NEW RELEASE
Attachments - Rainbow Rowell (2011)
Lincoln still lives with his mum and spends his nights working as an IT guy at The Courier newspaper. His main task is checking emails caught by a web security program and firing off warning notices to staff who misuse their work email. Movie reviewer Beth and features copy editor Jennifer know their emails can be monitored but it hardly stops the two friends exchanging lots of personal details about their lives and loves. Beth is mulling over the fact she doesn't have much in common with her muso boyfriend Chris anymore while Jennifer is wondering if it's time for her to start a family with her keen husband. As Lincoln is drawn into their exchanges, he finds himself attracted to one of the women. But how can a lonely guy like him approach her, especially since he knows stuff about her that he really shouldn't? Set in 1999, amid the hysteria about the Y2K bug, this is a charming and funny story about office romance in the technology age. With really engaging characters, it alternates between Lincoln's story and the emails between Beth and Jennifer. Loved it, loved it although thought the ending let it down a bit. But would happily read a sequel ... Definitely one of the strongest debuts of 2011.
Newspaper columnist Rainbow Rowell has written a novel about office romance in the internet age. The summary of Attachments says: "Beth and Jennifer know their company monitors their office e-mail. But the women still spend all day sending each other messages, gossiping about their co-workers at the newspaper and baring their personal lives like an open book. Jennifer tells Beth everything she can't seem to tell her husband about her anxieties over starting a family. And Beth tells Jennifer everything, period. When Lincoln applied to be an Internet security officer, he hardly imagined he'd be sifting through other people's inboxes like some sort of electronic Peeping Tom. Lincoln is supposed to turn people in for misusing company e-mail, but he can't quite bring himself to crack down on Beth and Jennifer. He can't help but be entertained - and captivated - by their stories. But by the time Lincoln realises he's falling for Beth, it's way too late for him to ever introduce himself. What would he say to her? 'Hi, I'm the guy who reads your e-mail, and also, I love you.' After a series of close encounters and missed connections, Lincoln decides it's time to muster the courage to follow his heart . . . even if he can't see exactly where it's leading him." For more details see the author's website.