Sammy’s Hill

Boy, do I need one of those cool Blackberry portable e-mail thingies. Utilized as a clever little plot device, it serves to represent the speed at which things need to be done in Washington, the microcosm in which Kristin Gore’s first novel, described as a sort of “Bridget Jones Goes to Washington,” takes place. (Yes, she’s the daughter of that Gore.) The heroine of the tale is Samantha (Sammy) Joyce, a 26 year-old health care analyst for fictional Senator Robert Gary. A self-effacing, emotionally immature but informationally intelligent character, Sammy often muses throughout her daily routine “how difficult these simple tasks would be without my right arm.” Her belief that she was truly working toward a better world often comes at odds with the realities of everyday life, and the resulting moments of insecurity, both at work and in love, are honest and recognizable. Overall, a sweet page-turner that doubles as a civics lesson.