MADreads

She’s got mail

October 22nd, 2009 Jane J. - Central Library

Holly’s Inbox by Holly Denham looks initially imposing.  A chick lit novel at over 600 pages?  A reader could be forgiven for thinking they just don’t have the time.  Fear not, fans of Bridget Jones, this tome is an epistolary novel written in - mostly short - emails to and from Holly beginning when she starts a new job and ending when she finds the “one”.

Holly Denham (yep, same name as the author) has just taken a job as a receptionist in a busy London banking firm.  She shares the desk with Trish who is initially cool towards Holly but eventually warms up.  Because of the busyness of their job, Holly and Trish are not allowed to speak with each other and must communicate via email.  Intertwined with her chats with Trish are emails to Holly’s best friend Jason, who manages a posh hotel, Aisha, a free and easy friend, and Hollly’s family (meddling mom, a married sister, a brother who is trying to open a fetish club and her snarky grandmother who is chafing at the restrictions at her senior living facility ).

Though this is a fast read, I was initially slow to warm to the novel.  The set-up is clever and the author did a great job at showing who her characters are within the space of a few emails, but I think what took some time for me was Holly herself.  She’s a bit of a doormat initially and it took a while for the reasons why to manifest.  Once I began to get an inkling about the very real reasons for why Holly is the way she is, I was in and turning pages like a crazy person.  But getting there took a little time.  And with all of the build-up I was a little skeptical about the fast resolve at the end.  On this point I’ll give the author a bit of a pass since a sequel is in the works.  I’m guessing the ‘everything’s hunky-dory’conclusion will reverse itself to some extent and Holly will have to progress a little more to get her happy ending.

You can definitely count me in when the time comes.

Entry Filed under: Recreational Fiction, Romance