No Ordinary Life by Suzanne Redfearn
Published by Grand Central Publishing on February 2nd 2016
Genres: Contemporary Women, Fiction
Pages: 400
Format: eBook
Goodreads
Suzanne Redfearn delivers another gripping page-turner in her latest novel, a story about a young mother’s fight to protect her children from the dangerous world of Hollywood.Faye Martin never expected her husband to abandon her and their three children . . . or that she’d have to struggle every day to make ends meet. So when her four-year-old daughter is discovered through a YouTube video and offered a starring role on a television series, it seems like her prayers have been answered. But when the reality of their new life settles in, Faye realizes that fame and fortune don’t come without a price. In a world where everyone is an actor and every move is scrutinized by millions, it’s impossible to know whom to trust, and Faye finds herself utterly alone in her struggle to save her family. Emotionally riveting and insightful, NO ORDINARY LIFE is an unforgettable novel about the preciousness of childhood and the difficult choices a mother needs to make in order to protect this fragile time in her children’s lives.
When I read the synopsis of this book, I felt drawn to read the book. I’ve read many, many memoirs of child actors, and I’ve read books based on the parents’ perspectives, but books about kids in Hollywood always intrigue me.
The details: “Faye Martin never expected her husband to abandon her and their three children . . . or that she’d have to struggle every day to make ends meet. So when her four-year-old daughter is discovered through a YouTube video and offered a starring role on a television series, it seems like her prayers have been answered. But when the reality of their new life settles in, Faye realizes that fame and fortune don’t come without a price. In a world where everyone is an actor and every move is scrutinized by millions, it’s impossible to know whom to trust, and Faye finds herself utterly alone in her struggle to save her family.
Emotionally riveting and insightful, No Ordinary Life is an unforgettable novel about the preciousness of childhood and the difficult choices a mother needs to make in order to protect this fragile time in her children’s lives.”
The author does a fantastic job helping readers “see” the characters of this book while they read about them. The main characters of this book are Faye, who is the mother of three beautiful kids, precocious little 4-year old Molly being one of them. By virtue of the fact that her over-the-road truck driving husband has left to go chasing another woman in another state, Faye finds herself raising the children on her own. She can’t afford living in the town they are in, so she packs up the kids and moves back with her mom (in her mom’s condominium) to try and get a job to help support herself and her family. This is a story we have heard 100 times, but what happens next is where this book changes the game.
Faye takes Molly with her to a local shopping mall to try and look for a waitress job. While she is busy trying to get a job, Molly amuses herself singing and dancing with a guy performing in the concourse of the mall, someone videotapes the performance, they upload it to YouTube and the rest is history. The video goes viral and Molly is catapulted to fame and stardom. Down on her luck, Faye, goes from looking for a waitressing job to being the manager of her four-year old star!
I avoid writing “spoiler” reviews, so I’ll leave it there for you. I was so very happily surprised by this book. I hesitated at first thinking maybe it was one of those “mom ran off with the money” or “child actor gone wrong” books, but it wasn’t that at all. Faye is faced with many life-changing decisions that only a mom would ever have to make, and the choices she makes changes the lives of the whole family. I loved Ms. Redfearn’s use of the fan-gone-stalker that was similar to the Jodie Foster “fan” and I also loved how that story ran along side the story of Molly and her family’s personal struggles without taking anything away. It was important but not overpowering. This was a great book with complex and well developed characters (even the crummy husband). The story line was fast paced and never boring – it kept me flipping pages even when my lunch hour was over! Gasp!
Suzanne Redfearn was born and raised on the east coast and moved to California when she was fifteen. She currently lives in Laguna Beach with her husband, their two kids, a Cockapoo named Cooper, and a cat named Motley. They own a restaurant in town called Lumberyard (LBLumberyard.com). Prior to becoming an author, Suzanne was an architect specializing in residential and commercial design.
When not writing, Suzanne enjoys doing anything and everything with her family—skiing, golf, tennis, surfing, playing board games, and watching reality TV. She is an avid baseball fan. Her team is the Angels. She can also be found in the bleachers watching her kids’’ sports or prowling the streets with her husband checking out the culinary scene of Orange County.
I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and unbiased opinion.
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