Customer Reviews

Surf Girl School (Signature Select)

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I am a closet chick lit fan. Yes, I'm one of those who keeps my paperback on my lap on the subway so people don't oogle at the lurid front covers of whatever light read I'm enjoying.

This one is enough--okay, almost--to make me come out of the closet. Don't judge a book by its cover, front OR back in this case. The blurb on the back makes it sound like a lighthearted, empty-headed romp. While it's certainly fun, this book is much, much more. The characters develop (and they're people I liked), the dialog is witty and dry by turns without seeming forced or contrived, and the protagonists seem like adults with adult minds, rather than teenagers in adults' bodies. And the writing--well, it's just a pleasure to read such well-written prose in a chick lit novel.

Allison is so tense and stressed out her doctor is concerned that she will stroke out or suffer cardiac arrest. She tries various hobbies, but finds them either boring or stressful. In desperation, she tries surfing, but finds she desires her instructor Sean Gilroy, who wants the widget (woman midget) to go home as he feels she will only get hurt.

Sean reciprocates the need, but hides it from his student, who refuses to quit though she is not very good at surfing. Instead she learns something else from her mentor that some tension can be good that is if she can persuade Sean to help her release it. As she pushes to excel, they fall in love, but will the workaholic accept a surf bum as the man who can help her enjoy life without living like a Kamikaze pilot.

Modernize an overworked with the same intensity adult Gidget and you have Allison though Sean is more the Kahuna than Moondog. The relationship between Allison and Sean changes as the story line progresses and that makes for a fine sun and fun romance. Readers will wonder whether Allison can stop to smell the ocean air and if Sean accepts responsibility that comes with a relationship or will they sink to the bottom before their love can fully blossom.

Harriet Klausner