Title: Just Pru
Author: Anne Pfeffer
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon
"My mother once joked that my dad had wanted to name me Obedience. As if Prudence wasn't bad enough. I was not a Prudence and I never would be."
When twenty-five-year-old Pru Anderson—braless, pajama-clad, and clutching her cat, Chuck—is rescued from her burning Los Angeles apartment, the thing that scares her most is meeting the neighbors. New people make her hide in the bathroom, counting by sevens, but when her home is destroyed, she must turn strangers into friends … or crawl back to the controlling parents she only recently escaped.
What would her idol, Pepper Hathaway, do? That’s a no brainer: the detective-slash-supermodel heroine from Pru's favorite TV series would take no prisoners while looking fierce in a tankini and stilettos. So when the chance comes to live with her upstairs neighbor, Ellen, a playwright, Pru goes for it.
Thus begin the adventures of Pru, who's never had a job, a friend, or a first kiss. Swept into Ellen's whirlwind life, Pru begins to build her own, as director's assistant for a new play, muse to brooding actor Blake, and possible love interest to adorably neurotic neighbor, Adam.
Only one thing can derail Pru's exhilarating ride. Well, actually, it's two things—and they're in a car headed straight for LA to torpedo her life. When the past that nearly destroyed her comes calling, who will she be: a Prudence or a Pepper?
When twenty-five-year-old Pru Anderson—braless, pajama-clad, and clutching her cat, Chuck—is rescued from her burning Los Angeles apartment, the thing that scares her most is meeting the neighbors. New people make her hide in the bathroom, counting by sevens, but when her home is destroyed, she must turn strangers into friends … or crawl back to the controlling parents she only recently escaped.
What would her idol, Pepper Hathaway, do? That’s a no brainer: the detective-slash-supermodel heroine from Pru's favorite TV series would take no prisoners while looking fierce in a tankini and stilettos. So when the chance comes to live with her upstairs neighbor, Ellen, a playwright, Pru goes for it.
Thus begin the adventures of Pru, who's never had a job, a friend, or a first kiss. Swept into Ellen's whirlwind life, Pru begins to build her own, as director's assistant for a new play, muse to brooding actor Blake, and possible love interest to adorably neurotic neighbor, Adam.
Only one thing can derail Pru's exhilarating ride. Well, actually, it's two things—and they're in a car headed straight for LA to torpedo her life. When the past that nearly destroyed her comes calling, who will she be: a Prudence or a Pepper?
Pru has just moved to LA, when her apartment complex catches fire. Now she has no place to stay, no money, and not even any clothes. However, Pru has just escaped her controlling, restrictive parents, and isn't about to give up and go back. Pru also has anxiety, keeping her shut up and closed off, and has never even met her neighbors. But when Ellen takes her in, Pru has to learn to come out of her shell.
Pru was hilarious. She was sweet and funny. She struggles throughout the story, a lot. With her weight, with her anxiety, with her parents, with having feelings for a guy for the first time ever. She was so naive about things, and it was heartbreaking yet adorable at the same time.
I also loved the side characters from Adam, with all his quirks and adorableness, to Ellen and her crew of actors. Blake and Becca and their drama. Well, except for Pru's parents. They were beyond ridiculous. The way they were so controlling and oppressive, made my skin crawl. All of Pru's life, they tell her she isn't like normal kids, can't do things like normal kids, and basically keep her locked up. But they played their part in the story, and the fact that I dislike them show much shows how well they were written. The secondary characters brought life to the story, and added depth.
But I loved this message, and what this story has to offer its readers. Empowerment, independence. Pru has to learn to stand on her own two feet. She has to decide to live life the way she wants to, and not the way her parents have been telling her. She has to be comfortable in her body, doing what she loves to do. And hey, a cute guy doesn't hurt either ;)
I loved this story from start to finish. It was hilarious, but relatable. We may not all struggle with the level of anxiety and other mental issues that Pru does, but I think we all still, on some level, understand. This was a great and powerful story, and one I definitely recommend.
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Two (2) winners get a paperback set of Anne Pfeffer's books, Any Other Night, Girls Love Travis Walker, The Wedding Cake Girl and Just Pru. Open to US only. Ends March 4, 2015
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Fantastic review! I'm so glad you connected with this one as well. Thank you so much for hosting a tour stop and for sharing your thoughts on the book!
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