Finished February 12
I Think I Love You by Allison Pearson
This is totally a feel-good novel and I could hardly put it down. In 1973-74 two young girls in Wales, Petra and Sharon, are part of a group of girls completely obsessed with David Cassidy. They collect posters, pictures, facts, and share them obsessively. Petra does most of this at Sharon's house as Petra's mother definitely thinks this music and behaviour are common and not to be exhibited by Petra. She has Petra practicing the cello, aiming for a classical career. So Petra lives two lives, the ladylike one her mother expects and the secret life of teenage passion with Sharon. This goes on until the two girls attend a David Cassidy concert, one of his last, and Petra is outed to her mother.
Flash forward 24 years, and Petra discovers something that triggers a memory of that younger self. With a marriage on the rocks, and uncertainty of her own desirability, she jumps at the chance to finally meet David Cassidy. But will he be a disappointment to her fantasy?
We also follow Bill, who in the 70s was a young journalist working for the Essential David Cassidy Magazine, where he makes a living writing letters to fans from David and making up articles and other bits and pieces to fill the pages. 24 years later, he is still working in the magazine world and he too finds himself drawn to meeting David with Petra and Sharon.
This book took me back to my own childhood crushes. I watched the Partridge Family on TV, and had (have!) some of their record albums. I even had a Partridge Family board game, although I'm not sure where that ended up. Mom, if you are reading this, is it still there? I was smitten more with Shaun Cassidy myself, but definitely understand the whole scenario quite well. I loved the book and the places it took me.
I have to wonder if the young girls of today miss some of this with the easy deluge of information on the Internet.
Forgot to say thanks to Maylin of Random House and the Dewey Divas for the copy of the novel.
ReplyDeleteTHANKS!!!
When I read the title of the book at the top of your post, I instantly started humming the David Cassidy song to myself. Turns out I'd hit the nail on the head regarding what the book is about!
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point you've raised about the internet... I feel like the fact that celebrities nowadays are encouraged by their publicists to have an online presence has really diminished the aura of mystery that used to surround them.