Something Blue

Darcy was the villain of Something Borrowed, and the bold idea here is to hand her the microphone. At first she is just as vain and selfish as readers remember, complaining about London, demanding attention and assuming Ethan will rearrange his life around her. Her voice is funny precisely because she has so little self-awareness, and Giffin lets her be outrageous before anything changes.

Change it does, slowly and believably. Ethan, a writer with no patience for her nonsense, becomes the friend who tells her the truth, and the approach of motherhood makes Darcy reconsider who she wants to be. The London setting is lovingly drawn, the romance develops gently, and there are some tender scenes. Some readers never warm to Darcy; most find her transformation satisfying. There is some mild sexual content, discreetly handled.

A satisfying companion that works best after Something Borrowed. Its message, that the person you least expect may grow the most, is quietly hopeful. It can also be read on its own, though knowing the first book adds an extra layer of irony to Darcy's early chapters, and the London scenes give the story a fresh, airy setting. About 368 pages in the St. Martin's Griffin paperback.