A review by minimicropup
We Love to Entertain by Sarah Strohmeyer

mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

The synopsis is not technically wrong, but hints this is something it isn’t while giving too much away. This was more of a small-town mother-daughter dramedy with the reality show being very much in the background, ending in silly popcorn thriller escapades.
 
Energy: Sketchy. Self-centered. Hokey.
 
🐕 Howls: The over-the-top ending with contrived high-stakes that felt tacked on.
 
🐩 Tail Wags: The light, almost satirical tone. The behind-the scenes chaos and local gossip. How the mom and daughter often have slightly different versions of events so it has a slightly unhinged who-to-believe feeling.
 
Scene: 🇺🇸 Snowden, Vermont, USA
Perspectives (2): An assistant to a landowner building an energy-efficient house as part of a HGTV style reality show. The assistant’s parent who works as a town clerk. Blog posts from the reality show contestants building the energy-efficient house. Subreddit style discussions of the reality show.  
Timeline: Autumn (October). 2020s. Linear.
🔥 Fuel: What was dumped in the assistant’s trash and why? Why did the contestants leave during a key moment in the show? Whose version of events is most accurate – the town clerk, or her daughter who is a personal assistant for the missing contestants? Why are so many townsfolk upset with the assistant?  
📖 Cred: Suspended disbelief, over-the-top
 
Mood Reading Match-Up:
Autumn foliage. Tinge of woodsmoke. Telsa car. Red Kia. Custom maple dining table. Town hall. Walk-in closet.
  • Deep in the character’s mind, overhearing thoughts, observing from afar (mix of first and third person)
  • Knowing more than the main characters (mostly)
  • Crushing on the boss
  • Quirky Fargo-esque small town conspiracies
  • Mother-daughter dynamics and misunderstandings
  • Unsettling, cheesy, breezy writing style
  • Bumbling, chaotic, questionable, and villainous characters
  • Accusations, competitions, scandal, and gossip
  • Behind the scenes of a reality home reno production
  • Municipal property drama
  • Popcorn mystery
 
Content Heads-Up: Blackmail. Cannabis use (vaping). Class/wealth divides. Climate change, disasters (discussion, mention). Confinement. Financial insecurity. Guns (hunting, threats). Kidnapping, gun violence. Loss of spouse, grief (brief mentions). Missing adult child. Pandemic (brief recalls). Property confiscation. Threats (unknown sender). Traumatic brain injury. Unemployment (fired).
 
Rep: American. Cis. Hetero. Tan, pink, and light brown skin tones.
 
📚 Format: Paperback
 
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