Review: All My Restless Life to Live by Dee DeTarsio

Title: All My Restless Life to Live

Author: Dee DeTarsio

Publication Date: May 22, 2013

Synopsis:

Life is a soap opera, especially for Elle Miller, who writes for one. (Ellen dropped the “n” in her name in hopes of finding a better ending for herself.) When her laptop crashes, she borrows her recently deceased dad’s computer and gets way more than she bargained for. 

Elle unravels mysterious communications from his computer, while her mom decides to give Internet dating a try. As Elle tries to save her career at I’d Rather Be Loved with a storyline featuring a trip through Atlantis, she takes a trip to the Emmys, and finds herself in the middle of a romance between a real doctor and a hunk who just plays one on TV. 

Friends, family, and clues from “the other side” all help Elle figure out the difference between living the good life and living a good life. 

My Thoughts:

Elle Miller doesn't just work for a soap opera, her life is one. Still struggling with the loss of her father and the possibility that the show she works for might be canceled, Elle is working hard to keep afloat. When her laptop crashes and she can't afford to get a new one, she "borrows" her father's. Now strange things are happening and Elle is sure that her father is trying to communicate with her. As if this isn't enough, Elle is also torn between two very different men and is pretty sure she is losing her mind. Forced to finally deal with her father's death and her own insecurities, Elle has to decipher her father's clues and figure out just what life is all about. 

Elle Miller is a smart, funny and quirky character. I liked her immediately. Her inner monologue reminded me quite a bit like my own, especially when dealing with people who just don't seem to understand how truly awful they are but you are unable to call out on their crap (like your boss). She had a wicked sense of humor but is also very caring and warm. I could feel her sadness over the loss of her father and understood how hard she was struggling with it, especially since she was still dealing with the guilt of not having said a final goodbye. Had Elle been a real person, I think we could have been friends.

While I'm not usually one for contemporary novels with a hint of paranormal, I enjoyed this story. I'm more of an all or nothing girl, either it has to be straight contemp or full on paranormal. I don't like playing the "is this really happening or is this a metaphor for something else?" game. And even though I did get a little annoyed with all the talk about the afterlife, I was mostly able to look past it. I wanted Elle to find the answers she needed to not only help heal her grief but also so she could move on. 

One part of this book that I really loved was the soap opera angle. At one point in my life I was a rather big fan of Days of Our Lives. I watched it every day religiously. Hey, once you get sucked into these stories it is hard to let them go. Anyway, the soap in this story, I'd Rather Be Loved, was pretty entertaining. Quite a bit ridiculous, but I think that is the point of soap operas. I'll admit that if this show were actually on the air. I'd probably watch it. 

Overall, this is the perfect quick read for a day at the beach or lounging on the couch on your day off. While the subject matter is a somewhat heavy one, it is told in a fun and breezy way that doesn't weigh down the story. There is also plenty of romance and embarrassing incidents that will have you laughing out loud.

For more about Dee DeTarsio and All My Restless Life to Live, visit her website here.

Purchase:

Amazon

*I received this book for free in exchange of my honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way and all views and opinions expressed are 100% my own.