I WAS A VACUUM CLEANER SALESMAN by Shelly Rivoli (iUniverse)

This novel, as you might not guess by the title, is about a woman. It is a heartwarming story about a woman who (sort of) finds herself by selling vacuums (the hard way.) Shelly Rivoli's I WAS A VACUUM CLEANER SALESMAN is a humorous and refreshing read in more ways than one.

Forgive me for sounding all girly, but the story is simply cute. It's simply a tale about a young woman with spirit who's trying to make it in the world (and who gets excited about a job paying $12.84 an hour!) and the miserable life one has as a door-to-door (excuse me--direct sales) salesperson. It is not Sex and the City and it is not BRIDGET JONES and there is no mention of YA-YAs and it is not like anything by Sophie Kinsella. Be thankful. It turns out young women can do simple things and be entertaining, and I found this novel to be a joy after being pounded to death week after week with 300 page slutfests with covers no more imaginative than a pair of legs, a short skirt and high heel strappies. Consider the difficulty in writing a story on this topic as opposed to [most chick lit premises which amount to no more than frequent sexual disappointment, inability to find good men and unwarranted discourse on the size, shape and function of male genitalia, which, as it turns out from reading these books, usually perform unexpectedly]. Fear not: I am no prude. Though were I, I would not be offended by Ms. Rivoli's text. As stated: it's cute.

Guys, stay with me: I fear I may be losing you but the truth is there is much here to entertain you, too. First and foremost, this book is about selling. And anyone who has had to deal with that in his or her career will love the vignettes.

The book is a tight, fast read and is well-edited considering it's POD. The structure of the novel makes it easy to read pieces at a time (should you need to.) If you're like me, you'll gobble it up in one night. A perfect read after you've just watched or eaten something heavy. And check out Shelly's website for more details and info!