Belong to Me: A Novel Reviews

• Great Storyline and Great Writing in This Book

  
  By A3INP7V12E2VDK on 2008-04-04
  A refugee from intellectual city living, Cornelia Brown is the explorer of a new terrain: the burbs. She believes that her own wits and childhood environment have prepared her to live among the families who occupy its picturesque streets. However, as the book opens with her first cocktail party, Cornelia learns that settling in to her new life is not going to be as easy as she thinks; clearly, this is a foreshadowing of things to come. Her neighbor (the leader of the suburban pack) Piper quickly puts Cornelia in her place, although Cornelia is not sure just what that "place" is.
  
  Thus begins the charming tale author Marisa de los Santos has presented in her second book, "Belong to Me." Thankfully, unlike many second novels from authors who have had a successful first book, readers can pick up and enjoy this book without knowing anything about de los Santos or the characters who inhabited her first novel. The joy from the beginning to the end of this story is complete unto itself, without history or explanation. De los Santos's strong characters and lyrical writing engage from the first pages and hold the reader's interest to the end.
  
  Caught up in their own dramas, the women who inhabit the pages of "Belong to Me" are smart, tough, and sometimes catty. Their world encompasses the joys and pain of child-rearing, infidelity, and cancer, as well as the need to present a perfect image to the outside world. The glue that holds them together--as well as the story itself--is the human connection, the ability to reach out to a helping hand when things look most bleak.
  
  This might sound like just another volume in the chick lit genre, but what de los Santos brings to her writing that takes this up a step is her beautiful phrasing. Pick up the book and open to any page. Somewhere therein, the reader will find some emotion or scene so beautifully described that it can only be placed in the realm of serious writers, of "literature."
  
  This is really little surprise, given the author's vocation as poet, with a PhD in creative writing. All that study and writing practice by de los Santos has been carefully enfolded into a very compelling storyline in "Belong to Me." Without being distracted by her beautiful prose, she instead takes her (ok, largely female) audience on a lively journey that makes reading this book hard to put down, using her descriptions merely as enchantment along the way. She grounds her characters and stories in the foibles of daily life, never losing the central storyline despite her talent for turning a phrase.
  
  In the end, "Belong to Me" is a great book because of its solid storytelling. It stands alone with its vulnerability and virtue, and it's likely that readers everywhere are going to be hearing a lot more about Marisa de los Santos.
  
  Christine Zibas, Book Pleasures
  
  

• Almost as memorable as Love Walked In

  
  By A1T17LMQABMBN5 on 2008-04-06
  Cornelia Brown has done something she thought she'd never do: she's traded her native Philly and job at a café in favor of life in suburbia. Suburban life has never appealed to her, but it somehow seems the right thing to do, especially after losing twelve-year-old Clare (Love Walked In) to her mother, who now appears to have controlled her bipolar tendencies. Unable to have children of her own, Cornelia and her husband Teo decide to take things easy instead. In her new surroundings, she meets some rather interesting people, which include:
  
  Her new neighbor, Piper. Piper is the proverbial suburban wife -- blonde, blue-eyed, poised and ever so slightly snobbish. She is also kind of a control freak (or at least she seemed that way to me), telling people what to do and how things should be done. She, her husband and her two children seem perfect. But there is a sore spot in Piper's life: her best friend Elizabeth is dying of cancer. She does everything in her power to convince Elizabeth and herself that something can be done. As long as there is life there's hope, right? Instead of trying to convince Elizabeth to get treatments that will get her nowhere, she decides to do something more profound for her friend -- she decides to listen, really listen to her.
  
  Cornelia meets two other very interesting people: Lake and her son Dev. Dev is a thirteen-year-old genius. Boys his age are concerned about things like the latest pair of Nikes and the hottest video games. But Dev has other hobbies. He loves to ponder the concept of evolution and enjoys discussing his favorite sonnets. Cornelia -- a lover of literature and classic films -- feels she's met someone special in Dev. But then it becomes clear that Lake, a fascinating person herself, is avoiding her and hiding something. But will Lake be able to avoid Cornelia after Dev meets Clare?
  
  There is more to this wonderful story, of course, but I don't want to get into too many details. I loved Love Walked In, so I was happy to get reacquainted with such memorable characters. The novel is just as beautifully written as the first one, and Cornelia's narrative is just as engaging. I'm a little confused as to why she's the only first-person narrator in the novel though, but the other POVs are well constructed as well, just not as fun as Cornelia's voice. I give Belong to Me four stars instead of five because, while I loved it, it simply wasn't as engaging to me as Love Walked In. However, I recommend it most highly. This could be a standalone novel, but I recommend reading Love Walked In first anyway. Marisa de los Santos is a new talent in literature and I will definitely read her future installments.
  
  

• I love this book

  
  By A3LKXX3XINB7FM on 2008-04-02
  I love this book. I can't wait to tell everyone how much I enjoyed it. The poetical, magical way she puts the words and the story together is rare. Endings are hard and often disappointing, not this one. Excellent job. Thank you.
  
  
  

• Love this author so much I bought it in Hardback!

  
  By AXUZUOL7RVUQ3 on 2008-04-11
  I picked up this author's previous book, "Love Walked In", while browsing at a bookstore last year. I noticed that the author is a poet, a fact which almost caused me to put the book back on the shelf. I gave it a second look and was SO glad that I brought it home. I read a lot of women's fiction, as an escape from my busy life as an IT Director and mother. Most of the books in this genre are light, "chick lit" type fiction, so I rarely come across an author whose writing and stories draw me in as much as De Los Santos has. When this, her newest, book was released, I bought it immediately and in HARDBACK (... and I always wait for paperback releases).
  
  I just finished the book and am again amazed by the writing. Her writing is poetic, and very visual, but certainly not flowery. It draws you in and makes you laugh and cry in turn. I'm a fast reader, and the writing certainly didn't slow me down, just made for a richer reading experience.
  
  My only regret about discovering this author is that she hasn't written more - I'm going to have to wait ... years? ... for the next novel! I read about 7-8 new books each month, and Maria De Los Santos is now at the top of my list. If you like a well-written, funny, poignant story about families, parenting, and love, definitely order this novel.
  
  

• No likeable characters

  
  By AW3H09TT8YDQG on 2008-04-13
  I did not care for this book at all. I think the main problem was I did not find any of the main characters likeable. Piper, Lake, Cornelia...I couldn't relate to any of them and didn't like any of them.
  
  
• Truth, beauty and humor
  By A1UPJKNFLG86VB on 2008-04-14
  I loved this book. It's a gorgeously written portrait of the extraordinary lives of women who might appear ordinary. You know these characters, you probably are one of these characters and by the time the book is over you will LOVE all of these characters even the ones that are deeply flawed. (Personally, while I enjoy Cornelia's voice, I fell hard for Piper. Oh and Dev, what I would give for my son to turn out like Dev. . .) Marisa de los Santos's skills as a poet are on full, rich display. Her senteces are sparkling gems of delight for the ear and the heart. Her plot moves effortlessly and swiftly and even as the story experiences true loss it is bouyed by new discoveries. If you ever wanted a smart, witty, deep and honest argument for the thriving life of the suburs, this is is.
  
  
• Wonderful, just wonderful!
  By AFLQ4D3T08RGK on 2008-04-10
  I didn't think anything could top Love Walked In, that is one of my top 5 reads ever. This follow-up came near close. It is just so good. It still contains the lyrical writing in which you can tell the author is a poet, no one else writes like this. It was good to revisit the old characters and grow to love the new ones too. And that one point in the book when your jaw drops is just great, and for me very unexpected. Great read!
  
  
• Read "Love Walked In" first or you won't "Belong to Me"
  By A8WX6M9VK4EXR on 2008-06-26
  I'm a great lover of women bonding books. Two of my favorites over the years have been The Saving Graces by Patricia Gaffney and Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik. The description of Belong To Me brought to mind these two favorites so I was eager to get started with it. What I didn't realize, however, was that there was a prequel to this book, Love Walked In. Had I known that, I definitely would have read them in order and most assuredly would already have had a connection with the main character Cornelia Brown. It sounds to me that Love Walked In was a good book and introduced the reader not only to Cornelia but to her "almost" daughter Clare and to her "definitely" gorgeous husband Teo. There's a lot to be said for reading books in order and I think this is a perfect example.
  
  When I started Belong to Me, I was sitting on a plane headed for Vegas. I immediately loved it and thought it was going to be right up there with my favorites. Somewhere along the way, I stopped loving it and can't really put my finger on the reason. It might be the disconnect between the two books and the author assuming that the reader already loves Cornelia and her family having previously read Love Walked In. She has Cornelia leaving her big city life and landing in suburbia which leads to all the women "clique" issues and the loneliness that can follow.
  
  The surrounding characters just aren't that likeable. We have Piper, caring for her cancer stricken friend Elizabeth. She's great with Elizabeth but a bear to everyone else. Lake, who has just moved there with her teenage son Dev, whose life is chock full of mysteries. I can't really say a bond is formed between these women but they seem to be working towards it. Then the author went on an unpredictable tangent and began to lose me.
  
  So the first 100 pages I was giving it five stars. By the end, it had dropped to 3.5 to 4. I'm going to be generous with my rating and round it out to a four because, had I read the prequel, I'm sure I would have felt differently about this book and I'd hate to fault the author for my obvious faux pas. A sure lesson to be learned here.....don't read out of order!!
  
  
• Another beautiful story written by one of our best rising stars.
  By A38DGN2C1GJ9NY on 2008-08-05
  After reading Love Walked In I couldn't wait to refresh my love with the written words of De los Santos once more. Her character creation is on par with some of the greats in the industry and I must admit that the reappearance of Clare was a surprise (albeit a pleasant one) The book in most forms is a further extension of Teo and his wife Cornelia who left the bright lights of New York and moved to the more tranquil PA in an attempt to be closer to their upbringings (a quiet neighbor hood and white-picked fence) They both hope for the quiet life and make fitting in a top priority - until the character Piper crosses their path.
  
  Piper in every meaning of the word is a conflicting character - the term love/hate fits in well with her. At first she appears to be the snobby neighbor bent on driving Cornelia crazy. That is, until her softer side is shone when we meet her critically ill friend Elizabeth with whom Piper acts as caretaker. Another character from the first book is Dev; most will remember this thirteen year old as the heart of her first book and once again plays the role. This young genius has the typical problems facing todays youth - a new school, a new town, and trying to fit in (which he does admirably)
  
  Ms. De los Santos does a wonderful job bringing these complex characters together and forming a great plot driven story. This is a novel you don't want to miss and is a welcomed addition to any library. So treat yourself well and pick up this literary classic by one of the rising stars in literature.
  
  Editor of the novel: Fates by Georgiou, Tino Fates (2nd Edition)
  
  
• No will power!
  By on 2008-04-11
  Don't know what had me picking up "Love Walked In", but thank you fate! I loved the characters and their story lines. I pre-ordered "Belong To Me" not even bothering to read the product notes; I just knew I had to read what Ms. de los Santos would create. When I got the book in the mail, I didn't start reading it right away. It was like those special chocolate Easter bunnies that was almost too beautiful to eat. Once you took that first nibble off the ear, before you knew it , it was gone. So,when I started "Belong..", it was almost with a slight feeling of dread, because I knew it would be over too soon. I told myself that I was going to try to only read a little bit at time so it would last longer. But like the Easter bunnies, it was so good; that what started out as a nibble quickly turned into gorgeing myself on Cornelia, Teo, Piper, Tom, Dev, Toby and the other wonderful characters that come to life in Ms. de los Santos's writing. These are people I want to know and do care about. The inter-twining lives in this book are developed with care and come out with humor, tears and love. Thank you Ms. de los Santo! This book will be kept, treasured and re-read. (In fact, I have to be sure that I get my copy of "Love.." back from my sister soon. She rarely got a taste of the bunnies either, but Ms. de los Santos' books are too good not to share!)
  
  
• The connections between some of the characters are a bit too contrived; the emotional transformations, sometimes a bit too neat
  By A2F6N60Z96CAJI on 2008-05-13
  When readers first meet Cornelia Brown, one of three protagonists in Marisa de los Santos's second novel, BELONG TO ME, it seems that her tale will be one of trading an exciting life in the big city for a quiet one in the suburbs. But what unfolds is much more complex and interesting.
  
  Cornelia and her husband Teo have just moved from New York to a sleepy, upper-class Philadelphia suburb, and she's having a bit of trouble fitting in. She misses the pace, creativity and intellectual stimulation of the city and finds little in common with the other women, wives of professional men, she comes into contact with. She's particularly put off by her snotty neighbor, Piper Truitt. But when she meets the eccentric Lake, a single mom also new to town, she has hope that a solid friendship is developing.
  
  Piper is a stereotypical affluent WASP ice princess. But, in de los Santos's able hands, she undergoes a radical yet mostly believable transformation. Piper and her husband Kyle are the alpha couple of the community. Piper is a mother of two, overly concerned with propriety and appearance. She is most at ease when caring for her kids and spending time with her best friend Elizabeth. When Elizabeth is diagnosed with cancer, Piper's world begins to crumble, but through the illness, she rebuilds it into one more genuine and compassionate. As all of her energy goes into caring for Elizabeth, she finds herself distanced from Kyle and her previous petty concerns and becoming close with Cornelia, the neighbor she once dismissed. Elizabeth's illness challenges Piper to change and to learn to accept not only other people but her true self as well.
  
  Meanwhile, young Dev, a kind-hearted genius preoccupied with String Theory and poetry, is faced with his own set of challenges. Recently uprooted from his hometown after a disastrous seventh grade year, he finds himself at a new school in a new town and finally feeling happy and comfortable. Still, he wonders why his mother chose this location. Could it have something to do with the father he never knew? With the help of friends Aiden and Lyssa and first girlfriend Clare, he starts to put together the missing pieces of his life that, while exciting, unravels the carefully woven lies his mother has told him all along.
  
  The stories of Cornelia, Piper and Dev intersect in a number of compelling ways, resulting in some good plot developments. Yet, overall, this is a character-driven novel, and it is the inner lives of the three main figures that make it such a page-turner. Cornelia's portions are written in first-person narration while those of Piper and Dev are told in third person. Her shift in perspectives is successful because the tone and pace remain consistent, and each character has a worthwhile and unique point of view. The secondary characters --- Elizabeth, Dev's friends, Teo and Cornelia's brother --- are all given just the right amount of attention, adding to and not distracting from the story.
  
  Readers may be familiar with Cornelia, Clare and Teo from de los Santos's debut novel, LOVE WALKED IN, but BELONG TO ME stands on its own well. While the connections between some of the characters are a bit too contrived and the emotional transformations are sometimes a bit too neat, the writing is enjoyable enough and the themes of belonging, friendship and love challenged by secrets and change are universal enough to make this a recommendable title.
  
  --- Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman
  
  
• Fav book of the year so far
  By AICBNEAE2IT5A on 2008-04-24
  I enjoyed "Love Walked In", but I adored "Belong to Me". The characters were so digestible! Reading this book was like indulging in my favorite dessert - one with lots of layers. It is so great to come across a novel where the plot is different from all the cookie cutter ideas that are published these days. I hated for this book to end and I wanted to move into the neighborhood of these characters and get to know them further! Now I'm hoping the author will write a book about Cornelia's sister! This was simply a wonderful read.
  
  
• Another Wonderful Read from de los Santos
  By A29CK3R8EIDEJG on 2008-05-04
  When I read LOVE WALKED IN, I claimed it was one of the Year's Best Novels. While I don't think BELONG TO ME is one of the year's best, it was very, very good and I really enjoyed it.
  
  The story follows the main character from LOVE WALKED IN Cornelia, when she & her husband Teo move from the city to the suburbs. There we meet Del, a precocious 13 year old (who becomes fast friends with Claire, also from LOVE WALKED IN) and Piper, Cornelia's well-to-do, slightly snobbish neighbor. The story alternates between the three, while their stories slowly intertwine.
  
  I'd say for the about the first third or so of the book, I almost felt that instead of this being a novel about all three characters, it was like reading three separate stories. While the characters did cross paths in the beginning, their stories didn't really begin to mix until about half way through the book.
  
  It was a little slow going for a while, but a little more than halfway through, it started to get more interesting. The characters are very well defined and you can see their growth as the story moves forward. Some of it may be a little predictable, but its never boring while your reading through getting to the story's focus.
  
  I love the way that de los Santos writes. Before she began writing novels, she wrote poetry and it shows in writing style. Her descriptions and the way she moves the story forward is written in a way that is very unlike most other authors. She has a way of pulling you in, and holding your attention. The paragraphs and chapters flow nicely from one to the next.
  
  I for one, wouldn't mind a continuation of the stories started here. While there is conclusion to the book's plot lines, there isn't a definitive ending. Readers can be satisfied with how it ends, but if she chose to continue telling the stories in a third novel, it would be a welcome continuation.
  
  If you enjoyed LOVE WALKED IN, you will almost certainly enjoy BELONG TO ME. While it is a continuation of Cornelia's story (from LOVE WALKED IN), as well as a few other characters, you don't have to have read LOVE WALKED IN to understand the characters here and their actions. It is written for both returning and new readers. Hopefully her next novel will be out sooner than two years from now! I cannot wait and will be anxiously watching!
  
  
  
  
• Not as good as Love Walked In.
  By A1TH8VMG3ONW1H on 2008-05-05
  At about page 50 I lost interest in this story. I skimmed the rest of the book just to see what happened and it didn't get any better. I loved Cornelia in Love Walked In but she was a bit player in this book. The other characters were not likeable and the whole story felt contrived. Read The Third Angel by Alice Hoffman if you want to read a really good book.
  
  
• Excellent Sequel
  By A2F4L44P7ZCSOB on 2008-06-10
  Belong to Me is the sequel to the book, Love Walked In, which I read quite awhile ago.
  
  This book is a continuation of Cornelia's journey with her husband, Teo, as they have just moved to a Philadelphia suburb. Cornelia has a hard time adjusting to her new neighbourhood and does not fit in well with the other wives there, in particular, Piper Truitt.
  
  Piper is married to Kyle and they have two small children but a strained marriage. Piper constantly worries about outward appearances and presenting to the world the picture of a happy family. When her best friend, Elizabeth, begins the fight of her life against cancer, Piper rallies around her and her family and soon spends less and less time with her own husband. Piper begins to see the error of her ways regarding her own lifestyle and begins to realize that there are more important things in life than just looks and material possessions. Before she knows it, she has also started up a friendship with Cornelia.
  
  Another family moves to town, a single mom, Lake and her very intelligent son, Dev. They soon become friends with Cornelia and Clare but we soon begin to realize that there is more to their story than meets the eye. Lake doesn't want to become too involved with these people and Dev starts to wonder why they're even living in this new area. Their lives quickly unravel with a simple phone call from an older woman. Dev finally puts the pieces together.
  
  All of the characters stories end up coming together nicely and it was the interesting plot that kept me hooked. The writing itself is also captivating.
  
  
• A very special episode...
  By AB4RM28TH6EW5 on 2008-06-26
  Bright, self-involved stay at home Mothers with adoring financially succesful husbands & beautiful children, bravely champion their way through hurts they've largely created for themselves. Brand labels are important. I read the first half and the last chapter, just couldn't care about any of these inter-twined story lines. If you're a Sex in the City / Desperate Housewife fan...this would be summer reading.
  
  
• From S. Krishna's Books
  By A141R97FHSSUQ0 on 2008-09-05
  Belong to Me picks up the story of Cornelia Brown from de los Santos's debut bestseller Love Walked In, a book that is still on The New York Times paperback list. The book opens with Cornelia and Teo's recent move to the suburbs, where Cornelia is finding that it may be harder for her to fit in than she first believed. She has several run-ins with the local queen bee, Piper, who takes an instant dislike to Cornelia. But Piper is not as heartless as she first appears - her best friend, Elizabeth, is dying of cancer, and Piper feels like she's dying right along with her. Then there's Dev, an incredibly intelligent, sweet thirteen-year-old who has just relocated from California along with his mother, Lake, who quickly becomes friends with Cornelia. Belong to Me is the story of how these lives intertwine and how trusting someone unexpectedly can lead to great things (and conversely, how lying to someone can lead to ruin).
  
  The most appealing characteristic of de los Santos's writing is its sheer beauty. She was originally a poet, which explains how she can string together such compellingly gorgeous sentences. Even if the subject of the story was horrid, merely her writing would make anything worth reading. Luckily, the story of Belong to Me lives up to the splendor of de los Santos's writing style.
  
  Though many of the characters in Belong to Me were introduced in de los Santos' previous novel, it is not necessary to read Love Walked In first (though I highly recommend it, just for sheer enjoyment). They are two, separate parts of a complete whole. However, reading Love Walked In first does give further depth to Cornelia, Teo, and Clare, if only to be able to see how Cornelia has grown up so much yet stayed exactly the same. This is an accomplishment that seems effortless to de los Santos, and it is repeated throughout Belong to Me. The characters are written superbly and they draw you in from the second you open the novel. The fact that it is told from three different viewpoints (Cornelia, Piper, and Dev) only adds to the pleasure of reading the book. In many cases, when a book is told from multiple perspectives, it seems that at least one is inferior to the others. By the end of the book, the reader dreads these particular perspectives and races through them in order to get to the more interesting stories. However, that is not the case in Belong to Me. Each perspective is unique and interesting, and while the reader may pick a definite favorite (in my case, Cornelia because I am biased by Love Walked In), all three are a delight to read.
  
  The difficult thing about Belong to Me is where to put it with regards to genre. Obviously, it is fiction. But what about subcategories? The most obvious would be chick lit. However, I would argue that Belong to Me runs a deeper than the typical chick lit book. It isn't really women's fiction either. Though the readers of Belong to Me will likely be overwhelmingly female, I would think that a man could pick up this book and be as delighted with it as any woman. Marisa de los Santos' appeal is universal - it is too difficult to define by any genre limits.
  
  In the end, Belong to Me is a story about the connections between people. Why do we connect with some, yet shut ourselves off for others? And why do we seem to depend on the people we least expect? It's all about reaching out to others, trust, love, and what it really means to belong.
  
  
• A GREAT read!
  By AMBCBBTMRW79R on 2008-04-08
  Three seemingly separate stories populated with well developed and interesting characters gradually interveave to culminate in a very satisfying finale.
  
  
• gorgeous
  By A3OGY6W2J59ELD on 2008-04-28
  
  This book is lovely. Reading "Belong to Me" made me feel like faith, hope, and love might actually prevail. Marisa de los Santos has created a world where seemingly awful people can redeem themselves and generous, decent people, even though they might not get exactly what they want, have a chance to come close. Nothing that happens to Cornelia, Piper, Dev, or Lake is easy to face up to, but they're faithful to the people they love no matter what, and that makes them very real and very memorable. "Belong to Me" really does get at the heart of what it means for humans to belong to one another.
  
  
  
• An enriching read
  By A2J8289OOT5DE4 on 2008-05-01
  A compelling story of love, trust and betrayal by a uniquely talented author. "Belong to Me" features Cornelia, one of the main characters from Marisa de los Santos' first book, "Love Walked In". However, it is not necessary to have read that book to fully enjoy this one. Cornelia's story intertwines with those of her uptight, controlling neighbor, Piper, and a seemingly chance met stranger, Lake.
  
  The storyline for each of the characters is compelling. The characterizations are deftly drawn. (Of particular note is Lake's son, Dev.)And, the author's love of language is clear throughout.
  
  This book is not only highly entertaining, but emotionally and intellectually nourishing. Really a spectacular effort.
  
  
• Loved this book!
  By A7MNB5I4HI730 on 2008-05-23
  If there is one character I will never forget, it is Piper.
  
  This is one of the funniest books ever. This is also one
  
  of the most truthful accounts of life in the suburbs I think
  
  I have ever read.
  
  I have been telling everyone I know about this book. If they
  
  choose not to read it, it is their loss.
  
  
• Clever, feel good., lyrical read that is impossible to put down!!
  By A3VMYVYLG01SM on 2008-04-14
  Marisa de los Santos does it again!! Belong To Me is a continuation of the story started in Love Walked In, although you definitely do not need to read the first in order to love the second (although I recommend it!). There are several reasons why I loved this book, the characters are either people that you want to be able to call your friends and that you care about and truly agonize for, or that remind you of the broads at the PTA meeting that drive you nuts! Then there is the story itself....three storylines that twist and turn, yet in the end manage to come together in a compelling manner that only de los Santos could pen, with her beautiful, poetic writing style. This is a book that you'll want to own, so that you can visit with Cornelia and the gang from time to time, as when it ends, you'll wish it hadn't. Thank you, Ms. de los Santos, for an enjoyable and memorable read.
  
  
  
• whoa...the sequel is better!
  By A2KYN4OP82N1Y2 on 2008-04-20
  Ok, not really a sequel but a continuation of the characters from this author's first novel, Love Walked In. I liked the characters even more in this book as they grew. I also probably related better to this book as it relates more to my life...suburban mom, husbands, chores, dealing with caddy women, raising a teen, etc, etc...
  This is a story that will tug at your heartstrings. Again, some of the quotes the author uses with the main character Cornelia are among my favorites. This author is a wordsmith and has some profound messages throughout the book.
  
  
  
• Rich and Rewarding
  By A3BFDEBT5IV4UN on 2008-04-20
  Belong To Me" by Marisa de los Santos
  
  Moving from the city to the suburbs shouldn't have come as big a shock to Cornelia Brown as it did. Making
  
  friends in the suburb shouldn't have been so difficult, but then making new friends can be as daunting to
  
  some, as scaling Mt Everest
  
  
  This is a book about friendships, coping with loss, change. betrayals, transitions and learning how to
  
  connect and re-connect with people. Some of these are very unlikely friendships,some are shifting, changing
  
  and one friendship that surpasses all the tests and expectations that you can throw it. Meet Cornelia and
  
  Teo, Lake and her son Dev, Piper and her husband Kyle and Elizabeth and her husband Tom.An unlikely group of
  
  people, that under different circumstances, would never get to know each other.
  
  This book is a beautifully written painting of words. At times ponderous, slow and wordy, but always
  
  beautiful. The characters are richly drawn, passionate, quirky and as real as people in the suburbs can
  
  get!I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the first one "Love Walked In" .
  
  
• Another Marisa de los Santos Great Read
  By AL8VJ6X3L0GL8 on 2008-05-03
  There are very few books that I'd rate as excellent and Belong to Me is one of them! After reading Love Walked In, I eagerly awaited for Marisa de los Santos second book and it was worth the wait. I felt a continued kinship to the returning characters from Love Walked In and enjoyed the new characters in Belong to Me. The relationship between the characters was touching and poignant leaving me a bit bereft at the end of the story. As I read this book, I felt drawn into the characters lives just as I did with Love Walked In and was sorry to see the last page of the book come so quickly.
  
  I'n not going to provide a synopsis of the book as there are many others out there to read. There is a freshness between the interplay of the characters, their stories and how Marisa de los Santos brings them together in Belong to Me. She describes the characters, their thoughts and their choices in a manner that draws the reader into their individual stories. Reading her book is like watching a good movie; you don't see words on a page, but a picture that moves thoughout the stories of the characters expertly uniting them. The only thing missing is the music you would find in a movie affecting the interaction of the characters as they move through the story being portrayed. This is an excellent read and I'll keep this one in my library for years to come and revisit over time!
  
  
• OUTSTANDING
  By A22AQTN1FHX2TM on 2008-05-05
  I have often heard it said that Kevin Spacey is an actor's actor. Marisa de los Santos is a reader's novelist. I wish that I had even half her talent to describe to you the power of her prose. She writes beautifully. Simply, sensationally and magically. I feel as though she could make any storyline interesting. As luck would have it, skill aside, this novel was right up my alley. I adored it. The reader was made to understand the characters in depth. It was so very easy to relate to them and to want to know more about their stories. Novels like this come along rarely and when they do I relish them because I am certain it will a long time before I enjoy another so.
  
  
• I wish I knew Cornelia
  By A1DJSJA4ZT4FT4 on 2008-05-11
  You do not want to miss this book. Cornelia and Teo Sandoval are two of the most likeable characters in modern fiction. I wish I knew them in real life. The dialogue is unbeatable, as are the metaphors which provide whimsical insights into family, life, love, loss.
  
  Marisa De Los Santos creates such vivid characters. Reading Dev's chapters (a brillant boy who describes his life through the cosmos and science most of the time) is also so endearing yet so real and adolescent.
  
  The most intricate character is that of Piper who the reader wants to hate, yet is so complex, and so human, that you can't help but love her.
  
  Belong to Me might be accused of being "chick lit". Yet it is so much better written than that genre, so poetic in its word choices and messages that I found myself deeply engrossed throughout.
  
  Love Walked In (Santos first book) is equally as good. Belong to Me can stand alone, but if you have not yet read Love Walked In, you're in for a treat.
  
  
• Heartwarming and True
  By A33HIQR1X1G4GI on 2008-05-19
  City dweller Cornelia Brown moves to the burbs with her oncologist husband Teo. They've got a place in what looks like the perfect neighborhood, nice homes with nicely manicured lawns. They can be happy here. However the women who live in suburbia are a bit slow to accept Cornelia. Right from the get go it looks like she might not be one of them when she wears a skimpy black dress to a party of pastel wearing housewives.
  
  The self-anointed, self-appointed Queen-bee Piper at first seems bent on making Cornelia's new life difficult, criticizing her constantly. Piper seems to be a blue-eyed, blonde snob, but we see another side to her when she cares for her terminally ill friend Elizabeth. Things, and people, are not always what they seem at first.
  
  Cornelia also makes friends with Veronica "Lake" Tremain and her exceptional thirteen-year-old son Dev. Dev meets Claire, who I came to know in love in Ms. de los Santo's first book Love Walked In and the relationship that develops is pure poetry as is this whole story. At first Cornelia is excited about the change her life is taking, then it looks like it isn't going to turn out to be everything she thought it was cracked up to be and finally it all turns out better than she ever could have imagined.
  
  I came to this book straight from Love Walked In, but you don't have to. Some how Marisa de los Santos has written a sequel that reads like a stand alone. That's talent, not to meantion the beautifully written heart-warming story that will leaving you hugging yourself and loving these people. I can't recommend this one highly enough.
  
  Reviewed by Vesta Irene
  
  
• Loved This One
  By AV8EJH07DQEZ2 on 2008-05-19
  Fianlly, a sequel that I liked as much, if not more, than the first. Besides being interesting stories, both both Belong to Me and Love Walked In are very well written. When is Ms. de los Santos coming out with another book??
  
  
• Leaves you wanting more!
  By A3GKWESGE4J3O8 on 2008-06-01
  This is a beautifully written sequel to her first novel. You'll want to move into Cornelia's neighborhood so you can become a part of the wonderfully, intimately woven fabric of her new life.
  
  There are perfectly crafted sentences(you'll need a highlighter if you're a word maven) gentle humor, with true insight into the nature of friendship, love, forgiveness, and family.
  
  Both of these books would make wonderful films, though one worries that the casting would never come up to the characters in your own mind.
  
  A third, please, Ms. de los Santos!
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Love Walked In
• Unaccustomed Earth
• The Ten-Year Nap
• The Beach House
• Certain Girls: A Novel