Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson (2009-01-06)

When we first meet Jane and Michael, Jane is a lonely little girl and Michael is her imaginary friend. With Michael life seems better but with the role comes the rule that he must leave when Jane turns nine. As tough as it is, Michael knows that the children always forget him once he leaves. That's

Show More

how it works. However, when Jane meets Michael later in her thirties, it is clear that she did anything but forget him. Grown up, she is still as unhappy and lonely as before. But Michael changes that for the better.

From the moment I started this book I loved it and the short chapters made it even harder to put down (the "I'll read just one more" strategy). Sundays at Tiffany's managed to make me laugh, cry and even get mad all in the space of this one love story. A great read!

Show Less

Note: This is my first review, so don't judge me.
Ok, this book is so sweet. It touched my heart. I can relate to the main character in a way. Jane doesn't get along with her mother that well; her mother tries to convince Jane she should hire this perfect actor, who is going out with Jane just to

Show More

get the part in a movie based on Jane's book/life, but she doesn't like me. Her imaginary friend, Michael becomes real and they fall in love, but Michael's job is to be an imaginary friend, and soon must move on to the next child. Throughout the book, Jane and Michael spend as much time as possible with each other. In the end.....WAIT, I'm not telling you. I suggest you read the book to know. It will really move you.

Show Less

I was aware that I was not the audience for this book going in. I don’t read a lot of formula fiction, though I did when I was younger, but someone in my book club chose it and I decided to keep an open mind.

I did. I felt high minded about it too, and secretly hoped that it would be a fluffy, fun

Show More

read. Suffice it to say, mind’s shut. I hope never to read something so ridiculous and poorly written again. This is a “story” of a lonely girl who later falls in love with her imaginary friend. I can’t even type about the plot without wondering, who would like this? Still, I’m well aware that it’s a “Patterson” best seller, so someone liked it.

It was actually written not by James Patterson, but by Gabrielle Charbonnet. Patterson does this often, comes up with an outline or a plot idea, contracts it out, slaps his name on it and makes a fortune. Far be it from me to judge, but I do know that this book under some unknown name would never get published. With so many worthy writers out there, this is a shame.

Show Less

What a delightful love story. I finished it on Valentine's Day--a perfect day to read a book like this one! But it would make any day a (*sigh*) day.

The characters are real--even the imaginary ones. Jane is the epitome of poor girl, rich girl. She has everything the world has to offer, and yet she

Show More

has nothing of any significance. My heart aches for her. Michael plays a perfect companion--perfectly, and every reader will love him. But is he real or imaginary?

I found the plot a bit reminiscent of Pinocchio, the story of a puppet who becomes real. Unlike that tale, this story twists and turns a bit differently to keep the reader guessing. Until the very end--the epilogue, the reader does not know for sure.

It's written in first-person narrative with Jane's voice in one chapter, followed by Michael's voice. There's a bit of profanity included as well as some adult scenes.

Show Less

What a great read. Made me wish I had, had an imaginary friend as a child. What a wonderful story.

OK, I'll admit it...I am not a romantic. This book read just like Danielle Steel. The childhood imaginary friend concept was interesting; but Jane and her mother were just too predictable. Not one of his better works!

It was okay - writing seemed inconsistent, like it was written by two (people which is was). But I liked the concept and the fresh idea of imaginary friends. Although I had an issue with the idea of an adult friend of an 8 year old then being a romantic partner - kind of gross.

Great summer read. This book is fast & sweet. It will captivate you from the first page to the end. A fun love story.

Why folks like James Patterson is a little beyond me... treacle-y, cliched, predictable -- which usually makes for an okay beach read.

Similar in idea to Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife but not NEARLY as good. It was all so very... predictable. A B-list read at best.

A quick and easy read that I finished in less than a day. Not a lot of depth, but a unique twist on traditional love stories. Enjoyable if you're looking for something light and quick to read.

What a good book to read when you just want to relax - no plot to try to figure out - just good clean reading.

A very precious book by James Patterson! The book starts out with a young eight year old girl chatting with her imaginary friend Micheal. All young children forget their imaginary friends, but after Micheal leaves her, Jane does not. She remembers him all throughout her life, then finally one

Show More

suddenly unexpected day Micheal comes back into her life and feels... human. They then must deal with the questions of his humanity, their tribulations, and finally their love for each other. This was a heart warming book and you couldn't stop turning the pages. The book was also my very first James Patterson read and I definetly will be looking into reading more of his novels in the future.

Show Less

A childhood friend is her one true love, but that friend is imaginary! Mikael left her at the age of eight becasue they were the rules of imaginary friends. Now years later when she's all grown up, Mikael finds her in Mew York while waiting for his next assignment-a troubled kid he must guide into

Show More

life. When Mikael finds out that she mighte possibly be her next assignment he can only think of one reason he wouldbecome the 30 year olds imaginary friend again... To guide her out of life.

Show Less

This was a nice little love story but it was very simple and under developed. It was a nice light read but I wasn't sad to finish it. I think I was expecting more.

I just wish she & her "imaginary" friend were the same age when she was small.

In the beginning the idea of an "imaginary friend" didn't really settle right--I guess mostly because the writer moves from past to present and I wasn't catching on to what the story was all about. Once I got the hang of it, it was an entertaining quick read.

Jane Margaux is an eight year old girl with an imaginary friend named Michael. Michael is about 30, he's charming, funny, and comforting, and he is with her almost all the time-- and only Jane can see Michael.
But on her 9th birthday, Michael tells Jane that she's a big girl now and he's not allowed

Show More

to stay with her any longer. He says Jane will soon forget all about him, but she swears it's not possible because she loves him so much. Flash forward 24 years. Jane is a lonely adult who has never forgotten Michael. She used her imaginary friend from her childhood as the basis for a smash hit play that's being made into a movie-- but she knows the leading man from the play, who happens to be her boyfriend, isn't right for the movie role and no longer right for her life. Then, in a chance encounter, she meets a man who is charming, funny, comforting, and incredibly handsome-- exactly like Michael, her imaginary friend. Is he an Angel? A gift from God? What exactly is he, and why is he back in her life? You might know some of James Patterson's other books, the suspenseful Maximum Ride series, or the crime/action books featuring detective Alex Cross. Sundays At Tiffany's is a love story and unlike his other suspense books. His co-writer, Gabrielle Charbonnet, gets a much smaller mention on the bottom of the cover-- primarily because it's the Patterson name that will put the book on the best seller list. It's a charming love story that if you give it enough suspension of disbelief you just might fall for. I recommend this one for fans of Nicholas Sparks.

Show Less

This was a pleasant but simple little romance. I think so much more could have been done with the concept. Although it was a nice story, it seemed like it was just slapped together in a hurry.

I decided to be perfectly, lazy (or one could say "literally lazy") and in the last 12 hours I indulged myself with not just one, but two James Patterson books. Both books I found to be equally enjoyable and consuming.
Jane at 8 years of age has an imaginary friend, or is he?
At 9, the rules state

Show More

he must leave, but will not be remembered by the child. This is just how it works, but does it always work out this way?
Something odd has happened and nothing will ever be the same for her. Jane, now a 30+ year old business woman finds the one person she never forgot.
Of course, the book is dripping saccharine and a bit like a fairytale, but I have always felt you must keep a little bit of the child alive in yourself. If you leave yourself open for a little bit of impossible or improbable you never know what life may bring...and who knows maybe we just don't remember!

Show Less

I loved this book! I finished it in two days which is normally unheard of in my world. Seriously, finishing a book in two days is how I read when I'm on a cruise or stuck in a car for long periods of time. Never in my daily life. Of course it is a James Patterson book and his nifty short chapters

Show More

allow for a lot of empty space. Plus, it was an easy read which helped. I don't think it was the best book I've ever read . . . No, I know it isn't the best book I've ever read but I'm still in love with it. I thought the story was great and while the plot certainly could have been fleshed out -hence making a longer book for me to read - it was good the way it was. I'm more in love with the story idea than the actual book. Does that make sense? I'm such a romantic and to think that this romance was meant to be just makes me all mushy inside. Yeah, I'm a mushy kind of girl.

The book starts out with an 8 year old girl, Jane, having ice cream with her imaginary friend, an adult named Michael. You'll need to think of Michael as an angel (even though he's not) to understand how it all works until you read this. Cut to twenty -plus years later and Jane sees Michael again. That's all I'm saying. No spoilers from me. It's terribly sweet and I do recommend it. As always, I'd love to hear what you think!

Show Less

An imaginary friend, a protector who watches out for your when you are little- could he be your only true love? I didn't pay much attention to the writing in this book, or if it was realistic, seriously does that first sentence sound realistic!? No. So it is more like super-hero imaginary friend

Show More

tale, a story of a girl who lives her life pretty parallel (ie neglected) to all those around her, not by her choice by theirs. The only person who has stayed in her memory as loving and true. Jane's mother is famous, or at least too famous for her daughter and has had men in and out, four husbands- all men who didn't end up being good enough for her. Jane feels she will never measure up either, never dressed right, always eating too much, saying the wrong things and below par.

She catches a glimpse of her childhood imaginary friend and the story moves right on from there. I was so entranced by the story that I didn't worry if it seemed realistic, or if there were major flaws, I enjoyed it and while I was reading (and listening to it on audio book) I only cared about what happened, how Jane would end up and if she would love and be loved. There are twists that I wasn't expecting, but they made the story even more interesting. I didn't read this novel for its literary prose, or the picturesque portrayals- I read it to entertain me, and that it did.

I was actually really surprised at the completely mixed reviews this has gotten on Amazon. I tend to be right in the middle of where everyone else is rating the book, this time we are all over the map! I was caught up in it- entertained. I enjoyed reading this from cover to cover, it was different, lovely and mysterious and far-fetched, still wholly pure delight. Seriously this guy/angel/imaginary friend knows everything about Jane and loves her still. That is so precious, so unconditional and just what we all need. He loves to see her eat, to see her enjoy life, to see her happy- who of us wouldn't want that!?

Show Less

Sunday’s at Tiffany’s by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet follow the life of a perfectly lovely, lonely little girl, Jane Margaux. Jane has one friend, Michel, who she turns to for comfort, kindness and attention. Michael, however, is her imaginary friend. Jane’s mother is a powerful

Show More

theatrical producer who only has time for Jane scheduled in once a week, for their weekly stop at Tiffany’s to admire the jewelry. In the world of imaginary friends, rules exist. And Michael must leave Jane on her ninth birthday. According to the rules, Jane won’t remember Michael and he will move on to yet another child that needs him.

Fast-forward thirty years, Jane is working for her overbearing mother, dating a total self-absorbed jerk, and is still a lovely, lonely girl. Yet, she remembered Michael through her whole life. When something, call it fate, conspires to allows them to meet again, it could be her one chance at altering her life forever.

This is the first audio book I’ve ever listened to. I have to say that I’m hooked. How cool is it, to be able to listen to a book while doing all the things I have to do during the day. Thanks to the “culture of the Ipod”, it’s acceptable to walk around with earbuds in ones years. “Reading” while shopping, driving, cooking and cleaning. That’s my kind of multi-tasking! One more excuse to never watch or listen to the depressing news again!

Sunday’s at Tiffany’s is a very mushy romantic book. Part way through, I found myself thinking, “Wow, Patterson is a huge mushball!” I don’t know the logistics of the writing when James Patterson partners with another author, but after listening to this book, I would guess he’s more advisory than hands on. This is a book written by a woman, for women. I usually avoid books like this like the plague. I don’t like romance novels, and have little patience for the whole heaving bosum genre. That said though, I enjoyed this book. The plot had a clever take on the whole imaginary friend thing. Although I’ll admit that I was a teeny bit creeped out by the adult imaginary friend. Everyone I’ve known with imaginary friends always has other kids as friends. (Yep, I’ve known quite a few people who will admit to having had them, either we’re all really imaginative or seriously messed up…..) I think that Michael could have been a bit older child and still been an adult when they met again, but that’s just my perspective.

For all that, I still enjoyed this book a lot. I was standing in line at the post office near the ending of the novel, in a particularly touching moment. I realized I was really really close to puddling up. (Note to self…don’t listen to tearjerkers in public places….) I realized then, that I did not only like the idea of this book, but the book as well.

Sunday’s at Tiffany’s would be a fast read, light and a bit fluffy, but good for some easy entertainment. Ellen Archer beautifully narrates the audio book to which this review refers.

Show Less

The character development in this book and the way it's written are good - I liked it overall. I just had a problem with the relationship of the main characters. Striking up a real relationship with an imaginary friend from when you were 9 years old just seems kind of icky to me.