Been There, Don’t Do It

Been There, Married That

By: Gigi Levangie

I almost DNF’ed this. I probably should have but Been There, Married That is a book to read if you have a lot going on and are looking for something that you have absolutely no emotional investment or even interest in.

This book was kindly provided to be as an ARC by Netgalley.

It tells the story of Agnes wife of a Hollywood super-producer and side-writer. One night after a book signing she goes home to find the codes changed, the doors locked and a security guard who helpfully tases her.

Yet amazingly Agnes still doesn’t get the picture.

What follows is…

Well, I’m not really sure what it’s supposed to be. A Hollywood divorce story? Maybe. But for about 70% of this book Agnes doesn’t do anything. The husband is an awful man-child producer who can barely function on his own yet makes millions of dollars. I don’t know why. No less that Gigi Levangie was once married to super producer Bryan Grazer and that’s all I can see here.

Which is definitely unpleasant when she starts talking about other more intimate things… I needed bleach.

Maybe it’s a coming of age/mid-life crisis?

Except with the exception of the relationship Agnes doesn’t really change and in a lot of ways neither does the actual relationship with her ex-husband. Plus it’s one of those where this woman is supposed to be a mess but winds up with two fairly good suitors. Character wise it was just impossible to get a read on these people and it felt so ridiculous at times (while I believe it could happen in Hollywood) it was still a bit much.

Which can also describe the overall humor. A bit much. I’m all for anything goes, pushing the envelope kind of humor but you really have to nail it or at least edit yourself and she does neither here. It’s like the worst of the Housewives shows- on steroids.

Seeing as this is an ARC the book definitely needs more editing. I hope the final product is more streamlined and put together.

That being said I did like Agnes sister and I liked the idea of the end of the novel. Unfortunately it didn’t work with what came before it and I didn’t care for the characters so it was a big shrug.

Recommend: No.