CANR
WORK TITLE: FINDING GENE KELLY
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.toriejean.com
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RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married. Has endometriosis.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Torie Jean likes to write puns and romantic fare, and has love and affection for the magic and charm of old movies featuring Gene Kelly and Audrey Hepburn. She also studied abroad in Paris. In her writings, Jean raises awareness of the uterine disease endometriosis, which she has had for much of her life. Her debut novel, Finding Gene Kelly, features 26-year-old single Evie O’Shea, who can no longer deal with her overbearing, Southern belle mother, who constantly criticizes her and finds her to be a major disappointment. Evie leaves their home in Massachusetts and moves to Paris to open a pastry shop. Then her mother calls her back to attend her brother’s wedding and demands that she bring a date. Evie bumps into Liam Kelly, a childhood friend she loved but grew distant from because she has endometriosis, a painful illness, and she didn’t want to be a burden.
Liam agrees to be her “fake date” for the wedding on the condition that they practice being a dating couple to adequately fool her observant mother. Liam creates an elaborate backstory and practice dates that include kissing, which reignites real passion in Evie that she had discarded long ago. Writing in Kirkus Reviews, a contributor noted the effective sexual tension between the characters, Evie’s relatable dreams, and the authenticity of the Paris location, adding: “Jean’s portrayal of the easy, relaxed relationship between the two longtime friends intermingles effectively with Evie’s frustrations.” The contributor called the book “A heartwarming novel of love triumphing over life’s struggles.”
On the Bubbling Up with Helena blog, a reviewer said she loved living in Paris vicariously through Evie’s descriptions of the city, learning about Evie’s endometriosis, and seeing the characters’ journey from friends to enemies to lovers, even after a past betrayal by Liam. Despite the fake dating trope and Liam’s too-perfectness, the blogger noted: “There is an irreverent tone to Finding Gene Kelly that not only is fun, but it also solidifies Evie’s voice as the narrator. There are mentions of popular memes.” Writing on the Jeeves Reads Romance blog, a reviewer asserted that the book is “ideal for fans of Elena Armas and Chloe Liese, sort of the perfect combo of both of their vibes – featuring a deliciously smitten hero, bickering that just might be bantering, and a strong focus on living with chronic illness.” Despite the heroine’s grating insecurities and characters’ miscommunications, there were many little tender moments that enriched the story, according to the reviewer.
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, January 1, 2023, review of Finding Gene Kelly.
ONLINE
Bubbling Up with Helena, https://bubblingupwithhelena.com/ (October 9, 2022), review of Finding Gene Kelly.
Jeeves Reads Romance, https://jeevesreads.com/ (September 21, 2022), review of Finding Gene Kelly.
Torie Jean Writer of puns, cheese, & other romantic things.
Torie Jean's favorite memory growing up is the way her Memere's fingers flew over the keys of her two-tier electric organ, playing songs like "Singin' in the Rain", "I've Got Rhythm", and "What a Wonderful World". Her undying love and affection for the magic and charm of Gene Kelly and Audrey Hepburn followed her from childhood, to a seventh grade book report on a Gene Kelly biography, to studying abroad in Paris and finding "the den of thinking men."
Torie is married to her high school sweetheart and is blessed with the best gaggle of nieces and nephews she could ask for. She has had endometriosis for over half of her life now, and hopes to raise more awareness of the disease with her writing, while providing the happily ever afters people with endo deserve.
Jean, Torie FINDING GENE KELLY Sunset and Camden Creative (Fiction Fiction) $18.00 9, 20 ISBN: 978-0-578-38076-6
A New Englander dreams of opening a pastry shop in Paris, but life gets in the way in Jean's debut romance.
Twenty-six-year-old Evie O'Shea flees to France from her home in Tallow, Massachusetts, in part because of her toxic relationship with her mom. Evie finds her hometown to be "a place where my overbearing, high-society Southern belle of a mother, Caroline, reminds me what a constant disappointment I am for, well, everything." She also suffers from debilitating endometriosis, which forces her to make dramatic changes in her life. While in Paris, she contends with her anxieties over her brother's upcoming wedding and her mother's desire for her to have a suitable date. After a surprise visit from Liam Kelly, a childhood crush, her world turns upside down. They decide to go on a "fake date" to the wedding, but first, they decide to practice being a couple so they aren't thrown by each other's fake flirting, and a real romance begins to bloom. Liam and Evie's banter is full of light wordplay, as when Evie makes tea: "Just letting off some steam, don't mind me." "Oh man, how long have you had that one brewing?" However, Evie's endometriosis flares cause her self-esteem to plummet: "I had somehow wrapped my disease around my identity." Eventually, though, Evie develops a profound awareness "that home isn't exactly a place for me. It's a person. It always has been." Jean's portrayal of the easy, relaxed relationship between the two longtime friends intermingles effectively with Evie's frustrations. Jean also effectively relates the sexual tension between characters and shares the main characters' thoughts and dreams with readers along the way. Jean's knowledge of Paris, and a sprinkling of French phrases, gives the setting a feeling of authenticity.
A heartwarming novel of love triumphing over life's struggles.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Jean, Torie: FINDING GENE KELLY." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Jan. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A731562063/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=82f944e9. Accessed 10 Jan. 2023.
Jean, Torie FINDING GENE KELLY Sunset and Camden Creative (Fiction Fiction) $18.00 9, 20 ISBN: 978-0-578-38076-6
A New Englander dreams of opening a pastry shop in Paris, but life gets in the way in Jean's debut romance.
Twenty-six-year-old Evie O'Shea flees to France from her home in Tallow, Massachusetts, in part because of her toxic relationship with her mom. Evie finds her hometown to be "a place where my overbearing, high-society Southern belle of a mother, Caroline, reminds me what a constant disappointment I am for, well, everything." She also suffers from debilitating endometriosis, which forces her to make dramatic changes in her life. While in Paris, she contends with her anxieties over her brother's upcoming wedding and her mother's desire for her to have a suitable date. After a surprise visit from Liam Kelly, a childhood crush, her world turns upside down. They decide to go on a "fake date" to the wedding, but first, they decide to practice being a couple so they aren't thrown by each other's fake flirting, and a real romance begins to bloom. Liam and Evie's banter is full of light wordplay, as when Evie makes tea: "Just letting off some steam, don't mind me." "Oh man, how long have you had that one brewing?" However, Evie's endometriosis flares cause her self-esteem to plummet: "I had somehow wrapped my disease around my identity." Eventually, though, Evie develops a profound awareness "that home isn't exactly a place for me. It's a person. It always has been." Jean's portrayal of the easy, relaxed relationship between the two longtime friends intermingles effectively with Evie's frustrations. Jean also effectively relates the sexual tension between characters and shares the main characters' thoughts and dreams with readers along the way. Jean's knowledge of Paris, and a sprinkling of French phrases, gives the setting a feeling of authenticity.
A heartwarming novel of love triumphing over life's struggles.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Jean, Torie: FINDING GENE KELLY." Kirkus Reviews, 21 Oct. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A724445947/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=546ee4c6. Accessed 10 Jan. 2023.
Review: Finding Gene Kelly by Torie Jean
Posted on October 9, 2022 by HRK
Title: Finding Gene Kelly
Author: Torie Jean
Publisher: Sunset and Camden Creative
Release Date: 9/20/22
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Range: Adult
Rating: ★★★.5
Publisher’s Summary: When five-year-old Evie O’Shea married her next-door neighbor in the wedding of the century, she had no idea she was swearing an oath to love the man who would grow into the bane of her existence until the end of time. Or that in ten years time, she’d start a long and winding journey to an eventual endometriosis diagnosis. Now, aged twenty-six, Evie O’Shea lives in Paris, balancing precariously close to her Charlotte Lucas birthday. A burden to her parents, with no prospects and no money, Evie’s humdrum life needs a shake-up. Enter Liam Kelly, the man Evie married at the age of five and promptly divorced at seven when he had the audacity to throw a muddy football at her while she was reading Eloise in Paris. Clad in a Henley and equipped with toned forearms and eye crinkles that rival Gene Kelly himself, Evie is determined to keep her ultimate temptation at a distance while she flails wildly navigating life, love, and endometriosis on the banks of the Seine. But when a family announcement shakes up Evie’s world weeks before her brother’s wedding, Evie seeks Liam’s help to get through the wedding with some semblance of sanity intact. Her request? Fake date. Making a deal with the Devil always comes with a cost, though, and when Liam’s conditions which include elaborate backstories and practice dates, reignite passions her disease smothered long ago, Evie has to learn to fight for her dreams and break free from her life measured in ibuprofen pills and heating pad settings. Or else risk being alive but never truly living.
Singin’ in the Rain is my favorite movie, so Finding Gene Kelly had me intrigued from the title. I grew up watching Gene Kelly’s movies and definitely understand the draw of the classic movie musical lead. In the end, Evie and I both did find our own Kelly men. (Liam’s name is a little bit on the nose, I will say).
Paris is one of my favorite cities in the world. I loved living vicariously through Evie’s descriptions of different parts of the city she visits throughout the novel. She even mentions a patisserie that my husband and I frequented when there on our honeymoon, which made me nostalgic.
I love the childhood friends to enemies” to lovers as much as the next person, and I did thoroughly enjoy reading Evie and Liam’s story. There was also a moment where the fake dating trope came into play, but that faded a little too quickly. I also couldn’t help but feel throughout the story that Liam felt maybe just a little too perfect. He always drops everything in a heartbeat to help Evie; he’s willing to sacrifice his professional dreams for his dad. Of course, he seems like a total catch. I’m just not sure anyone is that perfect.
Throughout the story, Evie repeatedly mentions feeling betrayed by Liam when he didn’t show up to be her date at a debutante ball . It is immediately clearly to the reader that the moment of betrayal stemmed from a misunderstanding, but Evie never gives Liam the chance to address it. I was frustrated that Liam wasn’t given the chance to tell his side of the story. Of course, the narrative required Evie to remain frustrated by him.
There is an irreverent tone to Finding Gene Kelly that not only is fun, but it also solidifies Evie’s voice as the narrator. There are mentions of popular memes; Evie makes jokes about her booty shorts that say “pizza” on the butt; and she describes a pole taking Liam “the fuck out.” It’s clear that the book doesn’t take itself too seriously, which makes it fun to read.
I’m glad Jean addressed Evie’s endometriosis diagnosis throughout the story and how it affects her daily life. It’s always important to bring stories like this forward to raise empathy and compassion for what others are going through. You never know who might be dealing with an extremely painful but invisible chronic illness.
As someone who spent many years living in New England, I loved all of the book’s nods to New England culture (including references to “Dunks,” of course). All of the mentions of Red Sox and Patriots gear on the characters also didn’t go unnoticed. New Englanders take their sports teams VERY seriously. Both Evie and Liam have very Irish last names too, which is also very Massachusetts. (My husband and I have definitely joked about naming our future child Liam Kelly as the most Irish name possible).
This Singin’ in the Rain loving human enjoyed Finding Gene Kelly, but it’s not one that’s going to really stick with me beyond my first reading.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ REVIEW: Finding Gene Kelly by Torie Jean
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This is the kind of debut that gets me excited about what’s next from an author, because there was so much good stuff going on with the story. It’s ideal for fans of Elena Armas and Chloe Liese, sort of the perfect combo of both of their vibes – featuring a deliciously smitten hero, bickering that just might be bantering, and a strong focus on living with chronic illness (complete with OwnVoices rep). Sure, the heroine’s insecurities grated on my nerves and the miscommunication made me want to shake someone, but those smaller issues were greatly outweighed by the swoony love story at the heart of this. There are so many little tender moments that enriched it, and the history behind this relationship gave it so much extra weight. Plus, the hero is almost too good to be true – I loved him. It’s a well developed and one-of-a-kind love story that makes a phenomenal debut.
The story follows Evie, a woman who lives with endometriosis. It’s a chronic illness that impacts her daily life, and it also seems to be getting in the way of her dreams. Not only has Evie’s dream of opening a bakery been sidelined, but she also resists relationships – she doesn’t want to be a burden. So when the man who has driven her crazy since childhood shows up in her current hometown of Paris, it’s a shock to the system. Evie hasn’t seen Liam in years, but she hasn’t forgotten the way he’s broken her heart… or the way she still crushes on him. But the years seem to have changed Liam, and it’s not long before he’s assuming the role of her fake boyfriend. Pretending to be in love with the man you’ve been pretending NOT to be in love with for years is complicated, and that’s before you add Liam’s feelings into the equation.
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If you loved the dynamic in The Spanish Love Deception or The Hating Game, then this should be right up your alley. Though the story is told exclusively from Evie’s POV, it’s easy to see that she might just be getting everything wrong. That’s also partially why the story is frustrating; not only is Evie dealing with a chronic illness that significantly impacts her every day, but she also refuses to see what is right in front of her. Her insecurities and self-doubt kinda drove me crazy after awhile, I will fully admit that. But Liam makes it SO easy to root for the relationship; he is such a dream guy, and I could feel how deeply he loved Evie. Evie’s health is front and center throughout the story, which might be tough for some readers, but it adds a layer of realness and depth that surely enhances the experience. The writing itself is a little rough (this is a debut, after all), but filled with so much potential that it was easy to overlook small things. Honestly, there’s a ton that I loved about this – which is why a 5-star rating was the obvious choice.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3f2cOWY
Blurb:
When five-year-old Evie O’Shea married her next-door neighbor in the wedding of the century, she had no idea she was swearing an oath to love the man who would grow into the bane of her existence until the end of time. Or that in ten years time, she’d start a long and winding journey to an eventual endometriosis diagnosis.
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Now, aged twenty-six, Evie O’Shea lives in Paris, balancing precariously close to her Charlotte Lucas birthday. A burden to her parents, with no prospects and no money, Evie’s humdrum life needs a shake-up.
Enter Liam Kelly, the man Evie married at the age of five and promptly divorced at seven when he had the audacity to throw a muddy football at her while she was reading Eloise in Paris. Clad in a Henley and equipped with toned forearms and eye crinkles that rival Gene Kelly himself, Evie is determined to keep her ultimate temptation at a distance while she flails wildly navigating life, love, and endometriosis on the banks of the Seine.
But when a family announcement shakes up Evie’s world weeks before her brother’s wedding, Evie seeks Liam’s help to get through the wedding with some semblance of sanity intact.
Her request? Fake date.
Making a deal with the Devil always comes with a cost, though, and when Liam’s conditions which include elaborate backstories and practice dates, reignite passions her disease smothered long ago, Evie has to learn to fight for her dreams and break free from her life measured in ibuprofen pills and heating pad settings. Or else risk being alive but never truly living.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3f2cOWY
About the Author:
Writer of puns, cheese, & other romantic things.
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Torie Jean’s favorite memory growing up is the way her Memere’s fingers flew over the keys of her two-tier electric organ, playing songs like “Singin’ in the Rain”, “I’ve Got Rhythm”, and “What a Wonderful World”. Her undying love and affection for the magic and charm of Gene Kelly and Audrey Hepburn followed her from childhood, to a seventh grade book report on a Gene Kelly biography, to studying abroad in Paris and finding “the den of thinking men.”
Torie is married to her high school sweetheart and is blessed with the best gaggle of nieces and nephews she could ask for. She has had endometriosis for over half of her life now, and hopes to raise more awareness of the disease with her writing, while providing the happily ever afters people with endo deserve.