January 17, 2022
Gibson (How Lulu Lost Her Mind) invokes Freaky Friday in an enjoyable rom-com that’s more focused on character development than romance. After 25-year-old cosmetologist Brittany Lynn Snider dies in a car crash on her way to meet a Tinder date, she ends up in a holding room for heaven alongside spoiled socialite Edie Randolph Chatsworth-Jones, who died by suicide. When Brittany’s portal to heaven opens, Edie shoves her out of the way and takes it. With no other choice, Brittany returns to life as Edie, having been transplanted from Marfa, Tex., to posh Grosse Pointe, Mich. Now Brittany’s got a closet full of Louboutins, a slew of complex new relationships to navigate, and, Edie’s family thinks, amnesia. What else would explain her sudden colorful Texan expressions and insistence on teasing her hair? Meanwhile, Edie doesn’t quite land in heaven, and Gibson alternates between her and Brittany’s points of view to both hilarious and bittersweet effect. Gibson admirably shades in Edie as she becomes a sympathetic character, and readers will cheer for feisty Brittany from the start—especially as she finds unexpected love. The colorful supporting cast, including heaven’s dapper concierge and Brittany’s parents, add texture and depth. Gibson’s sure to charm with this one. Agent: Claudia Cross, Folio Literary.