Review: Character-Driven Women's Fiction With Dynamic Characters and a Stellar Soundtrack
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 23, 2013
DJ-in-Training Whitney Brown moves to the small-ish Midwestern town of Sundown after ditching her dull fiance and scandalizing her small hometown. In her quest for independence, she's soon sucked back into old patterns when she agrees to rent from her old college roommate, the shallow, manipulative Leah. When Whitney starts dating the sexy singing fireman who just happens to be head-over-heels for Leah, things get complicated... Whitney turns to an unlikely source for help pulling her life together: Sadi, another old college acquaintance -- an independent, fiery feminist who doesn't seem to know the meaning of the word 'insecure.' As the two get to know each other better, they soon realize they've both made some major misjudgments over the years.The tagline for STRONG ENOUGH is what first attracted me to the book -- "An aspiring midwest DJ finds salvation in music, an angry feminist, and a broken condom." I was immediately intrigued. Based on that description, I was expecting your basic Chicklit novel: lots of laughs, some good sex, strong friendships and a semi-predictable ending. What I got instead was a book whose characters and relationships have remained with me for days. I want to live in Sundown. I want to hang out in the bookstore with Sadi, request obscure classics on Whitney's themed radio show, I want to eat at the restaurants and go to the clubs and I definitely, definitely want the soundtrack.Because it's THAT kind of book -- the kind you wish you could live inside, when all is said and done.Don't get me wrong -- there are imperfections here. The pacing is slow in the first third of the novel, and there were times when I found Whitney's character so naive and insecure that she grated on me, particularly in the beginning of the book. But, the thing I soon realized was, I think we've all known women like Whit. At least once in our lives, I think we've all BEEN women like Whit: Freaked out by our own bodies, so grateful the popular kids have deigned to walk among us that we'll do anything to keep them there, too embarrassed by our own ignorance to push for the answers we need... The difference is that, in STRONG ENOUGH, Whitney figures things out by the end of the book -- she asserts herself, tests her limits, and takes some surprising turns along the way, that I thought were handled with true intelligence and grace by the author.If you're looking for a fast-paced read or a fluffy romantic romp, look elsewhere: With great wit, dynamic characters, intelligence, and depth, STRONG ENOUGH is the kind of character-driven women's fiction fans of Fannie Flagg, Alice Hoffman, and Barbara Kingsolver will appreciate. A strong 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5) from this reviewer.