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It seems that there’s nothing that James Patterson can’t do. He can write mysteries and crime thrillers that are heavy with breath-taking suspense—and then he can turn around and write something as surprisingly heart-warming as his latest novel, Sundays at Tiffany’s, which he co-wrote with Gabrielle Charbonnet.
Sundays at Tiffany’s is an unusual love story about two people who defy the odds—and break all the rules—to find each other. As a child, Jane Margaux was all alone. Her father was off with his new wife, and her mother, a hard-working Broadway producer, didn’t have time for her. Her only friend was Michael, a sweet and handsome man whom no one but Jane could see. They had the perfect friendship—until Jane turned nine and Michael was forced to leave her.
Years later, Jane is all grown up, but she’s still all alone. Sure, she’s now a successful playwright, and she’s working on the big-screen version of Thank Heaven, the wildly successful play that she wrote about her childhood friendship with her imaginary friend. But her controlling mother is now her boss, and she’s dating a conceited actor who only cares about himself. Then, one day, Jane sees a man across the room—a handsome man who looks exactly like Michael, the friend she was never able to forget.
Admittedly, the premise of Sundays at Tiffany’s is just a little bit uncomfortable. It’s strange and even a little bit unnatural, when you really stop and think about it. But Patterson and Charbonnet manage to make it feel perfectly natural and even touching. It’s an imaginative love story that goes far beyond the typical boy-meets-girl plot. And though it moves along at a rather relaxed pace, it’ll easily hold your attention as you wonder what the authors have in store for their characters—and how their story can possibly work out in the end.
Sundays at Tiffany’s is a story that’s built on the solid foundation of a wonderful main character. Jane is the kind of character that you just want to hug. She’s the lonely little rich girl and the emotionally bruised young woman. She’s spent her life patronized and controlled and ignored—no matter how desperately she tries to fight it. And you can’t help but love her and cheer for her as she tries to take those hesitant steps toward independence.
Michael, on the other hand, isn’t developed as well as I would have liked. When the questions about who he is and where he came from become difficult to answer, the authors take the easy (but not especially satisfying) way out. Although he’s supposed to be a bit of a mystery, I still would have liked him to be developed a bit better.
Despite its flaws, though, Sundays at Tiffany’s is a heartfelt love story with an unusual twist. It will definitely come as a surprise for those who aren’t used to this side of Patterson’s work—but romance fans will be swept away.
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