Oops! Is it Thursday already? It’s been that kind of week at work. Which is part of the reason I’m loving this book. I would call it a great beach read, something upbeat and fast-paced, and all that is true, but it doesn’t quite do Maddie Dawson’s work justice. (Full disclosure: Maddie is a writer friend of mine, and Maddie Dawson is her pen name. When you run out of Maddie Dawson books, you can read more under her real name, Sandi Shelton.) I’m not usually a fan of contemporary romance, which I guess this is, because often it’s not that well-written. But Maddie has a smart, hilarious voice all her own. Maybe it’s that she’s not taking the genre itself too seriously. In fact, she subverts it. This is not a Darcy and Elizabeth kind of story. Everything seems pretty perfect in the beginning, and yet you know something’s gonna go wrong. But it’s not any of the something’s you expect. Now I think I might have an inkling of who the next important character is going to be—and yet, only about one-fifth of the way in, I’m pretty sure there are twists and turns coming that I’m not anticipating. In other words, if you’re looking for a book that stays inside the guardrails, look elsewhere. Bonus points for me: This story is set in New Haven. I love seeing my city, circa 1982, in print. Fun, fun, all around! Just what I needed! Also, possibly an entry into my ongoing search for books that make you laugh out loud. I’ll be reporting back on that later this year.
What are you reading this week? Let us know in the comment section below!
I finally finished Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. I have always loved her books and this one was no exception. Some of her sentences are just magical and evoke worlds. Tough story (like its inspiration), and I almost thought the end a little too pat, but glad I read it nonetheless.
Lovely title. I am reading - When the Freaks Came out to Write: The Definitive History of the Village Voice by Tricia Romano. I love the style. So many great writers talk about their years - Laurie Stone and Vivian Gornick are two of my favs. It seems fitting that I started as a Volunteer Reader at The Common this week.