Atria Books
June 12, 2012
288 pages
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Logan and Kelsey were best friends when they were younger, cousins just two years apart in age who wished they were sisters. Then something happened and Kelsey left Oklahoma to become famous and she and Logan haven't seen each other in more than a decade and a half.
When Logan gets a call saying that Kelsey wants to see her, though, she's on the next plane to Los Angeles . . . and about to discover more about Kelsey Wade's world than she anticipated. And that less has changed from their troubled childhood than anyone would think. Especially when an offer comes to be Kelsey's assistant.
The co-authors of The Nanny Diaries and the YA novel The Real Real have penned a book that looks inside the life of a troubled pop starlet. While Kelsey is a fictitious character and all references to real people - Hollywood actors, singers, etc - are fictitious as well it rings true. It also seems to mirror, in the biggest points, at least, Britney Spears' life circa 2004 on.
Kelsey is not Britney Spears' though (she looks different, physically, for one), her life - family life and past - seems much darker. Her parents are both ever-present and very controlling. They have final say on things in both their daughter's personal and professional life.
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| Even picturing a different looking person, I kept thinking of Britney Spears' Everytime video |
When Logan comes to Los Angeles to visit Kelsey, she can tell that something isn't quite right with Kelsey. She's also still not comfortable around her uncle after the way her was during their childhood but everyone promises her he's different now.
Readers are kept out of the loops as to just what the 'accident' was that injured Logan, drove Kelsey and her mother out of town and left Kelsey and Logan's father's - and families not speaking. Logan has mini-flashbacks and things are slowly revealed but without too many hints beforehand.
We do see that Logan cares a great deal for Kelsey so it makes sense that she's willing to leave everything behind - and even anger her parents - to be Kelsey's assistant.
It's also clear to see that Kelsey's damaged.
Even when everyone around her is covering for her or pushing her on, as the outsider, the reader, you can't help but feel for her - and for Logan who's put into almost impossible situations and starts almost to see things as her norm.
If Between You and Me had any faults, really, it was that it left me thinking about it after it was over. While it is a great summer beach-y read -- the celebrity aspect is terribly fun. the music business and tour ins and outs seem to be handled very well -- it isn't frothy and pointless. After I finished it, I was left wondering about why some of the characters did some of what they did, whether it made sense for them, if there should have been more follow-through on some things, if a thing or two wasn't just done to advance the plot . . .
But when I was reading it, I didn't wonder any of those things because I was too wrapped up in the story. Between Me and You really draws you in. (You also cannot tell any difference in McLaughlin and Kraus' writing, it flows seamlessly.)
Looking forward to checking out their YA novels and also The Nanny Diaries, too.
(Note regarding YA appropriateness: This is an adult book but would be find for most older YA readers. There's a good bit of casual/early sex which I don't really like in YA or adult books but it's not explicit. There's also some language/drug mention. Overall, not much more than most YA books.)
Rating: 8/10
Thank you Simon & Schuster/Atria Books and NetGalley for my e-galley
Soundtrack:
Everytime ~ Britney Spears
Wonderwall ~ Ryan Adams
I Look Up to You ~ Jamie Lynn Spears
Thank you so much for the thoughtful review of our work! We're happy to hear that we wrapped you up :) and hope to draw you in to our other books, as well.
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