Ever since I read Apocalipstick on my honeymoon 10 years ago, I have become a huge fan of Sue Margolis' novels. They're so funny and entertaining, featuring characters who end up in some crazy situations from time-to-time. There's a lot of Jewish humor (which I can definitely appreciate), and Sue knows how to work it into a story seamlessly. And then there are the "romantic" scenes. While I was sad to hear that Sue was toning down on them starting with her previous couple of novels, I now know what to expect and still enjoy her novels nonetheless. Best Supporting Role is her latest masterpiece and it shows that she hasn't lost her touch one bit!
After Sarah Green's gambling addict husband dies and leaves her practically penniless with two children to raise on her own, she decides to live a safe and practical life with a stable job and a responsible boyfriend. That seems to work pretty well for her until her aunt passes away and leaves her with a lingerie shop to manage and two employees who are practically part of the family. Soon, she's taking on some gambles of her own that put her relationship and financial state at risk, but heap on some rewards in turn...such as the attractive actor/handyman who helps her fix up the shop.
I had a lot of fun reading Sue's latest novel. She had me laughing out loud many times with her witty humor, especially when it came to conversations between Sarah and her kids. The dialogue and interactions between all the characters was strong and kept the story moving along nicely. I especially loved Sarah's "aunties." They were so much fun and also provided much needed comic relief. Even with all the laughter, I got misty-eyed at times. And while the "romantic" scenes were absent (which I was prepared for this time around), she tossed in some teasers to get the imagination going. Since the story was so strong and compelling, the lack of "romantic" scenes wasn't as big a deal this time around. They weren't needed to carry along the story.
My only complaint is that there was some Holocaust humor in the form of Nazi jokes. Maybe I was reading it at a bad time because of everything going on in the Middle East, but I was also shocked that a fellow member of the tribe would include such humor. I'd be laughing about something and then a comment related to Nazis would stop me in my tracks. It only happened twice and it wasn't horrifying, I just would have been happier without it. Aside from that, the story wrapped up a little too neatly, but by that point I only wanted good things to happen for Sarah after all she had been through.
If you want a fun, light-hearted story, you've come to the right place. If you want to know how well Sue can write a really steamy "romantic" scene, definitely check out some of her previous novels (and read them in the privacy of your bedroom to avoid blushing). While I couldn't come up with a movie cast for this book, I did picture Alex O'Loughlin as Hugh (the actor/handyman). Hope that will get your imagination going too!
Thanks to Berkley (Penguin) for the book in exchange for an honest review. They have one copy for a lucky US reader!
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I would love to see how Sarah moves on with her life
ReplyDeleteOh, Melissa, I loved your review of this book especially after some of our email chats today.
ReplyDeleteI so admire a strong woman. My Mom was one of those. When we lost our Dad leaving three children under the age of three, my Mom stepped up and proved that you CAN go on and you CAN do it! We had lots of laughs as kids and I think that sometimes a bit of gallows humor helps to get over tough times.
I'm certainly looking forward to reading "Best Supporting Role."