Totally lost interest in this.

Originally published on Tales to Tide You Over

The blurb for this book — pardon my language — sucks. I had not one but two opportunities to read it and almost passed on both. Even worse, the one element that decided me turned out to have minimal effect on the story, that of Kendra’s cultural conflict as she struggled with being Indian (from India) in the United States. But there you have the reader 50%. That hint at cultural conflict nudged me to see what the book was about when the blurb read so muddled to me that I couldn’t tell, a difficulty that had me expecting a traditional romance when The Party Girl is anything but. Even the title is a misnomer when I consider how little time is spent partying in the book, though that is an aspect of Kendra’s character.

So, if I had so many problems just with the cover info, why am I telling you about the book?

Because the story is wonderful.

It’s a complicated, coming of age story about two adults…actually three…coming to grips with who they are and what they want out of life. It’s blunt, sexually explicit, and emotionally suppressed to provide real growth experiences for everyone involved. The blurb speaks of a glamor girl, and Kendra definitely is that, but she’s so much more than her makeup, piercings, and fancy clothes. She has taken charge of her life after trying to meet others’ expectations only to learn that’s impossible. Now she’s living for herself not someone else. The only trouble is that self-focus can turn destructive if it becomes myopic, a characteristic profiled by her friend, Lincoln, the third person who comes into himself in the book. It’s Noah, though, who proves to need the real eye opening. I’ll say no more on that because it would spoil the process.

I was not expecting this level of emotional depth, and there were points where I wondered if a happy ending was achievable. It’s a hard path Kendra and Noah tread, and it asks a lot of them, but there is no question they’ve put in the work for a real commitment, unlike some romances.

The Party Girl offers great characters with unique perspectives that had me fully engaged when the cultural aspect was all that appealed in the blurb. Even the secondary characters were strong and compelling. I can’t connect with Kendra’s beauty culture focus, but I can with her self-determination, work ethic, and true care for those around her. Noah was easier with his love of nature and loyalty, but it’s Kendra ultimately and amazingly with whom I engaged the most.

The book did not turn out to be what I expected from the blurb…thankfully. That book might have had some interesting aspects, but I had very low expectations. Instead, The Party Girl turned into a complicated, thought-provoking novel about choices and self-determination, but also about self-delusion and being open to change. Perhaps not my usual cup of tea, but I’m glad I gave in when Tell Harlequin wanted feedback after passing on the NetGalley offer. I hope, in my own small way, I can help people understand the meat of this novel so they might be willing to give it a try as well. I honestly don’t know how a reader attracted by the blurb would feel having read this book, but I can say the novel has a lot more going for it than is apparent.

And since I’m so radically opposed to the blurb, here’s my attempt at a blurb that might give you a little more of what the story is about. If you compare it to the one on Carina’s site, you’ll see there are both huge changes and similarities. I’m curious as to what you think, especially with the upcoming blurb workshop.

After spending years trying to dress, behave, and think right for one guy after another, Kendra has redefined herself to be self-sufficient, competent, beautiful, and sexy. She’s got it all in the medical spa she runs with friends and as many hot guys as she decides to take home. Then her one-night-stand now friend Lincoln shows up with a knife wound and drags her out to the middle of nowhere so his reclusive buddy can stitch him up. Suddenly her all seems a little thin because she’s found the missing ingredient in Noah.

Noah chose an austere lifestyle after a bad relationship, living off his land without phone, television, or even a car. When a city woman shows up with his bleeding friend, she’s everything he left behind from her awkward shoes to her cosmopolitan attitude. They couldn’t be more opposite, and he can’t keep his eyes off her. His attraction isn’t welcome, but even discovering this is the woman Lincoln professes to love can’t dampen it. Loyalty, though, is an emotion stronger than lust, or so he hopes, as he refuses to act on his impulses even when Kendra pushes every button. She has no interest in Lincoln but that doesn’t change anything. Noah and Lincoln have been friends since they were kids, and no sex will come between that.

Only the more time they spend together, the more Noah can see beyond Kendra’s glittery exterior and realizes he’s gone far beyond lust. As for Kendra, her perfect life pales before the chance to spend a sexually frustrated evening in Noah’s presence with Lincoln as a jealous, watchful chaperone. Can they navigate the maze of their opposing life choices, as well as Lincoln’s obsession with Kendra, to find a way to approach happiness without compromising their core beliefs? ( )