Title: This is What Happy Looks Like
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Publisher: Poppy
Published: April 2, 2013
Summary from (Goodreads):
If fate sent you an email, would you answer?
When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O’Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.
Then Graham finds out that Ellie’s Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media’s spotlight at all costs?
Review: I’m a sucker for books with great covers. When I saw this cover, I knew I had to read it or in this case listen to it. I liked that there were two narrators (one for the chapters about Graham and one for the chapters about Ellie). I was drawn in by the emails that the two send at the beginning of the novel. It was a nice change of pace from regular prose. Both characters are extremely likable and each has their own quirks. I really enjoyed the Hollywood aspect of the novel. With all the reality shows and glamorizing of movie stars, it was nice to have one painted as a normal teen (who isn’t all about the fame). The pacing was perfect. Smith does an excellent job of unfolding past drama as she reveals the current storyline. This is a cute love story with a twist. The one thing that kept running through my mind as I listened, was why doesn’t Colorado have a “state treat”? Hmm…I wonder how we get that to happen.
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