CHICK LIT MEMOIR
Dangled Carat - Hilary Grossman (2013)
Hilary and Marc appear to be the perfect couple to the outside world. Hilary is head-over-heels with Marc, who is 13 years her senior, and she can't wait to spend the rest of her life with him. The two of them never felt the need to rush into things, satisfied with the state of their relationship, until one New Year's Eve their friends decide it's time for them to take the next step after four years of being a couple. A fake engagement forces Hilary and Marc to think twice about where their relationship is going. Hilary suddenly realises she really wants to get married but Mark's issues with commitment come to the surface and Hilary realises she's found herself a true challenge. Dangled Carat is Hilary Grossman's own true story; a memoir which mainly focuses on her experiences with a commitment-phobic boyfriend. The reader is taken on the journey of Hilary and Marc's relationship, from their background stories to the issues they are struggling with. It wasn't difficult to warm to Hilary; she obviously loves Marc, she trusts him and has a lot of patience when it comes to their relationship. I really enjoyed the realistic character of the book, because I think many female readers will be able to recognise some of their own thoughts or experiences in Hilary. I think it's admirable that Hilary managed to write down her own story like this and decided to share it with the world. I hope she will continue writing, because her writing style was really comfortable and pleasant to read; I'd certainly love to see her write some fiction. Dangled Carat is an easy-going and contemporary story of love which many readers will be able to relate to in one way or another. (JoH)
