REVIEW: Unleashed in LA by Carole Ryder
One joke. One dog. One crazy midlife reinvention.
It begins as a joke at a glamorous LA party – where dogs wear Gucci collars and menopausal Brit Christine feels invisible. When asked what she does for a living, Christine jokes that she reads literature to dogs. What could possibly go wrong with one white lie in Hollywood?
Jay, who manages Byron, a famous producer, believes her and offers her serious money to tame Byron’s uncontrollable dog, Obie. In a moment of madness, Christine agrees. There’s just one problem – Christine doesn’t like dogs.
So, why did she say yes? Since living in LA, she’s been desperate to glimpse life behind celebrity gates and needs the cash.
What follows is a masterclass in chaos. Christine enlists fellow culture-shocked expat Lucy to assist with some dog training that goes spectacularly wrong. Think dead pelican floating in a Malibu infinity pool and Christine explaining canine literary therapy to baffled Santa Monica cops.
What happens when Christine finally comes face to face with the ferocious Obie?
CW/TW – dog abuse – the dog is okay by the end
Dear Ms. Ryder,
I can actually see this being a business in LA. And if it isn’t now, as soon as someone reads this book, I bet it will be. A bored expat slings out a lie about what she does and before she knows it, someone with more money than sense is throwing money at her to make it real. But this is LA where nothing is real.
Chrissy and her husband have been British expats in LA due to Dave’s business. Chrissy has also made friends with Lucy, the killer divorce lawyer back in the UK, who is now desperately trying to “find herself” (as one does in LA) with some (expensive) help from all kinds of gurus. I actually had the most fun reading about these two lapping up the California sunshine, talking about trying all the yoga studios, and finding their bliss poolside. The excesses of what kind of life is available to those with household staff, entourages, and more money than they know what to do with had me shaking my head. Got to keep up with the latest ridiculous trends, after all.
Then Chrissy utters a little lie and in an attempt to avoid being caught out keeps piling on statements that only make her look more exclusive and thus desirable. Act slightly mysterious and coy and the richie richs just have to have your services. But what if you’re claiming skills you don’t have to do a job you don’t do? No worries as it will get you in for at least one peek at a Bel Air mansion.
To be honest, after a while, I got a bit numb at the endless tomfoolery that these celebrities are up to but then I was also never a fan of the old TV show Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous either. Another thing that I quickly noticed is that some major scene would be built up to – such as how terrible Chrissy’s first experience with Oberon would be?, only for the moment to pass quickly and easily. Oh, I thought. That was a let down. After this happened a few times and the story dragged on, I got bored. Villains are too easy to spot and anticipate and honestly Chrissy, blabbing plans around a nemesis?
At first the silliness is fun, watching Chrissy and Lucy revel in the CA sunshine makes me smile but after a while, even playing this for laughs wore thin. The above warning is something that I was saddened that the perpetrator never seemed to have to pay for doing and given his track record, I wouldn’t want a friend of mine to marry Oberon’s dog dad no matter how devoted he is to Obie. C
~Jayne
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