Otherwise Engaged

by Eileen Goudge

Book Overview

Can a New York City journalist exchange her subway pass for an SUV and find happiness? Can a small-town wife and mother take on the role of single city woman and discover a whole new life? Jessie... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743483413
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: Pocket Books
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 0.33 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.8" x 1.4" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

Originally Posted on Romance Junkies in 2005

I'll admit it up front-I am a huge fan of Ms. Goudge's work. She has the ability to mix women's fiction with romance, tragedy, hope, and love in a seamless mix of words on a page. I began reading her work years ago, and I'm glad I never stopped. If I had, I never would have had the pleasure of reading OTHERWISE ENGAGED, a book that hit me particularly hard. What woman-for that matter, what human-hasn't at least once in their life wondered what would happen if they could change places with someone who has a seemingly enviable lifestyle? Everyone that I know-from my children, to my friends, to my co-workers, to my mother-has, at one point in time, pondered the question "Who would you want to be if you could trade places with someone for one day?" In OTHERWISE ENGAGED, best friends, Jessie Holland and Erin Delahanty, get that chance; one that few of us ever will experience. For Jessie, being a journalist in New York City is the epitome of everything she's ever wanted. She'd never in a million years exchange her middle-of-the-night take-out meals and trips on the subway for a middle-class, hum-drum lifestyle in the middle of nowhere. As for Erin, owning a bed-and-breakfast in a rural Arizona town is the fulfillment of her dreams, with a seemingly perfect marriage and a great teenage daughter. What isn't so obvious is that Jessie and Erin are both suffering-Jessie needs a hot story to propel her career into overdrive, Erin and her husband are fighting almost non-stop, and both women want only to be somewhere else, someone else, for the time it takes to figure out how to fix whatever is wrong. OTHERWISE ENGAGED is a wonderful book. Two best friends, both at crossroads in their life, decide to switch places-just to see, of course, if you can really go home again, if the "what ifs" are better than the reality, and if the grass is any greener on the other side. Highly recommended, Ms. Goudge once again proves that life is what you make it to be-and that, in itself, isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Engaging and Enjoyable

Plot Summary: Jessie and Erin are best friends with youthful dreams for their future; Until events alter the path each intended. Jessie is a single and an aspiring journalist living in the big city. Erin is a married mom running a bed and breakfast with her husband. Both women have achieved some measure of success in their respective lives. But, now as adults, they each face personal challenges that make them reconsider the path not taken. Jessie and Erin agree to experimentally swap roles in hopes of finding the answer to "What if ..."? For Jessie, the path not taken means going back home to face her past while discovering a more domestic side of her. For Erin, the path not taken means heading to the big city in pursuit of the career she never realized. Along the way Jessie and Erin have to decide whether what is missing from their outwardly ideal lives and relationships, is really worth having. Review: I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. The plot is engaging because we've all pondered the "What if..."? question at some point in our lives. I found it refreshing that Ms. Goudge didn't need to create clich? character extremes to make the story more dramatic and because of it, I related to the characters more and felt as if I knew them. I also liked the fact that Ms. Goudge didn't rely on the overused clich? miscommunications and misunderstandings to create the conflict. The conflict is represented by the yearning to discover that which makes us happy and complete. While all the characters are distinct and have their own imperfections, the story was credible and interesting to me because I'm familiar with characters and situations just like those she writes about. These are normal people experiencing real personal dilemmas. Ms. Gouge does introduce several subplots which are not explored at length but then I didn't expect it to be an epic saga when I picked up the book. I think she did a good job of fleshing out all of the characters in a way that provided a fairly balanced story so I was still left satisfied after reading her book. The various subplots she revealed served their purpose: to provide some background which sheds light on the character's motivations, to illustrate the character's personalities and to reveal the nature of their relationships; This was sufficient depth for me. I liked this book and recommend it as an enjoyable read.

Fun and Fast Read!

I just fell in love with Erin and Jessie. I could not put the book down. I bought it to read on a flight. It was so good when the plane landed; I wanted to stay on the plane to finish the book. Just loved how the book ended too!!! This is a great summer read!

Dare to Ask: What if???

How many times have you wanted something your best friend had? Or thought, "If I had her life..."? In Eileen Goudge's wonderful Otherwise Engaged, NY journalist Jessie Holland gets to live out these fantasies-- and learn a lot about life, love, and herself in the process. Jessie is a great chracter-- she is dynamic and interesting, and I really couldn't help but root for her throughout the book. Jessie is given an assignment from her magazine, "Can you go home again?" and, as such, she starts thinking about her own home in rural Arizona. At the same time, Jessie's long time best friend, Erin, who runs a bed and breakfast in their hometown, is facing marital problems. Jessie and Erin then develop a plan that permits them the opportunity to do what so many sisters and best friends before them have dreamed of: they switch places. For six months, Erin comes to live in Jessie's New York apartment while she sorts through her marriage. In turn, Jessie works on her assignment in Arizona while returning to her roots and embarking on quite a few adventures. The book is just so well-written-- Eileen Goudge writes really detailed, descriptive passages that bring you right into the action of the story and make you feel like you've known her characters forever. I won't give away the rest of the story, but I would recommend that anyone who loves a good story with great characters pick up a copy of Otherwise Engaged.

Life Swap

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could just pick up for say six months and switch places with one of our best friends from childhood......well that is exactly what Jessie and Erin do. It causes problems and major adjustments on both parts especially moving to New York and returning home to face some memories you wanted to forget. In the end love does conquer all and the problems and adjustments that both friends have to go thru are not easy but definitely worth the adjustments. Once again Eileen Goudge has taken us on a fabulous journey where love does conquer all. As you turn from page to page you wont be able to put it down. A great and fun read. Eileen have proven once again what a wonderful story teller she is.