Caprice Crane
Stupid and Contagious (2006)
Author: Caprice Crane
Genre: Romance/Chick Lit
Plot Summary:
Heaven and Brady are neighbors who start out despising one another. Heaven has some strange and annoying habits,
like opening Brady's mail and spending money that isn't really hers. She gets fired from two different jobs before they finally get together.
The similarities in failure seem to bring them together. Brady goes on a trip to L.A. to
meet with a band that he wants to manage, and then goes to Seattle to try and meet with the head of Starbucks and sell his newfound idea for
Cinnamilk. Heaven tags along because she has lost her job and doesn't have anything else to do. While they are on their trip, Brady finds out
that his best friend of many years sleeps with his ex-girlfriend.
Heaven also runs into her ex-boyfriend in L.A. and sleeps with him. He turns out to be Brady's competition in the record business, who is
wanting to manage the same exact band. SPOILER: Upon returning from their trip, Heaven and Brady both eventually realize that they miss
being on that trip, spending all their time together and sleeping in the same bed. Brady gets to manage the band, and Heaven opens her own PR
firm, helping Brady to do public relations for the band. Starbucks gives Brady a call, asking him to meet with them about his Cinnamilk idea, and
Brady and Heaven fly to Vegas to get married. The band he is now managing will play at their wedding.
Geographical Setting: New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle
Time Period: Contemporary (2004-2005)
Appeal Characteristics:
This story's tone is very humorous in its description particularly of Heaven's character, because she is always doing
things that she isn't supposed to, but she doesn't get it! She even walks into her neighbor's apartment while he is having sex with his girl-friend.
It is also a cleverly written plot with lots of twists in it, so you don't really know who is going to end up with whom, although you have
a hunch it will be Heaven and Brady. But the suspense element stays all the way through the book because of the difficulties each character faces in
their own separate lives. Even though the story alternates between Heaven and Brady doing the narration, it is still easy to follow, and a fast-paced
read with a lot of dialogue. The story is set mostly in New York and Seattle, and follows two people on their trip to self-discovery, meanwhile showing
the challenges each one faces to make their dreams a reality.
Read-alikes: Readers who enjoyed the adventures that Heaven and Brady faced while trying to win favor of the band that Brandy wants to manage
might enjoy Boy Island: A Novel by Camden Joy. This novel shows the entertainment business from a male's point of view, and also from the
point of view of the band on tour, rather than the politics a person faces when wanting to manage a band. This is the story of four young men who travel
from California to Maryland on tour with their band. Along the way they discover their hopes and dreams and try to follow them. All except for the
drummer, Camden Joy, who isn't really sure what he wants to do. Along with this serious theme, there is a lighter more humorous subplot. The four guys
play a game they call "tonnage," which involves adding up the total weight of the women that each of the band members sleeps with. Poor
Camden is in last place as he is lost in his own thoughts of his personal sexual preference. In the end, however, it is Camden who finds his own road to
success, leaving the other three men to figure out their own lives. Readers who enjoyed the aspects of young people and their crazy inventions,
along with the feuding friends and sexual politics in Stupid and Contagiousmight enjoy Syrup: A Novel by Maxx Barry. In this novel,
Scat, who is a recent college graduate moves to L.A. in an attempt to become rich and famous. He has a new idea for a cola beverage that he feels will hit it
big. However, Sneaky Pete steals his idea, and ends up getting hired by Coca Cola to promote the new cola product. When Scat finds out he makes plans to
teach Pete a lesson and promote an even better idea. Along with the help of 6, who is a manager at Coca Cola, her roommate Tina, who is a film-major, and Scat's
ex-girlfriend Cindy, they come up with a plan. Scat and 6 develop a bond even though she claims to be a lesbian, and Pete sets up all kinds of problems for Scat as the two fight
against one another in a highly competitive business. Readers who enjoyed the quirky characters, the young people struggling to make their way in the world,
and the presence of the dog "Strummer" all wrapped into one funny package in Stupid and Contagious might enjoy Hot Stuff by Janet Evanovich.
Here 26-year-old Cate Maddigan is working at a bar to support herself while she goes to school. Cate has a drag-queen roommate named Marty who performs
regularly where she works. When Marty disappears, Cate sets out to try and find out if the rumors she heard are true. While trying to find out if Marty was
ever involved in stealing jewelry, he sends her a dog named Beast as a going away gift. While all of this is going on, Cate has developed an attraction
for an incredibly sexy Irish bartender she works with. Readers who want to learn more about a New York setting, and other women who are struggling to find
just the right person to love, but perhaps want a more serious read, and enjoy Christmas rather than summertime stories, might enjoy reading
Ghosts of Boyfriend's Past by Carly Alexander. In this book, Maddison Alexander has repeated bad luck with men. She cannot figure out why, but
nothing in the relationship department seems to work out for her. The novel gives the reader and inside glimpse at Maddison's past relationships, and how
each one has miraculously failed. It is Christmastime in New York, and Maddison has met someone new. Readers will delight in the suspense of whether or
not Maddison will let this person love her, or if he will be like all of the other men. If you are one who enjoys this theme of seeing how people move
on after negative experiences, you might enjoy reading Truly Madly Manhattan by bestselling author, Nora Roberts. In this delightfully romantic tale,
Hester Wallace and her son Radley move in next door to Mitch Dempsy, who is a comic book writer and illustrator. Mitch and Radley develop a friendship,
sprouting from the fact that Mitch is the author and illustrator of his favorite comic book. From this friendship, Mitch meets Radley's mother who has
previously been badly hurt by love and neither her nor Radley ever hear from her ex-husband. Radley's mother is very nervous at first, but eventually sees
that she can trust Mitch, and learns to love him in return.
Red Flags: Sexuality and language, also potentially offensive references to overweight people and breastfeeding in pubic.
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