Customer Reviews

My Life as a Doormat (in Three Acts)

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Leah Townsend is a struggling playwright who skyrocketed to instant fame with the surprise success of her first play, The Twilight T-Zone. Since then, her writing -- and her relationship with her ever-dependable boyfriend, Edward -- has gone downhill. She can't seem to recapture the "magic" that made her first play a success, and as far the relationship goes, well -- suddenly Leah finds herself wanting more out of life (she's just not sure exactly what "more" means -- and if "more" involves conflict, well forget about it). When Edward interprets her desire for change as an inability to cope with conflict, Leah finds herself enrolled in a conflict management class with Cinco Dublin, a man who's everything she's not...and to whom she finds herself increasingly attracted.

Much like Tamara Leigh's Stealing Adda, Gutteridge provides her readers with a fascinating (and often humorous) glimpse into the life and career of a writer -- dealing with agents, writer's block, and self doubt -- and of course there's the inevitable romantic entanglement. There's even hilarious input from Jodie Bellarusa, the main character in Leah's work-in-progress. Leah's voice is fresh, funny, and oh-so-honest. In Leah, Gutteridge has crafted an incredibly hilarious, relatable, very real heroine. Leah's transformation from a pushover and a doormat to outspoken self-assurance is both incredibly entertaining and inspiring. This is the perfect summer read -- light and engrossing, with characters so real they'll stay with you long after you close the novel. Highly recommended.

Rene Gutteridge's latest novel, My Life as a Doormat, is told from the perspective of Leah Townsend, a playwright who is struggling to find her true identity in Christ. Tired of the dull predictability in her two-year relationship with physicist Edward Crowse, Leah attempts to add spontaneity by breaking some of her usual habits. A minor argument follows, and Edward signs Leah up for a conflict resolution class. From this point on, everything reliable in her life is torn to shreds, but through the pain and tears, Leah learns from the class that she cannot avoid conflict simply to please others.

The memorable characters and multiple levels of person-verses-person and person-verses-self conflict kept me turning the pages. In some form or another, conflicts arise between Leah (who ironically tries so hard to avoid it) and nearly every other character she encounters. My favorite scene occurs when Leah finds herself kneeling in church, finally seeking the only One who can give her the courage to be her true self, especially in the face of adversity.

The plot flows smoothly as Leah struggles to decide whether she will marry Edward or not. I could not predict with certainty what she would choose until the climax. She decides that she must do what is best for her life, regardless of how Edward feels.

Leah has a vivid and witty personality and is emotional and sensitive to others. It was her character, more than anything else, that drew me into the book. In accordance with their roles, all of Gutteridge's characters have fully developed and varied personalities. Amazed, I watched Leah evolve from a submissive, placid woman to a person of strength and love.

All things considered, My Life as a Doormat is an enjoyable read. The dialogue could have been more personalized for the prominent characters, and I'd have liked more emphasis on Leah's spiritual life; however, these weaknesses are only minor and do not hinder the plot in any way. The ending was extremely satisfying, and left me feeling optimistic about how trials and controversy can help us grow into the people God wants us to be. I recommend this book to women facing similar issues in their lives, women who love romance, and any others who are intrigued but usually pass over such novels in the bookstore. They might just enjoy this one. I certainly did. -- Bridgette L. Oakes, Christian Book Previews.com

We have all met the doormat type. These people avoid conflict like the plague, and 34-year-old struggling playwright Leah Townsend is no exception. She always lets her boyfriend order for her when out to dinner. Never would she tell her former senator father that she is a republican. Her mother is overbearing and her best friend needs advice, but no reply from Leah will rock the relationship boat. Even the main character of her play bullies her into submission. What she doesn't know is that trying to make everyone happy just makes everyone unhappy, especially herself.

Leah has dated straight-laced Edward for two years, and although she longs for some spontaneity, she dare not tell him so. When she wears a color other than her regular black to a party they attend, he seems embarrassed, but she refuses to confront him about it. Edward decides she needs help, so he sends her to an all-expense-paid conflict resolution class. This, of course, is the worst thing imaginable to Leah, but she agrees so as not to make waves.

She grows more and more uncomfortable among the annoying attendees, who either bicker and fight or cower in fear. All the while, Leah's trademark red splotches creep up her neck, threatening to take over her entire head. But will she understand herself better through the process? What kind of friendships will she strike up in such an unlikely place?

And what of her manuscript? Her play is going nowhere, and her agent lets her know in concise terms that this will be the end of her career unless she turns out a successful play.

A wide range of supporting characters weave their way through Leah's life, each one bringing about different feelings within her. Will she learn to speak up for herself and state her opinion without being rude or breaking into a cold sweat?

I rarely cackle while immersed in a book, but this story had me doing it with startling frequency. My response alternated between laughing at or feeling deep concern for dear Leah throughout the book.

On the serious side, it takes extreme circumstances in our lives to highlight our character flaws. There is a point where we must decide to change because we can't stay the same anymore. All of us must experience this at some point, but it was nice to see it happen to someone else via compelling and comical fiction.

As she showed so convincingly in her Boo series, Rene Gutteridge knows how to have fun with a novel. This enjoyment is obvious in MY LIFE AS A DOORMAT (IN THREE ACTS), a Chick Lit romance that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Romance addicts and Chick Lit aficionados will find all the necessary elements of a good read here. Playwright Leah Townsend has a long-term romance of sorts going with Dr. Edward Crowse, professor of physics at Boston University, a cautious, punctual obsessive intellectual who is intentionally a stereotype. Leah is becoming tired of their relationship but still feels affection for Edward. Worse yet, her sister Kate, who has always been the black sheep of the family, has found a man who seems to be the catch of a lifetime. Her parents have turned their loving attention to her, and Leah is dealing with a full-fledged case of the green-eyed monster.

Of course, there's more. Leah's career anxiety is in overdrive. She's had one big hit, "The Twilight T-Zone," about the cosmetics industry, which was followed by a loser of a play, and then another stinker. Her pushy agent is driving her toward penning another blockbuster production --- or else. Throughout the book, Jodie Bellarusa, the fictional lead character of the anti-romantic play Leah is writing, amusingly talks back to her in italics, telling her what she wants. ("I really need more zest... Stop reigning me in.")

Protagonists are always more endearing if they have some sort of flaw, and Leah's most visible problem is that she "splotches" --- or blushes in patches --- whenever she's nervous or embarrassed. Gutteridge sprinkles this problem frequently throughout the story, which can become a bit much, but it does help us empathize with the character. (Leah's wardrobe choices fittingly revolve around wearing high necklines.) There's also the obligatory Chick Lit friend, Elisabeth Bates, a liberated mother of three children under six who's contemplating an affair with her neighbor, an out-of-work mechanic. Disaster is inevitable --- and it doesn't take much thinking to know who's going to get stuck babysitting the kids.

Leah, always a pleaser, begins to rebel a bit against some of the conformity of her life. An alarmed Edward enrolls Leah in a "conflict resolution" class, which provides some entertaining moments. Here, Leah meets conservative shock-jock radio personality Cinco Dublin. When Leah nerves herself to break things off with Edward (spurred partially by her attraction to Cinco), Edward does a surprise 180-degree turn --- offering to change himself, be more spontaneous, and woo Leah in a way to win her heart. Unable to disappoint him, Leah ends up engaged and planning a wedding, right down to the hot pink icing on the wedding cake.

Leah, ready to give up, tells Cinco, "My whole life I've been everybody's doormat, I guess you could say. I've never stood up for myself. But I haven't been completely weak, have I? Because I've taken great pride in the fact that all my ducks are in a row." And what it really boils down to is that Leah has no sense of self-worth, which is the discovery she'll make that will change her life. Leah finally understands that it's okay to disappoint people, if you're doing so for all the right reasons. And she makes changes in her life that we assume will lead to a more "happily ever after" ending.

Readers of the Boo series and Chick Lit fans new to Gutteridge's writing will find this a clean, fun, lighthearted read for the times you want to escape from the world for a while into an enjoyable book.


--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby. Contact Cindy at phrelanzer@aol.com.

Leah Townsend is a struggling playwright who's trying to regain the momentum from the one hit play she had. She's in a relationship with Dr. Edward Crowse, a physics professor who makes all her decisions for her. Her family always assumes she is the perfect child because she does everything they tell her too. Her best friend thinks that Leah will support her no matter what the situation or what time. Leah has been ok with this until one day she decides to change. This leads to Edward enrolling her into an anger management class. Humiliated and reluctant, Leah goes expecting to blend in. However she soon discovers that being a doormat is not what she really wants to be in life.


This book was really difficult to read at first. I really didn't like the way that Leah was being treated by everyone. I couldn't stand that she wouldn't stand up to anybody in her family and friends and how she would just let them walk all over her. I really hated her boyfriend Edward. That guy was such a jerk especially after enrolling her in the anger management class. I mean what type of person does that just because someone tries out something new or disagrees with you? But then as I kept reading, I liked how Leah was changing. She learned to finally deal and resolve conflict instead of just always giving in. I liked how she knew that this could radically change her life and the relationships she was in. She changed her life completely and finally became happy instead of just settling for mediocrity. The anger management classes were fun to read, some of the characters I would have had problems keeping my temper with! I applauded to her decision with Edward. It was funny though to see how he tried to change for her or at least his thinking of what "change" really was. I enjoyed her relationship with Cinco, it was just what she needed. The title of this book really catches your eye as does the cover. It's a great chick lit book and it's one I think a lot of people should read. Don't be afraid to change.

Ms. Gutteridge writes a hilarious novel about playwright Leah Townsend. Leah is learning how to NOT be a doormat and is forced to confront conflict in every way possible thorough her boyfriend of two years, her parents, her agent, her friend Elisabeth, and her Conflict Resolution classmates. The characters have incredible depth and are 100% believable. I look forward to reading other works by this author!

I am continually amazed at how Renee Gutheridge uses humor and drama within her books. Great book for all of us who have felt like a "doormat" for others. =)

Women, you've got to read this book. You already know Leah Townsend. She's either you or one of your best friends. I laughed and cheered as Leah came into her own.
Thanks Rene, for giving us a fun and uplifting look at a struggle we all face. Can't wait for more!

To be fair from the outset, I am not the intended audience for this book. I picked it up without knowing it was printed by Women of Faith fiction. I have no interest in Christian fiction, but I figured I should give it a fair shot. After all, it would be closed-minded of me not to read a book just because it didn't agree with my values.

Anyway, I read the whole book, and I can say in all honesty that I did not enjoy it. I found the major precipitating event--Leah's enrollment in the conflict resolution class by Edward--to be a stretch at best. The whole idea didn't make any sense to me. Why would Edward sign her up for this kind of class? It never solidified for me within the story. But even if I was willing to accept that leap of faith, the rest of the story didn't hold water for me. Leah was willing to lie to everyone in her life almost without consequence, Cinqo's interest in her was almost impossible to understand, and her sister's story arc fizzled like a popped balloon. The worst of it, though, was the way her parents treated her. Even after the conflict resolution class, and Leah's supposed self-actualization, she takes her father's reaction to her engagement without complaint or comment. He tells her he won't attend her wedding, and she just doesn't seem to care, or even notice. Apparently her great awakening only goes so far.

The writing was clunky at times, with imagery that drew me to a complete halt on several occasions. Writing that would not stand up to a mainstream publisher's editorial scrutiny.

I was disappointed to discover that my first foray into Christian fiction bore out everything I had heard about its substandard quality. Combine that with the moral superiority of Elisabeth and her sister's got-what-you-deserved story arcs, and the result is that I will definitely not be back for more.

This is a great book! It made me laugh out loud in many parts. Definitely a must read book for this year. One of Rene Gutteridge's best books yet!