Super short review: I loved Kiley Reid’s “Come & Get It” — perhaps even more than I enjoyed her previous book, “Such a Fun Age.” If you want a page turner that you won’t put down until you make it to the end, this is a great option. Plus, fall is here, this is centered on a college campus … the moon is in the right house.
Longer review: Why are humans so damn disappointing sometimes?
I would imagine if you asked any J School graduate to name a few absolute no nos when it comes to the craft, somewhere on everyone’s list is, “You just don’t make shit up.” I don’t know if that comes before or after “never reveal sources,” but it’s there.
All I am saying is you should always be willing to tilt your head with a one-eyed smirk anytime you read an anonymous profile in a major magazine. Because honestly, who knows these days.
Agatha Paul, a visiting professor and sociology-ish author, finds herself on the campus of the University of Arkansas and surrounded by some of the most off-the wall, audacious commentary coming from a group of female co-eds she interviews for research on weddings. Millie Cousins is a fifth-year resident assistant taking life way too seriously and is Agatha’s portal into the lives of her not-so-serious co-eds.
Agatha’s initial idea for a new book takes a quick pivot when she realizes she is sitting on viral gold with the daily ins and outs of these students, and Millie offers an assist in the form of weekly visits to listen in on Casey, Kennedy, Tyler, Jenna and their friends.
I loved both Agatha and Millie, each struggling with relationships, including their own. Agatha is looking to unwind herself from a marriage that’s mostly on paper, and Millie is trying to discover who she really is. So it’s safe to say neither are in their best form when they start making decisions that go against the fiber of their beings. And for the reader, it’s like watching a car accident in slow motion — you just know it’s not going to end well. Probably.
Everyone is getting played by someone else — which makes a great case for this turning into a limited miniseries. Millie might not be a saint, but she’s close. And she’s running into an office politics wall that you know is going to leave a mark. Poor, sweet Kennedy makes one mistake and that girl is never going to forgive herself. Agatha’s been screwed over by her spouse for so long one could argue she’s just plain tired and succumbs to easy writing and easy money over harder, honest work.
Can Agatha find redemption? Will Millie make her down payment on the house she’s been conned into fixing up? Will Tyler get her dog? You’ll have to pick this up to find out. It’s a throughly engaging read with characters you both root for and … well, not against. You just kind of hope that they meet Karma someday.
LitzyDitz 
I (also a journalist and former co-worker of Ms. Litzy Ditz herself) had such a hard time getting past the idea that Agatha would risk everything with the fabrications she publishes. Really? But I loved the Millie character so very much. I actually preferred Such a Fun Age, but glad I read both.