There are plenty of stories about love at first sight, but Attachments (Dutton, Apr.) is a heartfelt tale about friendship, trust, and falling for someone before you meet them. Set in 1999, Rainbow Rowell's novel follows co-workers Beth and Jennifer, who on company time share personal information electronically. Little do they know that Lincoln, hired to monitor company e-mail, is following their correspondence and falling for Beth's irrepressible personality. Beth and Jennifer have a strong friendship based on humor and honesty, and their exchanges are spot-on recreations of the sort of e-mails I'm guilty of sending to friends. (Dear employer, if you're reading this, please don't fire me.) A realistic amount of angst and heartbreak provides serious moments among the lightheartedness. Lincoln, the introverted and conflicted hero, is the real center of the novel—a unique, believable, less-than-perfect "nice guy" who manages to stay on the right side of the line between sweet and disturbing, even as curiosity gets the better of him.
Volume 258 Issue 07 02/14/2011