So I wrapped up Hot Tamara by Mary Castillo this afternoon while The Boyfriend was napping in front of the ballgame (Damn you Yankees! Damn you!).
OK, um where to start.
First, I met Castillo at a booksigning this past spring, which is why I bought her book. She was really nice and I think she's talented. I mean, Hot Tamara is well written and features a hero I'm ready to run away and make babies with.
So what's the problem?
I'm too old.
Either that or I'm an overachieving geek-a-zoid. You be the judge.
Tamara is 26 and has been dating the same guy for 10 years. She lives at home with her parents. Mom got her a great teaching job. Mom thinks Tamara should get married and start squirting out babies. Tamara wants to go to grad school, move to Los Angeles and work in an art gallery. But her mother is pressuring her....
Oh the pressure!
Someone please shoot me now.
I don't understand story set-ups like this one. Maybe because my own mother knew enough to never forbid her children to do something. The minute you forbid your child to do something they run out and become Satan spawn. Also, hello?! Tamara, sweetheart, you're pushing 30! And you're living at home? You can't tell Mommy and Daddy to sod off? Um, you're an adult, act like one!
But this is coming from the girl who knew at 16 that she was "meant" to be a librarian. Who at 23 had her Master's degree (yeah, I'm a total dork), moved back in with Mom and Dad for 4 months after graduation to save money, then promptly got her own apartment. Hell, I even had a job that my parents didn't have to find for me.
I'm probably being too harsh on poor Tamara. I mean, she does have the stones to land a totally hot guy. Trust me, Will is majorly hunkalicious. The only thing holding me back from packing my bags and ditching The Boyfriend is that Will is a fictional character. Minor detail that. And Tamara does find her own way - but damn, hello?! 26!
Maybe I'm just not wired right for these types of plots. Seriously.
7 comments:
I thought I was being good about not mentioning the Yankees being in first place, but since you brought it up--can you see the *happy dancing* all the way over there on the left coast.
Stupid Red Sox. Not only do they have bad hair they can't hang on to the AL East.
Right now I'm feeling all superior because the White Sox are sucking it up. I knew they'd stay true to form and do a late season slide - but no one believed me. Go Indians!! I think it would totally rock my world if Cleveland made the playoffs.
I'm currently not on speaking terms with the Tigers.....
Can't comment on sport, being a Downunderite, but re the 26 year old h still living at home and succumbing to Mummy's pressure - yes, I'd have trouble with that. Sounds like a not-for-me book.
Bron:
Tamara does strike out on her own, eventually. What I couldn't understand is why she didn't just say, "Look Mom, I'm twenty-frickin-six years old I'll do what I damn well please so back off you old hag!"
But that's just me ;-)
I haven't read it yet, but I wonder if the 26 and living at home bit is a nod to the Hispanic culture way of thinking that says girls should stay in their parent's house until marriage. One of my close friends is getting her things together to move out and while her immediate family is okay with it, her extended family is having a heart attack.
Jay:
That's sort of the impression I got - that it was a nod towards Hispanic cultural tradition. Still, it irritated the hell out of me. All I could think was "grow up girl" and "do what you damn well please and tell everyone else to F-off."
A plus side - I liked the tone and feel of the story. I also loved that the Hispanic heroine couldn't speak Spanish LOL. Oh and the hero! Yummers.
Okay, so I'm checking in late here. Yes, the 26 year old living at home would drive me crazy.
But the Evil Ones in Pin Stripes taking the lead in the AL East made me crazier. As an O's fan (a frustrated one), I couldn't figure out what I wanted on Saturday -- the O's to come back and beat Boston, or to just rollover because then Boston would tie for the lead in the AL East. And now the Skankies are coming to Balmer (that's Baltimoron for the name of the city, for those who are unfamiliar with the lingua franca of Charm City). I can only hope for another sweep, although that seems unlikely, given the nosedive the O's have taken in the second half.
Post a Comment