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Second Best Fantasy
Everyone dreams of being a rock star. Dating one is the second best fantasy.
Maggie O’Leary is a lonely lesbian dazzled by the talent and charisma of up-and-coming bisexual rock star, Janine Jordan. A romance with Janine could spell trouble, but Maggie can’t help falling in love.
Set in New York City during the nineties, Second Best Fantasy follows Maggie and Janine as they embark on an exciting and surprising journey together, which carries them through the music scene toward stardom, creative artistry, career satisfaction, and finally, battles with their own personal demons.
With support and encouragement from families and friends, their life seems to be headed down the right path. But Maggie and Janine learn love is seldom simple or easy, particularly when both women are also involved in committed relationships with their own addictions. Theirs is a tumultuous love affair from the start. Can they survive the curves and upheaval along the way?
Maggie O’Leary is a lonely lesbian dazzled by the talent and charisma of up-and-coming bisexual rock star, Janine Jordan. A romance with Janine could spell trouble, but Maggie can’t help falling in love.
Set in New York City during the nineties, Second Best Fantasy follows Maggie and Janine as they embark on an exciting and surprising journey together, which carries them through the music scene toward stardom, creative artistry, career satisfaction, and finally, battles with their own personal demons.
With support and encouragement from families and friends, their life seems to be headed down the right path. But Maggie and Janine learn love is seldom simple or easy, particularly when both women are also involved in committed relationships with their own addictions. Theirs is a tumultuous love affair from the start. Can they survive the curves and upheaval along the way?
146 pages, Paperback
First published July 15, 2011
53 people want to read
About the author
Angela Kelly
18 books10 followersAngela Kelly has been writing since she was tall enough to hit the keys on a manual typewriter. Two of her poems, Religion and Redemption, have been previously published and other works have appeared in a variety of independent magazines and newsletters. “Unavailable” was her first novel-length book. Her second, fiction book, “Second Best Fantasy,” was also released this year.
Kelly lives, breathes, and consumes books. She has been employed in the publishing production industry for over ten years, and has a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Illinois. She spends much of her time haunting libraries and local bookstores, always in search of the next piece of inspiring and overwhelming literature to add to her reading repertoire.
A native Jersey girl, Angela Kelly currently resides begrudgingly in the cornfields of the Midwest with her partner, Cindy, and their furry four-legged children. She hopes to someday retire near the oceans of the east coast of Florida, where she plans to write her memoirs with a sharp shell in the sand.
To contact Angela Kelly about book sales, signings, readings, or anything else, please send an email to angelakelly2011@gmail.com.
Kelly lives, breathes, and consumes books. She has been employed in the publishing production industry for over ten years, and has a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Illinois. She spends much of her time haunting libraries and local bookstores, always in search of the next piece of inspiring and overwhelming literature to add to her reading repertoire.
A native Jersey girl, Angela Kelly currently resides begrudgingly in the cornfields of the Midwest with her partner, Cindy, and their furry four-legged children. She hopes to someday retire near the oceans of the east coast of Florida, where she plans to write her memoirs with a sharp shell in the sand.
To contact Angela Kelly about book sales, signings, readings, or anything else, please send an email to angelakelly2011@gmail.com.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 14, 2011
Second Best Fantasy is the story of Maggie O’Leary, a hard partying (but lonely) lesbian infatuated with the lovely Janine Jordan, a bisexual rock star. Set in the 90s, it definitely has the taste of a social transition from 80s excess to 90s grunge, which serves the narrative itself very well.
Like Angela’s first book, Unavailable, addiction plays a significant role here, almost becoming a character in itself. Even as things seem to be progressing personally and professionally for the two lovers, their inability to slay their demons with drugs and alcohol casts a gloomy pall over their lives. You want to believe in a happily-ever-after, but you’re also afraid of being disappointed.
Despite that looming uncertainty, I thought the relationship between the two women was handled very well, with a realistic progression from groupie/star to friend/lover. Although she can be a bit annoying at times, I liked the honesty of Maggie’s voice as a narrator. She does come across as a bit brash and arrogant at times, with an unhealthy dose of 80s self-absorption, but when she lets her guard down we see the hurt, wounded, uncertain woman inside.
I must warn you, the ending is definitely bleak, contrasting the power of love with the power of addiction. Unable to quit for themselves, Maggie and Janine struggle to overcome their separate addictions for the other’s sake, to rescue not themselves, but their relationship. Fortunately, I share Maggie’s stubborn streak, so I choose to believe that her final scene is not an ending, but a new beginning. It’s easier to read it the other way, though, which makes for not only a sad ending, but a frustrating one as well.
Like Angela’s first book, Unavailable, addiction plays a significant role here, almost becoming a character in itself. Even as things seem to be progressing personally and professionally for the two lovers, their inability to slay their demons with drugs and alcohol casts a gloomy pall over their lives. You want to believe in a happily-ever-after, but you’re also afraid of being disappointed.
Despite that looming uncertainty, I thought the relationship between the two women was handled very well, with a realistic progression from groupie/star to friend/lover. Although she can be a bit annoying at times, I liked the honesty of Maggie’s voice as a narrator. She does come across as a bit brash and arrogant at times, with an unhealthy dose of 80s self-absorption, but when she lets her guard down we see the hurt, wounded, uncertain woman inside.
I must warn you, the ending is definitely bleak, contrasting the power of love with the power of addiction. Unable to quit for themselves, Maggie and Janine struggle to overcome their separate addictions for the other’s sake, to rescue not themselves, but their relationship. Fortunately, I share Maggie’s stubborn streak, so I choose to believe that her final scene is not an ending, but a new beginning. It’s easier to read it the other way, though, which makes for not only a sad ending, but a frustrating one as well.
September 18, 2011
Hmmm. I find I don't much like books written in first person. No. Let me rephrase that, I don't like first person when the persona has an irritating voice.
I felt very little sympathy for the teller of the story, Maggie. She is so self-involved that I'm not at all surprised that she can never keep a lover. She reminded me of that old song, "Oh lord, it's hard to be humble..."
I also didn't like Janine much, but she was a somewhat more tolerable character. A more honest character.
The story wasn't badly written, just a pity the author tried to romanticise addiction. I can't feel much empathy for characters so determined to mess up their lives.
I felt very little sympathy for the teller of the story, Maggie. She is so self-involved that I'm not at all surprised that she can never keep a lover. She reminded me of that old song, "Oh lord, it's hard to be humble..."
I also didn't like Janine much, but she was a somewhat more tolerable character. A more honest character.
The story wasn't badly written, just a pity the author tried to romanticise addiction. I can't feel much empathy for characters so determined to mess up their lives.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2017
I have read and enjoyed novels before with unlikable, unsympathetic narrators. They are usually written like that on purpose though; Maggie isn't.
Maggie's repeated issue with bisexuality comes across more as the author's own issue - and really isn't a cool message to promote for the lgBt community.
The entire book read like a heavy handed "don't do drugs, kids!" without any real insight or saying anything else of interest.
Maggie's repeated issue with bisexuality comes across more as the author's own issue - and really isn't a cool message to promote for the lgBt community.
The entire book read like a heavy handed "don't do drugs, kids!" without any real insight or saying anything else of interest.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews