From Stealing Home author Becky Wallace comes a Devil Wears Prada-inspired YA romance, in which “normal girl” Maddie must repair the image of Major League Soccer’s bad boy to ace her internship. A perfect read for fans of Morgan Matson and Miranda Kenneally.
Maddie McPherson is sick of Normal—both her hometown of Normal, Illinois and being the ‘normal’ sibling. But when she lands a summer internship with a sports marketing firm, she finally has a chance to crawl out of her genius brother’s shadow. Not to mention, a glowing letter of recommendation could secure her admission to her dream college.
But Maddie’s nickname is “CalaMaddie” for a reason, and when the company tasks her with repairing the image of teen soccer phenom Gabriel Fortunato, she wonders if she’s set herself up for embarrassment. Gabriel is a tabloid magnet, who’s best-known for flubbing Italy’s World Cup hopes. As Maddie works with him to develop “pleasant and friendly” content for social media, she also learns he’s thoughtful, multi-talented, and fiercely loyal—maybe even to a fault. Falling for a footballer is exactly how CalaMaddie would botch this internship, but with the firm pressuring her to get the job done, perhaps her heart is worth risking?
Far From Normal by Becky Wallace
Pages: 240
First Publishing Date: September 22nd, 2020
Publisher: Page Street Kids
MY THOUGHTS
The synopsis said it is Devil Wears Prada inspire, so I had to read it. I was Lil bit concerned about the sport part of the story, I am a sports lover but watching a sport and reading it is different, and sometimes it is hard to balance the story. Fortunately, it wasn’t the case here.
Maddy, a normal girl from normal, got an opportunity of internship at a company where her aunt works, so yes her aunt used her contact. Maddy wants something to add on her college application but she also wants to prove that she deserves to be here. By accident, she met Gabriel Fortunato-a famous soccer player, who happens to be a client of this company. It can be something big for Maddy’s non-existent career.
I loved the story, yes it was cliché but the characters were refreshing. It was so fun to read characters who think with their brain and knows how to communicate. I really loved Maddy and it’s been so long I’ve read a clear-minded lead. I am a sucker for a good family relationship, so the bond of Maddy and Max is one of the best sibling’s bonds I’ve ever read. It is so realistic that despite all of the parent’s tiny issues they share such a good friendship and both are comfortable in their own skin.
The story of aunt Emma also made sense. Life is not always good or bad, it can be in somewhere between.
One of the most important things I noticed that after meeting Gabe, Maddy’s intern life didn’t just vanish, it was still there and she cared about it.
