Reader Review

The story unfolds with the young very bright editor Claire Truman taking a leap of faith. She leaves her very safe and comfortable but not very challenging position in a much loved company. Her leap of faith much to her friends and family chagrin and warnings lands her in the clutches of Vivian Grant, the overseer of a Hades-like book publishing company.

Claire resigns herself to completing an entire year, hoping to learn as much as she can from this horrible woman. Despite her verbal assaults and tirades Vivian’s actions and motives do teach Claire a certain kind of wisdom. What not to be.

The story is as much about Vivian Grant, who is said to very closely resemble Judith Regan (ReganBooks). For those of you not familiar with her name, she is the one that wanted to publish OJ Simpson’s If I Did It…which did not happen because of public outcry. Thank goodness for some decency in the publishing community.

I found the love stories in the novel to be very touching and very real. They encompass family love and romantic love. Nothing really convoluted, but nice to remember that these kinds of love are still with us today. Claire’s character grew as an editor and also as a person. She is someone that you would want to have as a friend. I liked her.

I read an interview on Bridie Clark which made me smile. She was asked “What are you reading right now?” One of the books she is reading is one of my all time favorites a very old book called Portnoy’s Complaint. She had me on that statement. She secured the deal when she said, “I also read so-called Chic Lit every day. I love fun, entertaining, lighthearted books. I read them the way most people watch television.”

I found this novel to be very entertaining, some times laugh out loud funny as well as very poignant at times. I would certainly recommend this book as a good solid read and well worth the hardback price.