Attachments by Rainbow Rowell Review #CFMonth13

Posted May 15, 2013 by Asheley in Uncategorized / 9 Comments

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
Published by Dutton Adult
Publish Date: April 14, 2011
323 Pages
Source: Library
Find It: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N



Beth and Jennifer know their company monitors their office e-mail. But the women still spend all day sending each other messages, gossiping about their coworkers at the newspaper and baring their personal lives like an open book. Jennifer tells Beth everything she can’t seem to tell her husband about her anxieties over starting a family. And Beth tells Jennifer everything, period.

When Lincoln applied to be an Internet security officer, he hardly imagined he’d be sifting through other people’s inboxes like some sort of electronic Peeping Tom. Lincoln is supposed to turn people in for misusing company e-mail, but he can’t quite bring himself to crack down on Beth and Jennifer. He can’t help but be entertained-and captivated- by their stories.


But by the time Lincoln realizes he’s falling for Beth, it’s way too late for him to ever introduce himself. What would he say to her? “Hi, I’m the guy who reads your e-mail, and also, I love you.” After a series of close encounters and missed connections, Lincoln decides it’s time to muster the courage to follow his heart . . . even if he can’t see exactly where it’s leading him. -(from Goodreads) 



Attachments by Rainbow Rowell



My Thoughts: I’m not sure, but I think I may have loved Attachments more than Eleanor and Park. Yeah, y’all take a few minutes to soak up that very bold statement, especially if you’ve by chance read how much I fell in love with Eleanor and Park



Actually, you know what? I can’t decide. They are at least one as good as the other, though, and that is some high praise. 



The first thing you need to know is this:
Jennifer and Beth work for the local newspaper – 
WORK being the operative word. 
I mean, they actually do work. But they spend way too much time personally emailing each other while they should be working more. They talk about everything over the company email, including things that are just too inappropriate for work email…which is why their email is often flagged as inappropriate and sent to the files of the security team for review. The security team is really just one person, Lincoln. Lincoln, from the IT department.

Lincoln works an odd shift at the newspaper as part of the IT team. He’s the guy that sorts through all of the emails that are “inappropriate” and actually decides if they really are inappropriate or not. Then he gives warnings and citations and all that jazz. Well, until he sort of takes an interest in the emails between Jennifer and Beth. Because GOSH they have such interesting lives and interesting things to say. Remember, they talk about everything

The second thing you need to know is this:
Lincoln knows he needs to reprimand them, 
but before too long it’s BEEN too long. 
Lincoln should’ve done something about their inappropriate use of company time and email the first time he found out about it, but he didn’t. And he didn’t the second time, or the third time, or any time. And he finds himself so caught up in their lives. CAUGHT UP. He finds himself trying hard not to open up his folder at work to see if emails with their names show up, but he never lasts more than a few hours before HE HAS TO KNOW! He has to know the next part of their stories! He feels really invested in their lives and yet he also feels really creepy that he knows so much about them – but he justifies this in some strange way because he’s never actually met them or even seen them. 

Then all of these things happen, not necessarily in this order: 
  1. Lincoln finds out that Beth thinks someone at the office is cute. He is jealous. 
  2. Lincoln walks around the office trying to figure out which desk belongs to the girls, especially Beth. 
  3. Lincoln has a mad crush on Beth. Lincoln’s crush turns into him falling for Beth. 
  4. Lincoln realizes that HE is the cute guy in the office. WAIT WHAT?

The third thing you need to know is this:

THEY BOTH LIKE EACH OTHER? 
SO YOU’RE SAYING THERE’S A CHANCE? 
Lincoln really, really, really should’ve said something about reading the emails to Beth (and maybe Jennifer) before because how’s it gonna look when he tells Beth now?

ALSO, how on earth can she be attracted to HIM? What should he do? Should he ask her out? Should he not say anything at all? He never should’ve read the emails! But Beth did some strange things with regard to her crush on Lincoln too, and he only knows about this because he read the emails. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Dilemma, dilemma. 


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You guys, let it be known that I love Attachments by Rainbow Rowell. I STAYED UP UNTIL 5:00 AM READING THIS BOOK. True story. I didn’t really mean to, but when I looked at the clock and realized how super late it was (2:49AM, ugh) THIS is the page I turned to next: 

I MEAN, IT ISN’T LIKE I CAN CLOSE THE BOOK NOW! GAH! So I kept reading, and while I paid dearly for it the next day, it was so worth it

Beth and Jennifer are exactly what I would imagine two work friends to be – working, but also doing a lot of not-working, if that makes any sense. Sneaking delicious gossip and banter into their day while also earning their paycheck. Being great friends to one another, sharing the burdens of one another. Their chapters are written as emails while Lincoln’s are narrative. We get to know Beth and Jennifer a little bit – mostly Beth, I think – but it is Lincoln that is the true star of this book

Lincoln is this guy, this guy that has had his heart broken and he’s just had a really hard time bouncing back from it. (Y’all know I love a broken-hearted boy.) He’s moved back home with his mom and become a bit of a reclusive student-for-life. Seriously, he just keeps getting degrees and wanting to go back to school. He works this oddball job with these oddball hours, and it kind of keeps him from having relationships with people – friends or girlfriends. Correction: it doesn’t really keep him from having relationships, he just doesn’t. Lincoln’s self-esteem has taken a bit of a hit plunge but once he realizes that someone might actually be interested in him, things really begin to take an upward turn in his life and it is awesome. (In a crazy way, Lincoln’s character reminds me of Adam Sandler’s character in the movie Punch-Drunk Love. I may be totally alone in this feeling, but I’m cool with that.)

Watching Lincoln fall for this girl is so endearing. Heck, everything about Lincoln is so endearing. He’s this guy that you want to know or perhaps fall for yourself. He knows that what he has done is over-the-top and crossing the line, but he just can’t stop himself because he’s kind of in love. Y’all when he figures out that he is the office cute guy, I wanted to reach through the book and just hug him and pinch his cheeks and give him high fives and everything, everything. HOW DOES RAINBOW ROWELL MAKE ME FEEL LIKE THIS? 

Attachments is more than a story of falling in love with another person, which is wonderful and sweet and very much like a John Hughes movie. It’s also a story of beginning to love yourself again after taking a pretty big hit in life, and this part of the book is just as good or maybe even better than the love-part. I can’t imagine reading this book and not falling so very hard for it. This is the second time lately that I’ve felt like I want to take something that Rainbow Rowell has written and put it in the hands of everyone so they’ll be happy and have a happier day and a happier life for a while after reading it. This is one of the books you hug when you close it, YOU DO. I just don’t know what else to say about it. 

Except maybe OH, THAT ENDING. I love it so. 

I recommend Attachments by Rainbow Rowell TO EVERYONE. Seriously. 

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Attachments will appeal to fans of:

Adult Contemporary Fiction
Romance: Slowly-Developing Romance. No triangle.
Quirky characters! (I LOVE THEM.)
Alternating POV

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
is currently available for purchase. 

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Have you read ATTACHMENTS yet? 
How about ELEANOR AND PARK? 

JUST DO IT. 
Read them both.






Asheley

About Asheley

Asheley is a Southern girl. She loves Carolina blue skies, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, and NC craft beer. She loves all things history but prefers books over everything.

You can find her somewhere in North Carolina, daydreaming about the ocean.

Find Asheley on Litsy @intothehallofbooks!

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9 responses to “Attachments by Rainbow Rowell Review #CFMonth13

  1. I think it is hilarious and quite insane that you stayed up until 5am reading this. I would just probably… not go to work the next day? Or really hate myself.

    So glad you enjoyed this one too. You are right: these girls have such an authentic work relationship and it reminded me so much of my own coworkers. And how great was the Lincoln's POV? Dealing with his mom, sister, etc? So great.

    Rainbow is amazing, and I can't wait to read more of her work.

    I hope you have caught up on sleep by now!

  2. I love this book so much and I too stayed up way too late reading it. I think it's great that it is Lincoln's PoV we get because that is SO RARE in this type of romantic book. And he comes across as so genuine.

    I confess I have not read E&P yet. I was waiting for my library and then they didn't get it and didn't get it. I read this instead and knew I had to get E&P and it just arrived in the mail a couple days ago. I'm super excited.

  3. Okay, I have GOT to read this. I adored Eleanor & Park, so knowing this is at least as good gives me tummy butterflies. I also love books with unique things like the email exchanges, plus Lincoln's point of view as narrative. Great review. I'll definitely be requesting this from the library right about now.

  4. I'm so happy I read your review – this is the only one of her books I own, and all the hype Eleanor & Park has been getting has made me want to just read that one instead – now I'm excited about this one again!

  5. I get the feeling that Rainbow Rowell's adult fiction book and I would get on a lot better than Eleanor & Park and I would. Just a hunch. I really am interested in this premise. And I love the idea that what sounds like chick lit fluff really isn't, and that the protagonist is actually a guy. That's just awesome. I love how enthusiastic your review is, Asheley! I definitely need to keep this book in mind when I want a fun adult read!

  6. I really loved Eleanor and Park and know you did too so am surprised that you loved this one even more-I have it on hold at the library and I cannot wait for its arrival!

  7. I loved this book so much! It had been recommended to me by Estelle and Elena, so I knew that I had to read it at some point. When I finally did start, I fell for it hook, line and sinker. I loved the format, the characters, the premise, the humor… It was just SUCH a great read! So happy you loved it too 🙂 Now, I just need to get around to reading Eleanor & Park!

  8. Rowell never fails to disappoint. Her writing, characterization, plot, and style combine to create a memorable novel. The unique and very effective technique of using emails to get to know characters first hand provided the reader excellent insight into very likeable and appealing women. Her third person narrative juxtaposition was right on!
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