Book Review: Goodnight Tweetheart

By Melissa Amster


I usually am not someone who can read a whole book over the span of one day. However, I set a new record with Teresa Medeiros' latest novel, "Goodnight Tweetheart." It was difficult to put down, as it was such an easy and entertaining read.

Abigail "Abby" Donovan is a bestselling novelist who has slipped under the radar while trying to get through writer's block on her second novel. In an attempt to bring her back into the limelight, her publicist signs her up with a Twitter account. After a few experimental tweets that show how novice she is, she receives some intriguing tweets from a man named Mark, who is an English professor on sabbatical, determined to teach her how to tweet like a pro. Soon, she is caught up in direct message conversations with him, each one ending in "Goodnight Tweetheart." However, there is a lot of mystery and intrigue involved, as they haven't seen each other's faces or spoken by telephone.

I liked a lot about this novel. I thought the banter between Abby and Mark was humorous and witty and enjoyed all the pop culture references (especially anything related to Adam Lambert or "Glee"). It all felt like a natural online conversation that flowed easily. It reminded me of the days before dating sites existed and meeting someone online had a "You've Got Mail" appeal. It also reminded me a little of "Rosie Dunne" by Cecelia Ahern (a novel told through e-mails, chats and handwritten letters). I don't know that I necessarily liked the direction Ms. Medeiros chose to take the novel, but even so she found a way to keep with the consistency of the story. I'm still pondering over it though and also hoping for a sequel to tie up some loose ends. Overall, it was a fun and contemporary novel that will definitely keep readers entertained during the upcoming cold months (or even by the pool in the summer), when it is released in January. I know Ms. Medeiros has mainly written historical romance novels prior to "Goodnight Tweetheart." However, I applaud her first crack at the chick lit genre and hope she will continue to write novels with a similar appeal in the future.

Note: Teresa Medeiros is visiting Chick Lit Central next week to "tweet" with us about the winter holidays. You'll have a chance to win a copy of this book at that time. Come back on Monday!