Hands down, Real Happy Family was my favourite book of 2014. Caeli Wolfson Widger is an expert storyteller, able to craft an intricately woven tale of a family and each of its constituent member's personal challenges--proving that nothing in life is ever neat or tidy, especially when it comes to family-- while maintaining a strong sense of humour (with some effortless satire, of which I'm always a fan) and eloquent writing. Caeli had me rooting for all of the characters, despite their foibles, given her masterful weaving in and out from each one's POV and their redemptive qualities,to which readers can relate. I cannot wait to read her next novel, which is certain to be even more of all absorbing reading experience than Real Happy Family was! Excellent debut--Bravo! Colleen was 17 when widower Carl rescued her from a life of trailer trashdom. But despite Carl's middle class values, down to earth goodness, and even the responsibility of raising his young son Darren, with the birth of their daughter Lorelei, Colleen devolves into an aggregate of every tabloid mom from hell: the New Jersey Tanning Bed Mom meets Dinah Lohan meets Teen Mom meets Botox Mom, etc. Colleen just wants to be her teenaged daughter Lorelei's best friend - to party with her, share clothing and secrets (i.e., a boob job for Lorelei and massive credit card debt for Colleen), and to never teach anything about respect or responsibility or common sense. Partying leads to hard-core drug use, self-prostitution, running away from Fresno to Reno via Hollywood and Santa Monica, from the precipice of reality TV stardom to the depths of the D-list. And then from rock bottom, to a happy ending! Where cheating spouses find happiness without ever owning up for their unconscionable actions, the decent people turn around and start accepting the behavior of the miscreants, and Colleen and her daughter live happily ever after, as freaking roommates. (!)
What do You think about Real Happy Family (2014)?
Entertaining, behind the scenes of a family as they enter the world of reality tv.
—Pinkface
