Title: Watching Willow Watts
Author: Talli Roland
Publisher: Prospera Publishing
Format: eARC
Source: Author
Description: For Willow Watts, life has settled into
a predictably dull routine: days behind the counter at her father's antique
shop and nights watching telly, as the pension-aged residents of Britain's
Ugliest Village bed down for yet another early night. But everything changes
when a YouTube video of Willow's epically embarrassing Marilyn Monroe
impersonation gets millions of hits after a viewer spots Marilyn's ghostly
image in a frame.
Instantly,
Willow's town is overrun with fans flocking to see the 'new Marilyn'. Egged on
by the villagers -- whose shops and businesses are cashing in -- Willow
embraces her new identity, dying her hair platinum and ramming herself full of
cakes to achieve Marilyn's legendary curves.
But when a
former flame returns seeking the old Willow, Willow must decide: can she risk
her stardom and her village's newfound fortune on love, or is being Marilyn her
ticket to happiness?
Review: Talli Roland's Watching Willow Watts shines like a bright star in the chick lit
world.
Willow Watts
never imagined dressing up as Marilyn Monroe for her best friend's celebrity
picture booth would change her life. When her imagine is up on YouTube and
appears sanctioned by Marilyn's ghost, Willow goes viral. Marilyn's fans
proclaim her as the new Marilyn and everyone is clamoring to make a pound,
including Willow. As the new Marilyn learns what fame means, Willow discovers
the truth in who she is and what she's willing to sacrifice for happiness.
Talli Roland
excels in quirky, unique novels. Willow Watts transforms on the page and
inspires not only her small village in England but the world around her. Fame
is fickle and tiresome. The romances of the secondary characters were sweet. I
cheered as Willow discovered it was better to be herself than anyone else.
Roland breathes life into her characters. I cried, laughed, and felt a deep
passionate hatred for Willow's you-know-who, also known as the agent. The only
minor distraction for me as a reader was in the portrayal of Betts the
American, who didn't sound like she was from Georgia sometimes. Overall, I
loved how the 'new Marilyn' inspired the village and changed it for the better.
Talli
Roland's Watching Willow Watts is a
must-read with unforgettable characters, a unique storyline, and a beautiful
message that being who you are is better than being anyone else.
