I was in Walmart yesterday and managed to grab Erica Orloff’s new Bombshell, The Golden Girl! It’s the kick-off book in a new continuity series called The It Girls. Y’all know how I feel about continuity series, I’m sure, but I don’t care. It’s Erica.

Well, that reminded me that I’d never blogged about Do They Wear High Heels in Heaven?, even though Angie did remind me.

From the back cover:

I’m Lily, a New York newspaper columnist, mother of two, divorcée of one and partner in crime to Michael, English professor, novelist and best friend extraordinaire. We’ve been friends forever — well, since I nearly burned down our apartment building while trying to cook. Michael and I have weathered disco, bad fashion, bad perms, bad boyfriends — for both of us — my failed marriage, parenthood and writer’s block.

Laughter has helped — and so have the martinis.

But now we face our biggest challenge: the C word. And if I have my way, Michael will be giving up his freewheeling bachelor ways and settling down once and for all. Because I have some very specific wishes for who should take over parental duty when I’m gone. Of course, I refuse to take this lying down — even when the doctors tell me to lie down and shut up. Because although I’m sick, I’m determined to wear my high heels and lipstick. I’m gonna look good or die trying, dammit.

I’ll admit, when I first read that, I cringed. I don’t read books with cancer. I don’t watch movies with cancer. The only family tree I’ve seen pruned by cancer more than my mother’s is my father’s. I don’t go there. It is a horrible black raincloud that hovers over my head every moment of my life and, combined with my fear of dying while my children are young—which really put a crimp in my watching Steel Magnolias— it becomes almost paralyzing if I think about it.

But…dude, it’s Erica. So I read it. And I’m so glad I did. It’s courageous and sad and funny and hopeful and practical and honest and…wonderful. I laughed and sobbed at the same time, and every character touched my heart. Especially Lily. I’ve known and loved some women like her. And lost them, too. I was really amazed to have read—and finished—a book featuring the C word without having to battle off the depression.

It’s hard to pick my favorite of Erica’s books because they’re so incredibly diverse, but Do They Wear High Heels in Heaven is one of my favorite reads of the year.

Now I get to read about some ass-kicking It Girls. I love Bombshells.