#AudioBookReview: Virtually Perfect by Paige Roberts
This book aggravated me.
My Thoughts:
Virtually Perfect by Paige Roberts, Narrated by Marguerite Gavin
Audiobook
Released September 2017, 9+ Hours
Amazon ♦ Goodreads
Audiobook
Released September 2017, 9+ Hours
Amazon ♦ Goodreads
Not so long ago, Lizzie Glass had a successful TV show, a cookbook deal, and a social diary crammed with parties and events. But fame doesn't stay fresh for long. Her show fizzles, her magazine column is canceled, and Lizzie's only option is a summer job as personal chef to the Silvester's, a wealthy and eccentric family.Their beach house is a lavish, beautifully decorated palace on the Jersey Shore, and Lizzie gets to work catering to Kathryn and Jim Silvester's fashionably restrictive diets. But its their twenty-something daughter who presents Lizzie with her biggest challenge professionally and personally. A self-proclaimed wellness warrior, Zoe Silvester has a hugely popular website and app that promotes healthy living and organic, unprocessed foods. Yet Lizzie soon realizes that The Clean Life site has a dirty little secret. In fact, Zoe's entire online persona is based on a dangerous hoax that runs deep and will damage lives. Exposing Zoe wont just jeopardize Lizzie's job and a promising new relationship it may expose the cracks in her own past.Sharply observed, witty, and thoughtful, Paige Roberts debut novel is a compelling look at one womans journey toward reinventing herself and seeing through the fade of others to discover the imperfect but sometimes wonderful truth.
I add the randomist of books to my Overdrive queue. Do you ever do that? This is another that I added for whatever reason and by the time it came around to me I had no idea why I requested it. Sometimes it works out, other times notsomuch. This was one of the notsomuch times.
Lizzie was once a Food Network star but was fired for some reason I don’t think they ever revealed. I think I would've caught that because I was hoping it was embarrassing but I could’ve missed it because I might’ve dozed off a time or two. She’s since been making a living taking whatever job comes her way, mostly cooking for rich people. When she’s offered a full time gig cooking for a wealthy family at their luxurious summer home at the beach she takes it.
What follows is a modern day chick lit story of a woman who puts up with all sorts of crap to keep her job which is something most of us can probably relate to. We do need to eat and sometimes it pays to keep your big mouth shut. But this changes a little later in the story when she begins to make a few unprofessional moves and remarks that weren’t at all thought through. I mean I get it, a girl can only take so much, but it’s never a good idea to talk crap about the family who pays you to another family member that you barely know just because you think he’s the black sheep of the family. Even I know that! During the daily dramas that enfold she’s also attempting to patch things up with a friend she left behind for fame (snooze) and learns her mother has been hiding a big secret which she might’ve discovered sooner if she’d tried harder to get in touch with her mom.
This book gets mostly good reviews so perhaps it just wasn’t a story meant for me. I thought it might be light and entertaining and though it is very descriptive with the food and I enjoyed that bit, it started to aggravate me midway and never recovered. The plot was nothing special, nothing new, nothing that wasn’t predictable and basically bored me. None of the characters were all that likable, even Lizzy. The wealthy socialite who NEVER shuts up and all but one of her family members and friends were horrible people who the reader gets to spend way too much with. Imagine being stuck in a room with no hope of escape with loud, drunk, shallow, wealthy people who think of no one but themselves and their pleasure. I’d rather have toothpicks jammed under my nails than suffer through that. And their presence makes up much of this story. That’s not my idea of a good time but who knows maybe it’s yours?
On the positive side, the narrator has one of those musical and lively voices that’ll keep you going even when you know you should probably quit. Yep, it’s her fault not mine that I did not DNF.
I have to give this one a two and ½ rounding down to a two because if I’m being honest I just did not like it very much.
Have you read it?
Lizzie was once a Food Network star but was fired for some reason I don’t think they ever revealed. I think I would've caught that because I was hoping it was embarrassing but I could’ve missed it because I might’ve dozed off a time or two. She’s since been making a living taking whatever job comes her way, mostly cooking for rich people. When she’s offered a full time gig cooking for a wealthy family at their luxurious summer home at the beach she takes it.
What follows is a modern day chick lit story of a woman who puts up with all sorts of crap to keep her job which is something most of us can probably relate to. We do need to eat and sometimes it pays to keep your big mouth shut. But this changes a little later in the story when she begins to make a few unprofessional moves and remarks that weren’t at all thought through. I mean I get it, a girl can only take so much, but it’s never a good idea to talk crap about the family who pays you to another family member that you barely know just because you think he’s the black sheep of the family. Even I know that! During the daily dramas that enfold she’s also attempting to patch things up with a friend she left behind for fame (snooze) and learns her mother has been hiding a big secret which she might’ve discovered sooner if she’d tried harder to get in touch with her mom.
This book gets mostly good reviews so perhaps it just wasn’t a story meant for me. I thought it might be light and entertaining and though it is very descriptive with the food and I enjoyed that bit, it started to aggravate me midway and never recovered. The plot was nothing special, nothing new, nothing that wasn’t predictable and basically bored me. None of the characters were all that likable, even Lizzy. The wealthy socialite who NEVER shuts up and all but one of her family members and friends were horrible people who the reader gets to spend way too much with. Imagine being stuck in a room with no hope of escape with loud, drunk, shallow, wealthy people who think of no one but themselves and their pleasure. I’d rather have toothpicks jammed under my nails than suffer through that. And their presence makes up much of this story. That’s not my idea of a good time but who knows maybe it’s yours?
On the positive side, the narrator has one of those musical and lively voices that’ll keep you going even when you know you should probably quit. Yep, it’s her fault not mine that I did not DNF.
I have to give this one a two and ½ rounding down to a two because if I’m being honest I just did not like it very much.
Have you read it?
Ugh, maybe it needs zombies to eat all the horrible characters...
ReplyDeleteThat would've made it much more interesting!
DeleteI will be skipping this one and I agree with Chuckles, let's throw some zombies in!
ReplyDeleteGood move, Barb. Zombies make all books better, if you ask me.
DeleteI do love food descriptions :-) but this doesn't sound like the book for me either.
ReplyDeleteKaren @ For What It's Worth
Perhaps if you need some aggravation in your life?
DeleteI too say bring on some zombies. We read too much horror! LOL
ReplyDeleteWe do. I should probably just stick to it!
DeleteSucks that this wasn't very good. The plot kind of interested me a little bit, but I think that's because I was thinking of that case from a few months/years ago where the lady was claiming all sorts of crap about curing her cancer through healthy eating and whatnot, only for it ot be revealed she never even had cancer.
ReplyDeleteAh, I remember reading about that. This uses the same theme just changed up a wee bit. It could've been a great read but it just wasn't.
DeleteSorry this one didn't work out. Doesn't look like one for me. Better luck next time
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental
Thanks, Sherry. Good thing there are always plenty of other books to be found :)
DeleteI do like this narrator. She does The Hollows series but this doesn't sound like one that would be for me. I hope your next listen is better.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carole. Her voice is the only thing that kept me going :)
Delete