SKIPPING A BEAT

Atria – February 22, 2011

In Sarah Pekkanen’s second novel, Skipping a Beat, Julia Dunhill wakes up one morning to discover that her husband Michael has been transformed into a completely different man. Together since they met in high school in their tiny, poor hometown in West Virginia, Michael and Julia are now in their early 30s—and living a privileged, rarified life in their nine-million-dollar, Washington D.C. home. But one day Michael stands up at the head of the table in his company’s boardroom—then silently crashes to the floor. More than four minutes later, a portable defibrillator jump-starts his heart. But what happened to Michael during those lost minutes forever changes him. Money is now meaningless to him—and he wants to give it all away to charity. A pre-nup agreement that Julia insisted upon back when Michael’s company was still struggling means she has no claim to his fortune, and now she must decide: Should she walk away from the man she once adored, but who truthfully became a stranger to her long before his near-death experience—or should she give her husband a second chance? Told in the same funny, poignant voice as The Opposite of Me, this book reveals the story of a marriage and lifestyle that seem enviable from the outside, but are anything but within.

Praise for SKIPPING A BEAT

“Original, engaging, and soulful, Skipping a Beat explores the complexity of marriage and what it really means to share a life. I fell in love with Julia, a funny, flawed and utterly real heroine—and felt the weight of her dilemma with every page, all the way through to the surprising, satisfying finish.“—Emily Giffin, New York Times bestselling author of Something Borrowed and Heart of the Matter

“The impossible choice between true love and the trappings of success is explored in Skipping a Beat. Sarah Pekkanen proves masterful at creating nuanced, complex characters deadlocked with emotional conflict, and the story culminates in an ending that will leave readers breathless. Evocative and compelling, it couldn’t be more satisfying.”—Jen Lancaster, author of Bitter is the New Black

“A provocative, poignant look at marriage, money and the things that matter most.“—Beth Kendrick, author of The Pre-Nup

“Tender and funny in turn, Sarah Pekkanen has made modern marriage exciting in this imaginative and heartfelt tale of love and healing.“—Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, #1 New York Times bestselling authors of The Nanny Diaries

“Wonderfully compelling, compassionate, and complicated…Pekkanen offers relatable characters that move you and an ending that surprises and pleases. Highly recommended.“—Library Journal, Starred Review

“A two-hanky weepy in which a 30-something woman must choose between her vast wealth and a husband she hasn’t really loved in years. A tragic turn of events redirects what could have been a predictable romance into a drama on the fragility of love and marriage.“—Kirkus Reviews

“In her previous novel, The Opposite of Me (2010), Pekkanen delved into the complex relationship between sisters, and she now uses the same insightful tone in this examination of a marriage. The moving story and bittersweet ending will draw in readers.“—Booklist

“With wit and heart, Pekkanen gives new meaning to the term ‘marital boundaries.’“—Harper’s Bazaar

“This portrait of a couple forced to take responsibility for the breakdown of their relationship is at once heartbreaking and familiar.“—People

THE OPPOSITE OF ME

Atria – March 9, 2010

Lindsey Rose has, for as long as she can remember, played second fiddle to her devastatingly beautiful fraternal twin sister, Alex, who has effortlessly glided through life with irritating flawlessness. Exhausted from competing but determined to play catch-up, Lindsey is finally on the cusp of having arrived and having it all. At 29, she is about to be named Creative Vice President of an elite New York advertising agency, after years of 80 plus hour weeks, ulcers, migraines, and profound loneliness. But during the course of one devastating and fateful night, Lindsey’s carefully-constructed dreams and life implode.

Humiliated and desperate, she flees the glitter of Manhattan and retreats to the time warp of her parent’s Maryland home, where Alex, the great thorn in her side, lives minutes away. Struggling to maintain her identity as the smart, responsible sister while she secretly tries to piece her life back together, Lindsey finds her ducks out of their usually well-placed rows. When Alex, who is engaged to Mr. Wonderful, makes a play for the one guy who has always been her sister’s safety net, all of Lindsey’s long-held resentments and jealousies explode—unleashing a family secret that unexpectedly flips Lindsey into the one place she never dreamed she would land.

Though painful and provocative, The Opposite of Me is a drop-dead funny, tongue-in-cheek exploration of low self-esteem, the hunger to succeed and have it all, and the sometimes grueling and crazy-making, but oftentimes supremely rewarding bond of sisterhood.

Praise for THE OPPOSITE OF ME

“Fresh and funny and satisfying. A terrific book about sisters that actually made me laugh out loud. I was completely drawn into Lindsey’s world and rooted for her from beginning to end.”—Jennifer Weiner, New York Times bestselling author of In Her Shoes and Best Friends Forever

“With her smart, soulful novel, author Pekkanen explores the place where self and sisterhood intersect.“—Redbook

“Pekkanen’s wry voice and engaging characters—the sisters’ bumbling parents are especially lovable—keep things fresh. 3.5 out of 4 stars.“—People

“Sharp-tongued… a spot-on portrayal of the existential dilemmas of young adulthood.”—Washington Post

“[Pekkanen’s] fresh, appealing approach is a welcome addition to the chick-lit canon.“—Booklist

“Pekkanen’s involving debut…[is] an honest examination of the limits we place on ourselves, with well-drawn female characters.“—Kirkus Reviews

“If a book makes you think and be introspective, well that’s magic and The Opposite of Me has done just that. Pekkanen has hit the nail on the head…an absolute must read that will make every woman think and every sister make a phone call.“—New York Journal of Books

“Pekkanen’s debut novel is heartfelt and richly drawn. With a delicate touch, she had me believing and sharing every laugh and every tear—it was a completely satisfying read. I look forward to more from this talented writer.”—Beth Harbison, bestselling author of Hope in a Jar

“With warmth and charm, Sarah Pekkanen brings us an endearing portrait of a young woman struggling to define herself in the looming shadow of a dazzling twin. Move over, Anna Maxted and Sophie Kinsella: With this energetic debut, America now has its own bright, comic voice.”—Susan Coll, author of Acceptance

“Simultaneously both light and satisfying, Sarah Pekkanen’s debut, The Opposite of Me, hits the delicious sweet spot in the portrait of a woman who needs to lose everything to find herself.”—Allison Winn Scotch, New York Times bestselling author of Time of My Life

“It’s warm, it’s whimsical and it’s a winner…“—Courier Mail (Australia)

“An enticing and enjoyable piece of fiction…Hats off to Sarah Pekkanen for painting such intimate portraits.“—blogcritics.org