Writers, hear me out. Do you ever have those moments at work or out where you see someone or hear something or even are in a situation where you think, “This would be great as a story?”
That’s what Andrea Andersen did in her latest novel, Written by a Woman.
Before we get started, let me just mention that the title is two-fold and I love it.
Our main female character Signe Lange (pronounced See-nyuh) works as a receptionist at the start-up tech company, sun Steer, where there are a decent number of women coders as well as the head of their HR department. So the title is not only talking about Signe’s journey but the female coders and techies that are working here. The code is, in fact, being written by women.
Okay, onto the story. Signe wants to be a writer. She even created a blog where she writes her fiction stories. And more recently, chapters to a story that she’s been thinking of. Her goal is to write a novel and sell it for enough money so that she can quit her nine to five job and focus on writing full time.
Her blog has plenty of enthusiastic followers who support her. After an interaction with the company’s chief technology officer, Zaid Ansara, a man she has a crush on, but never seems to notice her, Signe recreates the main character in her new novel after the real-life CTO.
The story of Zayne and Sydney goes viral and Signe is told by her publisher to stop leaking chapters on her blog and focus on writing it for real this time.
Of course, she ends up going even more viral when, during a live face reveal video, the voice and a hint of the image of Zaid appears on her live video and fans begin to put two and two together and get that Signe has a real-life muse for her sexy main male character.
After that, the question becomes, how is Signe going to explain to the CTO of Sun Steer that he is the face claim and inspiration for not only her male lead but that there are some spicy scenes in this book. And is she going to get fired for this? Sued. Given a cease-and-desist writ that will derail all her carefully laid plans?
Meanwhile, we, as the readers, discover that Ziad isn’t as clueless about Signe’s existence as she thinks he is.
The story is written in duel first person POV, going back and forth between Signe and Zaid’s characters.
Zaid, only son of a middle eastern mother and an Italian father, is one of three siblings. His family life is full of his mother wanting him closer to them and wanting him settled with a nice woman. His two sisters followed Signe’s story online religiously, so they know when she stopped posting and they saw the live video. They are some of the best parts of this story, especially with Saima’s (one of Ziad’s sisters) toddler son Zeki who took to Signe like she was his new favorite thing in the world. The kid is so damn cute!
The story was fantastic!
You all know my quirks about first person or even duel first person but there have been some books lately that have made me forget all about that. They suck you in and you’re just along for the ride, not caring how it’s reading out only that it’s happening.
Written by a Woman was delightful, fresh, spicy and fun. You’re rooting for Zaid and Signe to get together; you’re entrenched with the story happening around the romance that’s perfectly enmeshed into the book. When the spicy bits do happen, it’s just like icing on this already delicious cake.
I rarely do this, in fact, in my time of writing this blog, I don’t think I’ve ever done this. But, the writing and characterization reminded me a little of Ali Hazelwood in the design and the characters. I loved it. So if you like one, you’ll love the other.
Hope everyone’s January is going well. Here in the Midwest, it’s been consistently in the 50’s and I’m sort of hoping it remains this way for the rest of the winter. If not, I am willing to deal with cold weather, so long as the snow and ice stay away. Here’s to having fingers crossed.
It just occurred to me that I do not have a independent bookstore this month.
I was out to dinner this past weekend with friends and was told about a bookstore in Denton Texas. I thought I wrote down the name, but I didn’t. So, I looked up bookstore in Denton Texas. And The Plot Twist Romance Bookbar popped up. WHAT?
Guess who January’s indie bookstore spotlight is going to be!
To everyone else, stay warm, enjoy this come down month and take care of yourself. However that might mean.
Find your favorite drink and curl up with a good book.
Mouse's Reading Nook 