ELLEgirl reads...Fancy White Trash

Abigail Savage has a plan for love—the One True Love Plan. Who wouldn’t devise a plan if a genetic inclination for boy-craziness ran in your family? Meet Abby’s family in Marjetta Geerling’s novel, Fancy White Trash: Her mother married her father twice, left him twice, and then married her daughter’s much younger guitar instructor; eldest sister Shelby, 21 years old and already a mother, married two weeks after her high school graduation and was divorced seven months later; Kaitlyn, a pregnant single-mom-to-be at age 18, is a senior repeat in high school and doesn’t plan on college. This is a pretty outlandish plot—think daytime soap opera style—but despite the implausibility at points in the story, I found Abby to be a likeable character (Yes Abby, go get that college degree and find Mr. Right!). She may be overly cynical, but there’s something to be learned from Abby’s One True Love Plan rules. If you consider yourself fancy white trash, that is.

Rule 1: Find Someone New
“The Guitar Player” has gone through more Savage girls than guitar picks. He could have easily impregnated Shelby and Kait (both former hook-ups) before he married their mother—even though she is half his age and he has a history with her daughters—and after two months, (surprise!) “The Guitar Player” fathers the fourth addition to the Savage family. (I know, it’s a pretty confusing love triangle). Lesson learned? Don’t go for sloppy seconds.

Rule 2: No Baggage from Past Relationships Allowed
Abby knows that psycho exes, kids, and Kait’s old boyfriend’s snake that has involuntarily become the household pet is enough to make Mr. Right do an about-face. Throw it out, recycle it, burn it, whatever—just don’t hold on to it!

Rule 3: Looks Aren't Everything
Abby’s soap opera obsession has her firmly believing that if the characters weren’t, as she says, “all too good-looking,” then half their problems would disappear. Look for a guy who has more going for him than dazzling eyes and nice hair.

Rule 4: Don't Need Him

“Want him, like him, love him—but never, ever need him.” Good rule, Abby. She figured this one out because of her unreliable father and sisters desperate for male attention.

Rule 5: Get Out of Town

Bringing a new boyfriend to meet the fam could turn disastrous in the Savage household—it’s annoying when your new boyfriend falls for your sister or mother (it happens more than you think in Abby’s world).

Just when you think Abby’s sensible head is tightly affixed, the dreamy Jackson comes home (one of Abby’s old flings before her family got to him). He's sort of like a hurricane to her insurance plan, since Abby still has feelings for him. Will the boy crazy gene kick in? Or will the One True Love Plan save her? You’ll have to tune in to find out. Like the best (and worst) of daytime TV, Fancy White Trash is utterly addictive while living up to its title.–Emily Lea Berry

Let us know what you thought about Fancy White Trash in the comments section, and don’t forget to start reading these upcoming ELLEgirl Book Club picks:
June 13: Loose Girl by Kerry Cohen
June 18: Mexican High by Liza Monroy
June 25: Looks by Madeleine George
July 2: Frozen Fire by Tim Bowler

Comments

[abigail]

this book is completely amazing. i just finished it around 5 minutes ago and i went searching to see if Marjetta Geerling was to be soon making a sequel, unfortunately she isn't. at first i thought this book was going to be racial towards white people but it actually wasn't. i'm glad to see someone promoting it.