setting: the owl bookstore; broadway, new york ; a bookshop between staples and the GAP
main characters:
• esme garland - an english girl who went to new york for her PhD at the columbia university.
• george - owner of owl bookshop
• luke - an employee of owl, musician, laidback friend of esme.
• shelley - close friend of esme; met her at columbia university dorm.
• mitchell van leuren - esme's love interest.
i love this book as reading it felt like walking down the streets of manhanttan. you could feel and breathe the season.
esme garland is english and went to new york for her PhD in art history through a scholarship from Columbia University. she often drops by at the owl bookshop which she describes as ramshackle old bookshop in between staples and the Gap. so just imagine how out of place the owl is in between two major shops in new york. esme is a book lover you know she's pursuing PhD in art history. esme met mitchell at an art gallery during one of this social functions in new york, the two made out and hang out ever since but not exclusively as mitchell loves to flirt with other women while esme thinks he and mitchell are exclusive. to make the long story short, esme got pregnant to mitchell's child and before she was even able to tell mitchell they broke up. mitchell said she found her unattractive although not said in a direct manner. esme was of course hurt so they split up leaving the later in forlorn. esme did not tell her parents. shelley, being her only friend in new york knew about it until one day she came across mitchell again (new york is a small world eh?) on some bookstore and caught her buying books about pregnancy. mitchell tried to talk esme into getting rid of the baby whilst esme thought mitchell would be happy about it. esme was devastated again and despised mitchell so much that she thought of not seeing him anymore and that she will fend for herself and her child alone thus she decided to work at the Owl to sustain her pregnancy. she worked part time because she's technically not legal to work in the US on a student visa. she met george, the owner of the owl; luke, the laid back guy who loves to play music and his guitar. the quiet guy who later on became his friend and taught her so much about music that connects to the soul & her drinking buddy at the owl's during dead hours; two of the homeless guys and customers of the bookshop of which she later turned friends with; mary, the girl with the german shepherd, bruce etc. the owl turned esme's little family in new york. the folks she works with supported her with her pregnancy and admired her for keeping the baby inspite of the father's indifference. they gave esme light workloads and a lot of talks checking on her if she's ok most especially luke. out of nowhere, along came mitchell again then offers esme marriage, told her that he's in love with her. esme, still head over heels towards mitchell said yes to the engagement despite her reluctance.
let me just introduce mitchell from the van leuren family. he's from an elite clan and esme is not aware of that and she's not really after mitchell's money in the first place. it just so happened that she can't afford getting her baby terminated because of her moral standards not taking into account a possible big career ahead of her. mitchell took her to the hampton's (yes of course) to meet his family. esme's uncle talked to her and she was devastated because she felt like mitchell's family thought she's a gold digger and that the whole pregnancy thing is just a way for her to get a hold on mitchell. later on, she learned that it was just a test and mitchell's uncle is only trying to test how pure her intentions are. esme did not accept the apology. she learned that mitchell had a past with this girl named anastasia, met her and the later told her to choose someone else not mitchell. all is well until esme started bleeding. she was advised by her doctor that she might miscarry and need a 3-day rest with mitchell missing in action as usual. luke was by her side though and visited her often. i love the guy luke more than the dick mitchell by the way. shelly told mitchell that someone else took care of esme in his absence. luke said george sent her to see if esme is ok although i think luke was not really sent by george but went to visit esme because he wanted to.
many things happened thereafter, luke told esme that her friend dennis died (the homeless guy) and she was saddened by it. luke said no official and decent funeral is being held for homeless people in new york. esme turned ok after the bed rest and went back to the owl. asked mitchell if he's able to pay for dennis' funeral but he declined. luke went away to join in some music festival and play with his band. esme was saddened by that because luke would be away by the time she gives birth. she seldom saw luke and another blow hit esme when mitchell suddenly decided to break up with her because she never loved her and the magic is gone. esme was devastated again because he wouldn't want to be in contact with her anymore. inspite of that esme kept updating mitchell through sms although he wouldn't reciprocate. esme gave birth and named her baby girl georgia after george who took her to the hospital when she was in labor. shelly her good friend also showed up and happened to leave her number to esme's co-workers in the event she gives birth. She, at one point showed mitchell their baby but he refused. what a dick right? if i were esme i'll treat him like a dead man! esme went to the bookshop with her baby georgia for her owl family to see. everyone was delighted since most of them haven't held a baby in their arms. luke showed up and the bookstore family is complete. luke treated esme for a drink at the owl while they watch the world from the inside in silence like the old days.
the end.
t'was a nice read. it kept me reading for more hoping luke and esme end up together and mitchell out of the picture but it didn't happen though. well, maybe in the long run and am hoping. the two can be a good match. i just don't understand why esme kept giving mitchell chances while he's such a dick who keeps on leaving her behind. love is love i guess but i'm hoping not many of these love stories happen cuz of the growing number of single parents nowadays. the book has turned enticing halfway through because i thought esme will ditch mitchell and luke would be in the picture. the start was interesting prolly cuz i haven't been to new york and it's such a feeling to behold sharing the streets of manhattan with the characters. the story made me feel how i'm missing a lot reading ebooks than buying the heavy ones or paperbacks from the actual bookstores. geez. don't be fooled by the book's simple cover. there's so much more to it once you flip through its pages.
it's been a week after i had my RAI treatment and i still feel as hyperthyroid as i am. i have been reading forums and quite understand that it may take months for the hormones to adjust so the effect of the treatment won't be that adversed. i still feel tired and sleepy in the morning (i work very early morning shift which may have been the reason why). i am just thankful that i did not spend a dime for my treatment because my health insurance took care of my 24-hour hospitalization. it was kinda hefty when i checked the receipt 'cuz it took almost P16k for everything which is not cheap if you cash it out for a 24 hour stay at the hospital. the treatment if i read it right (as per my PhilHealth papers) stated it was only around P3k+ then my hospital room was almost 2k (covered by my company's health insurance) and i think the doctor's fee was the enormous one, about P11-12k++ wow. i wish i am a doctor right now.
my endocrinologist did not prescribe anything except for my usual calcium supplement called Calvit Gold™ (which i have been taking for roughly 6 months now) along with my other multivitamins.
