Red Dress, Sep 2004, 12.95, 304 pp. ISBN: 037325069X Ten years ago as a young teen, Leanne Gitlin fell in love with soap opera star Joshua Reed. A few years later she became the president of his local fan club. Leanne becomes elated to learn that her hero is filming nearby her hometown of Pinecob, West Virginia. When she meets him she finds he is obnoxious. When she learns he got himself into a legal jam involving a stolen car, a DUI, and an injured cow, she agrees to guarantee his behavior with the court that places Joshua under house arrest at her home. Joshua is a bore as he makes it abundantly clear that he wants nothing to do with her, her home, or her town although the locals and the media have turned his visit into a wild free for all; instead he wants to return to his urban playground. Reassessing where she is and where she is going, Leanne wonders what could have been with her former boyfriend Max Campbell. As Joshua continues to be a pain in the butt, Max returns home because he misses Leanne, who is now a fifteen minute celebrity. This is an entertaining look at fame from the perspective of a fan who watches her flesh and blood hero behave like an uncaring boor. Harriet Klausner | ||
Plot & Themes Tone of book? - thoughtful Time/era of story - 2000+ (Present Day) Romance/Romance Problems Yes Family, caring for ill Yes Who is sick? - Brother because he/she is - mentally ill Internal struggle/realization? Yes Struggle over Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Coping with loss of loved one(s) Yes Lover is Main Character Gender - Female Profession/status: Age: - 20's-30's Ethnicity/Nationality Main Adversary Identity: - none Setting United States Yes The US: - Deep South Writing Style Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript |