The Redhead Revealed

The Redhead Revealed - Alice Clayton Yeah, yeah, yeah... Some series just pull you in. This is one of those series for me. Gracie is just quirky enough, klutzy enough, real enough, and messed up enough that I LOVE her! It's tough to admit, but I relate to many things in her life - the struggle with weight and the "fat" mentality... the struggle to decide if your dreams are only dreams or the exact thing that you *need* to pursue to be happy and fulfilled...And I admit that I love Jack and Grace together. My heart hit several bumps in this story, as do Jack & Grace. Will they call it quits for good? Can they recover from Grace's incredible self-worth and self-image issues?There's much more of Grace in New York than in LA in this book, but that's because of the off-Broadway workshop show that Grace is starring in. (I *still* can't believe the main character in the play is named MABEL... and no one even jokes about the name?!) What's Michael up to? Will Grace fall for Michael? (Is she falling for him, again?)As funny, funky, and fluffy as this story is, it's REAL. How can that be? I dunno... it just is. I don't always like Grace or think she does the right thing; but I understand her. Ms. Clayton has done an admirable job breathing life to these characters - so much so, that you clearly see and hear them, laugh and cry with them, and feel like you should be invited to Christmas dinner at Grace's house!The 2nd book is often tough; how do you keep the momentum going and yet bring something new to the series? How do you show your characters changing and growing (or shrinking)? I admit, that at times, I wasn't as thrilled with this book as the 1st book... but that's because of the rift between Grace and Jack. The 1st book was all sweetness and light (with a side of self-esteem issues) as we got to know Grace, Jack, Holly, Nick, and the others. We watched Grace's and Jack's romance start up... the heady, hot start. And we wondered if that passion would burn out or flare hotter? THIS is the book that has to answer that question; and that's never easy, light, or sweet.Looking forward to book #3 in this series... hoping to hear news about it soon.