Love, Rosie Book

Cecelia Ahearn's Rosie Dunne is the amusing story of Alex and Rosie, best friends who grow up together in Ireland and stay close throughout cross-continental moves, marriages, parenthood, family dramas. and professional triumphs. Friends for close to 50 years, the potential for romance between the pair is always under the surface, yet never seems to find the right time or place to become a reality.

Twenty-three year old Ahern, whose debut novel, PS, I Love You, was a modest hit with critics and readers alike, does not deviate much from the witty yet sentimental style she seems to naturally posses. Rosie Dunne is written through a series of notes, letters, IMs, e-mails, and text messages between the two protagonists and their various friends and family members. While this style is engaging at first, readers may eventually long for more substantial dialogue and fewer choppy exchanges. In fact, about halfway into the story, some may even feel the urge to skip ahead to what is almost an inevitable conclusion. However, the addition of entertaining secondary characters (such as Rosie's best friend Ruby and her overweight, yet oddly talented, salsa-dancing son) help keep the momentum going through one-to-many near misses between Rosie and Alex.

Overall, Rosie Dunne is a touching look at what happens when "the one" always seems to be just a tad bit out of reach. Still, one can't help wondering if this novel may have been better suited to a short but sweet episode of a half-hour sitcom. --Gisele Toueg