Author: Teresa Medeiros
Released: December 2010
Published by: Gallery Books
Read: December 2012
Reread: May 2016
The Hook: Twitter
I can’t remember how I crossed paths with this book. All I know is I owned it when I read it. It may have been a Border’s close-out find. Even though I can’t remember how it made its way into my library, I am glad it did. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thumbed through the pages, reading snippets of this love story. The most recent was a few days ago. I was doing some cleaning and there it was. Seeing that as a sign, I decided it was time for a reread. And, again, I am glad it’s a part of my library.
Summary: The story focuses on Abigail Donovan aka Abby_Donovan. At one point in her life, she was a best-selling author. So much so she made it into Oprah’s book club! But that was a five years ago. And her only book. She is struggling to write her second and it is not going so well. Trying to keep her career alive by staying in contact with her audience, Abby’s agent sets up a Twitter account. After a very long day, that involved a bunny suit, she decides to fire up her Twitter account and see where that takes her. After attempting to get a response by saying “hello” like in a chatroom, she meets Mark Baynard aka MarkBaynard, some guy who was trolling Twitter looking for friends when he stumbled upon her “Halllo …? is anybody out there?” tweet. They strike up witty conversation, Mark offers to teach her a bit about Twitter, Abby agrees, and they become fast friends. Friendship escalates into something more and eventually leads to the inevitable “do you wanna meet IRL?” conversation. And then they’re on a whole new level of relationship, stuck between friends and something more but not quite more because of other stuff but the other stuff could lead to something more … and well, you just have to read it.
Verdict:
Well, you know I own the book. You know I love it. You know I’ve reread it a handful of times. But let’s talk about the reasons why I love it.
Reason #1: I am a big fan of good dialogue.
Reason #2: I am an even bigger fan of witty dialogue.
Reason #3: I love pop culture references.
Reason #4: I love it more when I get those pop culture references.
Reason #5: I am fan of friendships that grow out of a good conversation.
And this book has it all.
When I first picked up this book, I had been on Twitter for a few months and I loved how this story incorporated that social media platform. It was different. It was quick. And I agree with Mark.
Abby_Donavan: Isn’t microblogging just thinking out loud? What happens if I can’t finish a thought in 140 characters or less?
MarkBaynard: Then you’re not clever or pithy enough to be on Twitter […]
Which is one of the reasons I love Twitter. It is like you’re thinking out loud. And I love the challenge of focusing my thoughts to a witty 140 character tweet.
And Medeiros does that throughout the whole book!
Always starting with something like:
MarkBaynard: What are you wearing?
Abby_Donovan: A spritz of Chanel No. 5 and the ice-blue satin evening gown Grace Kelly wore to accept her Oscar for THE COUNTRY GIRL. You?
MarkBaynard: Harrison Ford’s leather bomber jacket from RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK and Steve McQueen’s Perssol aviator glasses from THE GETAWAY.
And ending with something like:
Abby_Donovan: Goodnight Cousin Itt (she said with a withering scorn)
MarkBaynard: Goodnight Cara Mia (he replied tenderly in a faux Italian accent)
Abby_Donovan: Goodnight Thing
MarkBaynard: Goodnight Wednesday
Abby_Donovan: Goodnight Pugsley
MarkBaynard: Goodnight Grandma
Abby_Donovan: Goodnight Lurch
MarkBaynard: Goodnight Tweetheart …
And in the middle … witty conversation.
The banter between Abby and Mark is fun to read. The fact that I catch most of their snarky remarks is even fun-er (and I know that’s not a word, it was just fun to say 😉 ). They get through their respective challenges by leaning on each other and later, their respective challenges are no longer “Abby’s” or “Mark’s.” Instead, their challenges become “our.”
This book is a fun read, it is a romance, and about 70% of the book is in IM format. But there is narrative that I appreciate. As much as I love reading novels completely done in epistolary format, narrative smooths out the edges.
So, if you like all of the above add it to your TBR list!