#SRC2014 Review: The Walk-In Closet by Abdi Nazemian

Title: The Walk-In Closet
Author: Abdi Nazemian
Format: Paperback
Publish Date: June 3, 2014
Source: BookSparks

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "Kara Walker has never found much glamour in her own life, especially not when compared to the life of her best friend Bobby Ebadi. Bobby, along with his sophisticated parents Leila and Hossein, is everything Kara always wanted to be. The trio provides the perfect antidote to what Kara views as the more mundane problems of her girlfriends and her divorced parents. And so when the Ebadis assume that Kara is Bobby’s girlfriend, she willingly steps into the role. She enjoys the perks of life in this closet, not only Leila’s designer hand-me-downs and free rent, but also the excitement of living life as an Ebadi.

As Kara’s 30th birthday approaches, Leila and Hossein up the pressure. They are ready for Kara to assume the mantle of the next Mrs. Ebadi, and Bobby seems prepared to give them what they want: the illusion of a traditional home and grandchildren. How far will Kara be willing to go? And will she be willing to pull the Persian rug out from under them when she discovers that her own secret is just one of many lurking inside the Ebadi closet?"

My Two Cents:

In "The Walk In Closet," Kara has been intrigued by the Ebadi family for a long time. She loves them and wants nothing more than to please them that she is willing to pretend that she is the serious girlfriend of their son, who is gay. When Kara accidentally discovers that there may be more family secrets there, she is torn between protecting the family she loves and making sure that the secret stays hidden.

This book has a little bit of everything for a lot of kinds of readers. There is an interesting storyline, spurts of comedy, and a fascinating setting (Los Angeles in the Persian community also known as Tehrangeles). Though for me, the most interesting aspect of this book was really the characters. The author writes them in such a way that they stay really interesting as they change throughout the book. This book is filled with flawed characters who have some pretty heavy schedules. Everyone seems to be hiding something and living in a way that isn't true to what they really want in life.

This book started out very differently than it ended. At first the book focuses on Kara and Babak (nicknamed Bobby) trying to hide the true nature of their relationship from his conservative parents. The book turns into something wholly different as Kara discovers even more secrets and there is where it gets really interesting but I don't want to give anything away. Just know if you're looking for a good page turner with secrets in spades, this is a great pick!