Review & Interview: 'Right Click' by Lisa Becker (2013)

Love. Marriage. Infidelity. Crises of identity. Death. Cupcakes. The themes in Right Click, the third and final installment in the Click series, couldn't be more pressing for this group of friends as they navigate through their 30's. Another six months have passed since we last eavesdropped on the hilarious, poignant and oftentimes inappropriate email adventures of Renee and friends. As the story continues to unfold, relationships are tested and some need to be set "right" before everyone can find their "happily ever after."   Last year I was contacted by author Lisa Becker with the question of whether I was interested in reviewing her three-part book series 'Click'. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two parts, 'Click' and 'Double Click' (click here to read my review) of the series which consists of only e-mail correspondence between a group of friends. Luckily, I had also received a review copy of the final part, 'Right Click', which was released in May 2014. The lovely Lisa Becker managed to find the time to answer some interview questions, which you can find below, including also the fabulous trailer of an upcoming film version of the book series. Be sure to check it out by simply scrolling down!   'Right Click' is the third and final part of the 'Click' series which focuses on the lives of a group of friends: Renee, Shelley, Ashley, and Mark. In this last book, the characters once again find themselves in different situations: Renee is ready to get married to her lovely boyfriend Ethan; Shelley has taken the plunge and has moved away to Seattle to be with her boyfriend Nick, even though this means leaving behind her friends and family and building up a new life in a strange place; Ashley is trying to find her way being her mother to her new baby girl, and Mark is happily engaged to Cassidy, but there are some troubles on the horizon. While each of the characters deals with everything life throws their way, they stay in touch with one another via e-mail; no matter the distance, the time or the subject matter!   I have to admit I am quite sad this is the final part of the 'Click' series, because I've thoroughly enjoyed the books and will definitely miss reading about the great and fun group of characters. I love the fact that Lisa Becker decided to write these books completely in the form of e-mails. Not only because it's a nice change from a regular novel, but also because it provides both reader and author with a different perspective of experiencing a story. I was really surprised how much emotion and detail can still be conveyed through the use of e-mails, and I really ended up loving these novels and the characters. The main protagonist, Renee, is easy to warm to and the other characters all have their own unique personality traits which results in a great and fun group of friends.    Another aspect which I particularly liked about this part of the series is that it includes quite some emotional and sad events as well, and even in these situations the e-mail correspondence works. I was a tiny bit disappointed by the epilogue, but only because it was so short and I would have loved it to have included a bit more information. I would personally definitely recommend reading the other parts of the series before picking up 'Right Click'. I guess it could be read as a stand-alone, but it's so much more enjoyable when you already know the characters and their history together. Lisa Becker is a great author and I'm curious to read a work that's not only e-mail correspondence, just to see what else she can do. Overall, 'Right Click' is a light, fun, and fast-paced read about friendship; the final part of a thoroughly enjoyable series which I highly recommend to all chick lit fans!    Rating:

9/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Author interview with Lisa Becker!

I'm really excited to welcome Lisa Becker to the blog today to tell us some more about her successful 'Click' book series!
Can you tell us something about your novel, ‘Right Click’? Well, if your readers really do like happy endings, this third and final instalment in the Click trilogy should prove quite satisfying.  The trilogy, Click: An Online Love Story, Double Click and Right Click, which all unfold exclusively in emails, marry the friendships of “Sex and the City,” the epistolary nature of “Bridget Jones’ Diary” and the online love story of “You’ve Got Mail” to be light and breezy stories for anyone who's ever been dumped, been in love, had a bad date or is still searching for "the one."  In the final chapter, another six months have passed since we last eavesdropped on the hilarious, poignant and often times inappropriate email adventures of Renee and friends. As the light-hearted, slice of life story continues to unfold, relationships are tested and some need to be set "right" before everyone can find their "happily ever after."
Where did you get the inspiration for your novel? Is it in any way based on your own personal experiences? The trilogy is loosely based on my real-life dating experiences, as well as stories friends have shared with me.  In some cases, things are written as they actually occurred.  Other scenarios are exaggerated for entertainment value or comedic affect.  And some scenarios are completely fictionalized.  But I really did go out on a date with someone I met online who started every story (no joke!) with “My buddies and I were out drinking last night.”  
Can you tell us a bit more about the main protagonist, Renee? Renee has a self-depreciating sense of humor, fear of flying, motivation in her PR career, love of baking and hopeful romantic outlook on life.  
There’s a great cast of supporting characters in the novel as well. Which character did you most enjoy writing? Mark is loosely based on a friend who encouraged me to try online dating.  He’s a terrific guy who is still himself searching for “the one.”   So if you know any nice single girls, let me know.  ;)  But, my favorite character is Shelley.  She’s confident, brash, outrageous and wholly unapologetic for her choices.  She was so fun to write.  Her hilarious habit of giving nicknames to her “man du jour” was inspired by a childhood friend of mine who had a nickname for a guy in college that she admired from across the dorm cafeteria.  She called him Maverick because he looked like Tom Cruise in Top Gun.  Much like Shelley, she is a self-confident, gorgeous, lovely gal and it wasn't long before they met and dated for a spell.  
Can you perhaps tell us something about your future plans? Are you perhaps already working on a next novel? The screenplay based on the first in the series has recently been optioned for a major motion picture.  The same company also optioned another screenplay, called Clutch.  The story follows a young handbag designer who has a series of unsuccessful romantic relationships she compares to various styles of handbags – the Hobo (slacker), Diaper Bag (single dad), Messenger (born-again Christian), etc. –  in an effort to find the “Clutch” or one she wants to hold onto.  I’ve since completed three other screenplays and like most everyone in Los Angeles am now trying to break into the movies.  
And the question I can’t help but ask; is this really the end of the Click series or will we see these characters again in the future...? I do believe that Right Click brings the series to a satisfying conclusion and I have no plans for more novels in the series.  I am, hoping (with fingers crossed and double crossed!) that we will see these characters brought to life on the big screen.  I’d love to see Casey Wilson play Renee, I can picture Shelley played by Malin Akerman, and I think James Van Der Beek would make a great Mark Finley.
Do you have any tips for aspiring writers? The  Click trilogy is a self-published series.  I explored the traditional publishing route and got feedback from multiple literary agents. One in particular explained the current economic state of the publishing industry to me. Due to the large investment to edit, produce, distribute and market a work by an unknown author, many large publishers won’t take the risk. Self-publishing is a way to get your work out there and was very easy.  The hardest part is marketing the book and spreading the word about it.  So, I’m especially appreciative to blogs like yours for helping me with that process.   
I'm also reminded of some advice I was once given. I had interviewed Charles Rosen, one of the producers of the original Beverly Hills 90210, for an alumni magazine article while I was in graduate school. And I'll never forget what he told me, "Don't fall in love with your words, because somebody above will probably change them." One of the great benefits of self-publishing is that you can really take control of the process. 
And last but not least, if you had to describe ‘Right Click’ in just three words, which words would you pick? Conversational, clever and calibrated, with a fourth being alliterative ;)

Thanks, Lisa!
Be sure to watch the fab book trailer for 'Click' below!

Review: 'Double Click' by Lisa Becker (2013)

Fans of the romantic hit Click: An Online Love Story will enjoy another voyeuristic dive into the lives of Renee, Shelley, Ashley, Mark and Ethan, as Double Click picks up with their lives six months later. Are Renee and Ethan soul mates? Does Mark ever go on a date? Has Shelley run out of sexual conquests in Los Angeles? Will Ashley's judgmental nature sabotage her budding relationship? Through a marriage proposal, wedding, new baby and unexpected love twist, Double Click answers these questions and more. Readers will continue to cheer, laugh, cry and cringe following the email exploits of Renee and friends.
Last year I got the opportunity to read and review Lisa Becker’s novel ‘Click: an Online Love Story’ for this blog; a book in which the story is completely told in the form of e-mails and a book I ended up thoroughly enjoying. I was lucky enough to also receive a review copy of the sequel to ‘Click’, titled ‘Double Click’, from the lovely Lisa. Seeing how much I enjoyed the first book, I looked forward to picking up this next part as well to see what main character Renee and her friends would get up to this time around!
In this second part of the ‘Click’ series, we join Renee and her friends quite some time after the ending of the first novel and several things have happened. Renee is incredibly happy with her boyfriend Ethan; Ashley is about to become a mother for the first time; Mark has found a new girl whom he is pretty serious about; and Shelley is acting out of character and obviously hiding something from her friends, but no one is sure what’s going on. Lots of different things are happening in the world of Renee and her friends, and through their e-mails we get to experience it all with them.     Just like the first ‘Click’ book, this novel is completely written in the form of e-mails. While some people might expect this to provide less detail or the chance to go in-depth, Lisa Becker proves that this is definitely not the case. I personally loved reading a book in this particular format, a format that makes it really easy and quick to fly through the pages of the book; a format that made me both smile and feel for the different characters; and a format that fits this modern day and age perfectly. We all use messaging services like e-mail constantly to connect with one another, and it’s great to see an author use this in this particular way to tell a story.
The book has a wonderful group of friends at its core, each with their own individual character. It was a lot of fun to follow what goes on in their lives and to read their conversations. In order to really get to know these characters and to understand what is going on in their lives, I do recommend reading the first book as well, instead of starting with ‘Double Click’ as a stand-alone. I’m really excited to know Lisa Becker wrote and released the third part of the series last year and I can’t wait to once again join Renee and her friends in the near future. ‘Double Click’ is a thoroughly enjoyable, quick and fun read, and the second book of a series I highly recommend!

Rating:8,5/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.