Best. Book. Ever.

Last week, I made a last-minute stop at the bookstore to pick up a David Sedaris book. But as I was walking down the aisles, one book immediately caught my eye. It was tucked away in the corner on the very last shelf -- The Opposite of Love. Intrigued, I turned to the first page:

“Last night, I dreamt that I chopped Andrew up into a hundred little pieces, like a Benihana chef, and ate them, one by one. He tasted like chicken. Afterward, I felt full, but slightly disappointed. I had been craving steak.”

After reading this perfect opening, I knew I'd be going home with two books.

I was barely halfway done with this book when I added it to my list of good reads. It was just that good. It's a story about beginnings, endings and re-beginnings. It's about losing everything and recreating yourself from the leftover scraps.

The main character (Emily) seemingly has everything -- a lucrative job at a prestigious law firm, an incredible boyfriend and a fancy, high-rise apartment in Manhattan. But she trades it all in on what seems like a whim, and then she is almost immediately consumed by feelings of regret. Although she wasn't ready to continue her life as it was before, she also wasn't prepared for the heartache and anger that accompanied her loss.

Had I read this book at a different point in my life, I don't think I would have like the main character. In fact, I'm pretty sure I would have found her to be annoying, frustrating and just plain stupid.

But I empathized with her and desperately wanted her to work for her happy ending. And I couldn't have asked for a more perfect ending. You must make this your next summer beach book.