Mace Evans is fast approaching age 40 and she does not have her life together. In truth, she is a screw-up and sees herself as a relationship failure. This is especially true when it comes to her love life. She has made mistakes, one particular doozy, cost her a husband and her reputation, a fact that members of her large family, especially perfect sister Shannon, don’t hesitate to point out on a regular basis. Philosophical about her missteps, Mace makes halfhearted attempts to take charge of her life. With enough incentive, she thinks “I could polish up like tarnished sliver when I bother to make the effort” but she doesn’t often want to make the effort. Mace is easily and comically distracted from almost every good intention more often than not by chocolate or a bottle of Merlot.
Following Mace through her haphazard life is a collection of well-defined secondary characters. More humor ensues with unique and funny friends, lovable and annoying family members and unsuitable or unavailable men. These characters know Mace so well and play off of her anti-social behavior perfectly. Through their eyes, the author shows Mace as comical and yet lovable in spite of her imperfections. The author also explores a painful past while balancing the humor that makes the book such a fun read. The dialog is smart and funny, especially Mace’s inner musing over witticisms by Oscar Wilde, her self proclaimed mentor and life coach.
BEING ANTI-SOCIAL is sarcastic and witty without being silly or trite. It is a charming story with a toned-down, “Bridget Jones’s Diary” appeal. Readers should be prepared to laugh a lot, cry a little and be very sorry to see the end of this book.
Reviewed by Maureen Fajt for IndieReader.