Book Review: So Much A Part of You by Polly Dugan

Two young women who've dated the same man navigate love, destiny, loss, and choice in this powerful debut.

Anna Riley and Anne Cavanaugh have had a lover in common, but it's not until a pivotal moment in one of their lives that their paths unforgettably converge. "Beautiful and connected in unexpected ways...." (Jodi Angel), the linked stories in So Much a Part of You "read like whispered secrets." (Scott Nadelson)

Peter Herring was the center of Anne's universe in college, and now, a few years later, he's become the center of Anna's, and merely a minor player in his ex-girlfriend's world. That is, until Peter and Anna are invited into Anne's parents' home to visit with her dying mother, and he finds himself drawn back into her orbit. Years later, when her own mother is dying, Anna will find herself yearning to reach out to Anne, with whom she had shared such a brief but intimate bond, and find solace in that moment from long ago.

Perspective evolves with time, and so with time, what Peter means to each woman-as lover, as friend, as connection to the past-also evolves. Through exploring Anne's and Anna's ties to Peter and unfolding the narratives of the people who weave meaningfully in and out of their lives, Polly Dugan reveals the power of family secrets, the ripple effects of her characters' emotional choices, and how poignantly their intertwined relationships shape who they are and how they love. 

Sometimes when I read a book it is a reminder to READ THE SYNOPSIS before you start reading. I admit, the cover drew me in. 

At about 30% I was ready to call it quits, but then I kept going. And for about 30 percent more I was intrigued. Glad I kept writing. Then At about 80%, I was like... really? why did I keep reading?

Probably what most of you are thinking right now. 

I didn't realize that it was 6 stories that tie into 'one' story. Usually I am a fan of these stories, seeing how everyone is interconnected. However, I found some (alright more than half) of the stories a waste.  I liked the Peter/Anne/Anna story, but the rest (especially the animal shelter one) didn't really flow... That they were just there because one name was in common, but really they had nothing to offer.

And because of such short stories; I felt no connection to any of the characters. Again, the most I felt was with Peter/Anne/Anna, because the story was the longest.

I kind of wish I trusted my instinct and stopped at 30%.