Off the Record: A Novel [Paperback]

Jennifer O'Connell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 6, 2005

Jane Marlow is a true-blue good girl: plain, predictable, and perfectly responsible. But when her brother catches an episode of Music One's "Off the Record," he discovers that former pop sensation Teddy Rock is actually their childhood neighbor Theodore Brockford, and that his one-hit wonder twelve years earlier wasn't just a catchy tune that took the charts by storm-it was a song about Jane Marlow! Now Jane has a chance to live life off the record, but is she ready for the changes it brings? And even if she's willing to take the risk, is she willing to face the music?

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

What would happen if the world discovered you inspired a legendary rock song? Jane Marlow is about to find out...

From the best selling author of Bachelorette #1 and Dress Rehearsal, Off the Record is Jennifer O'Connell's most rockin' book yet.

From the Back Cover

What would happen if the world discovered you inspired a legendary rock song? Jane Marlow is about to find out... Jane Marlow is a true-blue good girl: plain, predictable, and perfectly responsible. But when her brother catches an episode of Music One's "Off the Record," he discovers that former pop sensation Teddy Rock is actually their childhood neighbor Theodore Brockford, and that his one-hit wonder twelve years earlier wasn't just a catchy tune that took the charts by storm-it was a song about Jane Marlow! Now Jane has a chance to live life off the record, but is she ready for the changes it brings? And even if she's willing to take the risk, is she willing to face the music?

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: New American Library (September 6, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451216458
• ISBN-13: 978-0451216458
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,070,284 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Although I've written about a reality dating show, a prescient pastry chef, and a woman who inspired an 80's rock hit, I have not spent hours dissecting The Bachelor, I can barely follow the directions on the back of a Betty Crocker box, and I can only dream of a long-haired, guitar-thrashing rocker even giving her a second glance.
While I cringe at the thought of being called Jenny again after all these years, my first teen book, PLAN B, will be published under Jenny O'Connell by MTV Books (March 2006).

Even if my days as a high school senior are long behind me, I did receive my B.A. from Smith College and my M.B.A. from the University of Chicago.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, Entertaining and Original, September 30, 2005

By 

Rian Montgomery "Rian Montgomery" (Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Off the Record: A Novel (Paperback)

What would you do if you found out a childhood schoolmate had named a famous love song after you?

When Jane Marlowe, a highly organized lawyer about to be made partner at her firm, finds out from her brother that the kid that grew up across the street from them has written a song about her, she is confused. After all, she had never gone out with Teddy, the now-famous rock star in question. She doesn't want to believe it. After all, she likes to keep her life organized and complication-free. She doesn't have time for this.

But unfortunately her brother is determined to push her into the spotlight and shed light on the fact that yes, she is the "Janey" in the song. Jane meanwhile decides one night on a whim to live it up. After all, how often is a famous love song written for you? Her life quickly turns into talk shows and interviews. But are things what they really seem? And what about Drew, the guy at her office that seems sort-of interested in her?

I thoroughly enjoyed Off the Record. The characterization is excellent, the plot believable and fun, and the story line unique and refreshing. O'Connell's writing style is fast becoming one of my favorites- she has a knack for telling an excellent story with just a hint of subtle romance and uncertainty present in the background. Best of all, Jane was a great main character. She was smart, funny and quirky enough for anyone to like.

Other than a tiny bit of predictability found in the story, I couldn't find much I didn't love about this book.

Overall, I highly recommend this book for a fun abd thoroughly enjoyable read.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining book!, January 23, 2006

By 

Janice (Arlington, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Off the Record: A Novel (Paperback)

Jennifer O'Connell's "Off the Record," centered around Jane, an attorney in a Chicago law firm whose life was revolved around her work. She was seen as the boring Jane, who did not know how to have fun and was perceived as an incredibly serious person. Even her out of state co-worker, Drew, seemed to have her all figured out. Out of the blue, her brother Andy told Jane that she could be the Janey in the hit single "Janey 245" by the once popular Teddy Rock. "Janey 245" was a big hit in the late 1980s, in which Teddy Rock wrote about this hot girl whom he so desired. Teddy Rock used to live across the street from her but Jane had not much recollection of him. Jane's life became out of control when Andy made it known to the public that she was indeed The "Janey 245."

This was quite an entertaining book. The characters were well-developed and the plot was actually quite engaging. It was also fast-paced and contained many funny moments. This was definitely a better than average book in this genre.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book's a hit, December 20, 2005

By 

K Engles - See all my reviews

This review is from: Off the Record: A Novel (Paperback)

Off the Record was so much fun. I'm a big music buff, so it was fun to read all the "fake" articles about Teddy Rock when he was a big star, and then watch him try to make a come back. Jane was someone who was likeable, if flawed, and I liked how Teddy's attempt to come back paralleled Jane's own realization that maybe she needs to make a sort of come back, too. Jane's family and her friends rounded out the story to create a really fun book.