Book Review: Watching Willow Watts

By Melissa Amster

Some people live for their 15 minutes of fame. When Willow Watts gets her 15 minutes in an unexpected way, it changes her in more ways than she could have ever realized. Talli Roland has everyone "Watching Willow Watts" in her second novel.

Willow Watts lives in a small town that rarely receives tourists (think about the town in "Cars" if you need a visual). She's taking care of her dad after her mom's passing and his health scare and living a low key life. Then her best friend makes her try on a Marilyn Monroe costume at a festival and she is caught on video with an image of Marilyn's likeness in the background. Soon everyone is coming to see the new Marilyn Monroe. Can Willow keep up the charade so that she can save her father from debt? With an agent looking out for her, it should be a piece of cake! Or should it? And what will happen when Willow's 15 minutes of fame are over?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. I laughed at all the craziness and also felt sympathy for Willow, even though I've never been in her shoes. All the characters were colorful and interesting, as they each had their own story. I loved how the pieces all fit together so well, but in such an unassuming way. Ms. Roland keeps the reader guessing up to the last page. There are fun treats along the way as she allows us to cheer on the good guys and "boo" for the bad guy. It was original, cute and clever. It even had the feel of a mockumentary in some ways. I could see it played out that way if it were optioned for film. I don't even have anything to criticize about it because I loved it the whole way through. I look forward to reading Ms. Roland's other novels, especially if they're as great as "Watching Willow Watts!" Having said that, I highly recommend it and suggest you get your own copy today. It's short enough to devour in one sitting and at 99 cents for Kindle, it's a great deal for a day's entertainment!

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