rumor rundown

The blasted rumor mill. We've all been part of it at some point in our existence - either a victim or a customer. As much as we would like to stay away from it, it's out there. I'll never forget my worst experience with it. About four years ago, I had recently begun dating my now-wife, and we were heading out of town to her parents' house for a weekend of birthday celebrations and my meet and greet with the family - as in the first time I met any of them. Before we hit the road, Rebekah had a Dr. appointment, but not just any appointment - the lady doctor. Our plan was to hit the road right after the appointment, so I went with her and waited in the lobby. Low and behold, a parent (whose two younger children were former students of mine) at my school walks in with her oldest daughter for a pregnancy visit. You should also understand that I used to teach at a VERY conservative Christian school, the same one I attended for 13 years and basically knew everyone. So you can imagine (a) the awkwardness that ensued and (b) the flack I had to field when school began. Add to that the fact that we had just announced our engagement when school was starting back! Fun times, I tell you. I'm sure everyone reading this has a story about his or her worst experience with the rumor milll; I would love to hear them all, simply because the truth is usually so far from what everyone else hears these days that it's comical. 
Y'all know that Elin Hilderbrand is one of my favorite authors right now. She has a knack for a (slightly-trashy) beach read that always offers real characters who are believable and relatable. I've read most of her work, and I'm rarely disappointed. Her newest release, The Rumor, was written while she was battling breast cancer, so I was really excited to tackle it - so excited, in fact that the day it was released I got on the waiting list at the library for it and was shocked and excited when my name came up just a couple weeks later. I dove in Monday night, didn't read much Tuesday because I was working on my new classroom decorations (I'll blog about it when I'm all moved in), and then had all but 70 pages read when I went to bed Wednesday night. I would've stayed up to finish it, but PawPaw doesn't stay up late very often (and by late, I mean 9:00). After my run this morning, I finished it within about an hour and a half. I simply couldn't put this one down. 
Like all of Elin's reads, the entire book takes place on Nantucket Island, where she is actually a resident. Many of her major characters have recurring roles in minor ways in other books, including here. The central plot line of the book revolves around two married couples, Madeleine & Trevor King and Grace & Eddie Pancik, who are long-time best friends. They must grapple with how the public perception of things can shift the relationship dynamics simply because of "did ya hear?" I won't go into the details, because they are essentially the backbone of the book, but there are a lot of hurt feelings, scarred relationships, and of course a heavy dose of scandal. Will things be reconciled in the end? Will this finally be one of those "not happily ever after" reads? Elin often writes from an omniscient point-of-view that focuses on someone new each chapter, and in this one she even makes Nantucket itself one of those viewpoints, which is really what drives the rumor along. That viewpoint was strikingly different and beautiful. At the heart of the novel is a message of "can you believe everything that you hear?" and Elin manages to make the reader delve into his own experiences with this without being judgy or preachy. I loved this one from start to finish. Hilderbrand is the master of the summer novel.

4 (of 4) dusty book jackets.

For real, I want your rumor experiences in the comments!