The Girl in Times Square by Paullina Simons

I am so in love with Paullina Simons’s writing. She captured me with The Bronze Horseman, and I have been a fan ever since. The Girl in Times Square just solidifies my admiration of her work.  It is one of the most heart wrenching stories I have read.

Lily Quinn is twenty-four and still in college since she lacks a few credits to graduate. Lily just can’t seem to get her life together. Her boyfriend has moved out of their tiny apartment she shares with her friend Amy and now she has to pay his portion of rent. She can barely afford her share. Feeling like she is drifting, she lets her grandmother talk her into visiting her mother in Hawaii.

After three weeks of doing nothing but laying in the sun, Lily gets a call from Spencer O’Malley, a New York detective. Amy is missing and he has questions. Lily hops on the next plane back to the states. Once the interview with Detective O’Malley is complete, she still finds herself drawn to him and him to her. Amidst the search for Amy, Lily gets the most devastating news a person her age could. Amidst all of this Amy has to struggle with a dysfunctional family. What does not kill you makes you stronger. Right?

This book has it all, family drama, mystery, romance, tragedy all put together in the beautiful, lyrical prose that the author is known for. To be honest, I struggled with the first sixty or so pages; but, the prose is so good I keep going and I was drawn into this wonderful story of a young girl who somehow finds her way despite the curve balls she gets thrown. Beyond the prose, the characters are so fully represented on the pages as to make them feel more like family. Even the characters I disliked, I understand and to some degree had empathy with.

Just a few minor, and I do mean minor, things that were negatives for me. The first minor issue I have is (it is not a negative for me but maybe for others) despite the wonderful prose the book is a bit verbose for some tastes. I do not mind, I lean to the side of more is better, rather than the other way around. Yet, I realize some readers need a book to move along quickly or they lose interest. Also, I felt like there were two MAJOR story lines here, the mystery of Amy’s disappearance and the stuff going on with Lily. Each story line could have stood on its own. Therefore, it felt kind of heavy or messy, for lack of a better words.

I struggled with the rating on this one. Is it a 4 star rating or is it 5? Will I read it again? Maybe. So, not a 5 but close at 4.7.

I especially recommend The Girl in Times Square to readers of romance and family relationships such as Nora Roberts only with better prose.

I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.