Title: Perfect on Paper: The (Mis)adventures of Waverly Bryson
Author: Maria Murnane
ISBN: 098004250X
Pages: 320
Genre: Chick Lit
Review: Originally appeared on Amazon.com - the author was kind enough to send me a review copy!
Rating: **** 1/2 (out of 5)

Perfect on Paper is the story of Waverly (yes, like the cracker) Bryson, a woman who works in sports PR, but doesn't like sports. That seems to be a metaphor for Waverly's entire life; her fiancé left her a week before their wedding, and she still can't seem to find the courage to tell people that he left her, and not the other way around. She confesses deep thoughts about her past to random strangers and always seems to be spilling food on herself when she meets cute guys.

In short, this is a hilarious look at ordinary life. Yes, Waverly seems to have the "it" job...but how many of us aren't excited by our jobs? And how many girls have lied about who dumped who in a relationship (or at least considered it?) And don't get me started on blind dates - Waverly's experiences are priceless. The key to this book is that Waverly is like any other woman; who can't relate to what she's going through or sympathize with how she feels? Even though she lives a bit more of a glamorous lifestyle than the common woman, throughout the book, it is clear that she is just an ordinary girl trying to find love - and shouldn't everyone love reading about that?

Murnane's wit shines through the book - if I had to pick one reason to read the book, it would be the sheer hilarity that ensues. She also manages to write incredibly awkward scenes without making the reader cringe. One of the worst parts of reading a book like this is that when there is an embarrassing moment for the main character, I am tempted to skip ahead and just see how it ends because it makes me feel so awkward. Murnane somehow magically managed to write these events without the embarrassment passing on the the reader, an impressive feat.

In short, Perfect on Paper is well written, funny, smart, and is generally loveable. So what are you waiting for? Read this book! You won't regret it.