Flip-Flopped - Book Review,
by Jill Smolinski

From Booklist Keeley's life in beautiful Hawaii is a bit stressful--her husband, Kam, has moved out to live with a hula dancer, who wants to move to Fiji (along with Kam's and Keeley's son, Dante). At work, Keeley is stuck in the finance department, even though she was hired as a scientist to study Kohala, the island's long-extinct volcano. In the little time she fits in for Kohala, she notices activity. As the volcano heats up, so does Keeley's life; first there's the custody battle she's in with her husband; then there's her lawyer's iguana (which Keeley adopts in exchange for a reduced fee); and, finally, there's her simmering relationship with a British art agent, whose initial lure seems to be that he knows Davy Jones, Keeley's childhood idol. Some of the events in Keeley's frantic life seem quite contrived, but a willing suspension of disbelief makes it possible to appreciate Smolinski's honest and funny look at the loss of love and the process of grieving. A light and charming debut. Beth Warrell Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Jennifer Weiner, author of Good in Bed "Smart, engaging, and as refreshing as a dip in the surf..."
Libby Schmais, author of The Perfect Elizabeth "Settle down with a Mai-Tai, you're in for a treat!"
Linda Phillips Ashour, author of A Comforting Lie "Smolinski's voice is funny and wise and her tough, tender characters will stay with you long after this...story ends."
Glamour "Divorce has never been so engaging as in this debut novel."
Detroit Free Press "A fast-paced, laugh-out-loud trip to the Big Island."
Book Description Hawaii may be the island of romance according to the travel brochures, but for Keeley Baker-Kekuhi, lately it's been anything but. She's broke, stuck in a dead-end job studying an extinct volcano-and her husband, Kam, has just dumped her for a hula dancer. Even worse, he's now demanding custody of their four-year-old son. No wonder she's about to throw in the towel on love. But things are looking up. Enter Ian Gardiner, an artist rep whose boyish good looks catch Keeley's eye. A true gentleman, he's sweet, thoughtful, romantic-and nothing like Kam, who just wants to surf and watch TV all day. Plus, Ian's crazy for Keeley. But is he just too good to be true? Kam was perfect for Keeley once, too. Does she have the heart, much less the energy, to try again? Flip-Flopped is a quirky and charming story of Keeley's adventures as she faces single motherhood, a fierce custody battle, a divorce lawyer who can't seem to leave the Summer of Love long enough to focus on Keeley's case, her duties as maid of honor for her best friend's wedding-and a once dormant volcano that's suddenly about to blow. With witty, laugh-out-loud detail, Jill Smolinski serves up smart, spot-on observations about love and relationships, and ultimately shows that life's eruptions can often lead to bigger and better things.
About the Author Jill Smolinski is a transplanted Midwesterner who currently lives in Southern California with her young son. This is her first novel.
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