The Gossip by Jenny Holiday – a Review

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Description:
Dawn Hathaway is a realist. She’s not the smartest girl at Allenhurst College. She’s not the prettiest, either. So if she wants to be popular, she’ll need something else: power. What better way to get it than to start a gossip column in the campus newspaper? If she has to commit a few minor crimes in pursuit of the latest scoop, what’s the harm?

Arturo Perez loves being a campus cop. He knows Allenhurst’s nooks and crannies—and lately he’s been finding the campus gossip snooping into every one of them. He can’t deny that he enjoys bantering with the sassy schemer. But he also can’t shake the sense that there’s more going on with Dawn than meets the eye.

When tragedy strikes and Dawn needs help, how far will Arturo go to protect her?

Review:

Dawn wants to be seen, to be heard, so she starts writing a gossip column for Allenhurst’s college newspaper.  What she achieves is much more purposeful:  To be relevant.  Coming off of an awesome introduction (The Fixer review available here), I couldn’t wait to absorb all The Gossip, ;), aka book 2 of Jenny Holiday‘s wonderful New Wave Classroom series!  This is another short, but deliciously full story about time and patience making love even more profound.  Jenny Holiday knows how to capture the essence of the 80’s and continues to inspire us with her meaningful love stories.

Officer Art is not unhappy at his job as campus police, but his family, those of the “real” variety via Boston PD, can’t seem to fathom why he won’t move up into the “big league”.  Art makes a difference for college students living it up, living independent of their parents’ roofs. 

“Their lives were nothing like my own had been…It was my job to to care about them.  Which sometimes meant saving them from themselves.”

Dawn is one such student, a prime example of freedom unchecked.  Art maintains professional distance, but he is also there at pivotal times to soothe Dawn while she explores and ventures too close to the edge, securing “social power”.  Popularity has its perks, but Dawn was looking for more, the kind of more that only someone who truly cares would notice.   
 
“I’d gotten into this mindset where I needed to make sure she was okay.  She always was, of course.  But I had to check.  I always had to check.  Because something told me that she wasn’t actually okay, not really…I wasn’t sure why I was so compelled to look out for her, except it seemed like maybe no one else was.  She was at the center of everything, but she was also alone.”

Jenny Holiday gives us a bird’s eye view of college life, the joyous and perilous consequences of decision making when no one is around to hold your hand.  Art and Dawn influence each other’s choices and breathe life into a friendship that forgives and empowers bold choices.  I couldn’t get enough of this couple!  The ability to balance witty banter with sparring bouts grew the attraction, making themselves too irresistible to, well, resist!  You’re going to love Art and Dawn individually and root for them romantically.

Another lovely read to lift your spirits and remind you of a more carefree time.  Of coming into your own skin after trying on so many others.  The Pacifist is undoubtedly destined to conclude the series in fabulous fashion.  Book covers are to die for!  Well done, Ms. Holiday…you rock!

Reviewed by Carmen

Copy provided by Promoter

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