Books › Something borrowed
Something borrowed
535 pages
A deliciously messy, guilt-laced confession about the blurry lines between being a good friend and living a true life.
What it feels like
Reading this feels like sitting in a dimly lit Manhattan bar, listening to your smartest friend confess her deepest, most scandalous secret. The narrative moves at a brisk, addictive clip, driven by the ticking clock of an impending wedding and the suffocating weight of a hidden betrayal. It is steeped in an atmosphere of anxious intimacy, capturing the claustrophobia of a lifelong friendship that has slowly turned toxic. The prose is breezy and conversational, yet it cuts surprisingly deep into the psychology of people-pleasing and the terror of finally acting selfishly. It delights readers who love their protagonists flawed, their moral dilemmas thorny, and their romantic entanglements deliciously complicated, offering a cathartic journey toward messy authenticity.
- Mood
- emotionally tangled
- anxious
- Manhattan-chic
- intimate
- Tone
- confessional
- witty
- earnest
- guilty
- relatable
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- complex female friendships · moral ambiguity in love · outgrowing people-pleasing · the transition to adulthood · betrayal and authenticity
- The writing
- Conversational and breezy, reading like a breathless, late-night confession over glasses of wine.
- The arc
- Moves from suffocating guilt and passive resentment to a messy, liberating embrace of one's own desires.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave juicy, character-driven dramas about flawed women navigating the messy gray areas of love and loyalty.
Content notes
- infidelity
- toxic friendship dynamics
- alcohol consumption
About the book
Something Borrowed tells the story of Rachel, a young attorney living and working in Manhattan. Rachel has always been the consummate good girl---until her thirtieth birthday, when her best friend, Darcy, throws her a party. That night, after too many drinks, Rachel ends up in bed with Darcy's fiancé. Although she wakes up determined to put the one-night fling behind her, Rachel is horrified to discover that she has genuine feelings for the one guy she should run from. As the September wedding date nears, Rachel knows she has to make a choice. In doing so, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk all to win true happiness. Something Borrowed is a phenomenal debut novel that will have you laughing, crying, and calling your best friend.
Description from Open Library.
Books like Something borrowed
See why they match
Something blueEmily GiffinA transatlantic journey of shattered vanity and reinvention as a flawed woman learns to navigate life without her superficial armor.
Baby ProofEmily GiffinA compulsively readable exploration of what happens when the ultimate dealbreaker threatens a seemingly perfect marriage.
Not Another Bad DateRachel GibsonA breezy, second-chance romance that trades big-city dating fatigue for a swoony hometown reunion.
People We Meet On VacationEmily HenryA sun-drenched, banter-filled exploration of the terrifying leap from platonic soulmates to true love.
Confessions of a ShopaholicSophie KinsellaA hilarious, high-energy romp through the chaotic mind of a woman trying to buy her way to a better life while outrunning her credit card bills.
That SummerJennifer WeinerA seemingly breezy tale of mistaken identity that slowly peels back the manicured layers of suburban life to reveal the enduring scars of the past.