4.5 stars
CBR18 Bingo: Craft (this book dwells a lot on writing as a craft – both novels and screenplays)
Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for this ARC. My opinions are my own. This book is on sale now.
Blair Kellermoon (former rom-com star, now powerful producer) has adapted several novels as movies and TV series and runs a book club, and the books she picks usually get huge sales boosts and are again likely to be optioned for adaptation. Suffice it to say, most authors are thrilled when being asked to be part of her book club.
Jack Branksome is not one of those authors. When receiving the offer from her via Zoom, he rather coldly rejects her, and while this was a private meeting, it is widely reported in the press. After Jack also says something that could be seen as rather unflattering about Blair in a magazine interview, he texts her to apologise, and this becomes the start of their friendship.
Blair is recently divorced, and both her children are away at college. She is finding the empty-nest situation more difficult than she was expecting, and it’s clear to the reader that she has several mental health issues that need to be dealt with that she’s clearly not ready to acknowledge within herself. Jack’s debut novel was a huge success, but he’s now struggling with writing anything for the second. He’s already had to ask for an extension on his deadline once. Blair invites Jack to come stay in her pool house, and the friendship they began via phone develops further.
Both Blair and Jack are very observant people who are very good about pushing away anything to do with themselves. Jack’s father is also an acclaimed novelist, and his elitist views on literature and culture, which have clearly affected Jack, combined with the pressure of trying to write something as well received as his debut book, make it very hard for Jack to get out of his own head and get something new written.
Full review here.
