miserylovescabernetTitle: Misery Loves Cabernet
Author: Kim Gruenenfelder
Genre: Chick-lit
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Summary:
Charlie is Girl Friday to Hollywood’s hottest actor Drew Stanton.  She has two great best friends, a dysfunctional family, and a hot sex life with her newly relocated boyfriend.  Well, ex-boyfriend that is.  You see, Jordan has taken a job in Paris and the young couple decides that maybe it might be better to cool things down than deal with a long distance relationship.

Upon his arrival in Paris Charlie immediately regrets her decision to take time apart and see what happens.  As situations with telephone, email and social engagements arise she is quick to obsess about Jordan and what he’s doing all those miles across the Atlantic.  Desperate to get back what she believes she’s lost Charlie convinces her boss to take an independent film role with a significantly decreased salary because it will eventually bring her to Paris and, of course, Jordan.

The remainder of the story follows Charlie as she tries to fumble her way back to Jordan through a series of mishaps with her family, employer and other potential suitors.

Opinion:
Gruenenfelder has written an entertaining and, at times, extremely humorous novel.  She has a sharp wit and knack for sarcasm and comedy that often times leaves the reader laughing out.

The characterization of Drew as the “sexiest man alive” big name Hollywood star is slightly over the top.  His eccentricities may come off to some readers as a bit clichéd. Charlie’s family is also a bit too much to handle in their dysfunction.  While her brother Jamie is as normal as it gets in his horn dog, lady-killer, new girl every night lothario lifestyle he is (outside of Charlie herself) the most stable in the family.

The highlight of the novel is Charlie’s relationship with her best girlfriends Dawn and Kate.  They are good fun and infuse excellent humor to the pages as does.  Furthermore the inclusion of the witticisms that Charlie is writing as a book to her future great-granddaughter allows the reader to see how Charlie’s mind and thought-process is working as the situations in her life progress.

Sadly, the resolution of Charlie’s situation was not how I would have preferred to see the book finish.  While it made sense that Charlie made the decisions she did about her life I personally like the end of a book of this nature to be somewhat more concrete.  However, if you’re a reader that is interested in light and amusing plot lines, fun female characterizations and a little bit of romance Misery Loves Cabernet is worth picking up.