Scan barcode
joelle_cooper's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
whimsicalmeerkat's review against another edition
2.0
That was long as shit, unexpectedly dark, and uneven. I’m disappointed.
kcoleman's review against another edition
5.0
I love Jennifer Crusie's books...they are always a mood lifter and a fun read!
mschrock8's review against another edition
3.0
This was more of a mystery than a romance. Cute characters.
harqy's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
heyjudy's review against another edition
4.0
~3.5/5
This was a longer Crusie novel, one of her newer ones (well, newer compared to the others I read), and so it had quite a bit more story. It was also just as fun as her other novels.
Nell is divorced and losing herself, and so she ends up taking a job at the local detective office, where she wants to change everything. Only Gabe owns the place and wants everything to stay the way his Dad made it. Then there’s the cases they get, Nell steals a supposedly abused dog, not to mention the attraction between their friends, and the secrets between the Dysart’s family.
I was a little confused by the Dysart family tree. There are so many of them, at different ages and relations, and it isn’t explained very well from the start. I got over that, though.
The banter is fun and fast here, the attraction is very nice, the dog is a lot of fun. I also liked that the characters grew. Nell ends up in the same position as before her divorce with Gabe, only she realizes it and decides to change, and Gaba works with her. I really appreciated that. The ending was very nice.
I really enjoyed this book; it was fun and fast and quirky. I had a lot of fun reading it and am excited to read more.
[Read more at my blog, Geeky Reading!]
This was a longer Crusie novel, one of her newer ones (well, newer compared to the others I read), and so it had quite a bit more story. It was also just as fun as her other novels.
Nell is divorced and losing herself, and so she ends up taking a job at the local detective office, where she wants to change everything. Only Gabe owns the place and wants everything to stay the way his Dad made it. Then there’s the cases they get, Nell steals a supposedly abused dog, not to mention the attraction between their friends, and the secrets between the Dysart’s family.
I was a little confused by the Dysart family tree. There are so many of them, at different ages and relations, and it isn’t explained very well from the start. I got over that, though.
The banter is fun and fast here, the attraction is very nice, the dog is a lot of fun. I also liked that the characters grew. Nell ends up in the same position as before her divorce with Gabe, only she realizes it and decides to change, and Gaba works with her. I really appreciated that. The ending was very nice.
I really enjoyed this book; it was fun and fast and quirky. I had a lot of fun reading it and am excited to read more.
[Read more at my blog, Geeky Reading!]
elee2013's review against another edition
4.0
3.75/5
Oh look, another 3.75 for my collection. I think this is supposed to be Crusie’s most popular novel, but… it didn’t really work for me. I had a hard time sorting out the family tree, I didn’t think the one girl’s confessions were funny, and I found it all really tragic and kinda creepy with the freezers. And I didn’t get the china thing, but that might just be a me thing. I didn’t really fall for Nell or Gabe either, so how did they fall for each other? I liked Riley and Savannah though, and it was a good mystery and still rather funny altogether. :)
Oh look, another 3.75 for my collection. I think this is supposed to be Crusie’s most popular novel, but… it didn’t really work for me. I had a hard time sorting out the family tree, I didn’t think the one girl’s confessions were funny, and I found it all really tragic and kinda creepy with the freezers. And I didn’t get the china thing, but that might just be a me thing. I didn’t really fall for Nell or Gabe either, so how did they fall for each other? I liked Riley and Savannah though, and it was a good mystery and still rather funny altogether. :)
novelesque_life's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 STARS
"Nell Dysart is living a too small life in a too small apartment. Her marriage is finished, her career is in limbo, and she feels she has the sex appeal of a skeletal giraffe. But things might be about to change, for Nell has landed a job at a down-and-out detective agency with huge potential for redecoration and a boss who looks easy to manage. A quick spot of dachshund napping, blackmail and embezzlement later and Nell can scarcely believe her life was ever dull. But when somebody starts killing people and unprofessional sex becomes a sticky situation, she starts to wonder just how many more thrills one woman's life can withstand..." (From Amazon)
A funny contemporary romance with a dash of mystery and a whole lot of fun.
"Nell Dysart is living a too small life in a too small apartment. Her marriage is finished, her career is in limbo, and she feels she has the sex appeal of a skeletal giraffe. But things might be about to change, for Nell has landed a job at a down-and-out detective agency with huge potential for redecoration and a boss who looks easy to manage. A quick spot of dachshund napping, blackmail and embezzlement later and Nell can scarcely believe her life was ever dull. But when somebody starts killing people and unprofessional sex becomes a sticky situation, she starts to wonder just how many more thrills one woman's life can withstand..." (From Amazon)
A funny contemporary romance with a dash of mystery and a whole lot of fun.
andipants's review against another edition
3.0
I've been eyeing contemporary romance for a while now, and after seeing this one recommended in a discussion thread, I decided to finally branch out from my historicals and give it a try. It was...fine? I honestly found the main pairing uninspiring — I liked Nell all right, but Gabe was super bland. I was much more interested in Suze and Riley (would also have taken Suze and Nell, tbh). And the mystery plotline really didn't hold my interest at all. I'm not much of a mystery fan anyway, and the doubling (and tripling!) of plot elements got confusing. Which body was in whose freezer? Which fancy china set are we concerned about? Whose controlling husband is whose?
That said, it was not un-entertaining. Some of the dialogue was really amusing, and I liked how Nell's friends always had her back. It was also fun rooting for Nell as she got her life back on track. Nothing inspired here, but nothing terrible either; I'll call it three stars.
That said, it was not un-entertaining. Some of the dialogue was really amusing, and I liked how Nell's friends always had her back. It was also fun rooting for Nell as she got her life back on track. Nothing inspired here, but nothing terrible either; I'll call it three stars.