Sunday, June 2, 2013

70. Jennifer E. Smith, This is What Happy Looks Like

This Is What Happy Looks Like I adored Jennifer Smith's The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, so I was excited to find a copy of her newest book.

It all starts with an accidental email from Graham Larkin (yes, the Graham Larkin, teenage heart-throb) to Ellie O'Neill, asking her to walk his pig. Ellie emails back, Graham responds, and an email exchange is born. The two of them only know each other by initials (G and E), so Ellie has no idea that Graham is a star and Graham doesn't know about Ellie's secret past.

When Graham gets a chance to film his newest film on location in the small town in Maine where Ellie lives, he jumps at it, hoping to see if his friendship with Ellie is the real thing. Of course, the reality isn't as easy as Graham dreams it will be: Ellie's secret means that she's wary of getting involved with a star that comes with paparazzi, no matter how handsome he is.

Smith is a good writer, with clean, uncomplicated prose. Ellie and Graham are both interesting, believable characters. But somehow, I didn't love this. I suppose I wanted more romance, less drama and difficulty. I liked it--I just didn't love it.

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