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Book Review: The Sleeping Beauty Proposal by Sarah Strohmeyer
This review can also be seen on the Pajama Mommy Community.
College admissions counselor Eugenia “Genie” Michaels is in her late-thirties–one of only two women admissions counselors in the office of Thoreau College over the age of thirty-five–and has been the committed, unwavering rock for her boyfriend of four years, Hugh. Hugh Spencer is a cleaned up, bordering on downright prissy English man who, yes, does resemble Hugh Grant; he teaches English at Thoreau and is also an aspiring writer. Genie and Hugh, while not married, work much like a married couple, as couples who have been together a certain number of years often do, and while working feverishly through the night on his novel, Hopeful, Kansas, while keeping a day job, Genie did not bring up the possibility of marriage to Hugh and opted instead, to simply wait, thinking that her patience would pay off in the end, in the sum of a romantic proposal.
Hugh finally makes it big, becoming a celebrity while his novel, Hopeful, Kansas tops the best seller lists. While on a book tour he is interviewed on national television by Barbara Walters, where she prompts Hugh to propose to the love of his life. The only problem is, he doesn’t propose to Genie.
While still in shock after not hearing from Hugh after watching him propose to someone else on national television beside Barbara Walters, Genie’s best friend, the loud, mouthy Patty Pugliese, who no one in Genie’s family seems to be able to stand, comes to Genie’s rescue. Well, sort of. As Patty shows up with tequila in tow, Genie calls Hugh to get some answers and is faced with his awful truth; that he had never said he was committed to Genie for the four years they were together and worst of all, that he had never been sexually attracted to her. Getting very little answers at all, Patty edges Genie into The Sleeping Beauty Proposal; instead of having to go through the shame and embarrassment of telling those she loves and other inquisitive minds that instead of proposing, Hugh had actually dumped her, she would let people think whatever they wanted and not correct those who assume Genie and Hugh are engaged. In short: Genie will pretend to be engaged to Hugh; but before Genie can actually agree to this, Patty starts fielding phone calls coming in to congratulate Genie, telling everyone that Genie is thrilled and excited about her upcoming nuptials.
As her mother and sister rush to “help” Genie plan her upcoming wedding, her brother introduces her to a beautiful house he and his colleague Nick have just finished working on, before it goes on the real estate market. Throughout the book, Genie and Nick have a flirtation going on that you can’t help but root on and as we see Genie go deeper down the rabbit hole in regard to Nick, we see just how fast Genie’s charade of her faux-engagement may backfire.
Sarah Strohmeyer has successfully written some of the most compellingly real characters I have come across in chick lit, possibly ever. They are characters who often take themselves too seriously, who question themselves, who stumble and who struggle to pick themselves back up again. Genie is a character who can easily be any number of women I know; women who merely do not know what they are capable of or who are too afraid to dig deep within themselves to find out. Her best friend Patty is a best friend I firmly believe we all would love to have; someone who continuously pushes us, but is always there when you’ve stumbled, and Hugh symbolized that mistake every woman has made at least once that they can look back on and laugh about–and thank their lucky stars they got out when they did.
The Sleeping Beauty Proposal is an incredibly fast-paced read that will make you laugh out loud and shows women everywhere that they can do whatever they want; like purchase their own home, go for that big promotion (and get it!) and buy their own diamond rings without having to wait for a man to either do it for them, buy it for them, or give them permission.
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About the Author: Holly Ord
In addition to being the Founder and Editor of Woman Tribune, Holly Ord is a freelance writer, web designer and developer, feminist activist and blogger, and hopeless video game addict. She lives in Northeastern Pennsylvania and has been blogging on liberal politics and gender equality on her personal website, Menstrual Poetry since 2007.
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2 Comments on Book Review: The Sleeping Beauty Proposal by Sarah Strohmeyer / Add Your Comment
My wife like this type of books. Maybe I could surprise her with this book, what an excellent idea!
Your article shows that it is an interesting book.I will definitely try to read this book.Thanks for your review