Chris Manby? Chrissie Manby?

I read a Chris Manby once, when I was big on chick-lit. It was called 'Second Chance' and was the first book I remember being really critical of in the genre. Which is surprising, since I'm clearly very critical.

It's just, this girl was obsessed with getting this rich guy. And he was obviously a prick. And she got forced to live with this guy who was normal, so of course she was destined to be with him once the prick had finished shattering all her self esteem and she actually bought a clue. But she had to be embarrassed by her shoddy horse-riding and be burnt by the other bird he was stringing along (literally, she poured coffee over her) first.

Throughout the whole book I could see where Chris Manby was taking it and thought it was strung out far too long.

But anyway, I saw this other book recently, 'crazy in love' by Chrissie Manby. I didn't think there would be any difference really, but the plotline intrigued me. So I got it (on sale, obviously) and read it yesterday.

And hmmm. It's not the same writer - Chris was writing between Pembrokeshire and London. Chrissie is blatantly American.

The book was about a socialite who falls for a TV star and tries to date him. His agent persuades him it's good publicity, but eventually he gets sick of her - especially when she tries to force him to marry her - and she tries everything, and I mean everything to get him back. So she decides to do one of those thrill-seeking things where you pay to be kidnapped ... but gets kidnapped for real, with her gardener. And they escape and spend a couple of weeks trekking through forest and up hills and miraculously in this time she goes from airhead to ecowarrior. Sure.

It was well written. I mean, I thought the socialite was vapid, and one of those people who'll appropriate blame to anyone but themselves, but it does become clear that the writer's aware of that and does poke fun at her. I just ... it didn't have a believability at the end. She was writing with an agenda, like 'hey, you can love labels and protect the environment! You can be eco-friendly without smelling like crap and making no effort! OMG!' ... I hate when writers force their agendas down your throat like it. There was another writer who did it too - I'm not thinking of Stefenie Meyer, despite the whole sex-before-marriage thing, I mean they did this whole speech at the end of the book that's meant to be an epiphany but just ended up a soapbox - anyway, it flipping annoys me. Bury your agenda in metaphors and character actions, geez!