Average plot surprises reader with realism

All Things Literary

A 30-something woman, typically British, working in the fashion/advertising/publicist world has given up on love. She resigns herself to mindless dating and meaningless sex. She has a gay best friend with strong opinions and a cigarette addiction, and a mother with meddling tendencies in all things matrimony.

Suddenly, her Prince Charming comes from the most unexpected of places. Amidst the frequent flirtation and sexual tension, boy and girl get together and live happily ever after.

Insert specific character names, job positions, book titles and authors as you will.

I wouldn’t be surprised if I’ve read close to 20 books that follow this formula. But I can’t stop reading them, so I’ll admit it — I’m a sucker for the smutty, outspoken, "Bridget Jones’ Diary" type of book.

What can I say? These books are no-brainers. It’s minimum-input, maximum-output reading. You don’t have to think very hard to understand them, and they provide hours of mindless entertainment.

Recently, I came across a book that I assumed fell under this same category. The blurb on the back panel set up a similar storyline — a frustrated girl tired of relationships, a gay best friend in tow and an unlikely romance from an unforeseen source. I figured I hadn’t indulged in one of these in a while, so I splurged and bought it.

Let me just say, this book was a far cry from my typical fare. If you’re going to read one of these trashy novels, read Mina Ford’s "My Fake Wedding." This is one of the most realistic, laugh-out loud books I ever have come across.

Katie Simpson’s life is turned upside when she catches her fiancé in a compromising position with another woman. She immediately swears off relationships and dedicates herself to a life of one-night stands, sweatpants and ice cream-indulgent nights on the couch. When her best friend George needs her help to keep his Australian boyfriend in the country, Katie is more than happy to play the model bride in a wedding charade. Sounds familiar, right? Guess again.

Ford has written a book with some of the wittiest dialogue I have seen. Her characters are unabashed in their demeanor, whether they are spewing obscenities about old boyfriends or chatting cattily regarding their restaurant neighbors. What makes these conversations so intriguing, though, are how genuine they are. This book actually portrays girls in a real light — no sugar-coated, angelic personalities allowed.

The honesty in Ford’s writing hits strangely close to home. She does an amazing job of showing the inner workings of her characters’ minds. I could feel the inner angst that these girls experience — a pulse racing faster, a migraine mounting, a feeling of failure setting in. I could hear her characters’ conversations amid my circle of friends. I’ve lived these moments before.

Normally I use these books as an escape from my real life — but this book was more like a window into my life. All plot details aside, Ford understands the complexities of female friendship, and her accurate portrayal of such is something I won’t forget.