DNF - You Lost Me There; Rosecrans Baldwin

When I read about this book in a literary publication several months back, I immediately added the book to my wish list. I even featured it as a WOW pick. Here is what it said:

" A dazzling debut that is at once a lightly erudite novel of ideas and a darkly charming love story set on an island off the coast of Maine-the perfect sophisticated summer read".

Well I do know that it was set on the coast of Maine. I tried on two different occasions to read this book, but sadly only made it to page 49. For me, the thought process seemed really scattered, and the writing was just not very good, in my opinion. I was expecting a touching story, but instead I found that the story just lacked focus, and could have benefited by better editing.

Here are a few examples of the writing in those first 49 pages:

•  "While running for office as the greatest American housewife, my mother never let a thank-you note go unwritten. I was reminded of one of Sara's jokes about WASPs: Why don't WASPs attend orgies? Too many thank-you notes to write".

• "A few years earlier one of her neighbors, Tim Winston, hit the lotto, he'd secretly financed a breast augmentation for his girl friend, while his wife, Maureen still worked two jobs."

• "Listen to this this", Regina said one night over the phone. "Straight from the Wall Street Journal, guess on average how much Parisian women spend on lingerie, what percentage of their clothing budgets?" "Five Percent" "Twenty-five percent Cheri, why wasn't I born in France?"

My response...."You Lost Me There",  Mr. Baldwin. I also feel it is important to mention that there were several obscenities peppered within those first 49 pages as well.

In fairness to the author, I had recently finished a first rate debut novel, My Name Is Mary Sutter: A Novel, so perhaps my bar was raised a tad, but even if that had not been the case, this book just did not work for me.

Review Copy - Did Not Finish - Disappointing