Stay by Allie Larkin – Review

Stay by Allie Larkin

Description:

Savannah “Van” Leone has loved Peter since the day they met. The problem is, Peter has loved Van’s best friend, Janie, since the moment they met. And now they’re walking down the aisle, with Van standing nearby in a Halloween orange bridesmaid dress, her smile as hollow as a jack-o-lantern. After the wedding, Van drowns her sorrows in Kool Aid-vodka cocktails and reruns of Rin-Tin-Tin, and does what any woman in her situation would do: She buys a German Shepherd over the internet.

The pocket-sized puppy Van is expecting turns out to be a clumsy, hundred-pound beast that only responds to Slovakian. Van is at the end of her rope—until she realizes that this quirky giant may be the only living being who will always be loyal to her, no matter what. And thus begins a friendship that will alter Van’s life in ways she never imagined.

Joe leads Van to Dr. Alex Brandt, a rugged vet with floppy blond hair and winning smile. But just as things are starting to heat up, the newlyweds return from their honeymoon, forcing Van to decide just how much she’s willing to sacrifice in order to have everything she ever wanted. Warm and witty, poignant and funny, Stay marks the arrival of an irresistible new voice.

You don’t read Allie Larkin’s debut novel STAY, you crawl inside, curl up with a cup of hot chocolate and experience every delicious, honest and heartfelt moment as it unravels. Savannah “Van” Leone is charming, realistic, and flawed. She loves her best friend’s husband, but the difficult twist is that he seems to have feelings for her as well. Her best friend, Janie, is the rich girl, the star, the center of any and all attention. Janie’s family also employed Van’s mother as their housekeeper for the entirety of Van’s childhood. Van’s mother is no longer alive and she never really knew her father, so our heart immediately starts aching for Van and the tough cards she has been dealt. But Van is no victim, and she isn’t a Pollyanna either. She feels things, really feels things and she is looking for comfort at every turn. She finds it in the unexpectedly lovable German shepherd aptly named “Joe”. Before I had even finished STAY I found myself searching the internet for German shepherd puppies. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

For the first time in her life Van is living outside of Janie’s perfectly coiffed shadow. She is picking up the pieces of her own life and starting fresh. Van is building her own family, even if it consists of just her and her dog Joe. Enter the lovable vet Alex, his pseudo-grandfather Louis and Agnes and Van finds that she is getting her new life off to an inspiring start. But in literature as in life, all good things must come to an end and the happy newlyweds have to return from their honeymoon at some point. The overall arch of the story builds to this inevitable return of Janie and Peter and the reader can’t help but wonder what will transpire when Van’s old life and new life collide.

STAY intricately explores human characteristics, our need to connect to others, our fears of being alone, our desire to be loved and loving.  Larkin puts Van in some sad situations from time-to-time, seemingly abandoned by her best friend, losing a mother, losing a love. There are moments in the story when your heart truly aches for Van and all the obstacles she has to overcome but at the same time it is so comforting to watch a woman rebuild her life and find strength in her self.

I so enjoyed Allie Larkin’s debut novel. It was warm, inviting, beautifully written, inspiring and hopeful. STAY is a charming debut novel and a great read. I am eagerly anticipating all of Larkin’s future work.  If you are looking for more information on Allie, take a look at her website and blog.

RATING: 5 STARS