CR Review #10: I Think I Love You

A few years ago, I think right about when I had my first kid, someone gave me a paperback copy of I Don't Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson. It was the story of a working mom who somehow manages to have a full-time job, raise children, keep her house in one piece, and keep her marriage together, all with a British sense of humor and sensibility -- Kind of grown up Bridget Jones. Not a great book, but at the time, I guess I was in the right frame of mind for it and enjoyed it.

Then the other day at the library, I saw her new book, I Think I Love You, and decided to give it a whirl.

This is the story of Petra, a young welsh girl in 1974 who is OBSESSED with David Cassidy of the Partridge Family. She and her friends live and breathe David, even though her strict German mother does not approve of pop music and would much prefer that Petra spend her time practicing the cello. The story alternates chapters with a young writer at the official David Cassidy fan magazine, a new college graduate named Bill, who just doesn't quite understand the obsession that girls have with Cassidy.

The 1974 section of the book culminates with David's 1974 concert at White City, where a young girl was actually killed by the surging crowd of girls trying to be closer to Cassidy. Scary. Petra and her friends (or enemies -- lots of "mean girl" stuff going on behind the scenes here) also enter a contest to win a trip to meet David on the set of the Partridge Family, sponsored by Bill's magazine.

Turn to 1998...Petra's mother has just died, her husband has left her, and she is cleaning out her mother's closet. She finds out that 25 years earlier, she actually won the big prize to meet David Cassidy (this is not a spoiler, it provides this info on the book flap) and she calls the magazine to claim her prize.

Of course, now Bill is the big boss at the huge publishing company and the two head off to Las Vegas to meet Cassidy, along with Petra's childhood friend Sharon. And yes, Petra and Bill fall in love.

A quick, easy read. Probably more fun for Pearson to write about David Cassidy (clearly, she was a fan) than for me to read about him, but I understand her point about (mostly) innocent teenage obsession. Substitute Simon LeBon for David Cassidy, and I could have been Petra. Recommended if you ever picked up a copy of Tiger Beat magazine.