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gorgonine's review against another edition
4.0
Sweet, short and satisfying. The usual Jen Crusie tropes apply. Dog, harassed heroine and banter. Lots of banter. There are also a ton of side characters who are quirky caricatures, but all of them are still adorable.
While I was all set to reduce stars for characters Misunderstanding each other, the circumstances of the plot had this one making sense and being a plot point resolved not by clearing things up but with the characters realizing WHY they could not confide in each other. So props for deconstructing one of the most annoying romance tropes there is.
While I was all set to reduce stars for characters Misunderstanding each other, the circumstances of the plot had this one making sense and being a plot point resolved not by clearing things up but with the characters realizing WHY they could not confide in each other. So props for deconstructing one of the most annoying romance tropes there is.
tlh239's review against another edition
4.0
Let me start off by saying I love Jennifer Crusie and anything negative I have to say about this book only comes from a place of very high expectations for her work. First, the good things: traditional Jennifer Crusie set-up (without being boring or retrod): independent, funny heroine, hilarious dog, fun house, humor and realistic emotion all the way through. What sets this book apart is that it is only a romance--not also a murder mystery of some kind. The essential conflict in the story is between the heroes: they cannot believe that the other person loves them. For Nina, she can't believe that a 30 year old man will really love her if she shows him her 40 year old body naked. For Alex, he can't believe that such a great lady would accept him and want him as-is, without a more lucrative career to buy her everything she wants (this is perhaps the least believable part of the story, as he randomly turns into a Very Anachronistic Male). I applaud Crusie for making a book about a woman overcoming her body image issues--I mean, really. Imagine selling that one to her publisher?! And like always, I love her men, who seem to relish the real beauty of the women they are with. They reaffirm the characters and the readers.
My only quibble is in the structure of the book. As soon as the heroes begin dating, we hit fast forward to the next conflict in their relationship Then they have a fight, clear it up, and tie a bow in the other minor conflicts in the story and are done. I ended up feeling a bit cheated: we spent so much time in the run-up to their relationship, but I never felt I saw the actual relationship. All I got were assumptions about the relationship that had happened without even a clear indicator of how much time had passed. I've rarely seen such clumsy plot management, and never before with a Jennifer Crusie novel.
Still entirely worth a read, however--again, it's the only book I've ever heard of where you realistically see a 40 year old woman get over worrying about her body and having sex and love with a 30 year old man. Hurrah for that if nothing else!
My only quibble is in the structure of the book. As soon as the heroes begin dating, we hit fast forward to the next conflict in their relationship
Spoiler
(when Nina still won't take her bra off during sex and Alex takes a horrible job and turns into her ex-husband).Spoiler
Oh and they decide to get married, after what has apparently been 3 weeks of dating, not counting their huge blowout fight! Sure, that's normal.Still entirely worth a read, however--again, it's the only book I've ever heard of where you realistically see a 40 year old woman get over worrying about her body and having sex and love with a 30 year old man. Hurrah for that if nothing else!
krayreads's review against another edition
4.0
i just fucking love jennifer crusie's humor and banter. she has the most dynamic characters! extra points for the child free by choice couple!!
aroundthecircle's review against another edition
4.0
This is a quick read and a wonderful romantic comedy. The characters were interesting and I enjoyed the storyline between a 40 year old woman with a 30 year old younger man.
gadrake's review against another edition
4.0
Humor infuses this novel full of serious subjects. Nina is recovering from divorce, restarting her editing career and is turning 40 which is making her doubt her physical appeal to the opposite sex. Her best friend has worked through a few dozen relationships because her own self-esteem is low, but has a chance to redeem this condition by writing a steamy novel for Nina's stuffy publisher. The ten years younger guy living downstairs is clearly the right man for Nina, but he is caught up in trying to please his successful, but alcoholic father. Crusie takes all these issues and presents them with a light touch. Fred the basset hound is hilarious as he finds ways to bring happiness to all. A funny, upbeat contemporary romance that is a fast-paced read written in a conversational style.
angiebayne's review against another edition
3.0
Another harlequin type book. This one is better than the other books she wrote at this time, but her later works are much better.
gypsymtngirl's review against another edition
3.0
Very cute, romance about a woman with body issues who meets a younger man who has confidence issues. Neither believe that unconditional love could happen to them, but alas, love does ultimately prevail. And, to keep the story flowing, there's a very cute dog.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I only have one complaint - it takes a LONG time for them to get it together and finally become a couple and then to fully recognize each other without all of their own issues layered on top of it. I wish they would've gotten together earlier and that the relationship allowed us to see them work through some of their other issues. That, however, was not to be and so their inner conflict began to wear a bit thin because of that.
That said, I would recommend this book to well, just about anyone who enjoys romance. It's fun. It's quick. And there are some really cute moments.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I only have one complaint - it takes a LONG time for them to get it together and finally become a couple and then to fully recognize each other without all of their own issues layered on top of it. I wish they would've gotten together earlier and that the relationship allowed us to see them work through some of their other issues. That, however, was not to be and so their inner conflict began to wear a bit thin because of that.
That said, I would recommend this book to well, just about anyone who enjoys romance. It's fun. It's quick. And there are some really cute moments.