First off, I'll be honest. I've been waiting for this book for quite some time. Post-January blues taking its toll, I clicked through the chick-lit blogs and Amazon looking for potential reads (when I really should have been at the gym) and came across this gem. When I first heard about Lotte Daley's debut Faking It - in which a normal girl-next-door is transformed into a celebrity by her PR friends - I was instantly intrigued. I mean, who doesn't secretly harbour a fantasy of being turned into an overnight celeb? Even just a little...Exactly.
At the beginning of Faking It, heroine Katie Lewis is dumped by Jack, her actor boyfriend of three years. To make matters worse, he does it by text message. And if THAT wasn't bad enough, Jack has quickly become the latest squeeze of the tabloid's favourite, actress Jessica Hilson. So with not only the prospect of losing her boyfriend to a size-zero superstar in the space of a day, there's also the slight issue of her flat surrounded by the paparazzi.
Escaping to her family home doesn't help matters that much, either - with Katie's mum desperate to wow the neighbours with a tell-all Daily Mail interview, teen sister Janice riding on Katie's new-found (and very much unwanted) fame of being the a celeb-related dumpee of the moment, and an old schoolfriend intent on sharing embarrassing teenage secrets with the world, it's only a matter of time before the press catches up with her.
But PR girl Katie's colleagues have a plan. Within hours they've come up with the ultimate project - and the ultimate way to get Jack back - by turning Katie into a hot, sexy celeb to rival Jessica Hilson. After all, the public are already on her side after the dumping, so what has Katie got to lose?
Pretty soon Katie has been styled by top stylist Ziggy Wang,, Botoxed, decked out in gorgeous gear and preparing for a much-wanted breast enlargement. But it doesn't end there. With her best friend Danielle and collegue Richard in tow, Katie is about to take on the world of celebrity glitz with a fabulous new look and feisty attitude. But will it pay off? Can she win Jack back? The fame game is tough, and who knows just what's waiting around the corner...
Faking It was an absolutely brilliant read and I can tell this is going to be one of this year's favourites! Lotte's writing style is addictive, witty and downright hilarious (the 'pubic lobster' chapter had me in giggle fits). I don't particularly like comparing authors to Sophie Kinsella, but if you enjoy her sharp writing style, then you're bound to enjoy this. I simply couldn't put it down. The characters are so funny and engaging, especially Janice, and I couldn't help but love Katie!
The ending was also rather unexpected which made the book even more enjoyable. Faking It is a fun, wonderfully written insight into the world of celebrity PR, which Lotte (a PR girl herself) has portrayed brilliantly. She's also working on her second novel and after Faking It, I can't wait to read it! (Though will it top this fantastic debut? Hmm, we'll see!)
Rating: 5/5
Like this? Try The Making of Mia by Ilana Fox
