Watching Willow Watts Review!

I didn't even realize yesterday was Monday and my regularly scheduled posting day until 11:30ish last night.  A little late for posting, I thought, so my post this week (obviously) is going to be on Tuesday instead.

And have I got a post for you.  I got the privilege and pleasure of reading an ARC of Talli Roland's Watching Willow Watts and I really enjoyed it, but I'd like to expound more below, so read on if you're interested in a more in-depth opinion.

For Willow Watts, life has settled into a predictably dull routine: days behind the counter at her father's antique shop and nights watching TV, as the pension-aged residents of Britain's Ugliest Village bed down for yet another early night. But everything changes when a YouTube video of Willow's epically embarrassing Marilyn Monroe impersonation gets millions of hits after a viewer spots Marilyn's ghostly image in a frame.

Instantly, Willow's town is overrun with fans flocking to see the 'new Marilyn'. Egged on by the villagers -- whose shops and businesses are cashing in -- Willow embraces her new identity, dying her hair platinum and ramming herself full of cakes to achieve Marilyn's legendary curves.

But when a former flame returns seeking the old Willow, Willow must decide: can she risk her stardom and her village's newfound fortune on love, or is being Marilyn her ticket to happiness?

With a premise like that I don’t know how you could not want to read this book.  And it lives up to the promise of its premise.  Told from the differing viewpoints of its great cast of characters you’re introduced to lovable and endearing Willow who’s given up her dreams to take care of her father and his foundering antique shop.  You also get to meet Jay Bellamy, a villanous agent you’ll love to hate.  There’s Cissy Havering an aged, bitter, ex (sort of) starlet and Willow’s unlikely savior and, finally my favorite, Betts Johnson, middle-aged, ample waisted, Southern divorcee who is at the mercy of her ungrateful grown children and finds solace in her Marilyn memorabilia.  All these folks are brought together by the ‘new’ Marilyn aka Willow in Belcherton, Britain’s ugliest village.

With laugh out loud moments and a thread of a romance running through it, Watching Willow Watts is a very enjoyable read.  And though it starts out as a light hearted romp the book poignantly delivers the message that not only should you be true to who you are, you also shouldn’t let anyone else dictate your individuality, no matter the cost.

Willow releases on Kindle on September 14th and you can buy it here. 

Next week instead of posting on the 12th, I'm going to be posting on Wednesday ther 14th as part of Talli's If I Could Be Anyone I'd Be . . . . party celebrating Willow's launch.  It's going to be tons of fun, so if you're not already planning on participating hit up Talli's blog to find out how you can be a part of it too.