Fiction Book Reviews

Book Review: Attachments

By Sandy Amazeen Mar 20, 2012, 2:51 GMT

"Hi, I\'m the guy who reads your e-mail, and also, I love you . . . " Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail. (Everybody in the newsroom knows. It\'s company policy.) But they can\'t quite bring themselves to take it seriously. They go on sending each other endless and endlessly hilarious e-mails, discussing every aspect of their ...more

When Lincoln O’Neil was hired as an Internet security officer by The Courier, he had no reason to suspect most of his time would be dedicated to reading personal emails and looking for flagged words that indicated dirty jokes or porn sites. Living with his mother, still grieving over an old love affair gone bad and working graveyard shift, Lincoln has little personal life beyond playing computer games. When some flagged words surface in messages between coworkers Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder, Lincoln takes notice. Best friends Beth and Jennifer share all facets of their lives in heart-to-heart girl talk shared during in a litany of endless emails throughout the workday.

Lincoln is drawn into their lives and although he knows he should send them warnings, cannot bring himself to do it as Beth and Jennifer’s wit and humor in the midst of pregnancy fears and relationship issues are so entertaining. By the time Lincoln realizes he has fallen in love with Beth, it is much too late to reveal his interest without giving away all the personal details he learned through eavesdropping on private messages. Fed up with the quagmire that has become his life, Lincoln gives notice with unexpected results.

This delightfully different love story draws the reader into Beth and Jennifer’s lives the same way Lincoln is captivated. Balancing the pressures of career, family, love and ethics, Rowell effectively captures the essence of the modern work environment. Lincoln is a sweet character as he struggles with his conscience and sense of ethics, trying to build some kind of life beyond the internet and falling for Beth. If you are searching for a fun light chic-lit, look no further.