Temporary Girl by Robin Alexander

Temporary Girl by Robin Alexander

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is yet another Alexander book I read and loved. Though I was worried there when I found that the book existed, had been read by others, and that the average rating was at 4 stars (it's since gone to something like 4.7, and is now back down to 4.5). I was worried because, while I say 'yet another . . .' that's more recent Alexander books that I've read and loved, there have been that I didn't love, some I didn't like, and at least one I loathed (unfortunately that one was the start of a three book series, and I'd already bought book 2 and three, still haven't read book 2 & 3 in that series).

I think I've used this phrase, or words similar, when mentioning an Alexander book: this book stars two people that have issues. Both have been working on them, and both might want to start work on the next phase of their lives, which may or may not involve a significant other (though one is more in that direction than the other; the other is still dodging the texts of her latest 'relationship' while going to a wedding, more on that later). One has commitment issues - in that they do not like being alone, hook up with someone, and use the love word way too quickly and easily (though, as noted, they know this issue and have been working on it), the other has the opposite commitment issue - one one commits too easily, this other can't commit at all (or, well, runs the other direction – away – from a woman if they start to express relationship type comments).

The commitment-phobe, Jodi, has ‘reasons’ for being what and who she is, though she can fake it. Which is where the book starts, with …. (dang, I can’t remember if it’s Jodi who is 37 or 40, or if it’s Val who is 37 or 40, one, I mean, is one age, the other is the other (though both are described as having the bodies of 20 year olds – said after seeing through lust filled eyes)). Right, let’s start that sentence again. 37 or 40 year old Jodi opens the book driving to a wedding – a ‘forced’ week long vacation. Next to her is Vince, her ‘pretend’ boyfriend (he’s gay and not out to his family). Vince, to note how the trip occurred, mentions something to his mother, after they arrive, that the trip normally takes an hour and a half but they did it in only 15 minutes, because of how Jodi drives.

Vince’s brother, by the way, is the groom. Jodi is there because of Vince. To round things out, Vince owns and operates an expensive car dealership, while Jodi owns and operates a furniture store (though it’s connected to the family store-chain).

While at the wedding, the only other lesbian in attendance takes one look at Jodi and drools. That’d be Val. Who works for a potty manufacturer (there’s a lot of good humor in this book, there’s also a lot of humor connected to Val’s job of being a potty seller that didn’t really work for me). Val’s at the wedding because she’s friends (from college) with the bride-to-be, whose name Everly. It’s important to note that another college friend is there as well – Renee, and . . . I cannot recall but I think the other two young women who pop up in the story are sisters of Everly and not Rene, though there’s a ton of people in this story and some do not even have accurate names (mostly because the others seem them as snooty and call them something like snooty one and two). I mention these two others, specifically, because of their impact on the story – Kara being the youngest at 21, though she’s much more ‘mature’ than her sister Riley (who is first seen by the reader wearing a very small barely there swimsuit that she keeps popping out of it – which is important to mention . . . for reasons).

So then: time is spent on the week-long wedding festivities (that’s about the first, oh, 50 to 55% of the book, I think), then later back in their home locations (I forget now, did they life in Baton Rouge or was the week long vacation in Baton Rouge?). Val and Jodi date. Have fun together. And stuff.

Quite fun hilarious book.

Rating: 5+

July 12 2018




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