I absolutely adored "Love Walked In" because it was a bit smarter than most Chick Lit. No, it was a LOT smarter than most chick lit. Marisa de los Santos is a beautifully talented writer. She has a way of stopping the dialogue so that you know why the character thinks/behaves the way she does. Plus, her stories have so much depth.

As I loved her first novel so much I was excited to read "Belong to Me", but it was a bit of a disappointment. It is still a beautifully written novel, however it seemed like de los Santos was trying to fit too much into one story.

I liked Piper's story and would have wanted to hear more about her life. There could have been a novel about Piper and Elizabeth's lives before Elizabeth got sick, and how Piper's life changed so dramatically after Elizabeth died.

There were some disconnects between the first novel and the second, specifically Ollie's relationship with Teo.

In summary, I did enjoy this book but it didn't quite meet my expectations. Still, I'll read her next novel!

Belong to Me was a book I had been looking forward to reading for some time.
It was worth the wait! Human relationships are complex; this author addresses many of them in a way that fills the reader with anticipation. The characters are diverse and the relationships unique.Tolerance,compassion and friendship(where you least expect it)keep the reader fixated on the book. I often stayed in the driveway listening to the book.

Allow me to state that just because I did not like this book, I did recognize that some passages were beautifully written. Some phrases were quite lovely, as well. Example, "confetti of noise." I liked the manner in which this was first utilized. Later on in this book, however, we had more "confetti" on snow, etc. Editors should have picked up on this. Another annoyance, for this reader, was the improbability of characterizations. When Lake meets Piper, she exclaims, "My real name is Piper, can you imagine?" Okay, I may not have gotten this verbatim, but the point is clear. One is easily drawn to Cornelia. She is so likeable. The romance between husband and wife was nice to read, as well. However, the book just did not work for this reader. I, too, like some other reviewers did not understand the sudden bond between Piper & Cornelia. I felt that this book became a contrivance. Basically, this genre is not my taste. However, readers who enjoy this genre will, most likely, be drawn to this book. I'm not sure if this is "Chick-Lit" or not. I did like "Good In Bed." That was well written, funny and heart warming. "Belong To Me" was like a rather bad fairy tale. Not recommended for serious readers -- sorry folks!!

I was drawn to de los Santos' first book, Love Walked In, because of the cover. (still one of my favorite covers). This cover speaks to me too, but I got this one because my friend, Jan, who knows me well, emailed to say, "this is a Kathie book." It is. I didn't want to put it down and I cried in parts (always a good sign...as my husband says, "if you don't cry, it's not a great book or movie." I loved reconnecting with Cornelia and Clare and Theo. I especially love all the references and life comparisons to movies and movie characters. I'd give her first book, Love Walked In, a 5 star plus. Somehow I connected a bit more with that one than this one. I think the side-stories here got a bit confusing at times and some of them seemed a bit too contrived and inevitable to me. That said, I'd still recommend it to any girlfriend who likes books about women's relationships with other women, but I'd definitely recommend she read Love Walked In first.
--Kathie Hightower, co-author of Help! I'm a Military Spouse -- I Get a Life Too!

Belong to Me picks up the story of Cornelia Brown from de los Santos's debut bestseller Love Walked In, a book that is still on The New York Times paperback list. The book opens with Cornelia and Teo's recent move to the suburbs, where Cornelia is finding that it may be harder for her to fit in than she first believed. She has several run-ins with the local queen bee, Piper, who takes an instant dislike to Cornelia. But Piper is not as heartless as she first appears - her best friend, Elizabeth, is dying of cancer, and Piper feels like she's dying right along with her. Then there's Dev, an incredibly intelligent, sweet thirteen-year-old who has just relocated from California along with his mother, Lake, who quickly becomes friends with Cornelia. Belong to Me is the story of how these lives intertwine and how trusting someone unexpectedly can lead to great things (and conversely, how lying to someone can lead to ruin).

The most appealing characteristic of de los Santos's writing is its sheer beauty. She was originally a poet, which explains how she can string together such compellingly gorgeous sentences. Even if the subject of the story was horrid, merely her writing would make anything worth reading. Luckily, the story of Belong to Me lives up to the splendor of de los Santos's writing style.

Though many of the characters in Belong to Me were introduced in de los Santos' previous novel, it is not necessary to read Love Walked In first (though I highly recommend it, just for sheer enjoyment). They are two, separate parts of a complete whole. However, reading Love Walked In first does give further depth to Cornelia, Teo, and Clare, if only to be able to see how Cornelia has grown up so much yet stayed exactly the same. This is an accomplishment that seems effortless to de los Santos, and it is repeated throughout Belong to Me. The characters are written superbly and they draw you in from the second you open the novel. The fact that it is told from three different viewpoints (Cornelia, Piper, and Dev) only adds to the pleasure of reading the book. In many cases, when a book is told from multiple perspectives, it seems that at least one is inferior to the others. By the end of the book, the reader dreads these particular perspectives and races through them in order to get to the more interesting stories. However, that is not the case in Belong to Me. Each perspective is unique and interesting, and while the reader may pick a definite favorite (in my case, Cornelia because I am biased by Love Walked In), all three are a delight to read.

The difficult thing about Belong to Me is where to put it with regards to genre. Obviously, it is fiction. But what about subcategories? The most obvious would be chick lit. However, I would argue that Belong to Me runs a deeper than the typical chick lit book. It isn't really women's fiction either. Though the readers of Belong to Me will likely be overwhelmingly female, I would think that a man could pick up this book and be as delighted with it as any woman. Marisa de los Santos' appeal is universal - it is too difficult to define by any genre limits.

In the end, Belong to Me is a story about the connections between people. Why do we connect with some, yet shut ourselves off for others? And why do we seem to depend on the people we least expect? It's all about reaching out to others, trust, love, and what it really means to belong.

Kudos to the author on an excellent story. This 2nd novel of Marissa de Los Santos is magical, honest, and picturesque.
When I bought Marissa's second book I didn't know the characters from Love Walked In were going to be present but it just made the book more special for me.
The story revolves around Cornelia and Teo's move to the suburbs to change the status quo of things. Cornelia was feeling fed up of the city life and decided to change scenery to see if she could finally get pregnant; after her miscarriage she has been hopeful to get pregnant again but has had no luck on that department so she quits her job and moves to greener pastures.
When they are settled Cornelia meets Piper (housewife extraordinaire) and later on she meets Lake. These two women are absolutely different and have very different motives to befriend Cornelia.
Piper is just such an uptight person she is judgmental and loves to gossip and bring people down and Lake is just strange, she seems to be hiding something only no one would have thought her secret to be Deveroux her only son.
The story is a complex one, the characters are fully developed and rich. I read it slowly, enjoying every single page and not wanting to finish it because it's not easy to find such a gem. I am sure you will love this book, it's deep, relevant, moving, and heartfelt and I can assure you that you will treasure it for many years to come.
I cannot wait for Marissa's 3rd novel. Keep them coming Marissa.

This is a lovely story from an extremely talented writer. This book stands as a testament that writing about domestic issues and about the concerns of contemporary women doesn't necessarily need to seem trite or be accepted as superficial. The author has a lyrical writing style that flows well with the storyline, and her main character has a very strong voice that carries the story.

If you have not yet read this author's two books, I would highly recommend that you do right away.

I liked this book. I love the dust jacket picture, just love it. I don't know why I do but there is something about that lineup of rainboots that interests me and beckons me to see who fills those rainboots.

I love Marisa de los Santos' writing. Her style somehow draws in the reader compelling you to feel in touch with the story. While the characters are not necessarily likeable or all of them interesting, de los Santos paints them as they are.

Some reviews have said the book was slow, the characters typified the quintessential stay at home mom with successful husbands and no money cares in the world (yawn)and spoiled the most interesting fact about the book (I hate that). I do believe however that the author is writing a story about such lifestyles and portrays them well. If the characters are involved in dilemmas of their making, isn't true of many of us at one time or another? The association the reader may feel with the characters' realities enables them to read on.

Read on you shall. Buy the book, borrow the book, read the book. I was not disappointed and am now a devout reader of works by de los Santos.

The writing in this book spoke to my heart. I love the author's writing style--it is warm, personal and poetic. I have always believed that writing is like painting with words and Marisa de los Santos does just that. Her descriptions are so vivid, whether she is writing about the love between a parent and a child or describing the picturesque suburban neighborhood she moves to. When I was immersed in this book, I felt transported to somewhere else. The author made me believe that the characters and the story were real and authentic. Nothing seemed contrived to me, and I grew to love all the characters, even Piper, who at first seems very shallow and superficial. The best part about the book is the way Marisa de los Santos weaves the lives of the characters together like a quilt, and gives you so much insight into their lives that you find yourself rooting for them as they grow and change, and deepen their love for their families and for each other. Cornelia is a fabulous character--very strong, warm, wise and witty--just the kind of person I would like to befriend in real life. The message of this book is fabulous--true love conquers all and connects us to each other. It explores the love between parents and children, siblings, neighbors, and friends who are so close they feel like family. My favorite story line is about Dev, a young teenage boy who is wise beyond his years and incredibly sweet. He is searching for his father who he has never met and who he believes left his mother before he was born. He befriends Cornelia and her "child of heart" Clare, and their lives intertwine and become richer because of the connections they form. I won't give away the surprise, but he finds more than what he is looking for and his heart grows as a result. My heart was touched by the beautiful story and I hope yours will be too.

After I read "When Love Walked In" I knew immediately that I had to have this book. I never read what it was about, and to my surprise it was the continuing story! JOY! I've fallen completely in love this Authors writing. I hope so much that there will be another....

After reading Love Walked In I couldn't wait to refresh my love with the written words of De los Santos once more. Her character creation is on par with some of the greats in the industry and I must admit that the reappearance of Clare was a surprise (albeit a pleasant one) The book in most forms is a further extension of Teo and his wife Cornelia who left the bright lights of New York and moved to the more tranquil PA in an attempt to be closer to their upbringings (a quiet neighbor hood and white-picked fence) They both hope for the quiet life and make fitting in a top priority - until the character Piper crosses their path.

Piper in every meaning of the word is a conflicting character - the term love/hate fits in well with her. At first she appears to be the snobby neighbor bent on driving Cornelia crazy. That is, until her softer side is shone when we meet her critically ill friend Elizabeth with whom Piper acts as caretaker. Another character from the first book is Dev; most will remember this thirteen year old as the heart of her first book and once again plays the role. This young genius has the typical problems facing todays youth - a new school, a new town, and trying to fit in (which he does admirably)

Ms. De los Santos does a wonderful job bringing these complex characters together and forming a great plot driven story. This is a novel you don't want to miss and is a welcomed addition to any library. So treat yourself well and pick up this literary classic by one of the rising stars in literature.

Editor of the novel: Fates by Georgiou, Tino Fates (2nd Edition)

At first, I didn't like this book, not feeling connections with any of the three female lead characters. But as we are going to discuss it in a book club meeting, I stuck with it. Glad I did. By the end of the first third of the book, I found myself rooting for the character I initially liked the least. The author did a good job of breaking down her character flaws to reveal a real person who was caught up in the idea of living vs. actually really living. To achieve this goal, the character had to suffer a serious loss in her life, but that situation opens up new possibilities. For the other two women, their lives intertwine in a way I didn't expect yet is completely possible, once the pieces of a puzzle are put together. Sorry if I sound cryptic; I don't want to give away a surprise element that becomes known later in the story.

The supporting characters add a wonderful dimension to the plot, enabling it to move along at a good pace. In writing the chapters from different character's perspectives, the author lets the reader in on feelings and emotions otherwise held in reserve. She also expresses ideas in ways that are eloquent and accurate, when stepping back and thinking about what is on the page. Readers who want a bit more depth to their fiction will likely want to read this book.

An "I am a rock, I am an island" person, I am transformed by de los Santos' novels, stricken by the necessary sustenance of love's many shapes and aspiring to become more like Cornelia, while recognizing elements of my personality in each of the female characters.

As for the main character's joblessness, I see it as authorial choice. Including employment for Cornelia would only multiply the already large cast of characters. Instead, her occupation is to nearly always say and do the right thing, engage in endearing inward thoughts, and demonstrate comfort and ease with being true to herself. This may sound dull or improbable, but de los Santos has a knack with lovable characters whose faults only increase their value.

Piper fascinates me. I recognize her instinct to lash out and say cutting things, as well as clearly seeing how ugly sad it is to give in to such impulses. Her arc is more pronounced than any other character.

Elizabeth's storyline brought me to tears more than once. She also inspired and provided for Piper's welcome evolution.

Clare and Dev are wholly lovable wunderkinds, as are all male characters. Even Kyle is a sympathetic character, thanks to Piper.

Lake is intriguing, and though her character could be explored further, de los Santos deftly implies what we need to know, trusting we readers to understand her.

I was thrilled to recognize characters from the great, uplifting "Love Walked In," but do not think the two books are necessarily interdependent. Give yourself over to the competent Maria de los Santos, and give in to the emotions she delivers. You'll love life, and books, a little more for the experience.

Do yourself a favor and read "Love Walked In" first (You can get a used one for <$1 here). It would be hard to really enjoy this book without having already experienced Cornelia and Teo's journey in the first book.

I was not even expecting this one out when I came across it at Chapters and picked it up. (I all but ran to the check out!) I was so pleased with the entire book. It has the same similar warm, sweet story as love Walked In and was just an all round good read. If you are looking for something light without the heavy storyline this would be a great choice.

I really like this author's writing. Reading the first paragraph, you notice how she can really put a sentence together. But I had a couple of big problems with the plot. First of all, the character of Piper. Again, her description is an extremely well-written paragraph, one which is quite unflattering. I never figured out how Piper and Cornelia went from mutual dislike to being friends. My other major problem was with the resolution. It seems extremely far fetched.

If you're looking for somethibng light to read on a plane, this may be for you.

Despite being in the middle of two other books, I picked this up on a whim and hated to put it down. 36 hours later, I was loathe to say goodbye to this story. I did feel like some of the characters weren't fully developed, but realized afterward that there is a "prequel", which might explain that shortcoming (I look forward to reading it). As a mother, I was especially touched by how beautifully the author explores the love women have for their children and their families, biological or otherwise (a note to all moms - you will cry). It was a moving, complex story and the John Irvingesque intertwining of all the characters in such an unexpected way had me on the edge of my seat for the last third of the book. Just a terrific read.

I enjoyed this book and some parts made me cry. This book also makes me want to read Love Walks In again - also a tear jerker, and beautiful story). I wish that more was written on Teo or story told from his point. And would be great if there was more on Piper and Tom - how their relationship developed. I'll definitely get her next book. A fan.

I was fortunate to read Belong to Me after reading Love Walked In, so I already knew Cornelia, Teo, & Clare. I didn't expect Clare to reappear, & was very pleased that she did. Where other reviewers didn't like the other characters so much, I really did. I especially enjoyed Piper's story, who I didn't like at all at first, but she grew on me! And the story surrounding Elizabeth's illness seemed so realistic. And I thought the intertwining stories made for an interesting and compelling read. Though I really enjoyed the first book, I'm one who enjoyed the second even more.

Loved her first novel - I just didn't like this one as much. I couldn't see the point of including Piper's life into the storyline.

I'm a great lover of women bonding books. Two of my favorites over the years have been The Saving Graces by Patricia Gaffney and Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik. The description of Belong To Me brought to mind these two favorites so I was eager to get started with it. What I didn't realize, however, was that there was a prequel to this book, Love Walked In. Had I known that, I definitely would have read them in order and most assuredly would already have had a connection with the main character Cornelia Brown. It sounds to me that Love Walked In was a good book and introduced the reader not only to Cornelia but to her "almost" daughter Clare and to her "definitely" gorgeous husband Teo. There's a lot to be said for reading books in order and I think this is a perfect example.

When I started Belong to Me, I was sitting on a plane headed for Vegas. I immediately loved it and thought it was going to be right up there with my favorites. Somewhere along the way, I stopped loving it and can't really put my finger on the reason. It might be the disconnect between the two books and the author assuming that the reader already loves Cornelia and her family having previously read Love Walked In. She has Cornelia leaving her big city life and landing in suburbia which leads to all the women "clique" issues and the loneliness that can follow.

The surrounding characters just aren't that likeable. We have Piper, caring for her cancer stricken friend Elizabeth. She's great with Elizabeth but a bear to everyone else. Lake, who has just moved there with her teenage son Dev, whose life is chock full of mysteries. I can't really say a bond is formed between these women but they seem to be working towards it. Then the author went on an unpredictable tangent and began to lose me.

So the first 100 pages I was giving it five stars. By the end, it had dropped to 3.5 to 4. I'm going to be generous with my rating and round it out to a four because, had I read the prequel, I'm sure I would have felt differently about this book and I'd hate to fault the author for my obvious faux pas. A sure lesson to be learned here.....don't read out of order!!

Bright, self-involved stay at home Mothers with adoring financially succesful husbands & beautiful children, bravely champion their way through hurts they've largely created for themselves. Brand labels are important. I read the first half and the last chapter, just couldn't care about any of these inter-twined story lines. If you're a Sex in the City / Desperate Housewife fan...this would be summer reading.

I just put this book down after losing myself in it over the last two days... I really loved this story. The women in it seem like friends any girl would be lucky to know. They are smart, funny, and powerful.
Some of the storyline is a tad bit predictable, but it goes along just the way it should. It is an easy read with laughing and crying along its road. Pick it up; you'll be glad you did!

Belong to Me is the sequel to the book, Love Walked In, which I read quite awhile ago.

This book is a continuation of Cornelia's journey with her husband, Teo, as they have just moved to a Philadelphia suburb. Cornelia has a hard time adjusting to her new neighbourhood and does not fit in well with the other wives there, in particular, Piper Truitt.

Piper is married to Kyle and they have two small children but a strained marriage. Piper constantly worries about outward appearances and presenting to the world the picture of a happy family. When her best friend, Elizabeth, begins the fight of her life against cancer, Piper rallies around her and her family and soon spends less and less time with her own husband. Piper begins to see the error of her ways regarding her own lifestyle and begins to realize that there are more important things in life than just looks and material possessions. Before she knows it, she has also started up a friendship with Cornelia.

Another family moves to town, a single mom, Lake and her very intelligent son, Dev. They soon become friends with Cornelia and Clare but we soon begin to realize that there is more to their story than meets the eye. Lake doesn't want to become too involved with these people and Dev starts to wonder why they're even living in this new area. Their lives quickly unravel with a simple phone call from an older woman. Dev finally puts the pieces together.

All of the characters stories end up coming together nicely and it was the interesting plot that kept me hooked. The writing itself is also captivating.

Three or four times a year, despite the odds against it happening, I end up really enjoying a book that in theory just should not have worked for me at all. Belong to Me was one of those books, the first one in that category this year, in fact. Two words sum up the reluctance I had about reading the book: Chick Lit. The book synopsis screamed "Chick Lit" to me loudly and clearly but the novel seemed to have such a good word-of-mouth buzz going that I took a second look at it. And, yes, it probably is Chick Lit, but at the same time it is the kind of novel that will appeal to readers of both sexes.

This is a book about relationships and what holds them together. It is about parents and children, husbands and wives, old friends and new friends, and the ever changing combinations that evolve from those relationships. It asks whether or not a person can ever really "belong" to another and whether it is selfish to expect that of anyone. It is a character-driven novel filled with enough interesting and quirky people to keep the reader turning pages until its gradually developing plotline reaches the point of making it impossible to put the book down. It is, in other words, a very good book.

Cornelia and Teo, her physician husband, have moved from New York City to a quiet Philadelphia suburb that reminds them of the neighborhood in which they spent their childhoods. The young couple might be a little wary of the lifestyle change they are making, but they want, and expect, to fit neatly into their new neighborhood. Cornelia, though, learns almost immediately that it won't come easy for them when she meets Piper (rhymes with viper), the Queen of the Neighborhood, who doesn't bother with much tact when explicitly pointing out to Cornelia what is expected of any neighbor of hers.

Lake Tremain and her son, Dev, enter the picture just in time to throw Cornelia a lifeline when she needs it most. The two have moved from California so that Dev can attend a prestigious high school while his mother tries to make ends meet by working as a waitress. Lake and Cornelia quickly become friends, giving Cornelia the ally she needs when it comes to dealing with Piper the Viper.

Dev is one of those characters I will remember for a long time. He's a fifteen-year old genius with a great sense of humor and an even greater sense of ethics and morality. I really liked this kid and was happy to see him emerge as one of the book's main characters. But this book is simply filled with likable characters, among them Dev's new girlfriend, Claire, an almost perfect, but not trouble free, match for him. Even Piper, a character whose first impression was far from positive, evolved into someone I could respect and like by the end of the story.

Belong to Me is a sequel to Love Walked In but I am proof that it is not necessary to read that one first. I believed that I was reading a standalone novel the whole time and had no idea that many of its characters had been introduced in an earlier book until after I finished it. This one was fun, a nice change-of-pace for someone like me who came to it so reluctantly.

I know that a lot of people will not agree with me but I lost interest of the story after reading the first 60 pages or so. I continued reading but this was not a book that made me wanna read. It was not a page turner to me. The characters were nice and I actually liked them but there was just something about this book that made me feel bored at times. Perhaps it was the fact that I believe a couple of chapters been streched like gum and its been too long. Just my two sense....

This is a beautifully written sequel to her first novel. You'll want to move into Cornelia's neighborhood so you can become a part of the wonderfully, intimately woven fabric of her new life.

There are perfectly crafted sentences(you'll need a highlighter if you're a word maven) gentle humor, with true insight into the nature of friendship, love, forgiveness, and family.

Both of these books would make wonderful films, though one worries that the casting would never come up to the characters in your own mind.

A third, please, Ms. de los Santos!

If there is one character I will never forget, it is Piper.

This is one of the funniest books ever. This is also one

of the most truthful accounts of life in the suburbs I think

I have ever read.

I have been telling everyone I know about this book. If they

choose not to read it, it is their loss.

City dweller Cornelia Brown moves to the burbs with her oncologist husband Teo. They've got a place in what looks like the perfect neighborhood, nice homes with nicely manicured lawns. They can be happy here. However the women who live in suburbia are a bit slow to accept Cornelia. Right from the get go it looks like she might not be one of them when she wears a skimpy black dress to a party of pastel wearing housewives.

The self-anointed, self-appointed Queen-bee Piper at first seems bent on making Cornelia's new life difficult, criticizing her constantly. Piper seems to be a blue-eyed, blonde snob, but we see another side to her when she cares for her terminally ill friend Elizabeth. Things, and people, are not always what they seem at first.

Cornelia also makes friends with Veronica "Lake" Tremain and her exceptional thirteen-year-old son Dev. Dev meets Claire, who I came to know in love in Ms. de los Santo's first book Love Walked In and the relationship that develops is pure poetry as is this whole story. At first Cornelia is excited about the change her life is taking, then it looks like it isn't going to turn out to be everything she thought it was cracked up to be and finally it all turns out better than she ever could have imagined.

I came to this book straight from Love Walked In, but you don't have to. Some how Marisa de los Santos has written a sequel that reads like a stand alone. That's talent, not to meantion the beautifully written heart-warming story that will leaving you hugging yourself and loving these people. I can't recommend this one highly enough.

Reviewed by Vesta Irene, Number One fan of Ken Douglas, writer of Tangerine Dream, Desperation Moon & Running Scared.

Fianlly, a sequel that I liked as much, if not more, than the first. Besides being interesting stories, both both Belong to Me and Love Walked In are very well written. When is Ms. de los Santos coming out with another book??

When readers first meet Cornelia Brown, one of three protagonists in Marisa de los Santos's second novel, BELONG TO ME, it seems that her tale will be one of trading an exciting life in the big city for a quiet one in the suburbs. But what unfolds is much more complex and interesting.

Cornelia and her husband Teo have just moved from New York to a sleepy, upper-class Philadelphia suburb, and she's having a bit of trouble fitting in. She misses the pace, creativity and intellectual stimulation of the city and finds little in common with the other women, wives of professional men, she comes into contact with. She's particularly put off by her snotty neighbor, Piper Truitt. But when she meets the eccentric Lake, a single mom also new to town, she has hope that a solid friendship is developing.

Piper is a stereotypical affluent WASP ice princess. But, in de los Santos's able hands, she undergoes a radical yet mostly believable transformation. Piper and her husband Kyle are the alpha couple of the community. Piper is a mother of two, overly concerned with propriety and appearance. She is most at ease when caring for her kids and spending time with her best friend Elizabeth. When Elizabeth is diagnosed with cancer, Piper's world begins to crumble, but through the illness, she rebuilds it into one more genuine and compassionate. As all of her energy goes into caring for Elizabeth, she finds herself distanced from Kyle and her previous petty concerns and becoming close with Cornelia, the neighbor she once dismissed. Elizabeth's illness challenges Piper to change and to learn to accept not only other people but her true self as well.

Meanwhile, young Dev, a kind-hearted genius preoccupied with String Theory and poetry, is faced with his own set of challenges. Recently uprooted from his hometown after a disastrous seventh grade year, he finds himself at a new school in a new town and finally feeling happy and comfortable. Still, he wonders why his mother chose this location. Could it have something to do with the father he never knew? With the help of friends Aiden and Lyssa and first girlfriend Clare, he starts to put together the missing pieces of his life that, while exciting, unravels the carefully woven lies his mother has told him all along.

The stories of Cornelia, Piper and Dev intersect in a number of compelling ways, resulting in some good plot developments. Yet, overall, this is a character-driven novel, and it is the inner lives of the three main figures that make it such a page-turner. Cornelia's portions are written in first-person narration while those of Piper and Dev are told in third person. Her shift in perspectives is successful because the tone and pace remain consistent, and each character has a worthwhile and unique point of view. The secondary characters --- Elizabeth, Dev's friends, Teo and Cornelia's brother --- are all given just the right amount of attention, adding to and not distracting from the story.

Readers may be familiar with Cornelia, Clare and Teo from de los Santos's debut novel, LOVE WALKED IN, but BELONG TO ME stands on its own well. While the connections between some of the characters are a bit too contrived and the emotional transformations are sometimes a bit too neat, the writing is enjoyable enough and the themes of belonging, friendship and love challenged by secrets and change are universal enough to make this a recommendable title.

--- Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman

You do not want to miss this book. Cornelia and Teo Sandoval are two of the most likeable characters in modern fiction. I wish I knew them in real life. The dialogue is unbeatable, as are the metaphors which provide whimsical insights into family, life, love, loss.

Marisa De Los Santos creates such vivid characters. Reading Dev's chapters (a brillant boy who describes his life through the cosmos and science most of the time) is also so endearing yet so real and adolescent.

The most intricate character is that of Piper who the reader wants to hate, yet is so complex, and so human, that you can't help but love her.

Belong to Me might be accused of being "chick lit". Yet it is so much better written than that genre, so poetic in its word choices and messages that I found myself deeply engrossed throughout.

Love Walked In (Santos first book) is equally as good. Belong to Me can stand alone, but if you have not yet read Love Walked In, you're in for a treat.

I have often heard it said that Kevin Spacey is an actor's actor. Marisa de los Santos is a reader's novelist. I wish that I had even half her talent to describe to you the power of her prose. She writes beautifully. Simply, sensationally and magically. I feel as though she could make any storyline interesting. As luck would have it, skill aside, this novel was right up my alley. I adored it. The reader was made to understand the characters in depth. It was so very easy to relate to them and to want to know more about their stories. Novels like this come along rarely and when they do I relish them because I am certain it will a long time before I enjoy another so.

At about page 50 I lost interest in this story. I skimmed the rest of the book just to see what happened and it didn't get any better. I loved Cornelia in Love Walked In but she was a bit player in this book. The other characters were not likeable and the whole story felt contrived. Read The Third Angel by Alice Hoffman if you want to read a really good book.

When I read LOVE WALKED IN, I claimed it was one of the Year's Best Novels. While I don't think BELONG TO ME is one of the year's best, it was very, very good and I really enjoyed it.

The story follows the main character from LOVE WALKED IN Cornelia, when she & her husband Teo move from the city to the suburbs. There we meet Del, a precocious 13 year old (who becomes fast friends with Claire, also from LOVE WALKED IN) and Piper, Cornelia's well-to-do, slightly snobbish neighbor. The story alternates between the three, while their stories slowly intertwine.

I'd say for the about the first third or so of the book, I almost felt that instead of this being a novel about all three characters, it was like reading three separate stories. While the characters did cross paths in the beginning, their stories didn't really begin to mix until about half way through the book.

It was a little slow going for a while, but a little more than halfway through, it started to get more interesting. The characters are very well defined and you can see their growth as the story moves forward. Some of it may be a little predictable, but its never boring while your reading through getting to the story's focus.

I love the way that de los Santos writes. Before she began writing novels, she wrote poetry and it shows in writing style. Her descriptions and the way she moves the story forward is written in a way that is very unlike most other authors. She has a way of pulling you in, and holding your attention. The paragraphs and chapters flow nicely from one to the next.

I for one, wouldn't mind a continuation of the stories started here. While there is conclusion to the book's plot lines, there isn't a definitive ending. Readers can be satisfied with how it ends, but if she chose to continue telling the stories in a third novel, it would be a welcome continuation.

If you enjoyed LOVE WALKED IN, you will almost certainly enjoy BELONG TO ME. While it is a continuation of Cornelia's story (from LOVE WALKED IN), as well as a few other characters, you don't have to have read LOVE WALKED IN to understand the characters here and their actions. It is written for both returning and new readers. Hopefully her next novel will be out sooner than two years from now! I cannot wait and will be anxiously watching!

There are very few books that I'd rate as excellent and Belong to Me is one of them! After reading Love Walked In, I eagerly awaited for Marisa de los Santos second book and it was worth the wait. I felt a continued kinship to the returning characters from Love Walked In and enjoyed the new characters in Belong to Me. The relationship between the characters was touching and poignant leaving me a bit bereft at the end of the story. As I read this book, I felt drawn into the characters lives just as I did with Love Walked In and was sorry to see the last page of the book come so quickly.

I'n not going to provide a synopsis of the book as there are many others out there to read. There is a freshness between the interplay of the characters, their stories and how Marisa de los Santos brings them together in Belong to Me. She describes the characters, their thoughts and their choices in a manner that draws the reader into their individual stories. Reading her book is like watching a good movie; you don't see words on a page, but a picture that moves thoughout the stories of the characters expertly uniting them. The only thing missing is the music you would find in a movie affecting the interaction of the characters as they move through the story being portrayed. This is an excellent read and I'll keep this one in my library for years to come and revisit over time!

A compelling story of love, trust and betrayal by a uniquely talented author. "Belong to Me" features Cornelia, one of the main characters from Marisa de los Santos' first book, "Love Walked In". However, it is not necessary to have read that book to fully enjoy this one. Cornelia's story intertwines with those of her uptight, controlling neighbor, Piper, and a seemingly chance met stranger, Lake.

The storyline for each of the characters is compelling. The characterizations are deftly drawn. (Of particular note is Lake's son, Dev.)And, the author's love of language is clear throughout.

This book is not only highly entertaining, but emotionally and intellectually nourishing. Really a spectacular effort.

This book is lovely. Reading "Belong to Me" made me feel like faith, hope, and love might actually prevail. Marisa de los Santos has created a world where seemingly awful people can redeem themselves and generous, decent people, even though they might not get exactly what they want, have a chance to come close. Nothing that happens to Cornelia, Piper, Dev, or Lake is easy to face up to, but they're faithful to the people they love no matter what, and that makes them very real and very memorable. "Belong to Me" really does get at the heart of what it means for humans to belong to one another.

I enjoyed "Love Walked In", but I adored "Belong to Me". The characters were so digestible! Reading this book was like indulging in my favorite dessert - one with lots of layers. It is so great to come across a novel where the plot is different from all the cookie cutter ideas that are published these days. I hated for this book to end and I wanted to move into the neighborhood of these characters and get to know them further! Now I'm hoping the author will write a book about Cornelia's sister! This was simply a wonderful read.

I started off like gangbusters reading this book...loved the prose and initial character development. I was so enthralled, then as the story progressed, I began to feel the dread of predictability. I found the characters turning into cardboard cutouts and the ending terribly disappointing.Everything neatly tied up while the birdies sing.....(I must say Dev was truly the only redeeming character in terms of development and depth.)

Belong To Me" by Marisa de los Santos

Moving from the city to the suburbs shouldn't have come as big a shock to Cornelia Brown as it did. Making

friends in the suburb shouldn't have been so difficult, but then making new friends can be as daunting to

some, as scaling Mt Everest


This is a book about friendships, coping with loss, change. betrayals, transitions and learning how to

connect and re-connect with people. Some of these are very unlikely friendships,some are shifting, changing

and one friendship that surpasses all the tests and expectations that you can throw it. Meet Cornelia and

Teo, Lake and her son Dev, Piper and her husband Kyle and Elizabeth and her husband Tom.An unlikely group of

people, that under different circumstances, would never get to know each other.

This book is a beautifully written painting of words. At times ponderous, slow and wordy, but always

beautiful. The characters are richly drawn, passionate, quirky and as real as people in the suburbs can

get!I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the first one "Love Walked In" .

Ok, not really a sequel but a continuation of the characters from this author's first novel, Love Walked In. I liked the characters even more in this book as they grew. I also probably related better to this book as it relates more to my life...suburban mom, husbands, chores, dealing with caddy women, raising a teen, etc, etc...
This is a story that will tug at your heartstrings. Again, some of the quotes the author uses with the main character Cornelia are among my favorites. This author is a wordsmith and has some profound messages throughout the book.

Marisa de los Santos does it again!! Belong To Me is a continuation of the story started in Love Walked In, although you definitely do not need to read the first in order to love the second (although I recommend it!). There are several reasons why I loved this book, the characters are either people that you want to be able to call your friends and that you care about and truly agonize for, or that remind you of the broads at the PTA meeting that drive you nuts! Then there is the story itself....three storylines that twist and turn, yet in the end manage to come together in a compelling manner that only de los Santos could pen, with her beautiful, poetic writing style. This is a book that you'll want to own, so that you can visit with Cornelia and the gang from time to time, as when it ends, you'll wish it hadn't. Thank you, Ms. de los Santos, for an enjoyable and memorable read.

I loved this book. It's a gorgeously written portrait of the extraordinary lives of women who might appear ordinary. You know these characters, you probably are one of these characters and by the time the book is over you will LOVE all of these characters even the ones that are deeply flawed. (Personally, while I enjoy Cornelia's voice, I fell hard for Piper. Oh and Dev, what I would give for my son to turn out like Dev. . .) Marisa de los Santos's skills as a poet are on full, rich display. Her senteces are sparkling gems of delight for the ear and the heart. Her plot moves effortlessly and swiftly and even as the story experiences true loss it is bouyed by new discoveries. If you ever wanted a smart, witty, deep and honest argument for the thriving life of the suburs, this is is.

I did not care for this book at all. I think the main problem was I did not find any of the main characters likeable. Piper, Lake, Cornelia...I couldn't relate to any of them and didn't like any of them.

I picked up this author's previous book, "Love Walked In", while browsing at a bookstore last year. I noticed that the author is a poet, a fact which almost caused me to put the book back on the shelf. I gave it a second look and was SO glad that I brought it home. I read a lot of women's fiction, as an escape from my busy life as an IT Director and mother. Most of the books in this genre are light, "chick lit" type fiction, so I rarely come across an author whose writing and stories draw me in as much as De Los Santos has. When this, her newest, book was released, I bought it immediately and in HARDBACK (... and I always wait for paperback releases).

I just finished the book and am again amazed by the writing. Her writing is poetic, and very visual, but certainly not flowery. It draws you in and makes you laugh and cry in turn. I'm a fast reader, and the writing certainly didn't slow me down, just made for a richer reading experience.

My only regret about discovering this author is that she hasn't written more - I'm going to have to wait ... years? ... for the next novel! I read about 7-8 new books each month, and Maria De Los Santos is now at the top of my list. If you like a well-written, funny, poignant story about families, parenting, and love, definitely order this novel.

I didn't think anything could top Love Walked In, that is one of my top 5 reads ever. This follow-up came near close. It is just so good. It still contains the lyrical writing in which you can tell the author is a poet, no one else writes like this. It was good to revisit the old characters and grow to love the new ones too. And that one point in the book when your jaw drops is just great, and for me very unexpected. Great read!

Three seemingly separate stories populated with well developed and interesting characters gradually interveave to culminate in a very satisfying finale.

Cornelia Brown has done something she thought she'd never do: she's traded her native Philly and job at a café in favor of life in suburbia. Suburban life has never appealed to her, but it somehow seems the right thing to do, especially after losing twelve-year-old Clare (Love Walked In) to her mother, who now appears to have controlled her bipolar tendencies. Unable to have children of her own, Cornelia and her husband Teo decide to take things easy instead. In her new surroundings, she meets some rather interesting people, which include:

Her new neighbor, Piper. Piper is the proverbial suburban wife -- blonde, blue-eyed, poised and ever so slightly snobbish. She is also kind of a control freak (or at least she seemed that way to me), telling people what to do and how things should be done. She, her husband and her two children seem perfect. But there is a sore spot in Piper's life: her best friend Elizabeth is dying of cancer. She does everything in her power to convince Elizabeth and herself that something can be done. As long as there is life there's hope, right? Instead of trying to convince Elizabeth to get treatments that will get her nowhere, she decides to do something more profound for her friend -- she decides to listen, really listen to her.

Cornelia meets two other very interesting people: Lake and her son Dev. Dev is a thirteen-year-old genius. Boys his age are concerned about things like the latest pair of Nikes and the hottest video games. But Dev has other hobbies. He loves to ponder the concept of evolution and enjoys discussing his favorite sonnets. Cornelia -- a lover of literature and classic films -- feels she's met someone special in Dev. But then it becomes clear that Lake, a fascinating person herself, is avoiding her and hiding something. But will Lake be able to avoid Cornelia after Dev meets Clare?

There is more to this wonderful story, of course, but I don't want to get into too many details. I loved Love Walked In, so I was happy to get reacquainted with such memorable characters. The novel is just as beautifully written as the first one, and Cornelia's narrative is just as engaging. I'm a little confused as to why she's the only first-person narrator in the novel though, but the other POVs are well constructed as well, just not as fun as Cornelia's voice. I give Belong to Me four stars instead of five because, while I loved it, it simply wasn't as engaging to me as Love Walked In. However, I recommend it most highly. This could be a standalone novel, but I recommend reading Love Walked In first anyway. Marisa de los Santos is a new talent in literature and I will definitely read her future installments.

A refugee from intellectual city living, Cornelia Brown is the explorer of a new terrain: the burbs. She believes that her own wits and childhood environment have prepared her to live among the families who occupy its picturesque streets. However, as the book opens with her first cocktail party, Cornelia learns that settling in to her new life is not going to be as easy as she thinks; clearly, this is a foreshadowing of things to come. Her neighbor (the leader of the suburban pack) Piper quickly puts Cornelia in her place, although Cornelia is not sure just what that "place" is.

Thus begins the charming tale author Marisa de los Santos has presented in her second book, "Belong to Me." Thankfully, unlike many second novels from authors who have had a successful first book, readers can pick up and enjoy this book without knowing anything about de los Santos or the characters who inhabited her first novel. The joy from the beginning to the end of this story is complete unto itself, without history or explanation. De los Santos's strong characters and lyrical writing engage from the first pages and hold the reader's interest to the end.

Caught up in their own dramas, the women who inhabit the pages of "Belong to Me" are smart, tough, and sometimes catty. Their world encompasses the joys and pain of child-rearing, infidelity, and cancer, as well as the need to present a perfect image to the outside world. The glue that holds them together--as well as the story itself--is the human connection, the ability to reach out to a helping hand when things look most bleak.

This might sound like just another volume in the chick lit genre, but what de los Santos brings to her writing that takes this up a step is her beautiful phrasing. Pick up the book and open to any page. Somewhere therein, the reader will find some emotion or scene so beautifully described that it can only be placed in the realm of serious writers, of "literature."

This is really little surprise, given the author's vocation as poet, with a PhD in creative writing. All that study and writing practice by de los Santos has been carefully enfolded into a very compelling storyline in "Belong to Me." Without being distracted by her beautiful prose, she instead takes her (ok, largely female) audience on a lively journey that makes reading this book hard to put down, using her descriptions merely as enchantment along the way. She grounds her characters and stories in the foibles of daily life, never losing the central storyline despite her talent for turning a phrase.

In the end, "Belong to Me" is a great book because of its solid storytelling. It stands alone with its vulnerability and virtue, and it's likely that readers everywhere are going to be hearing a lot more about Marisa de los Santos.

Christine Zibas, Book Pleasures