(101)Between You & Me by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus

Friday, July 20, 2012

Between You and Me 

Publication Date:  June 12, 2012
Pages: 272

(Limited Time) 

I have made no secret about loving the kind of books that give you some really good "behind the scenes" kind of dirt.  Jennifer Weiner's The Next Best Thing was one of the more recent ones that I have read.  So I went into Between You and Me excited about some behind the scenes action for a pop star princess, but as much as I wanted to like this book, it just did nothing for me.

Between You and Me is about two cousins from Oklahoma. Logan Wade is struggling to make it in New York City when her estranged cousin calls out of the blue and invites her for a visit.  Logan is eager for the escape and what was supposed to be a weekend visit turns into a new career as Kelsey's Personal Assistant.   Kelsey Wade is one of those posh celebrities that is known by only one name, to her fans and the general public she appears to have everything a girl could ever want.  What is not known is that she has a toxic, dysfunctional relationship with the parents who run her life, and since it has been years since Logan has seen that side of the family, she has no clue what she is getting herself into as a "Personal Assistant" to Kelsey.   But as the days and weeks slide by, Logan becomes acutely aware that things are not as they seem and Kelsey is struggling to keep her head above water and her sanity intact.   Will Logan be able to help Kelsey battle her domineering parents or will her presence only make things worse?

So, I really, really wanted to like this book.  I have a whole flock (or is it gaggle?) of cousins myself.  Some I am still fairly close with as even as adults and others have slipped away, much like Logan and Kelsey did for several years.   I have nothing but fond memories of my childhood with all of my cousins, and if one of them all of a sudden became a rock star that needed a personal assistant, I would jump right in & help.  I do know this, though, none of my Aunts or Uncles are as despicable as Kelsey's parents.  How Logan (my nephew's name by the way) kept her mouth shut as she witnessed the abuse is probably the thing I liked least about this book.   Not many adults would be able to keep their mouth shut if they saw a child being abused like Kelsey was, so why was it so hard for Logan to say something about the treatment Kelsey experiences as an adult.  Lord knows I wouldn't be able to keep my mouth shut.

Bottom line, I get that Between You and Me was meant to show the readers that  not everything is glitz and glamour for our country's royalty, but the dysfunction in this family is borderline abusive and it was just UGLY to the point of no redemption for me.   Between You and Me has been out for a month or so now, has anyone had the chance to read it yet & what did you think?
Amber @ A Little Pink in the Cornfields said...

I haven't even heard of this book yet! I loved the Nanny Diaries (but not the sequel) and I remember enjoying Dedication. I just put this one on hold at the library. I'll give it a chance.

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