Review: Dee at her best!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 26, 2012
If your get up and go, has got up and gone, what could be better than a home makeover?  I mean really, that could be just the pick-me-up for you or me or really anyone.  Who wouldn't like to get their living space freshened up, especially for free?  In Dee DeTarsio's novel, THE KITCHEN SHRINK, the only catch is, you'll have to get it done in front of a television audience.Lisby is as quirky as her name.  Her best friend, Daria helps get her cast for the debut of the new TV reality show, THE KITCHEN SHRINK.  It's the television show that's going to deliver the ultimate life and home makeover to one lucky winner! Unable to get out of this "it will be so-much fun" opportunity Lisby tries to juggle her upstairs-behind-the-scenes-life with her downstairs-in-front-of-the-camera persona, where everything she says and does can and will be taped and used against her on the program.Elgin, the show's Diva-Designer is determined to make Lisby's life a living hell in order to get "good TV" out of her performance for the producers.  Whether that means barging into her bedroom while she's half-dressed or having a screaming match in the middle of Home Depot with the cameras rolling, everything is up for grabs.  Lisby tries to be a good mom to her two uncooperative teenagers at the beginning, but soon realizes behaving nice is boring, and acting dull will get her kicked off the show!  For that, she can just say goodbye to the makeover and any chance at winning the extra 50-grand!It's not easy, but Lisby manages to give us a peek into the vulnerability of what some moms, especially the mom of two teens, go through without disintegrating into mushiness. In fact Lisby's sense of humor and sarcasm, are perfect for some truly heartbreaking issues, like sex and drugs.  Lisby's personal motto: if you don't laugh, you'll cry, is a reassuring wake-up call for women watching everywhere.Hopefully, the show doesn't find out about her fling with that hunky carpenter. Or that she and her friend, Daria smoked the pot she found in her daughter's bedroom. Lisby cannot believe how out of control her life has become. At least no one knows about her crush on Sam, Sam the Cameraman... except the entire crew...and viewing audience!Lisby tries to find a way to get her life and house back in order as the TV cameras capture every moment of disorder, zooming in and out on the drama with her kids, ex-husband, mom and her best friend co-starring. Stay tuned for Lisby's extreme close-up as she becomes a jilted laughingstock on national TV. All is lost - or is it?THE KITCHEN SHRINK is well-written, fast-paced and entertaining.  I found myself laughing out loud, but there were tender moments, too!  This is not a heavy book, it's chick-lit wrapped up in humor. Dee DeTarsio's background as a TV writer comes through when spinning a delightful tale readers soon won't forget.