As the first season of Channel 10’s new rom-com series, The Wrong Girl, comes to an end, it’s the perfect time to get back to the source material.
Based on Zoe Foster’s comical novel of the same name, the book varies quite significantly from the television series but many elements and situations are the same or familiar. This is a fun ride through romance and ratings when TV producer Lily navigates the maze of a cut-throat network television industry, friends with benefits, and a hot new talent with romantic potential.
Foster’s witty novel works because of her oh-so-human characters, with all their foibles and quirks. The snappy dialogue, embarrassing situations and never-ending hope make The Wrong Girl a highly enjoyable romantic romp through single life and professional ambition.
When it comes to spoken comedy however, the timing is in the delivery and Aimee Horne excels as the audiobook narrator. She not only delivers distinct characters, but lands their snappy dialogue and inner thoughts beautifully. There are many laugh-out-loud moments thanks to Horne’s expert storytelling.
The Wrong Girl is chic lit that should appeal to everyone. It’s not my favourite genre. In fact, it’s a genre I usually avoid unless Bridget Jones is making an appearance. But, like everything in life, a blanket rule will make you miss out on so many good exceptions. The Wrong Girl is one of these exceptions. Chic lit, it may be, but it’s also a very funny comedy with very real emotion, believable characters and some surprising depth. It is Horne’s reading that make it for me however. Kudos to Foster’s wonderful source material but, as a tentative punter to the genre, it’s Horne’s timing and three dimensional delivery that really makes this a winner.
The Wrong Girl is worth multiple listens. Running approximately 7 hours and 53 minutes, it’s not a long commitment so far as unabridged audiobooks go, but it is a highly rewarding one. It even swayed me to tune in to the television series (which I’m also now addicted to!).
The Wrong Girl is the right girl to tune into, with the added bonus that it’s an Australian success story.
Reviewed by Rod Lewis
Twitter: @StrtegicRetweet
Rating out of 10: 9
Released by: Wavesound Audio and available through audible.com.au
Release date: October 2016
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