**Much thanks to NetGalley for a free review copy**
*Also thanks to Steena Holmes for her recommendation*

This book was exactly what I needed after reading The very dark Plucker by Brom. This was light, romantic and so much fun!

Dwayne, by the way, is Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in this case. Danielle Steele is obsessed. So much so, that when there's a fitness contest to win a role in his upcoming movie, Danielle ends up joining a gym.

Her trainer is the Miraculously Beautiful Marco. She gets in shape, she makes new friends, she finds out what happens when the unthinkable happens. All her deepest, darkest secrets, written in letter format to her hero, end up published online for the whole world to see.

This book just sucked me write in. Take it to the beach, on vacation, or just pick it up because you need a laugh and a good story. Thanks, Eliza Gordon!

Dear Dwayne, With Love by Eliza Gordon was such a pleasure to read. Written in mixed media of journal entries, emails, and faxes (yes, really), DDWL tells the story of Danielle Steele, a woman who's working through a job she hates until her next big gig as an actress "takes off." Named after legendary romance author Danielle Steel, Dani's mother tells her she's destined for great things. However, after working a dead-end job with only auditions for easily forgotten commercials, Dani feels less than legendary. Especially stacked against her picture perfect sisters Georgie and Jackie (both also named for romance authors) who are both doing well in their professional careers. Feeling like she's somehow stuck behind in life, Dani seeks solace in writing journal entries to her idol Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and has been since she was a child. The Rock was the one constant and motivating force in Dani's life since her father and fellow wrestling fan bailed on the family when she was just a little kid. By twist of fate, entering a competition that would bring Dani close to meeting her idol "The Rock" ends up turning Dani's whole world upside down.

I enjoyed watching Dani's growth and coming to know herself. Reading along with Dani helped me learn a lot about myself (and made me wanna hop back in the gym and put the doughnuts down). I also laughed so much while reading in public everybody around me thought I was losing my mind. This book is charming, hilarious, and an unlikely breath of fresh air. I didn't know exactly what I'd be getting into reading this book (the cover is so sweet and pretty, I thought I would be reading a teenager's diary). I had no clue the protagonist and I would have quite a few things in common. I learned a lot from her, laughed quite a bit with her (and the colorful characters that were her family + friends) and cheered her along the way.

Great book, Eliza Gordon. I hope to read more from you, soon.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me this ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Delightful, funny, entertaining--Dear Dwayne with Love kept me hooked from the very beginning. The narrator, Danielle Steele ("with an e"), is plucky and inspiring, but she also felt like a real person, with a real person's flaws and challenges. The sections where she writes to the Rock (or pictures herself in movie scenes with him) are hilarious. And I just had to keep reading to find out if she'd meet her biggest celebrity crush! This is definitely an R-rated read--which was not a problem for me, just a heads-up to anyone who's offended by swear words and adult content.

I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Must Love Otters. I adored Neurotica. I hungrily waited for Hollie Porter Builds a Raft. I DEVOURED this book.

I admit, I was unsure about the incorporation of one of my favourite wrestlers of all time, Dwayne Johnson otherwise known as the Rock who I have loved for many many many many years.

The man is good on the mic what can I say, and Eliza Gordon? Well she’s good with a pen (or keyboard). This story brings in the wit, and touching nature of her previous novels and amps it up to eleven.

The thing I love about Eliza Gordon’s writing is that her characters are not perfect. In fact they are perfectly imperfect.

Some of them don’t know how to commit, some of them don’t know how to talk about their feelings except to write them down, and all of them are characters I love.

This is a story of personal triumph, of realizing what you need to do to better yourself, and yes I was inspired while reading it. Without spoiling too much Dani’s story is one of personal adversity, and yes, getting in your own way. She does however manage to grow a whole lot, but not change completely.

Please just read it. Or any of her books, really, you won’t be disappointed.

I loved this book. I never laughed, cried or just fully enjoyed a book like this

So very hard to review this great book without giving away what happens, but here's my try!

Dani, oh I loved Dani. She lusted after Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and pretty much everyone knew it. By the way, I have a friend like Dani ~ she has just as bad a crush on The Rock.

Dani runs into the usual problems at work, with her love live and with her family as most of us do on occasion, but what has become a fairly routine life changes quickly when someone plays a very dirty trick on her. You will find yourself laughing (a lot), wanting to cry and most of all, rooting on Dani, underdog.

These characters have Eliza Gordon's trademark likability and sense of humor with such a fun plot. This book is for everyone. Really. Check it out.

Thanks to the author, the publishers and Netgalley for a great early read!

Favorite Quotes:

Imagine the witch who gives Snow White the apple. Make her more than six feet tall. Braid the hairs growing from the mole. Give her the personality of Miss Gulch, the mean lady on the bike who yells at Dorothy’s aunt and uncle about little Toto. Boom. My boss. Joan the Crone.

Where are the real gigs, you know? Like tampon or feminine deodorant commercials? The residuals on those can be nuts—I knew a woman in LA who bought a house in the Hollywood Hills just from the residuals she earned on Massengill Douche ads. Sure, she was known as the Douche Lady, but she has an infinity pool and a pool boy named Sven. A clean vagina is no laughing matter.

My mother keeps sending me meal plans she finds online, designed specifically for people trying to conceive… I am really, really tired of beans and spinach. And I feel sorry for the other women sitting around me. So much farting.

I follow her to the Great Wall of Shoes… Susie talks me into two pairs: a zero-drop shoe for the gym (“ It will help you keep your balance, like being barefoot, when you’re squatting and deadlifting”— I have no idea what either of those things involve, but I’m guessing one might be for pooping and the other might be for carrying a corpse)…

I don’t even want kids. Georgette has three, and all she talks about is how her hair is falling out and she can’t poop alone and how her vagina has lost its pep. I don’t want my vagina to lose her pep. I have it on good authority my group health insurance won’t cover fixing that.

No time for doubts. Doubts are for cat tattoos and dubious marriages.


My Review

I giggle-snorted and smirked as I read this delightfully clever and deliciously amusing and quirky tale. I was quickly drawn into this vibrantly humorous, entertaining, and engaging tale. The storyline was irreverently witty while also providing those occasional emotive heart-squeezes, and was simply brimming with oddly alluring and intriguing characters with my favorites being the Miraculously Beautiful Marco the personal trainer, and the soft-hearted and somewhat spineless heroine, Danielle Steele with an e, “Dani.” Dani’s eccentric and conspiracy-prone mother had named all three of her daughters after her favorite romance authors. Tucked into the narrative were frequent and unexpected tricks and treats to keep reeling the reader into this well-crafted and smartly written story.

Dani’s family was all kinds of peculiar with her mother belonging to a UFO group named Greys (Alien) Anatomy, and sold magic healing space wands and her own homegrown medicinal herb (unlicensed) to “her friends” and those seeking relief from pain. Despite her unusual childhood, Dani was a sweet and thoughtful friend and co-worker, although she lacked backbone and knew it. She was also unflinchingly snarky in her inner musings and when writing in the private online diary she had kept since middle school using an unpublished blog website with her missives generally consisting of unsent letters and imagined conversations with her childhood idol Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who had been her long-gone father’s favorite wrestler. But secrets often have a way of being revealed, with humorous results and uncomfortable and humiliating consequences.

I adored this amusing and cleverly crafted tale from its very beginning to the gleefully satisfying end. Dani had transformed through setting a goal to meet her idol and despite several unforeseen setbacks, she had some major wins and a few tragic losses, with a boatload of humorous scenes, perceptive observations, and comically arched eyebrow lifts occurring in between. I will forever associate kittens on leashes, sports bras, and protein smoothies with this enticing and inventive tale, while I would never consider ever again drinking a kale smoothie as I agree with Dani; kale smoothies most certainly are the devil.

What more do I need to write than that this is a light, funny, and wholly entertaining novel. How many of us have a secret (or not so secret) idol? Dani Steele has a lot of not so serious problems, from hating her job to dealing with her family, to wanting to be an actress. This hill of beans is nothing, she knows, but irritation. When she decides to get in shape to enter a contest which might get her a cameo in a Dwayne Johnson movie, she enlists Marco the trainer- who is just a hoot. No spoilers about what happens next. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is perfect entertainment for a lazy afternoon.

**An ARC was provided by NetGalley for an honest review**

I could not have found this book at a better time. It definitely makes my top ten for 2018.

Danielle Steele (with an e)'s obsession with The Rock is Olympic gold medal worthy. Her tenaciousness, determination, and spirit make me wish she was real so that I could obsess over her. Her fitness journey starts with the means to an end to meet her hero, but it's her journey that I find most endearing.

If you're looking for a good laugh, inspiration to start your own or keep your fitness goals for 2018, or if you just need to find someone who's life is just as crazy messed up as your own, then you can "definitely smell what The Rock is cookin'" and it's 5 stars for Eliza Gordon's Dear Dwayne, With Love.

Anyone with exercise issues, crazy family or a dead end job ends to read this book. I can relate to Dani on almost every level of her craziness. Her obsession with The Rock, which nobody can fault her for, and with getting fit enough to compete in an obstacle race control her life. She is determined, brave, smart, selfless and needing love. I laughed more than ever, wanted to cry and cheer for her. An inspiring book on many levels! Lovely characters and a beautiful story. I was quick to request from Netgalley because Gordon is a favorite, but I wrote this review voluntarily and unbiased.

What do you read after you have the book hangover of all book hangovers? Well, an Eliza Gordon rom-com of course! It was different. It was laugh out loud funny and yet it still made me cry. It was the perfect palate cleanser to get me over that hangover!
Danielle Steele is our main character and boy is she a hoot. She has a crazy family with characters that are just as colorful as she is. And her mom?! Wow she is one for the books (no pun intended).
So if you're family is always at the forefront of your life and you have no one to talk to, you write those feelings down in a journal, right? But let's add the comedic genius of writing to Mr Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson instead of "Dear Diary". It added the perfect element to a story and family that was made to be written about.
"I know what you're thinking: Why spend so much time and energy talking to someone who doesn't know I exist? Because he listens, without judgement or comment or disapproval. He doesn't tease, snicker, reprimand, or shake his head quietly. The Rock is always there."
Danielle comes from a family of women that are named after romance writers. Her mom is a little out there, obviously and this is only the tip of the iceberg. Danielle has done lots of small jobs in the acting industry, but has never really succeeded. Her idea of success would be to win that tampon commercial. But after moving back to Oregon to help with her mother, acting is kind of put off to the side in order to survive and pay the bills. But what happens when an opportunity arises that she just HAS to do? You train for it and go all out because the job would feature meeting and working with your idol! The ROCK!!
"And I can hear DJ in my head: Find the good in this mess. Silver lining and all that jazz."
The meat of the story is filled with a bit of drama caused at Danielle's work thanks to a boyfriend and co-worker. It'll still have you laughing because it is so now and people actually DO this stuff. It causes quite the storm in Danielle's life. It turns it completely upside down and side to side. But let's make the best out of it and who the new characters that we are about to meet and that will change her life. Her gym people!
This book had me gasping for breath from laughing one minute and then doing sad face at Danielle's predicaments she was put in. But as DJ said before...silver lining and all that jazz. You make the most out of what you're given and sometimes you just have to go for it. Whether it be helping a friend in need or getting to the gym when you don't want to. You do it and do it with a smile. That smile can change lives.
"When Danielle Steel with an e walks into the fitness center, the entire place lights up like sunshine has burned through the ceiling.....That is why we're here tonight. It's because of you. Your friends wanted to give you what you give to them every single day just by being you."
If you're ready to laugh, kick and scream at characters for them to just go for it, fall in love with a crazy crew, wish for love in the midst of chaos and even have a few tears shed, then pick this one up. Danielle, her family and her gym family will have you laughing out loud and rooting for this crazy character that seems a bit familiar (we write about what we know, correct Miss Gordon?). Dwayne, I think you will approve of this one!

It has been a while since I have read an Eliza Gordon story. I adored Must Love Otters and Neurotica, so I had an inkling that I was going to like Dear Dwayne as well.

I loved it. It is sweet and quirky and funny, and I read it in one sitting.

I love Dani's crazy obsession with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson - I mean, we have all felt that way about someone in our lives. Her diary entries are cute, and don't get me started on her inner monologues! They had me laughing out loud.

I am sure we have all felt the way Dani does when it comes to her family, have felt the pressure, have felt despondent about our lives.

Enter Marco - oh my! He almost (and I mean almost) made me want to join the gym lol.

Dear Dwayne was also a kind of coming of age story for Dani. She blossoms into the life that she has been floundering through.

This is another great story from Eliza Gordon, and her fans will definitely love it.

Now I am off to google pictures of The Rock!

A really good story. Parts had me laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe. I would recommend this

Clever, light, and funny, with a main character you can’t help but root for even as you wonder about some of her decisions. I don’t think I’m the right reader for this book, but I did find it enjoyable nonetheless. Love the cover.

My Review of “Dear Dwayne With Love”, by Eliza Gordon

Did you ever feel like talking to someone and revealing your dark deepest secrets? Then realized you didn’t feel you could trust a person, but you could write it on a secret blog or diary? In “Dear Dwayne With Love”, by Eliza Gordon, Dani Steele with an “e” does exactly that. In this novel that is fiction, Dani has been writing to a Celebrity Idol, that we shall leave unnamed for now. Dani is 30 years old has been writing to her idol for many years, since her father had abandoned her family. Dani works in an insurance office, but her dreams are to be an actress.

Eliza Gordon describes are characters as complicated, complex, quirky, and dysfunctional. Dani dreads her boyfriend who at times repulses her, and her overbearing dysfunctional family leaves her feeling overwhelmed with responsibilities and expectations.

When Dani learns that her celebrity confident in her diary is hosting a fund-raising event where the winning new athlete gets to be part of his new film, Dani decides to try to win. Isn’t that what Dani’s goals are , to meet her secret confidante, that she has been writing all of heartfelt thoughts and problems?

I appreciate that the author describes the importance of self -worth and working for goals that you believe in. The author talks about the importance of family, friends , emotional support, love and hope. I would recommend this novel for readers who enjoy an entertaining story. I received an Advanced Reading Copy for my honest review.

This book tried so hard to be funny and it just . . . wasn't. In some ways, it was a bit motivational re: stepping outside of your comfort zone, pushing yourself physically, and getting in shape but I found it instead rather sappy and trite. Unless you are, like the MC in this book, a HUGE (and I mean GIGANTIC) fan of Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson, you may have trouble relating to this book and Dani. For me, the idea of the diary to DJ/the Rock was better in theory than in reality. Plus there was a lot of ancillary embarrassment that just put me off. Hopefully you have better luck with this one!

Dear Dwayne, With Love comes out soon on January 23, 2018, and you can purchase HERE.

Must Love Otters and it's predecessor were such fun and quirky reads that I couldn't wait to delve back into the crazy characters that Gordon knows how to create and draw you in with. And from the very first chapter, it didn't take me long at all to see that Dear Dwayne, With Love was going to be just as quirky and fun and crazy as her other books and I couldn't of been more excited about it.

I don't even know how to describe this, it really was so unique and just downright fun. I know I keep saying that word but it really is the best one possible to describe not only Dani's crazy obsession with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson but just about everything else that happens in this story.

Not only Dani's obsession but her inner monologue had me cracking up numerous times not to mention her imagined conversations with The Rock and her blog posts, seriously, crazy funny stuff.

I loved that not only was this about one woman’s crazy (and maybe over the top) obsession but it was almost like a coming of age story for Dani, even though she is well into her twenties and on her way to her thirties. I loved watching her grow, not only within herself, but with her family and friends as well and even though the whole “Mommy” thing still creeps me out when I think about it, it someone worked with the story and the madness that was Dani's whole family and life.

Another great story from Gordon that will be sure to please all of her fans and to create some new ones along the way.

4.5 stars

I received an ARC of "Dear Dwayne, With Love" from NetGalley for an honest review. I wish to thank NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Eliza Gordon for the opportunity to read this book.

This book was hysterical from the moment that I started it. This author totally captured my sense of humor in her main character, Danielle. This was not one of the books that you read for AP English Literature, but is rather a book that is read for FUN!! It was fun from start to finish.

This author totally wrote an easy read with a funny plot line and with fabulous characters. I would love to see this book made into a movie - it would be a perfect "chick flick".

If not, I would love to recommend this novel to my friends who need a ray of sunshine in the cold of winter!! It also would be a great book to read poolside with a slushy alcoholic drink during spring break.

This is a DEFINITE recommend. SO glad that I had a great book to finish 2017 and now have a FUN, ENJOYABLE book to start out 2018!!

A light, funny read, DEAR DWAYNE, WITH LOVE, takes a clever concept--woman keeps a private, on-line diary addressed to her childhood hero The Rock--mixes in a little Bridget Jones and, voila! Lots of fun, lots of laughs, and lots of colorful and zany characters.

It is very hard to make writing light, but describing a rich wholesome emotional quotient without seeming callous.

This book I received via Netgalley, and enjoyed. The story is of Dani Steele who is named after the romantic author. She has two sisters similarly burdened with names of authors her mother fancied. This and the fact that she has a very obsessive need to include Dwayne Johnson in her life sets the mood of the book. Despite having a life that is seemingly going nowhere, Dani is a person with many facets and someone you can read about, sympathize with and cheer for at various stages. This book is not just an average read, it brings together a picture of what people can accomplish together and do for each other. The writing is funny and belies the hidden depth of what an average individual goes through to maintain sanity.Dani's family and friends seem real with flaws and loyalties that ring true and help keep us entertained while we watch Dani try out a new life for size.