From NY to VA

Driving Lessons by Zoe Fishman
Published: April 8, 2014 by William Morrow Paperbacks
You don't need to be currently experiencing something to be able to relate to a book. After all, I'm not in high school, but I'm still able to look back on my time there and love YA books. But more than that, you don't even need to have experienced something to be able to get it. I'm definitely not in a 30 year long marriage, but I still couldn't help but identify with Leslie in The Last Original Wife. Even so, there's something so perfect and magical even, when you find a book that completely resonates with what you're going through at this exact moment. For me, that was Driving Lessons.

Sarah is in her early 30s, which isn't nearly the same as me since I won't be 30 for a long, long, long time... aka this October. She's also moving from New York City of Farmwood, Virginia, again not quite the same as me, but I did move from California to Louisiana, so the idea of adapting to the South is also familiar. She's trying to decide what she wants in her life from her career, from her friends, for a family, all things I'm grappling with. And while she's in marketing, which I can't necessarily relate to, her husband is a college math professor which is a match for my math Masters degree. There are definitely small details too that if I had read it a few years ago would have likely felt over the top and cheesy, but for me, right now, it was perfect

I absolutely loved the relationships in this book. Sarah and her husband's relationship isn't perfect, but it feels so real. The relationship between Sarah and her best friend Mona is pretty amazing too. They spend a lot of time reminiscing about their past 10 years of friendship, and while I think this could have made the reader feel a bit like a 3rd wheel, it's the opposite here. It makes you feel a part of their friendship, and actually I couldn't help but start to think of my own memories with my best friend. Lastly, while it isn't nearly as big of a part of the plot, I really enjoyed Sarah's relationship with her sister-in-law too. It is a fairly friendship, unlike the other two I've mentioned, but I couldn't help but enjoy how we were able to see start to develop.

While this may be a little superficial I was also a big fan of the cover and title. I think so often you see a cover that's pretty, like this clearly is, but it doesn't reflect the story inside. Thankfully it did here. The title is a similar story. Yes, it's clever and it has an obvious meaning in the story itself, but I think there's also the idea that Sarah's figuring out her life and learning her lessons as she goes.

I do think that for me this book was the absolute perfect fit. That's not to say I wouldn't have enjoyed it if I read it 5 years ago or even 5 years from now. I'm sure I still would have, but it wouldn't have had that special sparkle to it.

5/5

Disclosure: I was provided this book through TLC Book Tours. All opinions expressed are my own.