Show of Hands

What happens when a shy, passive, meter-maid and an obnoxious, self-righteous, outspoken ex-business owner have to stand next to each other for four days straight with no rest? You get Show of Hands, a novel that begins when a desperate car dealer puts on a contest for a new car in an attempt to promote his dying company. The press immediately takes to one contestant more heartily than the others - Jess. Many are in the contest looking for something to turn their lives around, something to keep them amused for a few days, or for a ticket out of a financial crisis. Jess, however, is in it for her handicapped daughter, willing to lose her job and take unwanted criticism from her mother just to have something to put her daughter's wheelchair in. Even worse is the man who stands beside her, Tom, who constantly points out her downfalls and pushes her to her passive limits with his rude comments, king-of-the-world attitude, and blatant disregard for anyone else's feelings. A book about being pushed to your limits, and discovering yourself, Show of Hands is a captivating story you won't be able to put down, and certainly won't be disappointed by. Reviewed by Alexandra O'Dell

A desperate auto dealer holds a contest to generate business. The rules are simple: Whoever can keep one hand on a Land Rover the longest wins the car. The contest draws a mass of people desperate to win the vehicle. However, it gathers little media attention and gains no new business. We mainly follow two characters: Tom, an arrogant know-it-all who feels the world owes him his due and Jess, an insecure single mother of a physically disabled child. It is interesting to note all the diverse reasons people give for participating in the contest. The quiet desperation that underlies most people's lives is highlighted, as well as the cheats who will do anything to win. I came to really enjoy the characters and their interaction. Even though Tom is a real jerk, the author provides reasons for us to understand his frustration - and why he is so often misunderstood. As much fun as this was on one level, it was also, in its own peculiar way, a love story