Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell: a review by Kayne
Cherry Baby is packed with emotion and it had me thinking about it long after finishing it. Cherry’s husband, Tom, has been in Hollywood for a year, working on a screenplay based on the graphic novel he wrote. Cherry feels like she and their dog have been forgotten and it’s time to move on. This story has an angsty love triangle with quirky characters and I truly enjoyed it, especially the humor.
Cherry is on her first night out since she and Tom separated a year ago and she runs into her old college crush, Russ, at a concert for one of her favorite bands. They get cozy at the concert and start dating until something happens. When Tom comes home to pack his remaining things we realize he misses Cherry and wants to move back in. She has to choose between Tom and Russ, and for much of the story, I wasn’t sure who she would choose. I flew through the book to find out.
Cherry has a job she loves as head of marketing for the railroad. She wants people to accept and love her for who she is without talking to her about her weight. The outfits she wears sounded so fun and her group chats with her sisters are hilarious.
Tom becomes famous when his webcomic becomes a movie. The comic is semi-autobiographical and has a character named Baby and now people are starting to recognize Cherry as Baby which is difficult for her. She is hurt when they ask questions and make memes of her.
She is close to her family and I especially loved a Christmas scene when they are all together. They prepare delicious food for their celebration and she brings along a special date who charms everyone. There is more spice in this book than I’ve seen before in her others.
Cherry’s story goes back and forth between different times in her past to the present and there were a few places where it took me a minute to figure out which time we were in. I also wished for a longer ending, so I could see more of their HEA. But this is a touching story, told with humor and grace and I really liked it.
I recommend this to readers who enjoy romance stories that have characters with emotional depth and humor. I can always count on Rainbow Rowell for a unique and heartfelt romance and I’m happy to say that other than a few minor quibbles, this one delivered!
by Kayne Spooner