Dorothy Samuels

#90, 2004

Hee! This was a fun book, and a very fast read. I read it in just a few hours on Labor Day. It's chick lit, told by Marcy, a young woman who has been asked by her boyfriend to be his "lifeline" on a television game show (similar to "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire"). When she gives the wrong answer, he dumps her on the spot (yes, while the cameras are still rolling) - and he's not very nice about it. Afterward, Marcy finds herself at the center of a media feeding-frenzy, as dozens of talk shows want her to make appearances, and she has to decide whether or not she will embrace or run from this overnight celebrity that is being thrust upon her. Marcy is likeable and funny, and the book is filled with satirical references to television culture, past and present. There's a Brady Bunch theme that I appreciated (having been a big fan back in the day), and some of the names used are very clever. Lots of television celebrities make appearances, as well, including Oprah and Dr. Phil. I liked the sparse writing style, too - there are times that the plot skips ahead rapidly, but in telling the story cleverly in Marcy's "voice," we learn what we "missed" in a very few words. I did guess the ending, though. And not just the obvious bit that I think we were supposed to guess, but the bit that Marcy says surprised her and probably the reader as well. If you've read it, you'll know what I mean. Kingman's offer at the *very* end. Yeah, I saw that coming miles away.… (mehr)