This One Is Mine by Maria Semple

From the Publisher

Violet Parry is living the quintessential life of luxury in the Hollywood Hills with David, her rock-and-roll manager husband, and her darling toddler, Dot. She has the perfect life—except that she's deeply unhappy. David expects the world of Violet but gives little of himself in return. When she meets Teddy, a roguish small-time bass player, Violet comes alive, and soon she's risking everything for the chance to find herself again. Also in the picture are David's hilariously high-strung sister, Sally, on the prowl for a successful husband, and Jeremy, the ESPN sportscaster savant who falls into her trap. For all their recklessness, Violet and Sally will discover that David and Jeremy have a few surprises of their own. THIS ONE IS MINE is a compassionate and wickedly funny satire about our need for more—and the often disastrous choices we make in the name of happiness.

Publishers Weekly

Former television producer and writer Semple (Arrested Development; Mad About You) bashes Hollywood celebrity, New Age nonsense and struggling relationships in this smart and funny debut. Violet Parry, who puts aside a TV writing career to have a baby and take care of the sumptuous L.A. home of her legendary impresario hubby, David, scratches a seven-year itch with D-list rocker Teddy Reyes. Yet Violet is hardly ready for the roller-coaster ride with a man who thinks only "about my rent and my car and getting laid and staying sober." Meanwhile, David's conniving sister, Sally, sets out to snag a rich husband, training her sights on Jeremy, a robotic sports-stats genius with a promising TV career. In one of the most hilarious sendups of New Age claptrap, David figures out if he's willing to stick around to see where Violet's wild ride will take them. Semple's takes are tack sharp as her delightful cast is driven comically and tragically ever deeper into a culture of artifice. Semple obviously knows her turf, and she does an exquisite job of stomping all over it. (Dec.)

Karen Core - Library Journal

Violet Parry is unhappily married to LA rock 'n' roll manager David when she falls for Teddy, a man whose circumstances are her polar opposite. Things are bad for Teddy-not only is he a struggling musician but he is also a recovering drug addict infected with hepatitis C, and, as Violet notes, he's the first person she's known who's missing a tooth. Violet endears herself to Teddy by paying to fix his truck and inexplicably pursues him. While Violet struggles with her marriage, David's younger sister, Sally, is hunting for a successful husband, and she has in mind Jeremy, a soon-to-be-famous sportscaster. Sally has problems of her own-she's diabetic and buried under credit card debt. All the players come together at Sally's wedding, where Violet has hired Teddy's band as the entertainment. Teddy becomes the catalyst for change for both Violet and Sally as the author skillfully interweaves two different story lines showing that the choices we make in the name of happiness can affect us and those closest to us in unexpected ways. This debut novel by a former television writer is sure to be a hit with readers who like women's fiction set in upscale LA (e.g., Gigi Levangie Grazer's The Starter Wife). Recommended for all public libraries.

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