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A review by alienor
Behind the Scenes by Dahlia Adler
4.0
●•Reread 04/07 : Don't judge me. Trust me, I need it.•●
SPECIAL EDIT 04/24 (see below)
EXT. COUNTRY HOUSE - 04/22
In some one-horse town of French country, far later than the dusk, a woman's shrill cry split the dark silence.
INT. COUNTRY HOUSE - 04/22
Four pairs of eyes
ANNA, French Reviewer and Teacher, 30s and who isn't a creature, thank you very much, stops squealing.
ANNA
(excited)
That was sooo good!
INDY, 6, cat, resumes toileting after throwing another WTF?! glance around him.
JOY, 7 months, boxer, ambles over to the couch and sits down in front of Anna.
ANNA
(louder)
I mean, this book was just so freaking cute! No, no, I'm not saying it was perfect but come on, look at me! LOOK AT ME!
(stands up and does an awkward little dance)
It made me so happy!
JOY
(staring)
...
The phone RINGS. Anna drops the e-reader she was still clutching to her heart
*3259 rings later*
ANNA
Hey sorry I couldn't find my fucking phone in time -
VOICE
(over phone)
Whatever but hey! What were you doing today? I tried to call you like, thousands times!
ANNA
Oh God you will not believe what I just read : a contemporary romance setting in (whisper) Hollywood.
VOICE
(incredulous)
You did not. I mean, you hate everything Hollywood related! You don't even know most of the actors' names in the movies you watch, and I don't even talk about your stupid gossip magazines phobia!
ANNA
I know, and that's exactly why I'm beyond enthusiastic right now. Hear me out : you know I crave for realistic and multi-layered characters and how much it's difficult to find believable and adorable romances lately, yet how stunning as it is, this book offered me everything I was desperate to read. Don't get fooled, I'm not saying that it's perfect, it really isn't, but even if the story isn't free of cliché, I fucking adored it - (starts writing down). Look, let me tell you what I loved, okay?
VOICE
Okay, okay, it does seem amazing, but didn't you just say that it wasn't perfect?
ANNA
But that's the beauty of it! Please don't expect a perfect book, because you would be disappointed. Indeed there are cliché (for example : Ally doesn't realize that she's gorgeous, Liam is well, insanely hot, we come across a few overused sayings...). However, how could I complain when the writing was compelling, the dialogues funny and that I ended loving the characters as they'd be friends of mine? When it seems that I haven't root for a couple that much for months? I couldn't. I won't.
▒ THE END ▒
PS : For once, after many books where French language was terrible, I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of grammar errors (except bonne nuit) and I wanted to throw a little thank you here, because that's amazing.
Edit : The truth is, I thought about the book again and I realized that almost all the women were portrayed in a bad way. I mean, it's mostly Ally's vision of them and I already said that she was far from perfect and could be annoying - her evolution was amazing and that's why I loved this book but still. Frankly, I think that it didn't bother me as much as usual because... Well, because it's Hollywood and I have preconceived ideas, I must admit, and I'm sorry about that. I fell in love with this story so much that it overtook my usual peeves, so please take this into account, for what it's worth.♡
Oh, and before I forget, of course,
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