Seven Year Switch

This is a great book to read to kick off the summer beach reading season! Jill Murray is a single mom raising her 10 year old daughter, Anastasia. Jill is "man-free" after her husband abandoned both her and her daughter 7 years ago. Jill is a strong woman who has worked hard at being a good parent. She works two jobs answering phones for Great Girls Getaways and also teaches a cultural cooking class. She meets Billy who hires her as a consultant around the same time Seth, the ex-husband decides he needs to get to know his daughter. Jill finds herself smitten with Billy but finds herself spending time with Seth and their daughter. All of a sudden Jill's man-free life is anything but man-free! There are quite a few interesting characters show more in the book. I loved Cynthia, Jill's well-to-do and crazy neighbor. I love how light hearted and fun this book is! I found myself laughing many time throughout the book! I think anyone in Jill's situation needs to have a good sense of humor and she definitely has that! Some of the situations she finds herself in are quite humorous! Take this book to the beach but bring plenty of sunscreen with you because you won't want to put it down until you've finished it! show less

This was my first Claire Cook book. If I'd known how much I would love her writing style, I would have read all of her books by now.

The book is laugh out loud funny from the very beginning. Every "Lunch Around The World" story was hilarious, especially the descriptions of the members like "T-shirt Tom". My favorite character was Jill. She isn't perfect, she has doubts, fears and worries just like we all do. When her ex shows up she wants to tell him what she really thinks about him and send him back to wherever he came from. But, for the sake of her daughter, she lets him back into their lives. She's a mom who cares about everything that effects her daughter, but knows when to back off and give her room to make her own decisions and be show more herself.

Another character, Billy was a favorite. Billy is a business man who wears bike shorts to meetings and dressier clothes to ride bikes. Now that's funny!! Jill doesn't feel she is good enough a catch for Billy, and I was so glad the author thought different. He saw the real Jill and made her feel special.

I also thought Jill's friend Cynthia was a great character. I liked that the two women were like night and day. Cynthia always seemed to be in a tennis outfit and was always "playing dumb", although she was in fact very smart. I've know a few women like that.

This book will have you thinking of Jill as a friend. I laughed, cried and worried right along with her.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes an easy, funny, feel good book. I can't wait to read the other books by Claire Cook. show less

Oh me…oh my…I do love a great absorbing fascinating charming and cleverly written summer book. Did I mention uniquely funny, too? If I didn’t…I am mentioning that right now. This is the tale of Jill and her 10 year old daughter Anastasia who have been making their way through life on their own for the last seven years. They have been abandoned by husband/father Seth who just couldn’t take a normal domestic life any more…not one more minute…so he tucked a note under a pillow and left and has not been seen or heard from in seven years. Life has been a struggle for Jill…she has worked and been the sole support of herself and her daughter. She has managed to buy a home and keep herself and Anastasia clothed and fed…but show more just barely. She has sacrificed her life and her dreams in order to care for her daughter. Jill and Seth began their life together as a carefree unworldly engaging couple. They were happy traveling the world stopping just long enough to pay their way to their next destination. However all of that changed when their daughter Anastasia was born.
One of the two became responsible…the other did not.
Jill works for a travel agency that books women only trips…girlfriend getaways. She also teaches a cooking class at a local community center to a group of senior citizens…funny, clever, quirky senior citizens. One day at the end of class she looks up to find her runaway husband Seth in the doorway. And of course he wants to see their daughter.
And now you know where this is going…
Mixed feelings, anger and resentment run rampant with Jill especially when she realizes that Anastasia is in desperate need of Seth. So…supervised visits with Seth and Anastasia, family dinners, wine and other tender gestures from Seth begin to confuse Jill into believing that perhaps there can be a future with Seth.
However…at just about the same time that Seth returns Jill meets Billy. He initially hires her to help him prep for a business venture in Japan and slowly chemistry between the two of them begins to grow. That is until
Jill sort of becomes overwhelmed by emotions toward both men and abruptly takes a girlfriend getaway to Costa Rica to sort through her life, her feelings, and her direction.
The trip and Jill’s fellow travelers help to clear her head and allow her to believe in herself again. There is a wonderful surprise visit from someone near the end of her trip that helps her to really know where she wants her life to go.

Seven Year Switch houses lots of really interesting characters who have tons of clever things to say. It was beautifully written with just the right amount of humor. Everyone sort of weighs in with a clever thought or two in this book. Next door neighbor Cynthia was one of my favorite characters…one of those characters you love to dislike but then find out she is uniquely likeable after all and capable of surprises, too.
I had no clue reading about Spanx could be so funny…that was Cynthia’s humor. It would not be summer for me without a Claire Cook book. I have been reading them for years and hope to always welcome summer with a new one. show less

One of the surest signs that winter is over is a review copy of Claire Cook's new novel on my desk, because I've truly come to think that summer would just not be summer without a new release from her. This one is coming out in June.

Seven Year Switch is another winner. Jill Murray had been living a man-free existence since her husband walked out on them when their daughter Anastasia was just a toddler. She cobbles together a living by doing telephone work for Great Girlfriend Getaways (who specialize in all women trips to exciting places) and teaching an "Around The World" cooking class while fitting in a bit of cultural coaching on the side (helping business people to learn cultural mores for business trips, etc). On the plus side, show more she's just met a great guy--the first to even make her consider dating again. On the minus side, her daughter is developing "pre-teen attitude" early. But the real problems start when Jill's husband turns back up in town.

As always, Claire populates her books with quirky characters and funny situations while delivering an important message. This is a fantastic summer, or any time, read!!! show less

When Jill Murray’s husband left her to raise their daughter, Anastasia, all by herself seven years ago, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to make it on her own. Since her parents were no longer living, she turned to her in-laws, but they were no help. Left with no other options, Jill picked herself up, dusted herself off, and moved forward. Things haven’t always been easy, but in the last seven years, she has managed to make a life for herself and Anastasia.

Since her focus has been on her daughter, Jill hasn’t had much time for a personal life, but has finally met a man with some potential. At around the same time, her husband decides that he wants to come back into Jill’s and Anastasia’s lives. Of course, Anastasia’s show more thrilled at the prospect, but Jill’s not so sure. Jill has to find a way to strike some balance in her life.

Seven Year Switch by Claire Cook is a delightful book! Even though I have very little in common with Jill, I could totally relate to her, and I think a lot of other women will be able to as well. She was fiercely protective of her daughter and didn’t want her to be hurt again. Jill often sacrificed her own wants and needs in order to do what she thought was best for her daughter, yet she struggled with self doubt.

Jill has two girlfriends – her boss and mentor, Joni, and her next door neighbor, Cynthia – who play large roles in her life and are very supportive of her. I loved reading about their friendships, because they were so true to life. Even though Cynthia could drive Jill crazy, some small part of Jill still wanted to be like her. I loved that Joni and Cynthia were there for Jill when she needed them and the two of them were instrumental in her finding her own strength and discovering how she wanted to live her life.

Don’t let that cute cover fool you into thinking this is a fluffy book – Seven Year Switch is an uplifting story of love, determination and finding your inner strength, and I do recommend it! show less

Claire Cook never fails to come through. Since my first book review, which was for Claire’s book SUMMER BLOWOUT, she has never let me down when I pick up a new book of hers to read. She has a way of making even the toughest things in life bearable and her talented writing draws readers in through her marvelous stories, clever dialogue, and her captivating characters. In SEVEN YEAR SWITCH, readers meet Jill Murray who is one of those characters I just mentioned who captured my interest right off and had me rooting for her all the way. I found Jill to be a witty, bright, compelling and caring mother and an independent woman who didn’t deserve the agony she felt when suddenly her ex-husband pops back into her and her daughter show more Anastasia’s lives. Although Anastasia is delighted to have her father there, Jill is dubious of his motives and commitment.

The idea from the title that every seven years our body’s skin rejuvenates thus making us into a “new” person, goes right along with the book’s concept of personal change and growth being a positive thing in our lives. Cook surrounds Jill with intriguing characters that move the story along and fit into that principal premise of the book that was based on transformation and progression. With Jill’s neighbor, Cynthia, being almost the opposite of Jill in most ways, she provided a strong character for Jill to play off of. She was entertaining and feisty, and quite a welcome addition in the story.

Of course, there was suddenly these men surrounding Jill, quite a change from the start of the story…a feast or famine situation. Besides her ex, Seth, there is the caring and amusing Billy who is a client of Jill’s and who is hard to resist. How Jill handles all of this is to take off on her own for a gal pal trip to Costa Rica and hope to find what she is looking for there…or at least some peace for her to be able to think and relax.

How Jill deals with everything and everyone is trademark Claire Cook as she takes a serious subject and deals with it gently, with warmth and fun, and creates an answer that educates, amuses, and involves the reader. The story of SEVEN YEAR SWITCH will entertain you while it also will endear itself to you as well. If like me, you start the book early enough, you will at least get a good night’s sleep as I read it in one sitting and was happy I hadn’t started it late in the day because I couldn’t put it down. Another delightful gift, and perfect for the summer read, but wouldn’t be bad by a cozy fire in winter as well, is SEVEN YEAR SWITCH from a favorite author, Claire Cook! show less

I loved this book. As a single mother w/ non-exsitent dads for my kids I could relate. I didn't always agree w/ Jill but mostly I really empathized w/ her the situation she was put in. I hated Cynthia in the beginning and it wasn't till the very end I really liked her. It was a quick read but it was alot packed in that will stick w/ you and make you think.