Title: Larger than Life 
Author: Adele Parks
Publisher: Penguin Books (2002)
Paperback: 400 pages

Blurb
Georgina fell in love with Hugh Carter the moment she saw him. She's never loved another man. She was eighteen. She's now thirty-two and Hugh has finally moved in with her. Faces tend to fall when she mentions that when they first met he was seeing a friend of hers, whom he subsequently married and had two children with. But hey. Life's not a fairy tale. All is well until George finds that one small miscalculation with dates leaves her - pregnant. Still reeling from this news she notices that Hugh is turning out to be a bit of a disappointment. After fourteen years of seeing life through a Hugh-tinted filter can George start to make up her own mind?

My Review
So this happens to be one of those books whose cover instantly drew my attention towards it. I’m intrigued by pretty book covers and old and decaying pages. My mind automatically opens up to possibilities, and in this case, I was reimagining it to be a chick lit romantic fiction. But it was much more than what I’d expected.

Larger than Life by Adele Parks is a story that centres around Georgina a.k.a George who develops feeling of love quite early in life. Her life has always been about setting and planning goals both in personal as well as professional life. She is driven and ambitious about her job in an advertising firm, and aims high to climb up the corporate ladder. The book invites a reader to explore the journey of Georgina when she decides to chase the man of her dreams again, who is now already married with two kids.

First of all, the strands of humor are very well ingrained in the narration which appealed to me till the end. They are well-timed and make it a light read.  The story line is convenient and predictable, but elements of compassion, understanding are noticeable through dynamics of friendship in the book.

The main character is the heart and soul of the story. In spite of her eccentricities and disagreeable choices, the author manages the reader to remain emotionally invested throughout George’s journey. The entire transformation of the protagonist over the course of her exploits is heart-warming to read. Also, there are excerpts that manifest how brainstorming and campaigning hold importance in the advertising world, which was interesting.

This turned out to be a pleasant change, after devouring some mysterious and thought provoking books. I liked the whole concept of the story that how a woman’s life turns upside down during pregnancy. The physical changes are definitely visible, but battling an emotional hurricane is the real challenge.

Personally for me, the most important insight from the book, was to find your intentions and stick to your own values and opinions, even while being in love or relationship.

Rating: 3.5/5

Buy your copy: Larger than Life