A New Acclaimed Work of Contemporary Women's Fiction from the author of Watch Me Disappear
What is it about guys with guitars in their hands that
makes them so irresistible, even when they are obviously self-centered jerks?
If Abby and Maggie could answer that question, maybe they could finally get
over Nathaniel.
Abby was first sucked in by Nathaniel's rock 'n roll
swagger four years ago when a drunken fling turned into a series of drunken
hook-ups that became something like a relationship. Now, as New Year's Eve
promises a fresh start, she wants to believe he's finally going to grow up and
take their relationship seriously.
What does Nathaniel hope the New Year will bring? An
escape from the disappointing realities of his life. He's thirty-four years old
and he's barely making ends meet as an adjunct philosophy professor, which was
always only a backup plan anyway. Nathaniel's real goal was always to make his
living as a musician, but his band, The Latecomers, broke up a couple of years
ago, and he hasn't picked up his guitar in months. When he decides to spend the
holiday with some high school friends instead of hanging out at the bar where
Abby works, he gets the happy surprise of reuniting with his long-lost friend
Maggie. Newly divorced, Maggie has just moved back to her mother's house to
regroup.
Nathaniel and Maggie were supposed to be the ones who
left Worcester forever to conquer the world. He was going to be a rock star.
She was going to take the world of art by storm. He's never gotten farther than
Boston, and her best efforts only left her broke and heartbroken. As they ring
in the New Year together, Nathaniel decides it's time to take control of his
life and to start making his dreams come true. He thinks the first step will be
easy. All he needs to do is break up with Abby and finally admit his feelings
for Maggie. But the New Year has more surprises in store, and nothing is ever
as simple as it seems.
I like storylines with old friends meeting up. I’m particularly
interested in how their old lives hold up when they intersect with their new
lives. What are they thinking? Are they happy and living up to their dreams or are
they disappointed with how things turned out? This is why I was drawn to The
Latecomers Fan Club.
The story centers around three characters, Abby,
Nathaniel and Maggie. Abby and Nathaniel are currently an item; Nathaniel and
Maggie were best friends in high school. Abby laments the state of her
relationship with Nathaniel. He doesn’t behave as the ideal boyfriend – not that
she has some sort of checklist going – but she does recognize that their
relationship is lacking something. Abby is all in but Nathaniel, not so much.
She’s holding out hope that he’ll shake off whatever it is that’s keeping him
from fully committing to her.
Nathaniel is discontent with his life. He had such high
hopes of escaping town and becoming something special but his reality is far
off course. His band, The Latecomers is also a source of disappointment. He’s
disinterested in his relationship and completely dishonest with Abby. The only
thing lifting his spirits is Maggie’s reappearance into his life.
Maggie has returned to town after the collapse of her
marriage. She’s embarrassed and stressed about living with her parents again. Running
into Nathaniel is a highlight but is he what she needs right now as she
straightens up her head?
I know I’m being hard on the characters when I say that all
of them are sad. I did develop an attachment to Abby while Nathaniel is the least likable of the group. There are just so many lies and
distorted views that grated on me. The tough part is that what they’re all
going through is real and it’s hard for them to snap out of their pity party. At
least Abby managed to get some life in her by the end (thanks to her best friend). Truth is for all of their
imperfections, I did care about what they were going through. And while I may not agree with some of their
decisions, they seem to be headed in the right direction towards the end.
The Latecomers Fan Club is about adults who don’t realize
their dreams and struggle to accept that in order to adapt. Growing up
can suck sometimes, especially when you’ve lost your drive. Moving on requires courage
and perhaps a special person to help you see things differently. And if second chances at happiness come along, snap them up quick!
~ Bel
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