Do You Believe Everyone Has One Special "Other"?

Thanks for the Memories
by Cecelia Ahern

If it is true that we each have some perfect partner "out there" waiting to be found, I suppose we must also believe in a benevolent Universe somehow conspiring to bring us together.

That is, sort of, the premise of this book by Cecelia Ahern.  Justin Hitchcock is a recently divorced father who has moved from Chicago to London to be closer to his young adult daughter. As a guest lecturer in Dublin, he meets Sara, a doctor who is recruiting blood donors.

In an effort to continue their relationship, he agrees to donate even though he really hates needles and generally all things medical.

Joyce Conroy is a Dublin real estate agent whose life is falling apart.  In an effort to save their marriage, she and her husband have become pregnant, but  she falls down the stairs in her home. She loses the baby and nearly loses her life.  She also loses a lot of blood and requires a massive transfusion.

That's the set-up.  After the incident, Joyce is plagued by strange memories, unusual knowledge, and bizarre dreams about people she does not know.  Circumstances throw the couple together, but misunderstanding, ego, insecurities, and stubbornness keep them from connecting.

Getting to the inevitable conclusion is a long and drawn out affair.  Thank goodness, the story is told with plenty of humor and amusing situations!  They are the salvation of this book.

In the end, Thanks for the Memories is a light and enjoyable book with interesting characters and a satisfying resolution.  This is the kind of book to take on a long trip.  It will keep you pleasantly entertained between flights.