Book Review

One in a Million by Lindsey Kelk

A-

Genre: Chick Lit, Romance

Theme: Retelling

Back in the early aughts I worked in a family-owned bookstore where, during slow periods, I would pretend to dust but really sneak-read chick lit (unless you’re reading this, Peggy, then I was totally dusting). My favorite authors were Sophie Kinsella, Jennifer Weiner and Helen Fielding. One in a Million by Lindsey Kelk made me nostalgic for those books while blending in enough romance that it certainly qualifies as a romance novel.

Set in London, this novel is told exclusively from the first person point of view of the heroine, Annie Higgins. Annie and her best friend, Miranda, own their own digital media marketing company–basically they manage the social media for other companies and minor celebrities. Their company has plenty of customers, but they’re finding out that getting those customers to pay the bills on time isn’t the easiest.

Running short on revenue for the month, Annie is tempted into a bet with her landlord, a dude who dismisses her job as goofing around on Twitter all day. If she can turn the next guy in the door into an Instagram star in thirty days, he’ll give her one month rent-free. The next guy in the door happens to be Dr. Samuel Page, a socially awkward, social-media snubbing historian.

Through bubbly charm and persistence, Annie convinces Sam to participate in the bet. In order to make it worth his while, Sam asks Annie to help him win-back his ex, Elaine, by getting him out of rut and bringing him into the digital age.

You know what happens next right?

Sam turns out to be a total sweetheart hidden in a loveable curmudgeon. In one scene he drives Annie to a family event she’s dreading and when her relatives are awful to her, he tells her they are awful and then whisks her away for junk food and a Britney sing-along.

One of the things I really liked about this book is that while Sam is definitely a bit awkward and occasionally grumpy, he’s never the butt of a joke. Annie and her friends treat him with kindness and he’s in on their plan, so there’s no potential humiliation or shame.

We only get Sam through Annie’s point-of-view, a device that can really limit a reader’s ability to connect with a hero. In this case it works out well. Part of the fun of this book is seeing Sam come out of his shell and become more confident as he reveals more of himself to Annie. Since he remains largely a mystery to the reader, we grow to like him along with Annie and the inability to know his feelings directly keeps the “does he like me too?” tension going strong.

There’s also a lot of funny, flirty banter between the two. Here they discuss a day trip to the beach to help Sam learn to be more impulsive and less structured.

“Yes, all right then,” he said with a nod. “Which platform are we on?”

“You’re not going to argue?” I asked, shocked. I’d been expecting more of a fight. “You’re not going to tell me you have somewhere more important to be?”

“It’s for Elaine,” he reasoned, “let’s go.”

It was all going far too easily. “You’re sure you don’t have research to do or skeletons to dig up?”

“You’re confusing a historian with a paleontologist,” he replied, following me toward the trains. “At least, I hope you are. What is it exactly that you think a historian does?”

“Solve crimes with the help of a ghost?” I asked, pushing the button on the outside of the train and waiting for the doors to huff open.

Sam gave me a sideways look with a hint of a smile.

“Yes,” he replied. “That’s it precisely.”

This book is often funny without making fun of everyone or coming up with cringe-worthy scenarios for the heroine to endure. Even when Annie is dealing with her awful extended family, I never felt second hand embarrassment.

As much as One in a Million is about Annie and Sam falling in love, it’s also about Annie and Miranda getting their business off the ground. They’re dealing with financial issues, incredibly busy schedules that don’t leave room for much of a social life, and shitty male competitors being shitty. Miranda isn’t always a perfect best friend (she’s chronically late and bails on Annie once when she needs support). Annie isn’t a perfect business partner; she takes on too much and runs close to burn-out. But they love and forgive  and support each other, which I think is a pretty honest depiction of friendship.

While I found the romance in this book immensely satisfying I can see other readers feeling like it occasionally gets put on the back burner to focus on Annie and Miranda’s professional development. It didn’t bother me, though, since I see a lot of the challenges that Annie faces in my day job as well. I related to a lot of her professional struggles even though we are in vastly different fields.

For me One in the Million was flirty, funny, bubbly book I needed. It made me happy and it made me laugh out loud. And it was still a good excuse not to dust.

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One in a Million by Lindsey Kelk

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  1. MirandaB says:

    Heh. When I worked in a bookstore (possibly off the books as a favor to my family because I was 14), I sneaked looks into Playgirl to finish up my biological education. I knew what was supposed to go on and how it was supposed to happen, but I couldn’t quite ‘picture’ it, and this was all wayyyy pre-Internet.

  2. Luce says:

    Agreed with all of the above!
    Too many books in this genre seemed to be falling flat for me recently and I thought maybe it was me, like how you sometimes just aren’t in the right place? But then I read this one and it definitely stood out in the positive way so yay, it wasn’t me! (Note to self: never doubt the reading gut)
    I think it’s probably due to the “extra’s” feeling like real characters for a change instead of caricatures floating around in the background. Also, Annie and Sam are equal partners, learning from and supporting each other along the way. Neither of them has the upper hand or is playing games which only made me root for them even more.

  3. faellie says:

    A funny romance with no lies, no secrets and no excruciating embarrassment? I’m in.

  4. cbackson says:

    One-clicked this for my upcoming family vacation!

  5. Elva says:

    “This book is often funny without making fun of everyone or coming up with cringe-worthy scenarios for the heroine to endure. Even when Annie is dealing with her awful extended family, I never felt second hand embarrassment.”
    YES – I am the kind of person who feel second hand embarrassment for just about everyone (and everything) and I hate the trope of putting the heroine in romantic books through series of cringe-worthy situations. I´m not reading romance to feel bad! And I love me a grumpy introvert – off to buy this book…

  6. LauraL says:

    This book sounds so refreshing! On my Wish List for post-holiday reading ….

  7. Tam says:

    Oh, this sounds nice! I could never get into Sophie Kinsella because the Shopaholic books caused me such intense anxiety – STOP BUYING STUFF YOU CAN’T AFFORD, AHHHHH – but I do like Brit chick lit when it’s done right.

  8. Kareni says:

    Any reason is a good excuse not to dust! Thanks for an enjoyable review; this sounds like a fun read.

  9. chacha1 says:

    Have added to wishlist, because it sounds delightful, and add me to those who say any reason is a good excuse not to dust.

  10. PamG says:

    I’m totally with you re: secondhand embarrassment. It’s the worst form of humor–so manipulative and often disproportionately targeting female characters. I think of it as I Love Lucy syndrome. She may have been a comic genius, but I came to loath that show.

  11. Desiree says:

    PamG, the best kind is when it’s of the heroine’s own making, which is what I Love Lucy did. I’m actually kind of shocked that you ended up not liking the show simply for that. Lucy buttered her own bread and then had to lay in it; It was her own silliness and scheming that led to her being made a fool. You could claim it was one note, which is fair, but I would also say the writers did come up with some pretty neat and varying scenarios that didn’t all centre on wanting to “be in the show”.

  12. Janet S says:

    Sold! Thanks for the rec. It sounds like the perfect book for my frantic December.

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