Ho visto un rospo – Wendy Holden Anna is a young aspiring writer, hosted by her boyfriend after losing his last job. A beautiful girl and very rich, even if these are the only two qualities he possesses. So when Anna is elegantly evicted, he decided to retrain as an assistant to Cassandra, a noted writer. The choice is not the most fortunate: Cassandra is an author of best-selling porn-Romantic creative block, block caused by the large daily intake of gin, used in turn caused by the conduct of his son, only manageable by a group of exorcists . Other than that Cassandra is also plagued by a husband, ex-rock star who longs for the declining success of his new future success and meanwhile chasing skirts all he meets, including the many nannies.
When Anna began working at the home of Cassandra realizes soon that will lead the miserable life, and what his job is to nurse, while the role of "assistant" can not even speak. The omens are not good until Anna meets Jamie, a Scottish nobleman owner of a romantic castle. When, after a few rides, Jamie asks her to marry him, Anna accepts without asking many questions. If leaving the home of Cassandra's a relief, and reaching the lost and ruined castle in the Scottish moors, and inhabited by cerberi in appearance - more or less - human, è una cocente delusione, e il disinteresse di Jamie una volta insediatisi al castello è sempre più sconcertante…
La trama è brillante e particolare, anche se un po’ confusionaria, ma i personaggi sono di debole spessore, un po’ appiattiti. Anna si fa trascinare dagli eventi anche – o soprattutto – quando decide di prendere il mano il suo destino, Cassandra è un’improbabile caricatura e Jamie un giovane nobile interessato solo a pecore e alla ricostruzione del castello che rifugge il sesso a causa di una serie di traumatiche esperienze al college…da evitare tranquillamente, non si perde nulla.
Una curiosità: il titolo originale – Bad Heir Day – is translated into an extravagant I saw a toad.
Wendy Holden. I saw a toad.
Tea. 2007. 316 pp. € 8.60.
Chick-lit.