There is something about a chick-lit novel in the summer, isn’t there? Ok, summer is nearly over but it doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy a good read. Especially all my fellow parents who have their spawn heading back to school (whoah! Free time to ourselves to pee in peace!) So let’s kick back with a cup of coffee and have a look at a new book, Follow Me Home by Jen Benjamin.
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The Plot
The story follows a newly published author named Katie who is on the cusp of fame. Her first book has become a bestseller and now a movie company wants to see it on the silver screen. But there is trouble in paradise as Katie has to deal with life in LA, her ungrateful husband, and surprises that come with being almost famous. Between the paparazzi, learning how to use Snapchat, and the dreamy young man that gets to play the lead in the movie, Katie is as frazzled as her hair. Can she learn how to work as an author and in the film industry? Will she ever stop shooting her mouth off? And will she ever remove the ice-cream stain from her coffee table? Spoiler alert- there is no way to remove an ice-cream stain like that from your coffee table.
Thoughts on the story
As far as stories go, this was not a long one. It is more of a novella than a novel. But the length of the book suited the story. Normally, we are used to seeing books laid out in chapters but this story takes a different approach. For every chapter break, we are given a quick insight into Katie’s mind through a few lines from her journal. The story moves along well and doesn’t bog itself down with every little detail. We, the readers, are given insights into what really matters in the story, rather than droning on for the sake of filling out the word count. One thing I found particularly interesting was how the author describes the writing process for Katie.
Thoughts on the author
This is Jen Benjamin’s first novel and it’s a great one. Jen has written about what she knows, and she knows the struggle that comes from being new to the world of writing. I feel Katie’s pain and confusion throughout the story as she tries to find her way in her career. Her portrayal of the relationship struggles is very relatable too. I did hear a rumor that Jen Benjamin is not the real name of the author, the author is in fact a respectable journalist! And the book was written in a month, A MONTH! I take my hat off to you Madam, I can blink and a month passes by with me forgetting to do half of my to-do list. That list is mostly of writing stuff.
Overall
This is a fantastic first book from Jen Benjamin. I’m a big believer in having fiction and reading being accessible to people, and Jen hits the nail on the head. The story isn’t over complicated with loads of big words. Let’s face it, we want to be entertained, not have to ask Siri every five minutes what a word means. This story is great for readers who are new to reading as a pastime.