Book
Title : Summer
in The City
Author
: Robyn
Sisman
Publisher
: Penguin
Group
Date
Published: 2005
Number
of pages: 309
Genre
: Romance
Summer in
the City by Robyn Sisman tells the story of two complete strangers who live
separated in London and New York having fate to be connected to each other by
advertising Jobs. They have a long-distance relationship only by phone before
they actually met and get attracted to each other. Suze Wilding who lived in
London had to travel to New York for job business exchange her apartment with
Lloyd Rockwell who also had to fly to New York. Their connection began when
Suze knew that Lloyd had his job fired and decided to help him to get it back.
Lloyd found it wonderful and both of them wondering if they just be perfect for
one another at the end of the day.
The novel has romance as its genre and
makes Suze Wilding and Lloyd Rockwell as the main characters of this novel. Suze
Wilding mentioned herself as a feminist who never wanted to have a serious
relationship with a man. Otherwise Lloyd Rockwell is a man who ready to take
big responsibility to live together with Betsy, who became his fiancée in the
middle of the story. Suze was described as an independent and clever woman who
was adored by her fellows’ partner at works, as well as Lloyd but he got bad
luck when someone was trying to trap him until he got fired. Their presence in
the novel as the main characters developed well from a man who loves his
fiancée so much but realized married was not his first choice and a woman who
stated love was not everything but still feeling hurt and fell into the wrong
man.
Well, even
though the main characters success dominated the whole plot, my pick to be the
character wasn’t fall into one of them, but Betsy, the supportive character. I
don’t know if I have second lead syndrome or no but I get emotional every time
I read Betsy part who being hurt by Lloyd. She was a beautiful woman who really
loves her man and being loyal to him and only wanted to be treated and loved
well by her man. She deserved better than Lloyd had ever done to her. She
accompanied Lloyd to London because she wanted to be always on Lloyd side, but
Lloyd didn’t appreciate it by telling her that he didn’t insist her, she
voluntarily to do so. She had been with Lloyd for years but Lloyd let her down
for a small mistake that she did. I wish I have such loyalty to my future
partner and patience. I think her effort to be a loyal and patience woman
should be appreciate more.
The interesting
part I found along the story was when Lloyd communicating with Suze by
Telephone. The topic wasn’t really important but they had the chemistry to
point they can share what they had been through on their day. The topic somehow
ridiculous, once Lloyd told Suze that he unintentionally made her cat died on
the way to vet. Suze also didn’t mind to share that she got dumped by Nick and
had cried for a day because of that. Their chemistry was amazing though it
happened indirectly, in two separate places.
I hate it when
it near by the ending of the novel where Betsy and Lloyd broke up. I had
mention that Betsy had my side, that’s why I get emotional by the reason Lloyd
decided to broke up with her. I believe Suze had contribution to their broke up
because Lloyd always mention her name in unconsciously in front of Betsy. Once,
Betsy mother visited them in London and asked to be accompanied by Lloyd
sightseeing around, but he refused due to his important job. But then, when he
met Suze, he said that he relieved that he didn’t have to accompany Betsy
Mother. I could understand why he was very rude towards his girlfriend’s mother
who would become his mother in law. I was happy that Betsy didn’t have to
continue her relationship with a coward like him.
Although I didn’t like Suze and Lloyd, I
believe the story will be better if the author give the resolution to their
relationship in the of the novel.
However, the
story would be much better if the author put more exposure on Nathan’s existence
in the story. If I am the author I would make clear the status between him and
Catherine and give resolution in the end of the story even though he was only
the supportive character throughout the novel. Their love line remains hanging
without being solved and makes Catherine looks like a bad character. Catherin
deserves better ending on romance for what she had been through towards the
member of the club and after her miserably days.
The friendship
of KC, Peri, Lucie, Darwin, Catherine, Anita, and Dakota looks very sincere
regardless their ages. The age different between five of them with Dakota made
them treat her way better. I never found such friendship happened in real live.
The way they support and care to each other was mesmerizing, it triggered me to
remember my old fine days I spent with my friends. The differences I had with
them are the intensity of meeting and communicating. Their last friendship
moved me so much.
From the novel I
can learn that friend can be more than friend. Calling our friend as our family
is possible as long as our friendship is sincere. It is reflected on Friday
knitting club on Walker and Daughter on how they felt the same blue when they
were left by Georgia, how they try to resolve each other problem, how they
gathered both for congratulate happiness or sadness. Even though in some reason
not all of the problem they had can be shared, they tried their best to
maintain their friendship at the end of the day.
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