Thursday, February 16, 2017

BBRBF Book Club: Bette Davis Club by Jane Lotter


Hope your post-Valentine's Day sugar rush induced hangover is cured because it's time for February's installment of the BBRBF Book Club! This month we read The Bette Davis Club by Jane Lotter and boy, were we in for a ride!


Be sure to keep an eye on the other club members' blogs for their thoughts and inspired outfits: Helene from Circle Skirts and Petticoats, Kat from The Miss Information Blog, Kristina from Eyre Effect, and Noelle from The Classy Junk. We also have two new sassy members of our little book club: Laci Fay and Justyna from Hazel & Honey!


When this book was selected, nominated by the lovely Helene, I loved it in a biased way based solely on the title. I fell in love with classic actresses such as Bette Davis in college, while taking a Film History course. We watched classics of all kinds and a couple were Davis films such as Now, Voyager and All This, and Heaven Too (another babe to look up is Barbara Stanwyck! Stella Dallas is STILL one of my favorite films of all time and totally relate-able for pinup babes like me who stand out). I fell in love so many times during that class (with the movies, of course!). So even though the book isn't about Bette Davis per se, I kind of went in with high expectations.


I was not surprised to find that I loved it. Written in the same quirky style as all the books I love (what can I say, I have a type!), I ate it all up. It started a bit slow but once it hit the gas, it REALLY sped along.


Hmm...have you noticed I've been using a lot of driving/car innuendos? It might not be a coincedence since the book is about a woman, Margo, chasing down her niece after said niece, Georgia, ditched her own wedding. With the heartbroken groom behind the wheel of Margo's father's antique sports car, the two set off in a wild chase to find Georgia and bring her back home.


The plot does it no justice. Sure, that's the story line, but the real story is with Margo and the groom, Tully. I loved their story and watching their relationship grow - from complete strangers who couldn't care less for each other to acquaintances to friends to...well, you may have to just read to find out.


I loved the fun and quirky situations Tully and Margo found themselves in along their journey. Though some were a bit cliche and definitely only happen in fiction, it never took a turn into the massively unbelievable. It was just fun!


For my Bette Davis Club inspired look, I paid homage to Margo's past by wearing my Banned Apparel Dancing Day's skirt. Margo was a dancer (a damn good one at that!) and on their journey to find Georgia, helps a woman win a dancing competition in exchange for more information on the whereabouts of her niece (nothing like blackmail!). I'd like to think that the dancers on this skirt are Margo and Tully sometime in the future after the story ends - flying across the dance floor. It's also a bonus that my skirt is the same color as the sports car - bright red!


In the end, I loved this book. It got a bit long in the end (it could have maybe ended a few chapters sooner than it did) but I loved how the story wrapped up and how it ended. I felt like Margo and Tully's relationship was genuine and not forced. Sometimes when I read a book like this - where two strangers are forced together and then become friends - the connection doesn't feel real at all and is very disjointed. Tully and Margo's was very believable and I loved them together on their little adventure around the country. They were quite the dynamic duo!


Head's up on what's to come! In March we're diving into The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko by Stephan Stambach so stay tuned - or read along and let us know what you thoughts - for more!