Contemporary Romance Review: Fifteen Minutes of Shame by Lisa Daily

Rating: 4/5 stars

Darby, a 31-year-old woman, is a successful dating expert who wrote the book "Secrets to Make the Guys Go Gaga." Her life takes a dramatic turn when her marriage and career crumble on live TV. During an interview, Darby discovers that her husband, Will, has left her for his reality star ex-wife, Gigi, taking their kids and seemingly her career as well. The story follows Darby's humorous journey as she tries to rebuild her life and career with the support of her friends and attractive divorce lawyer, Holt.

Daily's narration through Darby's perspective is fitting and highly entertaining. There are many highlights where the wording made me laugh out loud. However, at times, the writing felt heavy-handed with both showing and telling, and the use of complex words, which slightly detracted from the story and prevented a 5-star rating. Nevertheless, overall, the narration suits Darby's character, who is a writer herself. Each chapter ends with a snippet from Darby's dating book or column, which provides interesting insights into her dating advice, although not necessary in every chapter. Darby's likable character as the protagonist can be credited to Daily's writing.

This book serves as a great palette cleanser, as it is funny and lighthearted, especially for those who usually gravitate towards dark and mysterious books. It is an easy and delightful read. The romantic plotline takes a little while to unfold, but considering the nature of the story, it makes sense and is swoon-worthy for those who enjoy daydreaming about fictional characters.

One aspect I particularly enjoyed was the setting. The book accurately portrays the life of Floridians living in beach towns, primarily Sarasota and Siesta Key. As a Floridian myself, I felt the book was tailor-made for me and fellow Floridians. Finally, Florida was not the target of jokes!

Fans of Meg Cabot and Sophie Kinsella will find this book appealing. It is a perfect summer beach read. Although this was my first book by Lisa Daily, I definitely plan on exploring her other works.

I received a review copy of this book through Hidden Gems, but all opinions expressed are my own.