In an Instant by Lee & Bob Woodruff

I bought three books today at Borders, and I usually give my picks the five minute rule. If they don't keep me engaged in five minutes or less, well, then they're not worth my time. Well, I'm happy to report that In An Instant, the new book by Lee & Bob Woodruff, not only had me at five minutes, they had me at the very first page.

In what has become one of the most surreal moments of her life, Lee Woodruff, a contributing editor to Family Fun magazine and mother of four shares how she found out her husband, who had just been named co-anchor for ABC World News Tonight, had been severely injured while on assignment in Iraq. While she had taken her children with her to Disney World to shoot a pilot for Family Fun, her entire world was turned upside down when she received a call from David Westin at ABC News telling her that Bob had been hit by shrapnel and had suffered a brain injury.

While I've only just begun reading this book, I know I'm not going to be able to put this one down. Lee Woodruff is an incredibly gifted writer whose description of the events that transformed her picture perfect life, had me riveted fom the start.

Since I've just begun reading the book, for more details, here's an excerpt from Amazon.com:

In one of the most anticipated books of the year, Lee Woodruff, along with her husband, Bob Woodruff, share their never-before-told story of romance, resilience, and survival following the tragedy that transformed their lives and gripped a nation.

In January 2006, the Woodruffs seemed to have it all–a happy marriage and four beautiful children. Lee was a public relations executive and Bob had just been named co-anchor of ABC’s World News Tonight. Then, while Bob was embedded with the military in Iraq, an improvised explosive device went off near the tank he was riding in. He and his cameraman, Doug Vogt, were hit, and Bob suffered a traumatic brain injury that nearly killed him.In an Instant is the frank and compelling account of how Bob and Lee’s lives came together, were blown apart, and then were miraculously put together again–and how they persevered, with grit but also with humor, through intense trauma and fear. Here are Lee’s heartfelt memories of their courtship, their travels as Bob left a law practice behind and pursued his news career and Lee her freelance business, the glorious births of her children and the challenges of motherhood.

Bob in turn recalls the moment he caught the journalism “bug” while covering Tiananmen Square for CBS News, his love of overseas assignments and his guilt about long separations from his family, and his pride at attaining the brass ring of television news–being chosen to fill the seat of the late Peter Jennings.And, for the first time, the Woodruffs reveal the agonizing details of Bob’s terrible injuries and his remarkable recovery.

We learn that Bob’s return home was not an end to the journey but the first step into a future they have learned not to fear but to be grateful for.In an Instant is much more than the dual memoir of love and courage. It is an important, wise, and inspiring guide to coping with tragedy–and an extraordinary drama of marriage, family, war, and nation.

A percentage of the proceeds from this book will be donated to the Bob Woodruff Family Fund for Traumatic Brain Injury.

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SHOPAHOLIC & BABY by Sophie Kinsella

Let me just state for the record that I love Sophie Kinsella. She is by far, my favorite British chick-lit author, hands down, no contest. I inhaled her last book The Undomestic Goddess in about two days and on Thursday night, when I was trapped at O'Hare airport for six hours, I was overjoyed when I spotted Shopaholic & Baby at the overpriced Hudson newstand and even though I probably paid 10 bucks more than I should have, it was worth the extra investment because I literally, devoured it in about a day and a half.

In this latest addition to Kinsella's "Shopaholic" hilarious book series, our favorite flighty heroine, Becky Bloomwood is happily married, pregnant with her first child and ready to decorate the nursery - even though the sex of the baby is still a mystery. When she finds out about the must-have obstetrician to the stars who has just moved to London, Becky manages to get an appointment with her and soon learns that her new doctor used to date her husband Luke. Of course, Kinsella throws in tons of twists and turns - the OB/GYN is drop dead gorgeous and out to kick Becky out of the picture; Luke is having trouble with his company and Becky, while concerned her husband is cheating on her, is also trying to bribe the owner of her potential dream house with hard to find designer shoes.

I literally laughed out loud throughout the book and as quickly as I finished it, I was a little sad because I knew I was going to have to wait at least a year before another Kinsella comic chick-lit masterpiece makes its way to the book shelves.

If you'd like to order Shopaholic & Baby today, just Click Here...trust me, this is a great read - and you won't want to put it down!