Misery Loves Cabernet
The sequel to Gruenenfelder’s debut, A Total Waste of Makeup (2005), finds endearingly neurotic Los Angeles denizen Charlie Edwards facing a separation from her hunky boyfriend, Jordan. When Jordan announces that he’s going to Paris for several months to work on a film, Charlie suggests they take a break—a decision she regrets. Her best friends, Dawn and Kate, try to cheer her up, convincing her to go to a Halloween party where she runs into Liam, a handsome movie producer who wants Kate to convince her employer, megastar Drew Stanton, to star in his independent film. Eccentric Drew agrees, then starts making demands that include moving into Liam’s house, where the movie is being shot. This forces Liam to relocate to Charlie’s house, fanning the flames between them. Charlie is torn between wanting the gorgeous Liam and missing Jordan, who is never far from her thoughts. Gruenenfelder’s second novel provides plenty of laughs courtesy of its colorful cast of characters. --Kristine Huntley