Review: Perfect Girl by Michele Gorman

Title: Perfect Girl by Michele Gorman
Publisher: Notting Hill Press
Genre: Contemporary, Humor/Satire, Fiction
Length: 326 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Summary:

Cinderella meets Falling Down in this wickedly funny tale about having it all

Carol is perfect… at least that’s what everyone thinks. In reality she’s sinking fast – her family treats her like their personal assistant and her boyfriend is so busy with work that he’s got her single-handedly running their relationship. Not that her job is any easier. As the only woman on the bank’s trading floor she spends twelve-hour days trying not to get sworn at or felt up by colleagues who put the “W” in banker.

How long can she go on pleasing everyone else before she snaps and loses it all?

With humour and empathy, Perfect Girl lays bare the balancing act that working women face in a man’s world

The Review:

If you have ever felt pulled in far too many directions, then you do not want to miss Perfect Girl by Michele Gorman. Heartfelt with (mostly) charming characters, this novel provides a humorous but realistic perspective that is sure to resonate with anyone who has found themselves overcommitted due to other people’s expectations.

Carol Colbert is in her mid-twenties and while she is extremely likable, she lets everyone take advantage of her. With a high pressured job as an investment analyst, her boss and co-workers are sexist, condescending and refuse to give her credit for her hard work. Carol’s family is just as bad-her mother and sister are incredibly demanding and they browbeat her into the tasks they do not want to be bothered with. Her boyfriend of two years is working long hours and overall, he is neglectful, forgetful and leaves the planning of their social life in her capable hands. Adding to Carol’s already hectic schedule is her friend Harriet’s foray into online dating and with her abysmal track record, Carol finds herself vetting Harriet’s perspective dates for her. Stretched way too thin, it is only a matter of time before Carol snaps and discovers that perfection is not only exhausting but extremely overrated.

Carol is the perfect daughter, friend and employee. Although she has little free time, she finds it impossible to resist the requests from her family and friends. Throughout the course of the story, Carol halfheartedly tries to refuse everyone’s increasingly outrageous demands, but she has learned it is easier to give in rather than say no. It is frustrating watching her give in time and again, but that makes it all the more gratifying when she finally says enough is enough. Carol takes the time to examine how she reached this point in her life and most importantly, she takes full responsibility for allowing herself to become everyone’s doormat.

Perfect Girl is a fantastic novel that is fast-paced and engaging. Carol is an endearing protagonists and it is impossible not to like her despite how exasperating she is at times. The plot is well-executed and although Michele Gorman takes a humorous approach to a serious topic, she raises valid points that readers will be able to relate to. I highly recommend this vastly entertaining and thought-provoking novel to anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction.