Thursday, September 20, 2012

Decked With Holly-Mari Bates

Decked With Holly


Mari Bates

Kensington Teen, Sep 25, 2012, $9.99

ISBN: 9780758274854



An orphan Holly loves her grandpa, tolerates her teenage male cousins (Andrew and Jacob) and despises her snooty obnoxious female cousins (Allison and Claire). To celebrate grandpa's birthday, the family cruises the Mexican Riviera over Christmas, which unemployed Holly could do without since her two tormenters are with them.



Feeling seasick, Holly steps into an open suite only to have the occupant pepper spray her. Nick apologizes for his gut reaction while Holly leaves his room with her head high albeit eyes watery; only to be assaulted by screaming teenage fans of his. Nick is drummer Dominic Wyatt of ReadySet. Cellphones shots of her leaving him go viral. Known as a family-friendly act, Dominic convinces Holly to pretend to be his girlfriend for two weeks. She agrees to the gig; unprepared for the nightmare of the horde of teens and her cousins send her way as they hate her for stealing their destined role.



Readers will enjoy this entertaining Cinderella romance as an Awkward, slightly overweight young woman feels unworthy of the music star hunk who wants her; Holly’s aunt and cousins fit the wicked roles of the stepmother and step sisters. Though the storyline is thin, Mindful of the Hugh Grant-Martine McCutcheon arc in Love Actually, teen readers will enjoy Decked With Holly.



Harriet Klausner

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