Ghosted

I was married and retired from the dating scene by the time the term “ghosted” entered our lexicon, but I'm no stranger to the righteous indignation of receiving a read receipt but no reply. I shudder to think what our devices (not to mention the internet) have done to us, but alas, here we are. And I can’t think of a book that better captures the madness of this first-world, twenty-first century torment than Ghosted, a triumphant debut with the twists of a mystery and the coy charm of a romance novel.

Ghosted tells the story of Sarah and Eddie, who, after a whirlwind, weeklong romance, make plans to reunite in a week’s time. But then Eddie completely disappears. Is he simply not returning her calls? Or has something terrible happened to him, leaving him injured … or worse? As Sarah races to uncover the truth, what unfolds is a tale of heartbreaking irony, existential agony, and the inexorable power of love.

Interspersed with texts, posts, and personal letters, reading Ghosted gives you the same feeling of sinful gratification as snooping through someone else’s Facebook messages (and, really, who can resist that?). The story’s heartwarming conclusion makes this book a solid beach read, but don’t miss its sly message: Technology may make it easier to connect, but it’s up to us to bridge the gaps that it creates.

When Sarah meets Eddie, they connect instantly and fall in love. To Sarah, it seems as though her life has finally begun. And it's mutual: It's as though Eddie has been waiting for her, too. Sarah has never been so certain of anything. So when Eddie leaves for a long-booked vacation and promises to call from the airport, she has no cause to doubt him. But he doesn't call.

Sarah's friends tell her to forget about him, but she can't. She knows something's happened—there must be an explanation.

Minutes, days, weeks go by as Sarah becomes increasingly worried. But then she discovers she's right. There is a reason for Eddie's disappearance, and it's the one thing they didn't share with each other: the truth.