworking, thoughtful, and reserved. When tragedy strikes their family, their different responses to the event splinter their delicate bond.
Fifteen years later, Josie and Meredith are in their late thirties, following very different paths. Josie, a first grade teacher, is single—and this close to swearing off dating for good. What she wants more than the right guy, however, is to become a mother—a feeling that is heightened when her ex-boyfriend’s daughter ends up in her class. Determined to have the future she’s always wanted, Josie decides to take matters into her own hands.
On the outside, Meredith is the model daughter with the perfect life. A successful attorney, she’s married to a wonderful man, and together they’re raising a beautiful four-year-old daughter. Yet lately, Meredith feels dissatisfied and restless, secretly wondering if she chose the life that was expected of her rather than the one she truly desired.

As the anniversary of their tragedy looms and painful secrets from the past begin to surface, Josie and Meredith must not only confront the issues that divide them, but also come to terms with their own choices. In their journey toward understanding and forgiveness, both sisters discover they need each other more than they knew . . . and that in the recipe for true happiness, love always comes first.
Emotionally honest and utterly enthralling, First Comes Love is a story about family, friendship, and the courage to follow your own heart—wherever that may lead.

My thoughts:

I've seen some mixed reviews about this book, but I personally loved it. There were no shocking twists or any real plot to speak of, but it still kept me turning the pages as fast as I possibly could, caught up in the worlds of Josie and Meredith. This was simply the story of two sisters, still learning how to deal with tragedy and with each other, 15 years later. And I thought it was extremely touching. I found something endearing about both sisters, though I felt closer to Josie as she progressed through the story. This was a quick and super enjoyable read for me. I've been a fan of Emily Giffin's since Something Borrowed, and though nothing has ever quite matched that first book, I still thoroughly enjoyed this one.