Amy Sue Nathan

Angels and demons…and D.J.s

There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to read Freudian Slip.  After all, it was written by Erica Orloff and I’m her stalker she’s a friend of mine.  I have read other things Erica has written from chick lit to middle grade books (I’m saving that for another time) to introspective blog posts to thoughtful, insightful emails.  Sometimes she makes me laugh out loud.  Sometimes I scratch my head.  If there is one thing I am sure of in this world  — that woman could write the phone book and I’d want to read it.

So why did I approach Freudian Slip with trepidation?  Because it’s a romance novel.

Yes, me — the one who can watch a “Who’s Wedding is it Anyway” marathon followed by a week’s worth of General Hospital, topped off with a two-hour Hallmark Hall of Fame movie — wasn’t sure if a well-written romance novel would pique my interest.

Well, it did.  And right from page one.  I’ll tell you why.

In Freudian Slip the most unlikely of characters become the most likely of soul mates.  And while you think that might sound like any old romance novel, you’re wrong.  Because this novel not only throws a party for anyone who wants to have hope, but it does so by raising incredibly interesting questions about human nature, religion and destiny.

Quite heady for Harlequin, wouldn’t you say?

I liked Kate Darby right away — she befriends the friendless in a realistic way.  She is optimistic even when she doesn’t know it.  She’s successful and ambitious but not ruthless.  With Kate, Erica Orloff paints a picture of someone we’d all like to know in real life. I’d like to have a friend like Kate. (She goes on a helluva shopping spree at one point.)  So of course I wanted to read her story.

I can’t say that I fell for shock jock Julian Shaw right away…he’s severe and he’s raw — which made him intriguing even when I wasn’t sure I even wanted to like him. But, his transformation into someone I rooted for was believable.  I never once thought “that could never happen” and that’s saying a lot considering the plot involves a slew of angels, heavenly guides, demons, ghosts and a lot of talk about a Supreme Being. Yet, it’s not a religious book at all, so don’t go getting all holy moly on me.  Thank you.

This book makes assumptions that anything is possible — anything. That means heaven, hell, recovery, forgiveness, destiny and true love — none more unlikely or likely than the other.  In this book, they’re all real.

There was one place in the book that I did tear up — and if you’ve read it I’ll let you guess.  The book puts you right inside today’s New York City and references contemporary and historical people, places and things. Knowing Erica, I know it was researched with precision…but if you don’t know her it’s obvious that the facts are indeed, facts. They are artfully used as support beams for Freudian Slip and give solid footing to a book that touches on things that make many of us wonder.

And isn’t that wonderful?

I started the book in the afternoon, read into the night and woke up this morning and finished it with my coffee.  I wanted to get to the end — not because I wanted it to end but because I not only wanted to know what happened, but how it happened.

It’s interesting to read a book by someone you’re familiar with — while I wasn’t surprised by the well written prose, the blunt, believable dialogue or unusual cast of characters, I was surprised that while I was reading I forgot about all of it, and just enjoyed the book.

Summer is the perfect time to take an uplifting book out to the deck, the beach or the park.  Freudian Slip should be one of the books you slip into your bag this season.

(This is my 200th post on this blog!)