Review of "Seven Year Switch" by Claire Cook

Jill Murray feels like she finally has it all together, seven years after her husband Seth left her and their three-year-old daughter Anastasia in the middle of the night, leaving only a note behind. Sure, she's working three jobs to make ends meet, and sure, their house isn't as nice as the others in the neighborhood, but she's managing it, and all that really matters to her anyways is Anastasia.

When Seth reappears out of the blue, apparently finished with his stint in the Peace Corps and ready to be a father again, Jill is terrified that he will disappoint them, and especially their daughter, again. Anastasia is thrilled to have her dad back in her life, but Jill can't help but have her reservations.

Meanwhile, things are getting even more complicated on the man front. Jill is finding it next to impossible to resist her sweet and charming client, Billy, but is afraid to introduce yet another thing into her already chaotic life. Unable to figure out what to do, Jill takes a giant leap and takes a solo trip to Costa Rica, hoping that she'll be able to find out some answers while she's there.

Jill Murray is the protaganist that you're rooting for from the very beginning. She's sweet and lovable, yet closed off. She's been hurt before- big-time- and she's not keen to let anyone into her carefully constructed bubble. As a reader, I rooted for her all the way through. I hoped that she would come out of her shell, live a little, and realize that although she had been hurt before, not all men would be like her husband. Jill's neighbor, Cynthia, who likes to appear vapid but is anything but, was a welcome addition to the cast of characters. The fact that she was Jill's complete opposite made for an interesting comparison, and an even more entertaining friendship.

I loved the underlying theme about change and growth. The title comes from the concept that every seven years our skin completely regenerates itself, making us essentially a whole new person. Throughout the book we are presented with the concept that change, and especially personal growth, can be a good thing, if only we open ourselves up to it.

I really enjoyed Seven Year Switch and read it in less than a day! Claire Cook takes a situation that is serious and all too real (abandonment) and turns it into something fun, heartwarming, and empowering for the people involved. I highly recommend that you slip this one into your bag the next time you're headed for the beach- you won't be disappointed!

Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Recommended to: Women's fiction aficionados such as myself
Challenges: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge, New Author Challenge 2010, 2010 Support Your Local Library Challenge

I borrowed this book from The Norfolk County Public Library.