New Release Review: Fame Adjacent by Sarah Skilton

P L O T :

Holly Danner has a complicated relationship with fame. It's not easy being the only cast member of a 1990s song-and-dance show who didn't become famous. When she was eleven, she used to do anything for a laugh (or at least a laugh-track) on "Diego and the Lion's Den." If she talked about it--which she almost never does--Holly might explain how her childhood best friends came to dominate the worlds of pop music, film, and TV while she was relegated to a few near-misses and a nanny gig for her niece. She'd even be telling the truth about making peace with the whole thing years ago. But when she finds out there's a 25th anniversary for the show planned--a televised reunion, clip show, and panel--and she wasn't invited, it's time for an impromptu road trip to crash the event and set the record straight. Three problems: she's currently in Internet Rehab (perhaps she's not quite as well-adjusted as she believes...), she has no cash, and the only person who can get her across the country in time is Thom Parker, a handsome, infuriatingly level-headed patient who doesn't think she should confront her famous ex-friends. FAME ADJACENT is a contemporary, realistic, and humorous look at love, friendship, and fame, as seen through the eyes of a girl who lived it--from the sidelines.

M Y T H O U G H T S :

While the pacing was a bit slow, the overall feel of the story was fresh, fun, and entertaining. Holly is a former child star who no longer lives in the spotlight. Her former cast-mates on the other hand, all had skyrocketing careers after starring in the popular Diego and the Lion's Den TV Series. I was born in the 80's and grew up in the 90's, so I enjoyed the themes and the similarities to the Mickey Mouse Club. I do wish that the novel upped the ante on the nostalgia though; I felt more 90's references were needed. I enjoyed the bond that Holly formed with Thom along their road-trip journey, and I was happy that they chose to continue to build on their relationship in the end. What I felt could have used some tweaking was the confrontation between Holly and the other cast-mates towards the end of the story. It was missing something for me. I expected the conversations to be a bit more emotional and deep, but things were smoothed out too quickly and easily. If you're looking for something new in contemporary fiction this Spring, check out Fame Adjacent. For me it was a mostly satisfying read, and I enjoyed the light humor.

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**Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a complimentary copy for review. All opinions expressed here are honest and entirely my own.**