Star Book Review - The Accidental Bestseller by Wendy Wax

One of the latest books I read was by an author who was new to me as of only about two months ago, Wendy Wax. After being approached by her publicist at the Penguin Group publisher, I posted a favorable review of Ten Beach Road on my blog. I truly loved the plot inTen Beach Road and even more so, I enjoyed the intersecting stories of four strangers whose lives crossed one another and they became unlikely friends while fixing up a house in Pass-A-Grille, Florida. For the full review of Ten Beach Road , check back to an earlier blog post Here. I was more than thrilled at the anticipation of reading The Accidental Bestseller when my book group the Chick Lit Book Club on Goodreads chose to read it for our June “Beach Read” book. See our discussion and thoughts on the book and catch a glimpse at what Wendy Wax, herself, had to say to our qustions: here.

The Accidental Bestseller was one of my favorite women’s fiction books that I’ve read in a long time. It told an interwoven story of four goods friends in the publishing industry who are challenged to find out just how far they are willing to go and how much they are willing to risk for their friendship with one another.

Kendall, Mallory, Faye and Tanya are all at different points in the writing careers but are brought together for an annual conference in New York City which can make or break Kendall’s future in writing. When Kendall does not win the award at the conference she anticipates, she hightails it out of the conference, away from her friends and back home before anyone tries convincing her otherwise. Unfortunately when Kendall returns to Atlanta, her future prospects only worsen.

Facing a final book deadline that could be the impetus for a failing writing career and meeting a shifty woman, disguising herself solely as a realtor but really the mistress behind her failing marriage, Kendall once again does what she knows best at the moment and runs away to her house in the mountains. There she sinks into a deeper depression, displacing every emotion into fix-it and repair projects all over the house.

When the three other women don’t hear back from Kendall, they know something’s wrong and vow to get to her as quick as possible. Mallory is the first one reach her and is shocked at the disarray of Kendall’s life, her house and her state of being. Determined to get Kendall back to her old self, the three friends rally behind Kendall and decide to attack things one at a time, starting with her looming book deadline. They agree to work on her pending novel, Sticks and Stones, which is loosely based on the four friends’ lives anyways and remain ghostwriters.

Each woman creates their character who matches a little too close to their real selves and the secret lives that they’ve kept harbored in the past for so long; but since Kendall’s publisher doesn’t plan to do anything more than bury her book, the women assume and hope they have nothing to worry about.

The Accidental Bestseller was an excellent expose into the lives of four friends and revealed the difficult decisions friends must go through in order to protect their selves, their families and maintain their friendship. This was one of the quickest books I’ve ever read, giving testament to its fabulous story and expert writing. It’s possible that this book hit a little closer to home to someone like me who is an aspiring writer but I think that any woman can relate to the aspect of friendship, the secrets and struggles each person shares. A plus.

                                         5 stars

Want more info on Wendy? Visit her web site here:

http://www.authorwendywax.com/