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Best Seller
Set in New England at the time of the American Bicentennial, Best Seller is the poignant story of a displaced young woman struggling to figure out who she is within the context of her hometown and the carefully masked dysfunction of her family. "Everything can be fixed by writing a check." Words to live by for Robin Fortune's wealthy father, until he can't buy her way back into college after she's expelled for dealing pot. Now he chooses not to speak to her anymore, but that's just one of the out-of-whack situations Robin's facing. At nineteen, she feels rudderless, working in a diner by day and sleeping with a buddy from high school by night - all so strange for her because she was always the one with the plan. While her college friends plotted how to ensnare husbands, she plotted a novel, which she scratched out into a series of spiral-bound notebooks she hides in the closet. But now, there's nothing. No vision, no future, no point. In fact, the only thing she feels she has to look forward to is that her favorite author, Maryana Capture, is paying a visit to the local Thousand Words bookstore. Robin surmises that if she can convince Maryana to help her get her novel published, she'll finally get herself back on track. Except that life never takes a straight path in this intensely satisfying coming-of-age novel.
378 pages, Paperback
First published June 27, 2014
About the author
Martha Reynolds
12 books220 followersI am the author of eleven novels, including the Amazon bestsellers CHOCOLATE FOR BREAKFAST and BITS OF BROKEN GLASS.
My writing has appeared in Magnificat magazine and my very short poem was read by journalist Connie Schultz during National Public Radio's "Tell Me More" poetry challenge.
I live in Rhode Island, never far from the ocean.
My novel VILLA DEL SOL won the 2018 Book Prize in Literary Fiction from the Independent Publishers of New England.
Check out my newest novel - I WISH I HAD A RIVER, available now!
My writing has appeared in Magnificat magazine and my very short poem was read by journalist Connie Schultz during National Public Radio's "Tell Me More" poetry challenge.
I live in Rhode Island, never far from the ocean.
My novel VILLA DEL SOL won the 2018 Book Prize in Literary Fiction from the Independent Publishers of New England.
Check out my newest novel - I WISH I HAD A RIVER, available now!
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 15, 2014
This was the first novel by Martha Reynolds that I've read and after reading this one, I know I'll be putting all the rest on my TBR list.
I really enjoyed the premise for this novel and I love that it was set in a time before cell phones, the internet and all the technology that's made life so easy for us. It was like a fun trip down memory lane to remember that time in our lives. One of my favorite parts of the novel were the little jokes the author put in about said technology coming to town...they were very tongue-in-cheek because you know people never thought it would happen back then...and now here we are.
Robin Fortune is one of those characters that you root for throughout the entire book. You really want her to get her life in order, to have that one stroke of luck that will make her happy. But at the same time, you know she has flaws - flaws that, at times, make it hard for the reader to like her. One of her biggest flaws, in my opinion, was her shallowness...and I didn't care for how the author wrapped up Robin's love-life despite her shallowness.
I really wish we would have seen more of the struggle between Robin and the famous author, Maryanne. Seeing how the lawsuit went, going through the battle and emotions with Robin would have added a lot to the story and gone a long way to helping the reader root for her again. I feel like the story wrapped up too quickly, all in a nice, neat bow and any lessons that main characters should have learned were glossed over.
One of the things that constantly surprises me is the cost of living between then and now. When Robin would go to the market and spend $2.00 on bread and milk, it made me giggle because we certainly don't spend that little now! I really looked forward to those authentic tidbits all throughout the book.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and will certainly read more from this talented author!
I really enjoyed the premise for this novel and I love that it was set in a time before cell phones, the internet and all the technology that's made life so easy for us. It was like a fun trip down memory lane to remember that time in our lives. One of my favorite parts of the novel were the little jokes the author put in about said technology coming to town...they were very tongue-in-cheek because you know people never thought it would happen back then...and now here we are.
Robin Fortune is one of those characters that you root for throughout the entire book. You really want her to get her life in order, to have that one stroke of luck that will make her happy. But at the same time, you know she has flaws - flaws that, at times, make it hard for the reader to like her. One of her biggest flaws, in my opinion, was her shallowness...and I didn't care for how the author wrapped up Robin's love-life despite her shallowness.
I really wish we would have seen more of the struggle between Robin and the famous author, Maryanne. Seeing how the lawsuit went, going through the battle and emotions with Robin would have added a lot to the story and gone a long way to helping the reader root for her again. I feel like the story wrapped up too quickly, all in a nice, neat bow and any lessons that main characters should have learned were glossed over.
One of the things that constantly surprises me is the cost of living between then and now. When Robin would go to the market and spend $2.00 on bread and milk, it made me giggle because we certainly don't spend that little now! I really looked forward to those authentic tidbits all throughout the book.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and will certainly read more from this talented author!
September 17, 2014
I won a copy of Best Seller in the goodreads giveaway.
Best Seller was a delightful coming of age story that was set in the 1970's. Robin Fortune had run into a little bad luck, that she had brought on herself. You will see how Robin learns from the experience and grows up in the course of a year.
I really enjoyed reading this book, because it felt a lot like I was reading about some friends that I may have grown up with in my small town.
This is the first book that I have read by Martha Reynolds, and I am looking forward to reading anything else she may have written.
Best Seller was a delightful coming of age story that was set in the 1970's. Robin Fortune had run into a little bad luck, that she had brought on herself. You will see how Robin learns from the experience and grows up in the course of a year.
I really enjoyed reading this book, because it felt a lot like I was reading about some friends that I may have grown up with in my small town.
This is the first book that I have read by Martha Reynolds, and I am looking forward to reading anything else she may have written.
July 2, 2014
I really enjoyed reading this book. Their were many different relationships growing and defining themselves throughout the novel that I became invested in. The way Martha uses her descriptive talent to describe the cute little town within the novel really had me feeling like I was right there and could see it all. There are a lot of situations going on within the book, but never did it feel too overwhelming and they all tied in nicely together in the end.
September 22, 2014
[Full disclosure: I received a free paperback in conjunction with the blog tour in exchange for an honest review.]
I have to say that for all of my hesitation about Best Seller, it actually isn’t a bad book. It’ll never be a great book but Martha Reynolds is a pretty solid writer.
Her main strength is her characters because although I hate people like Robin in real life (naive, unambitious sorts of people who have never done a thing for themselves) I actually didn’t mind her in fiction. Do I like every decision she makes? Of course not, particularly when it concerns her love life. However, it’s a testament to the strength of Reynolds’ writing that I didn’t throw the book at the wall like I normally would with a character like this. In some ways I enjoyed Robin’s journey from pretty darn naive for a 20 year old to an almost adult by the end, and in some ways I was a little frustrated at the same time.
The reason I was frustrated was the plot. I love a good character novel but I do feel that a book has to have some sort of overarching plot or theme that the main character struggles with. That wasn’t necessarily so in Best Seller. There’s a lot of inter-character conflict but the main point of the novel (Robin is an aspiring young writer) gets wrapped up in just a couple of pages at the end. Just like every other conflict Robin faces, it gets wrapped up in a pretty little bow at the end with not even a little ambiguity anywhere. It’s just too perfect, really, especially when you consider characters like David who do a total 180 by the end.
I haven’t exactly lived through 1976 so I’m not going to talk about any historical accuracy in the novel. But, at the same time, Martha Reynolds’ writing made me feel like I was there with the characters: breathing in the smoke before smoking indoors in public places was illegal (which I do actually remember), tasting the breakfast at the diner and so much more. She has a very descriptive writing style and yet she never crosses into boring territory.
So when a writer can make me like the sort of person I’d rather slap in real life and can bring me back to an era I’ve never lived through, I can definitely appreciate their efforts and their talent. I just wish that Best Seller had more of a plot/point.
I give this book 3/5 stars.
I have to say that for all of my hesitation about Best Seller, it actually isn’t a bad book. It’ll never be a great book but Martha Reynolds is a pretty solid writer.
Her main strength is her characters because although I hate people like Robin in real life (naive, unambitious sorts of people who have never done a thing for themselves) I actually didn’t mind her in fiction. Do I like every decision she makes? Of course not, particularly when it concerns her love life. However, it’s a testament to the strength of Reynolds’ writing that I didn’t throw the book at the wall like I normally would with a character like this. In some ways I enjoyed Robin’s journey from pretty darn naive for a 20 year old to an almost adult by the end, and in some ways I was a little frustrated at the same time.
The reason I was frustrated was the plot. I love a good character novel but I do feel that a book has to have some sort of overarching plot or theme that the main character struggles with. That wasn’t necessarily so in Best Seller. There’s a lot of inter-character conflict but the main point of the novel (Robin is an aspiring young writer) gets wrapped up in just a couple of pages at the end. Just like every other conflict Robin faces, it gets wrapped up in a pretty little bow at the end with not even a little ambiguity anywhere. It’s just too perfect, really, especially when you consider characters like David who do a total 180 by the end.
I haven’t exactly lived through 1976 so I’m not going to talk about any historical accuracy in the novel. But, at the same time, Martha Reynolds’ writing made me feel like I was there with the characters: breathing in the smoke before smoking indoors in public places was illegal (which I do actually remember), tasting the breakfast at the diner and so much more. She has a very descriptive writing style and yet she never crosses into boring territory.
So when a writer can make me like the sort of person I’d rather slap in real life and can bring me back to an era I’ve never lived through, I can definitely appreciate their efforts and their talent. I just wish that Best Seller had more of a plot/point.
I give this book 3/5 stars.
July 1, 2014
Nineteen-year-old Robin Fortune returns to her hometown in New England after getting kicked out of college for dealing pot. She has little interest in returning home even more so given that her father hasn’t spoken to her since he paid her fine to the court. But the bigger problem is that she wants to be in college and feels like she doesn't fit in back home.
At least her all-time favorite author, Maryana Capture, is scheduled to pay a visit to Robin's little town. That’s something to look forward to. Maybe, just maybe, Maryana will be able to provide Robin with guidance for getting the novel she secretly wrote published. Or maybe Maryana will put in a good word for Robin with her own publisher. Yes, that will be a good way to escape this sleepy town.
In the meantime, as Robin awaits the big day, she works as a waitress in a diner for a grumpy Greek man and reconnects with a friend from high school who turns into her boyfriend. One day blends into the next, like a single day on repeat. Robin feels like nothing will ever be the way it was: that beloved time when she was happy in school, pursuing her dreams.
The day of Maryana Capture’s book signing finally arrives, but the event doesn’t unfold like Robin thought it would. But why should that surprise her? Nothing about her return has been simple and Robin wonders if her dreams died on the day she was forced off her college campus and if it’s time to let it all go and move on. For good.
This is Martha Reynolds’ best story yet. I don’t typically gravitate toward books set in the 1970s, at the time of the American Bicentennial, but Martha’s smooth and eloquent story-telling always pulls me in and I become invested in the characters and their relatable struggles. Fact: I read this book in two days. It was that good. So when you buy this book, I recommend starting it on a Friday night. I wouldn’t want you to suffer the consequences of missing work because you have to know how the story ends.
At least her all-time favorite author, Maryana Capture, is scheduled to pay a visit to Robin's little town. That’s something to look forward to. Maybe, just maybe, Maryana will be able to provide Robin with guidance for getting the novel she secretly wrote published. Or maybe Maryana will put in a good word for Robin with her own publisher. Yes, that will be a good way to escape this sleepy town.
In the meantime, as Robin awaits the big day, she works as a waitress in a diner for a grumpy Greek man and reconnects with a friend from high school who turns into her boyfriend. One day blends into the next, like a single day on repeat. Robin feels like nothing will ever be the way it was: that beloved time when she was happy in school, pursuing her dreams.
The day of Maryana Capture’s book signing finally arrives, but the event doesn’t unfold like Robin thought it would. But why should that surprise her? Nothing about her return has been simple and Robin wonders if her dreams died on the day she was forced off her college campus and if it’s time to let it all go and move on. For good.
This is Martha Reynolds’ best story yet. I don’t typically gravitate toward books set in the 1970s, at the time of the American Bicentennial, but Martha’s smooth and eloquent story-telling always pulls me in and I become invested in the characters and their relatable struggles. Fact: I read this book in two days. It was that good. So when you buy this book, I recommend starting it on a Friday night. I wouldn’t want you to suffer the consequences of missing work because you have to know how the story ends.
July 15, 2014
I read this book on my Kindle which is a good thing because my husband can’t sleep if my bedside table lamp is on – but he has no clue if I stay up all night reading on my Kindle. And yes, I actually act like I’m falling asleep so he can have a quiet, dark room and then, when I know he’s asleep, I reach over to my Kindle and fire it up. This mattered a few days ago when I started reading Best Seller and didn’t want to stop. I’m intensely curious about books with writers as the main character for reasons you already know if you read my book blog.
Naïve Robin is a sweet coming-of-age character who is a bit directionless after being kicked out of college for selling pot. She vests everything she has on a famous author who barely knows she exists – a fact I found very intriguing and true-to-life in this novel set in the 1970s – a time that was pre-Internet, pre-Amazon, pre-indie publishing. The path to publishing was quite difficult back then.
I found the setting of this novel in the mid-1970s to be quite charming – as the gift of an Olivetti typewriter thrills the main character because she can now launch her career as a writer. With the help of some well-placed friends, those spiral notebooks filled with her first novel may now see its way toward publication. If only she can catch the attention of the one person she “knows” (well, sort of) in the publishing industry - the famous writer who breezes through town on a book signing tour.
There’s plenty of internal and interpersonal “stuff” going on in this book with Robin learning important lessons about not judging a book by its cover and learning to accept and adapt to her parent’s struggling marriage during a directionless time in their lives.
Lots to love about this book. I’d suggest reading it on your Kindle. Especially if your husband is tired and needs some sleep.
For the complete book review and more information about this book, visit my women's fiction book blog at www.julievalerie.com
Naïve Robin is a sweet coming-of-age character who is a bit directionless after being kicked out of college for selling pot. She vests everything she has on a famous author who barely knows she exists – a fact I found very intriguing and true-to-life in this novel set in the 1970s – a time that was pre-Internet, pre-Amazon, pre-indie publishing. The path to publishing was quite difficult back then.
I found the setting of this novel in the mid-1970s to be quite charming – as the gift of an Olivetti typewriter thrills the main character because she can now launch her career as a writer. With the help of some well-placed friends, those spiral notebooks filled with her first novel may now see its way toward publication. If only she can catch the attention of the one person she “knows” (well, sort of) in the publishing industry - the famous writer who breezes through town on a book signing tour.
There’s plenty of internal and interpersonal “stuff” going on in this book with Robin learning important lessons about not judging a book by its cover and learning to accept and adapt to her parent’s struggling marriage during a directionless time in their lives.
Lots to love about this book. I’d suggest reading it on your Kindle. Especially if your husband is tired and needs some sleep.
For the complete book review and more information about this book, visit my women's fiction book blog at www.julievalerie.com
July 4, 2014
It’s the mid-nineteen seventies and nineteen-year-old Robin’s life has become somewhat derailed. She’s been chucked out of college for dealing pot, her dad’s not speaking to her, she lives alone, works in a local diner, and is sleeping with an old friend from high school. This was not the plan. Things start to look up when her favorite author, Maryana Capture, comes to town. If Maryana helped her publish her novel, maybe Robin’s life would get back on track.
I read this story in two huge self-indulgent dollops. Robin would not let me put this book down. Despite many decades separating us, I could immediately relate to her, and as the story unfolded, I began to feel very protective of her.
Robin’s voice draws the reader in, and much of the dialogue is interspersed with her witty or heartfelt asides. The author perfectly captures the feelings of a young woman who is little lost, unsure of the way ahead, lonely, and very naïve.
The story is driven forward by Robin’s complex relationships with her family, her boyfriend, her upstairs neighbor, and the people she meets at work. These supporting characters are as vivid as Robin. The two that interest me the most are her mother and her boyfriend, and I’d love to see them developed further in another book.
The mid-seventies setting feels authentic, and Robin’s musings about how much easier life would be if she had a portable phone are a wonderful touch.
A satisfying read for anyone who came of age a while ago, and for those who have yet to do so.
I’d like to thank the author for sending me a review copy of this book.
I read this story in two huge self-indulgent dollops. Robin would not let me put this book down. Despite many decades separating us, I could immediately relate to her, and as the story unfolded, I began to feel very protective of her.
Robin’s voice draws the reader in, and much of the dialogue is interspersed with her witty or heartfelt asides. The author perfectly captures the feelings of a young woman who is little lost, unsure of the way ahead, lonely, and very naïve.
The story is driven forward by Robin’s complex relationships with her family, her boyfriend, her upstairs neighbor, and the people she meets at work. These supporting characters are as vivid as Robin. The two that interest me the most are her mother and her boyfriend, and I’d love to see them developed further in another book.
The mid-seventies setting feels authentic, and Robin’s musings about how much easier life would be if she had a portable phone are a wonderful touch.
A satisfying read for anyone who came of age a while ago, and for those who have yet to do so.
I’d like to thank the author for sending me a review copy of this book.
August 14, 2014
Robin Fortune has had, well, a bit of misfortune. She's kicked out of college for selling pot. To teach her a lesson, her father forces her to make it on her own for a while. Now working to pay the rent and on her own, she still dreams of one day turning her story--handwritten in several notebooks--into a best selling novel. She'd love to follow in the footsteps of her favorite author, Maryana Capture.
Unfortunately, one road block after another gets in Robin's way; her mother and father are having marital troubles, Robin is having boyfriend troubles, and not everyone in Robin's life is playing fair. Can she find her way with so many obstacles in her path?
A successful coming-of-age tale depends on a relatable main character who can capture the reader's heart. Robin is so that character. She's headstrong, yet flawed; loving, yet selfish. Even when she's floundering, she doen't run home to daddy to fix everything. There are lessons she needed to learn first. Her path isn't without missteps and wrong choices, but she never gives up.
Near the end, I felt it was rushed. Then I realized, it was because I never wanted it to end. I love the writing style of Billie Letts and Fannie Flagg. Martha Reynolds has entered that category with this one. It might be my new favorite of her novels, and that says a lot.
Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.
Unfortunately, one road block after another gets in Robin's way; her mother and father are having marital troubles, Robin is having boyfriend troubles, and not everyone in Robin's life is playing fair. Can she find her way with so many obstacles in her path?
A successful coming-of-age tale depends on a relatable main character who can capture the reader's heart. Robin is so that character. She's headstrong, yet flawed; loving, yet selfish. Even when she's floundering, she doen't run home to daddy to fix everything. There are lessons she needed to learn first. Her path isn't without missteps and wrong choices, but she never gives up.
Near the end, I felt it was rushed. Then I realized, it was because I never wanted it to end. I love the writing style of Billie Letts and Fannie Flagg. Martha Reynolds has entered that category with this one. It might be my new favorite of her novels, and that says a lot.
Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.
July 9, 2014
This is the first book that I have read by Ms. Reynolds and I now realize that I am going to have to go back and read the rest of what she has written. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Set in the nineteen seventies, Best Seller tells the story of Robin Fortune, a college student from a wealthy family who gets caught selling pot. Following her expulsion from school, her father stops speaking to her and she is relegated to small apartment and a job in the local diner. Ms. Reynolds does a wonderful job of developing her cast of characters, including the intricacies of Robin's very different relationships with her family, boyfriend and coworkers. With each page, we watch as Robin struggles to figure her life out, stumbling quite a bit along the way. After a tragic event, she is able to put her life into perspective and find the resolution that she so desperately needed. Ms. Reynolds has given us a beautifully written story full of conflict, emotion and honesty. Very well done.
July 1, 2014
I am a big fan of this author and I liked this book as much as I have her prior novels. It's a wonderful story of a young woman's journey to find redemption with her family after some bad choices, the ups and downs of finding that special one in her life and the battle to realize her dream of having a published novel. I was gifted a copy of this novel by the author in return for writing an honest review, and my honest review is that this is another wonderful read from Martha and one I very much recommend..
October 6, 2014
Loved it! Another hit by Martha Reynolds! (I resisted using the term "Best Seller"!)
With each publication, Reynolds improves on her writing. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one from the first person perspective. It brought me closer to the main character. Setting the book around the bicentennial was a plus. I can remember those days. The story had some interesting plots twists that were not predictable. It's not a heavy read, which I also enjoyed.
Keep on writing Martha!
With each publication, Reynolds improves on her writing. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one from the first person perspective. It brought me closer to the main character. Setting the book around the bicentennial was a plus. I can remember those days. The story had some interesting plots twists that were not predictable. It's not a heavy read, which I also enjoyed.
Keep on writing Martha!
October 31, 2014
I enjoyed this latest book by Martha Reynolds. I read it in one sitting. The author really has a feel for writing the lives of young women; their desires, insecurities, awakenings, and the ways in which they eventually find their own lives and begin to live them. I have a few more of Martha's books in my Kindle, and I'll be getting to them as soon as I can!
June 29, 2014
The stories keep getting better
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Martha did a great job transporting us back to the 70's a time I remember well. I loved Robin and Martha's development of the character. A true coming of age novel showing how people mature and grow. A must read.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Martha did a great job transporting us back to the 70's a time I remember well. I loved Robin and Martha's development of the character. A true coming of age novel showing how people mature and grow. A must read.
August 12, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. This is the first book I have read by Martha Reynolds and am looking forward to reading more of her books!
October 2, 2014
This book pleasantly surprised me. It was not what I had expected at all. It is a delightful, fun, coming-of-age story. Full review will be on my site tomorrow!
May 5, 2017
In her heartfelt and engaging novel Best Seller, Martha Reynolds brings to life nineteen-year-old Robina (Robin) Fortune, a young writer who was thrown out of college for selling pot. As she becomes estranged from her father, Hap, and holds on to a tenuous relationship with her status-conscious mother, Robin begins a journey toward self-discovery and maturity.
Set in Rhode Island in the national Bicentennial year of 1976, Best Seller captures well a time before the internet and cell phones.
Back at home, Robin re-connects with her childhood pal, Francisco (Speedy) Mello but now prefers Frank, and they soon become a couple. She works part time at a neighborhood diner, completes her novel and sets out to get it published. Robin is thrilled that her favorite author, Maryana Capture, is coming to a local bookstore and she plans to seek Capture’s assistance in getting her novel into the right hands.
Without making her seem stupid, Reynolds is adept at portraying Robin’s naiveté about the book publishing world, and by endowing Robin with faults and foibles as well as her better qualities, renders her likable and real. All Reynolds’ characters are fleshed out, realistic, someone you could meet in your own life: Robin’s distant father, Hap Fortune; her troubled mother, Ruth; Robin’s older brother Skip and sister-in-law Kay, both in whom Robin can confide; her upstairs neighbor David; who shows more than a passing interest in Robin. Minor figures: George, the owner of the diner, his wife, Maria, Jenny, another waitress, Dorothy, owner of the town’s small book store, Andrew, the frequent diner customer who has an essential role in the story, are all fully realized, endowed with exceptional detail.
Best Seller is not a pot-boiler, yet there are surprising but believable plot turns that make the story sing. Reynolds scenes are often cinematic: a birthday lunch with Mom, cooking for a boyfriend, a different-from-expected book signing, a solo bus trip to New York City, a wedding reception with both funny and poignant moments.
Will Robin untangle the mess her life has become? Is she able to get her novel published? Will her relationship with Frank grow? Can Robin’s parents resolved their problems?
Best Seller is a moving and enjoyable coming-of-age story. Highly recommended.
Set in Rhode Island in the national Bicentennial year of 1976, Best Seller captures well a time before the internet and cell phones.
Back at home, Robin re-connects with her childhood pal, Francisco (Speedy) Mello but now prefers Frank, and they soon become a couple. She works part time at a neighborhood diner, completes her novel and sets out to get it published. Robin is thrilled that her favorite author, Maryana Capture, is coming to a local bookstore and she plans to seek Capture’s assistance in getting her novel into the right hands.
Without making her seem stupid, Reynolds is adept at portraying Robin’s naiveté about the book publishing world, and by endowing Robin with faults and foibles as well as her better qualities, renders her likable and real. All Reynolds’ characters are fleshed out, realistic, someone you could meet in your own life: Robin’s distant father, Hap Fortune; her troubled mother, Ruth; Robin’s older brother Skip and sister-in-law Kay, both in whom Robin can confide; her upstairs neighbor David; who shows more than a passing interest in Robin. Minor figures: George, the owner of the diner, his wife, Maria, Jenny, another waitress, Dorothy, owner of the town’s small book store, Andrew, the frequent diner customer who has an essential role in the story, are all fully realized, endowed with exceptional detail.
Best Seller is not a pot-boiler, yet there are surprising but believable plot turns that make the story sing. Reynolds scenes are often cinematic: a birthday lunch with Mom, cooking for a boyfriend, a different-from-expected book signing, a solo bus trip to New York City, a wedding reception with both funny and poignant moments.
Will Robin untangle the mess her life has become? Is she able to get her novel published? Will her relationship with Frank grow? Can Robin’s parents resolved their problems?
Best Seller is a moving and enjoyable coming-of-age story. Highly recommended.
October 9, 2014
MY TAKE:
3 STARS
Best Seller really just wasn't a book that appealed to me. We have a main character, who is a pot smoking, pot selling, sleeping around girl who got kicked out of college for getting caught selling pot and then wonders WHY her own father won't speak to her? Hello? To each their own, I guess. This character was very immature.
After reading books ten times much better than this one, (although I personally can't back the 'pot smoking, pot selling in this book which is what really turned me off immediately about this book) I cannot say I would suggest this book to my followers and live with a clear conscious without doing so, except that the sex in this book was not descriptive, thankfully. There were references to it, mentions fingers at the edge of the others' shorts, but that was about as bad as it got.
So this character writes a book, asks her favorite author for help which turns out to be the worst thing she could ever have done, especially since this author has not had a new release in a few years should have been a red flag to this character, but it was not.
At the end everything wraps up nice, tidy, and pretty much perfect. The main character has matured through it all. Life doesn't work like this, not this fast. In most of the books I've read, they do not end in a perfect world, either, like this one does. Not everything is a HEA.
I have to give this author credit, though. She hit the Bicentennial year of 1976 spot on! Everything she described about flags and other celebratory items being everywhere and a thrill in people of pride everywhere was quite the year as I remember that well, even though a child. Too bad society didn't keep this up. It's nice to remember, though. Yes, this author was a very descriptive author.
One mention about the formatting on the Kindle copy I received for review - it was awful! Sentences inside paragraphs were double spaced, mid-sentences were double spaced too, so your eye could not easily follow along reading the book, at least that is the problem I had with this book. It was as if no one read the Kindle copy to see how the formatting looked. I received this book for FREE from the Author in exchange to read and write a review about it. "Free" means I was provided with ZERO MONIES to do so, but to enjoy the pure pleasure of reading it and giving my own honest opinion no matter whether it is positive or negative. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the law set here: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/wa...., The Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, 16 CFR 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising Federal Acquisition Regulation.
3 STARS
Best Seller really just wasn't a book that appealed to me. We have a main character, who is a pot smoking, pot selling, sleeping around girl who got kicked out of college for getting caught selling pot and then wonders WHY her own father won't speak to her? Hello? To each their own, I guess. This character was very immature.
After reading books ten times much better than this one, (although I personally can't back the 'pot smoking, pot selling in this book which is what really turned me off immediately about this book) I cannot say I would suggest this book to my followers and live with a clear conscious without doing so, except that the sex in this book was not descriptive, thankfully. There were references to it, mentions fingers at the edge of the others' shorts, but that was about as bad as it got.
So this character writes a book, asks her favorite author for help which turns out to be the worst thing she could ever have done, especially since this author has not had a new release in a few years should have been a red flag to this character, but it was not.
At the end everything wraps up nice, tidy, and pretty much perfect. The main character has matured through it all. Life doesn't work like this, not this fast. In most of the books I've read, they do not end in a perfect world, either, like this one does. Not everything is a HEA.
I have to give this author credit, though. She hit the Bicentennial year of 1976 spot on! Everything she described about flags and other celebratory items being everywhere and a thrill in people of pride everywhere was quite the year as I remember that well, even though a child. Too bad society didn't keep this up. It's nice to remember, though. Yes, this author was a very descriptive author.
One mention about the formatting on the Kindle copy I received for review - it was awful! Sentences inside paragraphs were double spaced, mid-sentences were double spaced too, so your eye could not easily follow along reading the book, at least that is the problem I had with this book. It was as if no one read the Kindle copy to see how the formatting looked. I received this book for FREE from the Author in exchange to read and write a review about it. "Free" means I was provided with ZERO MONIES to do so, but to enjoy the pure pleasure of reading it and giving my own honest opinion no matter whether it is positive or negative. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the law set here: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/wa...., The Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, 16 CFR 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising Federal Acquisition Regulation.
March 25, 2015
Horrible. Please don't read.
July 1, 2015
Great read
Great story loved the central character and how you developed her into what she became. It was light and fun to read. Read most of it in one seating
Great story loved the central character and how you developed her into what she became. It was light and fun to read. Read most of it in one seating
December 8, 2015
Too predictable
It was fun and fast read but way too predictable. Have a 20 year old granddaughter and could not picture her in this role.
It was fun and fast read but way too predictable. Have a 20 year old granddaughter and could not picture her in this role.
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