The Theory of Opposites

I’m a longtime fan of Allison Winn Scotch as a person (her blog is a treasure trove of good advice for writers, and she was LOVELY and generous when my first book came out, writing a post that made me feel so good I still remember it) and as a writer (I’ve loved & raved about each of her novels), so when I got the chance to review an advanced copy of her latest, I jumped at it. In her notable, unique style, THE THEORY OF OPPOSITES takes on the question, What happens when you think you have it all, and then suddenly it’s taken away?

The main character, Willa Chandler-Golden, is the daughter of a bestselling self-help author who built his career on the idea that everything happens for a reason. She’s spent her life wrestling with this legacy, but is doing pretty well building a life for herself. Then her husband proposes a two-month break to see if they can live their lives without each other. She loses her job, her ex-boyfriend finds her on Facebook, and her best friend Vanessa lands a gig writing for Dare You!, a hot new reality TV show. Vanessa lures Willa into dares of her own – dares that run counter to her father’s theories of fate and might change everything…

My favorite part of the book is the friendship between Willa and Vanessa, who pushes her (relentlessly but with great humor) out of her comfort zone. It’s a reminder of how important friends are as we find our way. I love how Allison writes books I can’t stop thinking about, and how she takes her characters through life’s thorny situations in a way that is both inspiring and entertaining.

Five stars. A captivating page turner.

(Here’s the link to Allison’s author page if you want to check out her other titles)