Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway

Audrey Cuttler is just a normal girl; at least, that’s all she wants to be. She wants to hang out with her best friend Victoria (like the queen!), go crazy over music and get excited about attending concerts, and scoop ice cream at the mall (although this last one, not so much). But when she breaks up with her self-centered musician boyfriend Evan, normal is no longer possible. Evan writes a breakup song titled Audrey, Wait! and it catches on with the international public and spreads like wildfire, skyrocketing up the Billboard charts and launching Evan’s band, The Do Gooders, and a reluctant Audrey into the spotlight. Now, Audrey’s life is spiraling out of control, especially because she can’t go anywhere without getting mobbed by the paparazzi and/or her fans. But she soon learns that the publication of her life comes with the territory of fame. But amidst all the lies and rumors, she finally gets to tell her side of the story in this witty and authentic tale.

Audrey, Wait! is such a cute and memorable novel, and for several reasons. The main explanation for my large enjoyment of this story was because of Audrey’s character. She is such a realistic and funny heroine, and her seemingly uphill battle against the ramifications of fame in her life made her even more likable. I enjoyed learning about even the smallest details in her life, from her fat kitty Bendomolena to her relationship with her parents. It’s definitely the details that made Audrey such a three-dimensional character. I think perhaps my favorite part about Audrey were her thoughts because some of them, however, subtle, were quite revolutionary epiphanies in her life, and I could totally relate to her lines of thought. The incorporation of music in this already well-written story only made it more priceless. I especially liked how the song quotes at the beginning of each chapter were from some bands that rock my world.

Audrey, Wait! has something for every teenage girl out there, from hot boy bands and insta-fame to messy breakups and tentative crushes. I recommend this novel particularly to fans of I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone by Stephanie Kuehnert and Anatomy of a Boyfriend by Daria Snadowsky, and I look forward to great things from Benway.

Rating: 4.75

Review copy from personal collection