4 Star
Deirdre Griffin has a great life; it’s just not her own. She’s the around-the-clock personal assistant to her charismatic, high-maintenance, New Age guru brother, Tag. As the family wallflower, her only worth seems to be as gatekeeper to Tag at his New England seaside compound.
Then Deirdre’s sometime boyfriend informs her
that he is marrying another woman, who just happens to be having the
baby he told Deirdre he never wanted. While drowning her sorrows in
Tag’s expensive vodka, Deirdre decides to use his massive online
following to get herself voted on as a last-minute Dancing with the Stars replacement.
It’ll get her back in shape, mentally and physically. It might even get
her a life of her own. Deirdre’s fifteen minutes of fame have begun.
Lydia - 4 Star
Wallflower in Bloom is another delightful novel by
Claire Cook. A fun, easy read, this novel is about family and discovering
who you are amidst an incredibly tight knit (read: overbearing)
family, and is perfect for your summer beach plans!
Deidre is a smart heroine, albeit a she's a bit of a
pushover when it comes to her family. As the youngest of three children to
hippy parents, she constantly feels like she takes the backseat and becomes the
family wallflower and remains such even as a forty something adult.
I enjoyed Deidre’s character. She is overworked, underpaid and stuck in a
rut that she had no idea how to get out of. I loved the dive off the deep
end into a pool of vodka and how her debacle unfolds. I didn't grow up in
a family that even remotely resembled the Griffin's
but somehow I could relate to aspects of their family. I really wanted to smack
her brother, Tag, upside the head and really rooted for Deidre to get out
of his tangled web and for her to gain independence from him...and her entire
family actually. Cook has a gift for delivering memorable characters with
minimal scenes and I really appreciate that - even the few scenes with the
costume designer and the make up artist stand out. There were times that all
the characters seemed somewhat caricature-ish though and they were all a bit
immature at times, especially Tag, but Cook makes it work somehow.
The plot of Wallflower in Bloom is unique and kept me intrigued.
I've never really enjoyed Dancing with the Stars, but this didn't prevent me
from enjoying the novel although I think fans might enjoy it that much
more. The behind the scenes look was intriguing, as were
the chiasmus's, which I loved and started trying to come up with
them on my own. I really enjoyed that unusual aspect of the story.
Anyone who has ever felt under appreciated and invisible or
comes from such a flamboyant family and feels undervalued will appreciate this
novel. Pick this one up and take it to the beach today! You'll appreciate the
quick, easy and non-taxing read.
Thank you to Touchstone for our review copy!
Connect with Claire Cook here:
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