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Searching... Beale Memorial Library (Kern Co.) | Searching... Unknown | Adult Fiction | FIC COOK CL Wallflo | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
From the critically acclaimed and bestselling author of Must Love Dogs --a winning and witty novel about a woman who emerges from the shadow of her overbearing family and finds herself "dancing with the stars."
From the acclaimed bestselling author of Must Love Dogs comes a winning and witty new novel about a woman who emerges from the shadow of her overbearing family and finds herself "dancing with the stars."
Deirdre Griffin has a great life; it's just not her own. She's the around-the-clock personal assistant to her charismatic, high-maintenance, New Age guru brother, Tag. As the family wallflower, her only worth seems to be as gatekeeper to Tag at his New England seaside compound.
Then Deirdre's sometime boyfriend informs her that he is marrying another woman, who just happens to be having the baby he told Deirdre he never wanted. While drowning her sorrows in Tag's expensive vodka, Deirdre decides to use his massive online following to get herself voted on as a last-minute Dancing with the Stars replacement. It'll get her back in shape, mentally and physically. It might even get her a life of her own. Deirdre's fifteen minutes of fame have begun.
Irresistible and offbeat, Wallflower in Bloom is an original and deeply satisfying story of having the courage to take a leap into the spotlight, no matter where you land.
Author Notes
A teacher of physical fitness and creative writing, Claire Cook has had previous stints as a copywriter, radio continuity director, garden designer, and dance choreographer. She lives in Scituate, Massachusetts, with her husband and two children.
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Cook's newest novel (after Best Staged Plans) is a fun and inspiring read. Family wallflower Deirdre Griffin has played second fiddle her entire life to her siblings, none more so than brother Tag, "a cross between a guru and a rock star," according to Deirdre. "Think Deepak Chopra meets Bono." With Deirdre working as Tag's personal assistant and gatekeeper, her status doesn't seem likely to change anytime soon, especially since Tag is on the cusp of becoming America's "next big thing," putting Deirdre in charge of managing his "brand" 24/7. During an event in Austin, Tex., the two have a heated exchange, and Deirdre impulsively quits, taking advantage of an unexpected opportunity to appear on Dancing with the Stars, a move that might help her come out of both her shell and her brother's shadow. Cook's humor and narrative execution is impeccable; Deirdre's increasing self-consciousness elicits support for her to overcome insecurity and endure in her journey to find happiness and fulfillment on her own terms. Agent: Lisa Bankoff, ICM. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Deidre Griffin is the titular wallflower, about to spring forth in all her colorful glory in Cook's latest (after Best Staged Plans, 2011). Having buried her own dreams in support of her New Age-type brother as he charms millions with his charismatic ways while appearing to be the calm center of the family business, Dee is about to snap from a lifetime of putting herself last. Then her on-again, off-again boyfriend informs her he's met someone and is not only getting married but also expecting the baby he'd always told Dee he never wanted. Just like that, Dee's personal life, family, historically confused love life, and career threaten to implode. Her natural response is to run away from everything and straight into a very public kind of therapy. She hustles onto Dancing with the Stars as a last-minute replacement and works hard to see her own darn star finally rise itself. Filled with sweet humor and all the eye-rolling moments of jumbled yet ultimately loving family relations, romance, and coming into one's own, this women's fiction is a definite pleaser for devotees of the genre.--Trevelyan, Julie Copyright 2010 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Meet Deirdre Griffin: eternal middle child, the wallflower of the family. She has lived her entire life in the shadow of her three siblings-and never so much as in the last few years, working in the family business as personal assistant to her famous New Age guru brother, Tag. One particularly bad weekend, dumped by her longtime boyfriend and having gone just a bit overboard with a bottle of vodka, Deirdre decides she has had enough. Taking advantage of her social media prowess and her brother's fan base, Deirdre gets herself voted onto Dancing with the Stars-and finally sets herself on a path to discovering herself and living life on her own terms. VERDICT Women will be both inspired by and envious of a character who has the opportunity to change her life in such a big, splashy way. Cook's latest (after Best Staged Plans) is a fun, quick read, perfect for the summer beach season.-Leigh Wright, Bridgewater, NJ (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.