This is such a great book. The story is perfect. I could totally relate to the characters. Just couldn't put it down. Sad that I finished it.

It started out slow for me. As it progresses it gets much better. At first I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue reading it, but the further you get, the better it gets.

Let me say that I love Emily Giffin's novels. Starting with Something Borrowed, and then Something Blue. This one just didn't do it for me. It is completely predictable and the story doesn't really start until midway through. It is definitely a fast read and will keep you busy for a while, however I did skip a lot of unneeded paragraph's. I wish I could give this book a better review.

If you haven't read Something Borrowed, buy it! It won't disappoint!

This was a GREAT book! I strongly disagree with some of the reviews that say it was lacking depth or that the main character was shallow (immature, yes. Shallow, no way). If anything, the story is almost TOO in-depth in its description of the main character's thoughts and feelings, to the point that we see just about all of her flaws throughout the story. The author shows no fear in uncovering the real life challenges of love and monogomy and in discussing how emotions can make good people do things they know are wrong. The main character is hard to like at times because of the choices she makes, but she is almost painfully relatable. Being in her head is like listening to all the stuff that most people would think in that same situation but would never admit or say aloud, especially about the people that they love and/or are married to.

The story, however, is very simple, so if you are looking for something with lots of plot twists, this is not the book for you. It is more like a classic love story, just without the glossing over of the ugly, unhappy sides of the whole love thing and an unusually honest main character telling the story. I thought it was just great.

Save your money. This expensive hardback is not worth the money and certainly not worth your time (a mercifully short read). The characters are so superficial and the plot just down right stupid (and done so many times before). The supposed suspense of whether she would return to her long lost boyfriend vs staying with her devoted husband is totally lost in this book. The people were so poorly developed (especially the main character)that you could care less by the end what she did...

I loved reading about Ellen, Andy and Leo! This was a great love story about a woman's past and present colliding together and what she does about it. I also loved Suzanne and even Margot, though I hate her friend Ginny. What a b...

Also, you guys have to try out the Kindle if you haven't already! So cool.

This is not her strongest book, it took a while to build up, dragged on a little but the ending was great. Its a fun summer read, if you have the time and the patience.

Perhaps I am labouring under an over-developed sense of justice and what is right, but I HATED the main character in this book. She is shallow, self-indulgent, and has the sort of overwhelming sense of self-entitlement that I thought went out with the Reagan Era and "American Psycho." I felt no empathy for her immature, selfish choices whatsoever, and disliked her strongly enough that I eventually found myself rooting against her, hoping she'd end up alone.

While I like Giffin's work, this novel, while attempting to address the issue of "life's other paths", is executed clumsily with a "heroine" one can neither identify with nor pity.

i thought this book was really good!

i think some folks are being kind of harsh on ellen. i wasn't really down on her that much. i don't think there's anything wrong with wanting the best possible life for yourself, or to look for your own happiness, especially since ellen's own family life had been so sad (her mother dying, her family falling apart, etc.). i actually would have been mad at her if she didn't go after the things she wanted. however, i don't think she should have lied to andy about it though. that was bad. but i can understand why she wouldn't want to give up something in her past until she was sure she was doing the right thing, not only for herself but for those she cares about too. life is messy and she redeems herself in the end i think.

also, i agree with the previous reviewer who said that andy was kind of milquetoast. that is a perfect description for him. i wouldn't want to be with him, but i do think ellen really did love him. did she love him more than leo? that's up for debate. but that's what makes this book work, imo.

I've read all of Giffin's books (my favorite is Something Borrowed) and enjoy the way she captures the angst and emotion of relationships. Generally, her characters seem like real people, and the heroine is someone to whom I can relate. This book, however, as a huge disappointment. As we meet the protagonist and her hubby, I immediately thought he sounded like a milquetoast guy who didn't really "get" who she was, and that she had obviously settled. So, I anxiously waited -- through hundreds of pages -- for her to get back together with her ex, whom she had truly loved, and who seemed to have changed and grown. Then, in the end, Giffin baits and switches, lamely telling us that the ex hadn't changed, and the protagonist stayed with her boring loser hubby, as much because she liked being a part of his family, as because she loved him. I felt betrayed. Don't think I'll be buying another Giffin novel...

Before picking up this book, I'd only read Emily Giffin's "Something Blue" and spent the entire novel disliking intensely the main character. Still, I thought maybe that one novel was a fluke, so I gave this one a try. Nope, Emily Giffin really does write ugly, unlikeable, morally offensive protagonists, so I've read my last book by her.

I'm not sure why I didn't stop reading early on, but I guess I kept thinking that she really wasn't going to go THERE, was she? So I spent the first 338 or so pages of the 342 page book following along as the main character ran pell mell toward adultery before deciding in the last three or four pages that she'd stay with her husband and just love him. But, she didn't come to this conclusion before crossing a line -- maybe not the BIG line -- but a line nonetheless.

So I finish this book wondering what the author expected me to be thinking afterward? Was I supposed to sigh at how romantic their reunion was, despite the fact that the poor sap she's married to, a perfectly great guy in every way who adores her, has no clue just how far over the line she went? Was I supposed to think her so self-sacrificing and loyal because she FINALLY remembered those pesky marriage vows?

'Cause, it didn't work out that way for me. Thank you, Miss Emily Giffin, but you can keep your chick-lit and you're two for two in creating a protagonist I'd like to see fall off her stilettos.

Reading is really important to me - fiction and nonfiction. I read a lot - the range is wide. Bet I have read many a fiction book short on content - but this one will always stand out in that category.

I stayed with the book because like the reviewer before me, I too wondered what would happen when the "husband" put it all together (other reviewer: "I was hoping through most of the book that the husband would catch on and divorce her so she would have to start dealing in reality.")

When reading I consciously think: "what will young women just starting out in the world of relationships gain from this book?" I am horrified if a young woman thinks this is typical - especially if she is not from the USA and thinks this is accurate of a young woman in today's society.

Written many years ago in a different time period, Laura Ingalls Wilder books have more character depth and create more empathy for the characters!

"Love the One Your With" could have made a memorable statement about relationships, commitment, fidelity and still have had all the passion and lusting. Instead the character came across as always accessing her wins and losses.

My only hope is that the characters undergo a great deal of character development if there is a sequel to this book. I would not enjoy reading about the character's inner struggle over which preschool will give her children the advantage for attending Harvard - or should it be Princeton?
Hmm... the tediouosness of it all.

i don't think this is so much a love story as it is a story about what it takes to commit your life to someone else. since over half the marriages in this country end in divorce, it is obviously a lesson that is really hard to learn. that is what i thought this book was about, about whether ellen could learn what it means to commit to her husband and whether she thought she could actually do it once her feelings for leo resurfaced. i like how this book doesn't play out like some unrealistic fairy tale, where all of your troubles disappear once you say "i do." i mean, it is not realistic to think that you are not going to ever be tempted throughout the course of your marriage or that you won't possibly think or even have feelings for someone else. that's just how life works sometimes, whether we like it or not. yes, ellen makes some really stupid decisions throughout this book, but i couldn't blame her for doing the things she did. she thought she was following her heart. she was confused. she didn't want to live a lie if she was truly in love with someone else. or, more importantly, if she realized that maybe she didn't love her husband and had made a mistake. i thought her reasoning for making her final decision was pretty right on: that commitment means you have to make the choice every day, over and over again, to be with a person in order to make it work. but is she willing to do it? i guess it's not ideal or perfect or overly romantic, but it's honest. commitment is hard work, there is no doubt about it. and this book makes you understand that.

and im surprised at the reviewers who thought leo was such a jerk. okay, he was kind of a jerk when he was younger but i thought he was incredibly charming when ellen runs into him again. i could certainly see why ellen was so into him. i thought he and suzanne were the most interesting characters in the story, actually.

This very same thing happened to me, though I was not and still am not married. I am dating my boyfriend for 14 years. He is a great guy, we both decided not to get married, he's perfect in every way, does everything for me, blah blah blah. But Luke is the one that got away and let me tell you, I would NOT have done what Ellen did. I would have absolutely done the deed with Luke. Ellen should have done it with Leo. Who would find out?!?!!? It's not about love..it's just a one or two or three night stand. It wouldn't surprise me if Andy was cheating on Ellen, being in the golf club and attorney scene..who knows? She should have just gotten it out of her system...!!! Otherwise OK book..very predictable and with friends like Margot, who needs enemies?!??!

This book was just painful to read. Thankfully it was short. If you enjoy being in the head of a spoiled, self indulgent, vapid female, while she can't decide between her former jerk of a boyfriend and her devoted husband, then by all means go ahead and waste your money. I was hoping through most of the book that the husband would catch on and divorce her so she would have to start dealing in reality.

First time reading this author and I was pleasantly surprised. While this is not an overly ambitious story, what it does explore it explores quite well. I enjoyed being inside the narrator's head as she faced down her dilemma and found her confusion and guilt very real and convincing. In fact, I found myself pausing often while reading to think about what I would do in her situation. Which tells me that I was very much invested in the story...always the sign of a good book. The author has a very clean and effortless writing style, which is perfect for this type of book. All in all, just a very enjoyable read.

I love the way Emily Giffin writes. She writes as if you're having an intimate conversation with a really close friend, which makes her books feel really personal and real. This book is like listening to your best friend spill her guts about being confused about her marriage and having feelings for an ex boyfriend. It's just a really good story about a woman being in love with two people at once and all her feelings of guilt and selfishness. It's not my favorite of Emily Giffin's books, but I still loved it.

I read the first few chapters and started skimming through the next few and started jumping few paragraphs when I was about half way. The best part of the book was when I finished it and only because I paid for it!

I enjoyed this book. The story is a little bit slow at times, but Emily Giffin has such an entertaining and conversational writing style that it still pulls you in. You are basically in the main character's head almost the entire story, which can muddle the narration at times, but can also be very moving when she finally comes to terms with her feelings for each of the men in her life.

Overall, this was a good book and one that Emily Giffin fans will definitely want to read. If you are new to this author, I would recommend you start off with either Something Borrowed or Baby Proof, both of which are excellent books.

I've read all of Emily Giffin's books and this was by far my least favorite. While it certainly was not a bad book, it was not great either. Ellen drove me absolutely insane. Reading the book was like watching two trains barreling at one another, seemingly destined to crash into one another. I was practically yelling at the book because I could not stand reading about Ellen who seemed to be bent on self-destruction. I can appreciate characters making dumb decisions, but Ellen's were so asinine that I could not reconcile them in my mind with being actions of any reasonably intelligent person. While the basis of the book was interesting enough, the actual characters and their circumstances did not make Ellen's actions believable - husband was just too great and ex just too awful. I absolutely could not understand why someone would contemplate throwing it all away, and unfortunately the more I read, the less I understood. Perhaps this might have been better as a short story - as a novel I found it too long and insanity inducing.

didn't expect too much from this one, just a fun read for my vacation. but i was pleasantly surprised by the quality and depth of the story. the author writes very fluidly and is a natural storyteller. the book has a lot of insights into relationships and love that go beyond most books in this genre. i look forward to reading other books by this author in the future, whether i am on vacation or not.

The author really gets inside the character well enough for you to know and understand what she's feeling. I really recommend it if you love these kind of novels and also a self-help book about relationships and sex I Love You. Now What?: Falling in Love is a Mystery, Keeping It Isn't

Not as good as her other novels All about a lady obsessed about a old love!!! That's it!!!

This is the first book I have read by the author, and it was a long journey for me to get through. As the title of my review, the title character was darn lucky to be able to go back to her husband, and to have him have her. Such whining through out the book. Such indecision, and too much temptation for a married women.

She was not a teenager, and I kept wanting to say to her "Grow Up". Not a satisfying book for me....an old timer.

This is a wonderfully written story. A very moving exploration of love and commitment. The end is a bit fairy tale-ish, but the epilogue makes up for it. Sort of happy-sad, but ultimately a satisfying conclusion. Look forward to reading more by this author.

I have read every one of Giffin's books and have loved them all. She tells her stories with lovely plots and interesting characters. Her use of dialog is delightful. I also recommend my favorite book about love I Love You. Now What?: Falling in Love is a Mystery, Keeping It Isn't

I have read all of Emily Giffin's books and although "Love the One You're With" wasn't my favorite, I still liked it. Her stories have a way of sucking you in and I really relate with her characters. The ending of this book totally made me cry, I haven't felt like that about a book in a long time!

I've read all of Emily Giffin's books and this one is by far my favorite!

Something borrowed and Something Blue are my favorite books and I was so excited to see that she had another book out. I enjoyed this book just as much as the others. Baby Proof was okay, but this one kept me entertained the whole time:) Great chick lit book!

Love the One You're With, Emily Giffin's fourth novel, is in familiar territory for the author. The main character, Ellen, is in her 30s, married, and without children. Ellen has a crisis when 100 days after her marriage to "Mr. Perfect" Andy she runs into her ex boyfriend Leo on the street. Ellen nearly throws it all away as she decides if she wants to "Love the One She's With".

Like Ms. Giffin's other novels, this book is well written and an enjoyable read. I liked that she introduced one of the characters, Hilary, from Something Borrowed as a tangential reference to her earlier work. Ellen is overall an enjoyable character to spend a couple of hundred pages with, even if you do occasionally wonder if she's lost her marbles--I mean, who agrees to move 800 miles on a whim? However, most of the other characters in this novel are total types, so it makes it really hard to get invested and root for them. Andy is "Mr. Perfect" Southerner, Leo is the "hunky artist", and Ellen's best friend Margot is the southern debutante. Even Ellen's sister--the sarcastic voice of reason--is typecast as a typical flight attendant. The novel would have been much more enjoyable if these characters had been a bit more rounded, making them real people instead of caricatures.

Overall, Love the One You're With was an enjoyable summer read. It was a quick read but still funny and smart (as is Ms. Giffin's way). I would recommend this to anyone looking for some good summer chick lit fun. But be warned, this is not the best there is.

From having read Something Borrowed/Something Blue, I was afraid that this new release would somehow just rehash their storylines and success. However, it was totally original and really enjoyable.

The most refreshing thing was that there was no cookie cutter perfect ending, where everything just magically turns out perfect. It was the main character's emotional growing and realization that creates the ending. I liked that there was a lot of realism to the characters, and they were multi-dimensional and likeable.

Definitely worth reading!

They say most writers have one great book in them, and I guess this is true of Ms. Giffin. Her first, "Something Borrowed" was a delight, and I looked forward to "Something Blue." It was somewhat of a letdown, and appeared as if she'd injected many of the discarded notes from her first book into her second - resulting in a passable second effort, clothed in designer hand-me-downs ... so to speak. Her third, "Baby Proof" began what I consider a more serious downhill trend in the quality of her work - forgettable the minute the last page is turned and never a book I would voluntarily recommend to a friend.

And now, this fourth, "Love the One You're With", is so incredibly lackluster that it's hard to believe it comes from the same author. The pace is sluggish and the narrative voice comes across in a monotone - as if you are listening to a friend relate some never-ending history of a relationship ("so then he said to me, and then I was like, and after that I told him, but then he ...") as you sit there with your eyes glazing over. The characters are stereotypical and never fully developed, and Giffin manipulates them in sudden spurts in order to move the plot in the direction needed. All of a sudden, the wonderful husband becomes a dull jackass while the best friend becomes a shallow yuppie ... so much easier for the protagonist to shed them in her pursuit of the old flame. I guess Giffin believes that all she has to do is write it, and we shall believe - but it doesn't work that way.

So where does this leave Giffin? In the position of having to come up with an exceptional next novel or let the waters of mediocrity slowly wash over her head, condemning her to the burgeoning ranks of anonymous chick lit writers. People will only continue to shell out the bucks if they think the read will be worth it. Based on the declining impact of her collected works, let's hope she's able to pull it off.

another great book by emily giffin. this one is all about marriage and learning to deal with unresolved feelings for an ex. it wasn't my favorite of hers, but still a very entertaining story and one that does make you think about the meaning of commitment.

here is how i would rank emily giffin's books:

1. baby proof
2. something blue
3. love the one you're with
4. something borrowed (though it is hard to separate it from something blue)

and, when something borrowed is at the bottom of the list, you know that's a pretty high standard! read this if you're an emily giffin fan.

There is a lot of depth packed in this relatively simple story. One woman, two men, two loves. What should she do? That pretty much sums up the storyline of LOVE THE ONE YOU'RE WITH. But Emily Giffin does a great job of illustrating her protagonist's thoughts and emotions as she struggles with a decision that will affect her entire life. She is not afraid to make her protagonist unlikeable for a large part of this book, simply through the sheer honesty she displays in considering adultery and placing unfair blame on her relatively perfect husband. The frustrations displayed by the protagonist in this book reveal the strain of a new marriage and the life adjustment all newlyweds must make and, when pushed to the extreme for dramatic effect, create a very dramatic story about love, commitment and how to deal with unfinished business in your past. Smartly written and a pleasure to read.

Carol

The book was in good condition and received it within a reasonble time. Thank you.

I went on a little (for me, anyway) reading binge this summer and this was probably my favorite book so far. It's a pretty simple story about a woman who is dealing with the return of her one-who-got-away about three months into her happy marriage. The book is a really introspective examination of love and all of its complications, and whether committing means that you can't acknowledge feelings that you may always have for another. I really loved this book and how it showed this woman's struggle. Very moving and entertaining!

I found the essential premise of this book to be compelling and something that anyone could easily relate to, namely, feeling occasionally ambivalent about the long-lasting life choices we all make. Ellen marries her best friend's brother, good guy Andy, but a chance encounter with old flame Leo sends her reeling. I enjoyed reading the book but felt that I was almost too much inside Ellen's head; I longed for a little more action, or plot. The characters seemed a little one-dimensional to me; it was harder to understand Ellen's ultimate choice because the characters were so thinly drawn. Still, I got my money's worth out of the book.

I LOVED Giffin's first three books. I only LIKED this one. The main character is honest, but it is painful to read. I hate to read the honest feelings of someone contemplating adultery. Still a good book...Giffin is still one of my three favorite authors.

Love the One You're With is a great book about a woman, Ellen Graham, and the battle between her heart and her head in relation to the two men she loves. The problem? She is married to one, but still feels she may love the other. Much of the book takes place inside the main character's head, with much of the drama created by the character's own confusion and internal turmoil. Some may complain that Ellen is not easy to like or that she is a drama queen, but in reality our thoughts rarely agree with the movements of our heart. One can "overthink" how we feel, rather than trusting our emotions, and one can also get swept away in the emotion of the moment with little regard to common sense and what is best for our lives. This book does a great job of exploring how Ellen learns to balance those emotions in her life and the story is as much about her learning to trust herself as it is about her choosing between two loves of her life. Thoughtful and full of little insights, this is an interesting and enjoyable story.

I couldn't get into this book at all, and finally gave up. It's really disappointing, because I loved her other books, especially Something Borrowed and Something Blue. Even Baby Proof was much more entertaining than this! This was way too depressing and seems to be very much of a one-note story.
Does this mean I'll give up on Giffin altogether? No. I've loved many authors, and almost all have had a sour note in the bunch once in awhile, just like good actors who have a bad movie. This just happens to be one of the sour notes.

that's the question, and i thought that this book tackled it with a lot of honesty and insightfulness. in fact, i thought that this book was very similar in theme to emily giffin's first book, something borrowed. only, the conflicts the character is dealing with in this book involve (arguably) much higher stakes in that her marriage, surrogate family and adopted lifestyle are put on the line, along with her own sense of morality and identity. one of the things i really found interesting about this book is that it showed just how certain people in our past can transform us back into who we were when we knew them, despite whatever successes and growth we might have achieved since. like meeting up with people from high school and all of the sudden feeling like that insecure 16 year old again. anyway, that's how i likened the dilemma in this book and could really relate to what was happening as a result.

this is the closest character that emily giffin has written to rachel from something borrowed. she is hesitant and maddeningly overthinks almost everything but yet she is also endearing and someone you really want to root for, to hope that she is able to figure it all out in the end. her inner monologue carries this story and i thought she was a witty and thoughtful narrator.

At first glance, the title alone gives the plot/ending away. But, I've loved all three of Emily Giffin's books, so I figure this one had to be just as good. There are always surprises in her books, so I felt that this book should be no different. Unfortunately, it didn't do it for me. I became irritated by the main character's flawed decisions and rationalizations, and towards the middle I just wanted to get the book over with. It was a whole book filled with inserts of what had happened in the past, and not so much about the present. There was so much background information I didn't care for that made me really didn't enjoy it as much. I wanted conversations, confrontations, JUST SOME TYPE OF ACTION, but, I got nada. Good character development, very "real"/relatable, but I just wasn't HOOKED. Hopefully the next book will be better. Until then, I doubt I'd ever pick up this book again.

Many women I know (and men too) have that "ex". The one that made perfect sense in the heart and in the bedroom but just didn't pan out in the rest of the world. The one that we're sure we're over...until we hear from or see them. The ex that, years later, can rip open that scarred heart and makes us revert once again into that pile of quiver we were shortly after the breakup. The one that makes us second guess the present love and wonder is it as good as that older love? Ellen Dempsey had one of those ex's too.

Overall, I think this book is easy to relate to. Although I don't like all of the choices Ellen made or her wishy-washy attitude about what she should do....I do relate to her. I could empathize with her. When revisiting the "what if" man, I think it's normal to sound goofy and uncertain and maybe a bit irrational. It's that conflict between the head and the heart. And in some cases the old memories of the heart versus the newer love for another.

I'm glad that Ellen finally found her way and made the choice I agree with. Although Leo seemed very characteristic of that "old love", Andy seemed a bit too wimpy. A bit too forgiving. A bit too "perfect". Yet maybe that's why Ellen's decision was even harder.

I too disagree with the Pittsburgh portrayal. That's where my family is from there and feel that the picture painted about life there was a bit off. There was a section when Ellen had a discussion about, how even though she was going to move to Atlanta, she wouldn't start saying "y'all"...she would continue to say "you all". And I was thinking...what about "y'unz"? Why don't you say y'unz? I also think that the inferiority complex of Pittsburgh natives is way off. If anything, it is a city of fierce pride and I can't imagine one of my relatives ever feeling inferior because of their upbringing. But, I regress. It was nice to see the Pittsburgh references but I do feel they were way off. Not even stereotypical because it makes Pittsburgh sound like Bedrock. Just way off.

This book is about sisters, friendship, marriage, love and family. It's about the person you though was "the one" until you profoundly realize that "the one" has always been right in front of you. I think the storyline is something easy to relate to. The writing is merely okay. The plot, especially the last line of the book, provides enough food for thought that I'm giving it 4-stars.

A great story with great characters. E. Giffins other books are better than this one. If you liked this, you'll love the others.

It's a rare thing that an author can bring both humor and sadness to a story, but this is one such book. Set in NYC and Georgia, you get a real snapshot of a marriage that's seemingly perfect, only to have a monkey wrench thrown into it. A great book.

Editor of Jennifer Winston's women's bestseller How to Snag a Guy and Keep Him Hooked: 99 Ways to Make Him Ache for You

This book entertained me. As far as plot goes, I wanted to slap the girl a few times. I hate watching people make what I feel are bad decisions. But look- I was getting mad at her! I was really into the book and the story. A good one.

Ellen Graham is a confusing, frustrating, maddening character. But she is also a believable, painfully honest, where-your-heart-on-your-sleeve type of narrator that makes this story hard to put down. I loved following her journey with Leo and Andy, and I loved how she wasn't afraid to explore herself or possibly make the wrong choices. She lays it all out there to try and figure out what love really means to her. That's not to say that I agreed with everything she did, but she was a lot of fun to read about and watching her figure it out and grow up through the course of the story was a very rewarding experience.

I was in the mood for a light, entertaining read for the summer and while this book fits the bill, it is also something more than that. I was surprised at how invested I was in the characters and the romantic triangle between Ellen, Leo and Andy. I agree with what the previous reviewer said, this book can be as deep or as simple as you make it. It is a very enjoyable story and can certainly make you think on the subject of true love and what makes a relationship work.

I was totally captivated by this boook, at least through the first half. Although it is totally relatable, it seems almost, predictable. While reading it, I felt guilty, like I was cheating on my husband. Everyone has the ex that they think about every now and then, but this book takes it farther. Also, the beginning about the character being so OCD she knows the exact day after her wedding that she runs into her ex, doesn't really follow through. She only mentions being OCD again once, while she is labeling things. It was a weird start. Good book, but, it is what it is.

Great book! The story was fluid and well constructed and the main character very real and relatable. I thought the author did a good job of turning a conventional love story plot into something more substantial, and her observations on love as something other than some sappy force of passion were unique (esp. to these "chick" type of books). I would wholeheartedly recommend this book.