The Actor and the Housewife

Goodreads Synopsis:    What if you were to meet the number-one person on your laminated list—you know, that list you joke about with your significant other about which five celebrities you’d be allowed to run off with if ever given the chance? And of course since it’ll never happen it doesn’t matter…Mormon housewife Becky Jack is seven months pregnant with her fourth child when she meets celebrity hearththrob Felix Callahan. Twelve hours, one elevator ride, and one alcohol-free dinner later, something has happened…though nothing has happened. It isn’t sexual. It isn’t even quite love. But a month later Felix shows up in Salt Lake City to visit and before they know what’s hit them, Felix and Becky are best friends. Really. Becky’s husband is pretty cool about it. H er children roll their eyes. Her neighbors gossip endlessly. But Felix and Becky have something special…something unusual, something completely impossible to sustain. Or is it? A magical story, The Actor and the Housewifeexplores what could happen when your not-so-secret celebrity crush walks right into real life and changes everything.

My Thoughts:

-    There is a lot of controversy surrounding this book, so naturally, I wanted to read it.

-    I understand why there is a lot of controversy about this book.  I am torn about it.  Can a man and woman be best friends while they are happily married to other people?  I believe so!  I am friends with a guy I met in college.  I met him the same time I met my husband.  My friend became my co-worker.  We went to lunch together, got drinks together, hung out together at work, and it was totally innocent.  There was nothing wrong with us being together as friends.  However, I believe this is a delicate line.  It depends on your circumstances.  I think Becky and Felix got a little too close to that fine line.  

-    The Exclusive magazine description of Becky made me laugh!

-    I love that Becky punched Felix in the jaw!

-    I don't get giddy over my friends.  I don't understand the giddiness.  The only people I've been excited and giddy to get a text or phone call from are guys I've been interested in.  

-    Dang it Shannon Hale!!!  You made me cry...ok...I was weeping....for like 3...maybe 4 chapters.   I don't want to spoil anything, so all I can say is that I feel the same way about my husband as Becky feels about Mike.   I've had nightmares about my hubby leaving me, cheating on me, dying, etc.  They happen often, and I always wake up sobbing and clinging to my poor confused hubby.  He has gotten used to me waking up crying in the middle of the night though, and he is so nice to just hold me and know what happened.  

-    I thought I had predicted the ending...but I didn't.  It was a shocker ending for me.  I'm not sure I liked where this story went.  I not sure if I liked this story period!  I'm internally debating about it. 

-    I didn't like how LDS people were portrayed as...well...a little nuts.   Although this book is highly accurate about of a lot of LDS people,  I just want to say all of us aren't that stereotypical.   For example, me!

-    Honestly, it is hard to put into words exactly how I feel about this book.  It was fun, but terrible.  It was good, but terrible.  It made me cry, and that was terrible.  I just don't know what to think about all of this.

-    I need a really long hug from my hubby right now.