'Guilty Feet' provides guilty pleasure

"Guilty Feet," an unabashedly girly novel by British author Kelly Harte, is a delightful pleasure. Part of the invasion of British penned novels in our post-Bridget Jones world, this is a delightful addition to the genre of Brit chic lit. If the neon pink cover isn't a hint to any unsuspecting male, I don't know what would be. This book is by a girl and for a girl, no doubt about it.\nOur heroine, Jo, is at a crossroads in her life. She is freshly unemployed after her e-commerce firm folded as well as freshly single to boot. She moved out of her boyfriend Dan's apartment after he made a cruel remark during a fight and now Jo can't figure out why he isn't chasing after her. On top of this, she is sharing her apartment with her father after he decides he needs to take a break from her harpy-like mother. Leeds, England, feels like it is suffocating her, but she has neither the desire nor finances to leave.\nJo decides to escape her reality by striking up a virtual friendship with Dan. Dan, a writer, has long published his e-mail address and Jo knows she can create a friendship with him if she pushes his buttons the right way. This she does with Sarah Daley, her new online alter ego. \nOf course, creating a virtual friendship with your ex-boyfriend is not the best way to recover from a smarting heart. Nor is it a great way to earn your way back into his heart and apartment ... but there is more than Jo's virtual friendship conspiring against any future she has with Dan. Add into the mix a sexy Italian waiter who wants to sweep Jo off of her feet, a statuesque publicist with her pretty eyes on Dan and a psychotic scheming neighbor who will stop at absolutely nothing to keep Jo and Dan from getting back together. Life can be complicated in Leeds. \nOver the course of a few months, "Guilty Feet" takes the reader on the wild ride of Jo's love life. From a venomous childhood friend who steals her boyfriend in retaliation for something that happened in high school to the psychopathic neighbor being caught red handed in her schemes, Jo's world gets turned upside down. The real highlight of the book is Jo's crazy mom and everything she is willing to do to get some attention, even exploring her sexuality to get her husband back. Unsuccessfully, I would like to add.\n"Guilty Feet" is not what I would call world-class literature by any stretch. It is fun fluff, and for what it is, it is a great book. The characters have dimension and are wickedly funny, both in their conversations and their actions. This is the type of book I love to read but am embarrassed to be seen with; it's something about the pink covers and girly themes. "Guilty Feet" is truly a guilty pleasure, and an incredibly enjoyable one.\n"Guilty Feet" is published by Red Dress Ink, and has a list price of $12.95. It is available at local retailers or Amazon.com.