Carole Bellacera Reviews

Added August 21, 2003

Understudy

Author: Carole Bellacera
Publisher: Echelon Press
Available At: Bookstores Everywhere
Publishing Date: November 2005
Genre: Romance: Contemporary
Format: Trade Paperback
Price: $15.99
ISBN: 1590804643
Author Email/Website: www.Carole.Bellacera.com
Reviewer: Ayden Delacroix

Have you ever wanted to be someone else? To live their life and have everything they have? What if living that life meant becoming that person, giving up every semblance of the person you were before? Would you still do it? For Amy Shiley these questions determine her future.

Her entire life, Amy Shiley wished she had a different life. A life with loving parents who didn't drink and had money to give her nice things. Attending college at the prestigious College of William and Mary was a dream come true; she planned to study, get good grades and enjoy her college years without sacrificing her hard work. Becoming best friends with her roommate and party girl Robin Mulcahey was unexpected but certainly wonderful; being accepted as a part of Robin's family was a fairytale come to life.

The first two years of college life were wonderful. Robin and Amy were in a fashionable sorority, invitations to parties poured in, Robin's parents doted on both girls and Amy had fallen in love with Robin's older brother Paul. Life, however, took a tragic turn one snowy winter night. Driving home from a party, Amy and Robin were in a serious car accident and Robin died. Amy ended up in the hospital with extensive lacerations and bruises, entirely unrecognizable.

Amy wakes up in the hospital to find Robin's parents calling her by Robin's name. She's confused, but things become clearer after Robin's mother tells her about the car accident and "Amy's" death. Immediately, Amy remembers how she left her license and as she and Robin could pass as sisters, persuaded Robin to let her use her license. What should she do? Let everyone believe she is Robin or tell the truth? She thinks back over her life and realizes nobody will miss Amy Shiley and decides to become Robin.

Extensive facial surgery and therapy and Amy is reborn as Robin. But the hardest part of her life is just beginning. No longer can she eat her favorite foods, listen to her favorite music or even date the man of her dreams. She has to be Robin in every aspect and no one can ever know the difference. Amy continues in Robin's classes, studying to be an actress. Should be easy, considering every moment of every day she's acting the role of Robin.

Will Amy ever be able to reveal the truth and become herself? Or will she be trapped in the role of lifetime?

An incredibly moving story, Understudy is the most brilliant piece of fiction I've read in a long time. I was caught up in Amy's life, coming to love, respect and feel for her during the entire novel. Equally endearing and captivating is Robin; she continues to live long after her death. Amy's struggle to be herself and Robin is heart wrenching. I wanted Amy to have a happy ending, to be able to finally come clean about the accident and to make her own way in life.

Ms. Bellacera has written a spectacular novel that will stay with readers long after the novel is finished. I closed the book and became intensely aware of how wonderful my life is and how I wouldn't want to trade it. Understudy is a must read and will remain on my keeper shelf.

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