Fanfiction Addiction: Trust in Advertising

If you’ve read anything I’ve written you know one of the reasons I’m in love with Twilight is the strong women that occupy its pages. Bella Swan is one of the strongest female characters I’ve ever read and, sadly, there are enough people out there that think the exact opposite that it drives me insane on a daily basis. That’s one of the reasons why I love when fanfic authors -  artists interpreting art – understand the beautiful, strong, fantastic character that is Isabella Swan.

Like Stephenie Meyer’s Bella, VJGM always crafts Bellas who are unaware of their own strength. Trust in Advertising finds a Bella who loved Edward from a distance throughout High School. The story takes place when both Bella and Edward are 28. Bella’s father has just died and, though devastated, she can finally live her life. She ends up working for Edward who has fallen from the cocky, smiling boy he once was to a bitter kind of bastard of a man.

Alright, while we’re on the topic of strong women, let’s jump ship to Trust in Advertising’s Rosalie. I’ve never understood the trend in fanfic to make Rosalie and Bella best friends. In Twilight Rosalie and Bella are only barely friends towards the end, so I never understood how Rosalie always comes out, well, not being a bitch.

But Trust In Advertising interprets Rosalie’s character perfectly. We’ve talked about this before with Wide Awake – about which of the characters personality traits are nature vs. nurture. Rosalie from Twilight is vain because her parents brought her up that way. She dislikes Bella out of jealousy and fear for her family. This is all situational. Rosalie at her core is both extremely self assured, strong and loyal to and protective of those she loves. Sound like someone we know? Right, her core traits are just like Bella, except minus the self assured in Bella’s case. So, meeting first, as they do prior to this fic beginning, and having the common bond of losing both parents, it’s easy to see why Bella and Rosalie would be friends.

Rosalie is one of the high points of this fic. She’s the owner of a body shop and takes no nonsense from anyone. She’s just hysterical with her one liners.

Her equal, and the other half of the secondary relationship we get to see grow during the course of the fic, is Emmett, playing the role of Edward’s best friend. Just like Rosalie has absolutely no self esteem problems, he’s sexy, he’s successful and he honestly gets the best lines. As a friend to both Edward and Bella he is a rock – the very definition of the big brother ready to kick ass when he needs to.

Alright, onto the main duo. Edward and Bella are amazing in this fic. I’ve said it before but I am a sucker for good banter and these two have it in spades. Bella’s initial texts with her new boss Edward literally had me in stitches. Whether they’re bickering or teasing the interaction between these two is simply wonderful to read. As an added bonus you literally get to see them change each other throughout the fic. Bella brings Edward out of his distrusting shell and lets him laugh. Edward lifts her up and lets her see the strong woman she is.

Watching Bella see Edward in a different light from a High School crush and fall in love with him all over again is wonderful. VJGM is very honest to that giddiness and ridiculousness of school girl crushes. For instance, when Edward dances with Bella for the first time we are allowed to see Bella’s wistful reaction. Yet Bella is far from oblivious to the faults in the man Edward has become. He’s difficult. She knows it and she can handle it…on most days.

The villain of this treat of fanfiction is the love-to-hate kind. Edward’s supermodel girlfriend Jane. Like – ick. Watching Bella and Jane verbally spar was the cause of a great deal of cackling on my end. I spent the fic just knowing I’d get the extreme pleasure of watching Jane go down in flames.

As an added bonus we have a Jasper who doesn’t say much, but when he does it is always poignant, beautiful and an eye to the very soul of the situation, an Esme who’s as tough as nails as both mother and boss, cameos and guest spots by some of Twilight’s Elite (Carlisle, Alice, Leah, Felix, Jacob, Nessie, Paul, Tanya, Emily, Mike) and the VJGM guarantee of a happily ever after.

Seriously folks, if you aren’t familiar with this particular author’s stories, you should be. They’re a fun read with a touch of heart and soul behind them.

Trust in Advertising is done save for an epilogue that VJGM has promised for Wednesday, 9-9-09.

Trust in Advertising Helpful Links:

Trust in Advertising Quotes – My favorite quotes from the story.

Trust in Advertising at Twilighted.net

Trust in Advertising Crackfic Contest – Crackfic revolving around the characters and situations in Trust in Advertising. Remember to set it to M-rated stories as well.

VJGM’s Author Profile at Twilighted.net

VJGM’s Twitter