Review & Giveaway: Goodbye to All That by Margo Candela

Author:  Margo Candela

Publication Date:  July 13, 2010

Publisher:  Touchstone

ISBN:  978-1416571353

300 pages

Raquel Azorian is a 25 year-old career-oriented executive assistant to Bert Floss, the bigwig at Belmore Corporation. When Bert has a meltdown at a meeting and goes on an extended “vacation”, Raquel finds herself as the office pariah and is in serious jeopardy of having to find alternative employment. Throughout the novel, as Raquel deals with her career issues, her parents separate after 40 years of marriage and Raquel’s mother moves in with her; Raquel’s brother, Steve, and sister-in-law, Cricket, are having marital issues of their own; and Raquel has become entangled in a relationship of her own with a sexy higher up at Belmore. Through it all, Raquel’s sharp wit and humor will keep the reader begging for more and anxiously turning the pages to see how her story will end.

In Goodbye to All That, Margo Candela has penned a fun and witty story with a fabulous lead character.  Raquel Azorian.  Even her name is awesome!  She is a spunky character who doesn’t take crap from anyone in the office – but does it in a very professional manner, which I loved!  She wears skirt suits and pantyhose to work every day, addresses all of her superiors as Mr./Dr., and generally has control over her aspect of the workplace.  That is, until her boss has a complete breakdown during a routine meeting, and Raquel is left to pick up the pieces.  Because of her can-do, won’t-take-crap attitude, she hasn’t made friends with the new guy in charge.  The guy whose present mission in life is to see Raquel’s boss – and Raquel – crash and burn.  

But Raquel isn’t going down without a fight.  And she’s got a few tricks up her sleeve.  And it doesn’t hurt that she’s caught the eye of one of the higher-ups at Belmore either!

During the mess her career has become, Raquel’s mother shows up at her apartment, luggage in tow, announcing that she has left her husband, Raquel’s father, after 40 years of marriage.  Stunned, Raquel replies:  “Left him where?”.  Raquel becomes the middlewoman between her parents, trying to help them piece their relationship back together.  Additionally, her brother, Steve, is not acting like himself, so she is trying to get to the bottom of his issues, which she suspects have to do with his wife, Cricket.

Raquel has a lot going on and something’s gotta give.  But what will it be?

I have to say – the ending of this book surprised me.  I really expected things to turn out very differently than they did.  But, I was surprised in a good way.  Some “chick lit” can be formulaic and predictable, but this one was definitely not that way at all.  I loved it!  I will definitely be checking out Margo’s other books.  She’s going on my authors-to-watch list!  I’d definitely recommend this one!

Thanks to WOW Blog Tours, I have 1 copy of this book to give away!

1. Giveaway is open to residents of the USA and Canada only.

2. Please complete the form below (do not leave information in the comments – it will not count!)

3. Giveaway ends September 29, 2010 at 11:59pm EST; 1 winner will be selected and contacted thereafter.

4. Once the winner is contacted, s/he will have 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen (make sure to check your spam filters!).

5. No PO Box Addresses!

6. Book will be shipped directly from the publisher!