Review: Multiple Choice by Claire Cook

First line: During your child’s senior year in high school, it is most important for parents to try to

   a. remain positive

   b. set firm, consistent limits

   c. save money

   d. live through the experience

From the back cover: Balancing family, work, and college means

   a. putting one of them on the back burner

   b. learning to juggle

   c. lots of caffeine

   d. lowering your standards further than you imagined possible

There was a time when March Monroe thought she and her daughter, Olivia, would never really cut the cord – they’d just upgrade to a wireless connection.  Now Olivia is heading off to college and March hasn’t even told her that she’s decided to continue her own higher education. So it’s hard to say who’s more shocked when they run into each other at a local radio station,where it turns out they’re both student interns.

Adding to the fireworks caused by a royally ticked-off Olivia are a fourteen-year-old son who probably won’t be speaking to March for much longer, a slightly tired marriage, a midlife crush, and Quantum Physics and you, the class that just might put March over the edge. Laugh-out-loud funny, this new novel from the author of Must Love Dogs is an effervescent story of family life that will strike a chord with women of all ages – whether they have kids in college or are just now choosing their majors. Required reading!

My thoughts: This was a fun, cute read. I realized that while I have read all of Claire Cooks recent books, I had not read some of her earlier ones, so I requested this and another one from Paperback Swap. Multiple Choice is one funny scene after another. It tells the story of March Monroe who goes to college at the same time her daughter Olivia does. The problem is, she fails to tell Olivia about her plans until they happen to meet up at a local radio station where they are both interns. Needless to say, the sparks start flying when the two come face to face at the first meeting. And it is these sparks that lead to a crazy new segment on the radio called “I’m Rubber, You’re Glue,” hosted by March and Olivia. Narrated by March, the story is told in a light tone and each chapter starts with a multiple choice question and four choices. It is a novel filled with warmth and humor and its themes – a family in flux and the tensions between mothers and daughters – are ones that many can relate to. I flew through this book and look forward to reading more by Claire Cook.

(I got this book from Paperback Swap.)