Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen

Reviewed by Kristin

The Catch is getting interesting. On the Bachelor-esque reality show, only four women are left in the competition, and one man who must choose between them. As their turbulent flight touches down on remote Otter Island in the Pacific Northwest, the contestants’ emotions run the gamut from bored and disillusioned to hopeful and excited.

Jeremy Blackstone is “The Catch”, although none of the women seems particularly motivated by him as a prize for winning the competition. What’s more important is that Jeremy is the co-founder of Glamstapix, a social media platform that focuses on, umm, glamorous pictures. Obviously. For most of the women, winning a competition connected to that prestigious social media platform is much more important than catching a boyfriend/fiancé/husband/whatever.

The Final Four:

Texas beauty queen Lilah-Mae Adams considers herself a Christian influencer determined to make a difference with the visibility she is gaining during this all too naughty competition.

Fashion vlogger Amanda Parker is perky and cute, not to mention very aware of how online perceptions can make you or break you.

Vanessa Voorhees is an auto show model, and seems to get clicks and likes without even trying.

Human Resources Specialist Renee Irons is perhaps the most down to earth of the four, or maybe she is just tired of all the fake relationships modeled by this television production.

Once the plane touches down on Otter Island, Lilah-Mae, Amanda, Vanessa, and Renee are taken to a quaint little bed and breakfast owned by Margaret Davies. Maggie has been here for decades and knows the island well; you might even say that she’s the heart of the community. Maggie definitely has the inside scoop on the mysteries on the island. For example, who is Patricia? And why does she want to cuddle?

This darkly hilarious tale had me laughing out loud and eager to see what was behind the next stand of trees on the island. Author Samantha Allen is definitely critiquing modern media culture, but she does it in a way that takes the reader along for the joyride. The reality show plotline was ridiculous, but framed the stereotypical characters perfectly in what was scripted to be a last-woman-standing scenario where just one would finally capture the heart of The Catch: Jeremy.