When teenage movie
star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email
about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and
unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for
their names or backgrounds.
Then Graham finds
out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film,
and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a
star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like
Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?- Goodreads
If what you’re after
is a light read that will leave you in a radiant mood, then this book
definitely fits the bill. I particularly love the beginning wherein an e-mail
mishap becomes the precursor of an unexpected teenage relationship. Why
unexpected? How probable is it for a girl to end up being pen pal with someone
who’s not just a random guy but actually Tinseltown’s hottest star?
With an array of
blockbuster films, Graham is indeed one of his generation’s famed icons.
However, going around the world signing autographs and prancing in red carpet
affairs just do not satisfy him. He feels like a stranger with no definite
purpose not until he fortuitously met Ellie.
While I’m already
21, I can’t help but let out a little scream upon finding out that Graham is
Ellie’s mysterious e-mail buddy. Graham putting that much effort (find out how) just to search for Ellie is
likewise heartwarming. I’m drawn to Ellie’s character as well. She’s not your
typical fantard who will go around
broadcasting her blossoming relationship with a movie star. She’s a simple
unperturbed girl who basically wants to know Graham away from the glare of
publicity.
The story is not
free from bumps such as family secrets, friendship quibbles, and paparazzi
issues. Nonetheless, expect that This is What
Happy Looks Like is an absolutely adorable read. Oh well, with a title
like that, it would be an oxymoron to fill it with melodramatic pages, right?
:)
The only letdown is
the part wherein Graham and Ellie avoided each other like plague for three
weeks. Knowing that Graham is about to leave town soon, they could’ve made the
most out of those weeks. In the end, it feels as if they are rushing to create
treasure-worthy moments when they’ve actually wasted weeks pining for each
other.
Sometimes, you read
a book that charms you so much that you don’t mind how unrealistic and how
overused the storyline is. The whole famous-boy-falling-for-a-small-town-girl
might be a cliché but Jennifer Smith’s style of writing is so refreshing. This
book just goes to show that at times, happiness is situated in the simplest of
things.
5/5
I Must Be Dreaming by
Maine
"And she watches the sun but she's the only one I have
my eyes on."
