UNDERSTUDY
ISBN: 0-765-03655-7
Carole Bellacera
Forge - A Tom Doherty Associates Book
General Fiction
382 pages
5 scripts
Amy thinks of herself as trailer trash. Her father killed himself in an alcoholic rage, and her mother fried her brains on booze and drugs and is in a nursing home. More than anything, Amy has longed for a loving family life. She has been in foster homes. A good student she receives a scholarship to William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. There she meets Rhobin, her roommate, and they hit it off though Amy is shy, unsure of herself, and Rhobin is her direct opposite. The two look enough alike to be sisters. Rhobin is a free spirit, seemingly amoral, who is a member of a well-thought-of Virginia family. Her father is an ex-senator, now a lawyer in Williamsburg and her beautiful mother is a successful realtor.
Amy and Rhobin become inseparable, though Amy doesn't drink, cuss or participate in free sex as Rhobin does. Rhobin's family welcome Amy with open arms and believe Amy will be a settling influence on their hell raiser daughter. Amy quickly falls in love with Paul, Amy's older brother and for almost a year keeps this fact secret, but one night Paul discovers he loves Amy, too, though he is engaged to Monica. When Paul returns to college in Colorado, Monica is there, and Paul re-thinks his attraction and love for Amy. He sends Amy an e-mail telling her, it was a mistake, and he will marry Monica. Amy is devastated, and to drown her sorrows goes with Rhobin to a club where they both drink, Rhobin just to have her usual blast and Any to drown her sorrows. She just has two beers but not used to alcohol they really hit her. By the time the girls leave the bar, it is snowing heavily. Rhobin is too drunk to drive as usual, so Amy takes over that chore. A semi hits the girls car. Rhobin is killed. Both were disfigured, and because Amy had Rhobin's wallet, everyone believes Amy died. At first Amy is confused when everyone is calling her Rhobin. She can't talk, is drowsy from the hospital drugs, and by the time she is able to speak, she decides, why not make this family happy, let them believe their daughter is alive. Here was her chance to have her dream - a loving family. She takes it.
UNDERSTUDY is a riveting and compelling story. Carole Bellacera did a marvelous job of plotting and being sure that all the pieces of this puzzle fit perfectly. I must admit, at first I didn't think I'd like this book. Rhobin seemed to be a horny teenager with a foul mouth, but as I got into the story, I realized that Rhobin's character was a much-needed piece of this puzzle. If she hadn't acted like she did, the needed piece wouldn't fit. The characterization of Amy, too, was very well done, and how her character grows and fights her demons was masterfully handled. Amy needed a family, she took her chance, and found that things are not always what they seem to be. As a sister to Paul, there is no way they can ever be a couple, even though Paul had decided Monica wasn't the woman he loved. He left a phone message, Amy never received because she had left for a night of carousing with Rhobin. Paul loved Amy, but Amy was dead.
In the synopsis above, I just gave a very short part of this wonderful book. What comes later will truly keep the reader reading. UNDERSTUDY is the first Carole Bellacera book I've read and I look forward to reading her other novels.
Jaye Dee Tyrack, Reviewer,
gottawritenetwork.com
March 26, 2006
copyright Jaye Dee Tyrack & GWN
