Book Description: Sarah always thought her life was on track, that is until her 29th birthday party. The discovery of a list her younger self put together outlining what she wanted to achieve by the age of 30 turns Sarah’s world upside down. Suddenly her seemingly happy life and career look lackluster and Sarah sets off on a journey to transform her life. On her quest to achieve perfection one month at a time – a happy marriage, partnership in a law firm and being able to fit in a size six purple suede miniskirt – Sarah learns to challenge society’s ideals of achievement. Filled with harsh reality, humor, and romance, Next Year I’ll Be Perfect explores what true happiness and success is all about.
Excerpt of “Next Year I’ll be Perfect”
“I think tonight is that big charity event David’s attending at the Metropolitan Opera House,” Eddie piped in, already moving toward the kitchen.
I nodded, remembering David mentioning his plans before I’d launched into the conversation about the building appraisal. “I think you’re right. Do you know who he’s bringing? Barbie or Midge?”
Eddie burst out laughing at my comment, drawing his father’s narrow gaze and low growl. I was lucky to sidestep any admonishment as I went to heat up our supper in the kitchen. I might have felt bad if my characterization of David’s girlfriends was in any way wrong.
A very intelligent and sensitive man in most areas of his life, David Thornton’s criteria for choosing women hadn’t changed much from the time he was thirteen years old. Namely, the flashier, blonder and better endowed a woman was, the more David was attracted. I was never quite sure where he found these women, but after one or two dates he always ended up sorely disappointed and highly surprised that dinner conversation was limited to stories covered in US Weekly. In fact, knowing David’s type of woman was one of the main arguments I used against Livvie’s theory that my friend was attracted to me.
I hated to label him as shallow, because David always ended his relationship with the bimbette of the week when he discovered they couldn’t make a deep connection. The tragedy was that he never quite figured out that a woman with a lifelong dream of being shaved by Howard Stern might not be able to hold up her end of a conversation about the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
About author, Laura Kilmartin: Next Year I’ll be Perfect is Laura Kilmartin’s first novel. She previously published four essays in Write for the Fight: A Collection of Seasonal Essays. All author royalties from that collection have been donated to breast cancer charities.
Laura is an attorney who lives and works in her native Southern Maine. A pop culture savant, she loves to read, write, travel and collect DVDs of cancelled TV shows in her spare time.
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What an adorable title! LOL I had to read the post (1.) because it is your blog) and (2.) because of the book title. Fabulous and thanks for the excerpt. xx, Lauren
I know! The title is so great! Thanks for stopping by, Lauren!
I’m so glad you liked the book titie! (Hopefully the rest of the book lives up to it!) Thank you!
I loved this book!
I did too! 🙂
I’m so glad to hear you guys liked it so much! Thank you!
The excerpt definitely has the true flavor that chick lit lovers will enjoy! Thanks for sharing it!
Agreed! Thanks for stopping by, Lori!
Awesome – I’m so glad that you think so!