AUTHOR: Alison Caiola
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
AVAILABILITY: Createspace (paperback), Amazon US (paperback), Amazon US (Kindle e-book), Amazon UK (Kindle e-book), Barnes & Noble (Nook e-book), iTunes (find it in the iTunes store)
APPROXIMATE LENGTH: 366 pages
Recommended
for readers seeking character-driven dramas.
GENRE
Drama—Women’s
Fiction
The
Seeds of a Daisy
is the story of a young woman dealing with emotional turmoil following her
mother’s devastating car accident. This novel is full of raw emotion and high
drama, set against the backdrop of Hollywood politics.
PACE
Let’s just say I devoured this
one. I started reading during lunch and finished by mid-afternoon. Caiola’s
conversational style and flair for drama make this novel a suspenseful and
absorbing read.
PERSPECTIVE
First person present. The book
opens with Lily Lockwood, a successful TV actress, in the hospital following
her mother’s accident. As she comes to grips with the tragedy, she reflects on
her past, and much of the book consists of her flashbacks.
CONTENT
REVIEW
From a distance, Lily Lockwood
has it all. She’s the star of a popular and acclaimed TV series with a handsome
boyfriend poised to become a big time Hollywood leading man. But in her own
eyes, her life is unraveling. That boyfriend, Jamie, is cheating on her with
his costar on a film set miles away, and Lily’s mother, Daisy, is comatose
following a devastating car accident.
The
Seeds of a Daisy
opens with Lily by Daisy’s side in the hospital, begging her to return to the
realm of the conscious. As she waits for news from the doctors, she reflects on
her life and relationship with her mother, who raised Lily alone and guided her
through the mad world of Hollywood. When Lily goes through Daisy’s possessions
in search of a living will, she discovers things about her mother’s past that
she could never have dreamed of, things that reveal the woman behind the
tough-cookie career queen Daisy the bestselling author was known as.
Caiola writes with a natural,
conversational style that brings Lily’s voice to life. The realistic dialogue
and easy, fluid prose carry the story forward in a way that makes the pages
turn themselves. The reader is privy to all of Lily’s thoughts and raw emotions
as she faces the madness her life has become—her grief, her anger, her hope,
and then some. Each moment is a suspenseful one for Lily as she waits for news
from the doctors and comes to grips with reality, and that suspense carries
over to the audience, making this book an unexpectedly fast-paced page-turner. Although
the story is told from Lily’s point of view, The Seeds of a Daisy, as the title implies, is as much about
Daisy—her effect on Lily and the world around her. Lily spends much of the book
reflecting on her somewhat codependent relationship with her mother and
learning to stand on her own and take charge of her life.
Behind the mother-daughter drama
is a colorful supporting cast and a fascinating glimpse of Hollywood politics.
While the reader sees Lily as a vulnerable young woman, the rest of the world
views her as a celebrity to be gossiped about. Paparazzi mob her in the
hospital lobby, trying to get a snapshot of her distraught face for the
tabloids. So when Jamie flies back to be with her, is he actually trying to
comfort her, or is this another publicity stunt? Meanwhile, Daisy’s longtime
friends flock to Lily’s side out of genuine concern.
Also, I must note that this book
seems incredibly well-researched on the hospital drama front. The medical
jargon and explanations—dry and impenetrable to both the reader and Lily—add to
the story’s realistic atmosphere. Although the book’s set-up, with the Emmy’s
and the paparazzi hovering in the background, may seem glamorized, the story itself
is very down-to-earth. Lily may not be the most eloquent speaker, but her
words ring true even though she sometimes seems to have trouble expressing her
emotional frenzy.
I didn’t mean to read The Seeds of a Daisy in one sitting, but
I ended up getting so absorbed in the drama and the characters that I couldn’t
put it down. Entertaining, gripping, and sometimes tear-jerking, it’s the kind
of book that’s easy to get lost in.
THE
NITPICKY STUFF
I received an advance copy of
this novel, which has since been edited, so I can’t comment on typos and the
like.
This novel contains a handful of
mild sex scenes and some adult language.
AUTHOR
INFO
[from the back cover]
Alison Caiola's many years in Hollywood, first as a PR Executive and then as a writer, makes her qualified to write about the entertainment industry and the behind-the-scenes craziness that ofte it often spawns.
Like Daisy, the mother in The Seeds of a Daisy, her son JD Daniels is a successful and award-winning actor. Alison recently wrote, directed, and produced the television series The Tyme Chronicles. She currently resides on the beautiful North Fork of Long Island with her Malti-Poo daughter-dog Emma, surrounded by vineyards, farms, and wonderful friends.
Alison Caiola's many years in Hollywood, first as a PR Executive and then as a writer, makes her qualified to write about the entertainment industry and the behind-the-scenes craziness that ofte it often spawns.
Like Daisy, the mother in The Seeds of a Daisy, her son JD Daniels is a successful and award-winning actor. Alison recently wrote, directed, and produced the television series The Tyme Chronicles. She currently resides on the beautiful North Fork of Long Island with her Malti-Poo daughter-dog Emma, surrounded by vineyards, farms, and wonderful friends.
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