Jane’s imaginary friend, Michael, left her on her ninth birthday, an unavoidable duty of an imaginary friend. As should all children when their imaginary friends depart, Jane should have forgotten Michael. The trouble is she hasn’t. 

Jane is angst-ridden by the shallowness of her life as a young woman living in the shadows of her successful, yet superficial, mother. Vivienne Margaux is an acclaimed Broadway producer. Consequently, Jane - as tormented, unfulfilled women perhaps are wont to do - occasionally seeks solace in the arms of her addiction to Oreos, comfort food she keeps hidden [!!] beneath her kitchen sink. 

Maybe the sugary cookies are substitutes for the ice cream sundaes Jane used to share with Michael on their weekly outings to the St. Regis Hotel. Those sundaes were part of the Sunday ritual during which Vivienne spent quality time with Jane by visiting Tiffany’s and admiring the diamonds. 

While Jane struggles with her own problems - a crumbling relationship with actor Hugh McGrath, for instance - Michael, who is between Imaginary Friend assignments, begins experiencing strange events in his - imaginary! - life. On the streets, in restaurants, he believes he sees Jane all grown up. Such encounters should not happen.  

Even stranger things occur. Surprisingly, fascinatingly, Michael - who is not sure if he is an angel or something of the sort - cuts himself shaving. He has never seen his own spilt blood before. 

Then one day, across a crowded room, Jane spots Michael. The plot - to wax cliché - thickens. Patterson and Charbonnet spin a complicated tale of romance that, at one point, leaves New York City and flies off to Nantucket. To keep predictability in check, some nifty misdirection is woven into the story. What we almost expect to happen doesn’t. Rather... 

Sundays at Tiffany’s is light, fun reading, perfect fare for an airplane ride; perfect fare for adults who still miss the imaginary friends of their childhood. And since the copy I’ve read is Large Print, it’s perfect fare for aging eyes.