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gettingbackintoit's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
talielovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
This romance is perfect for a light feel good read. Nina is a recently divorced woman of forty living life on her own terms for the first time in ages. She meets her downstairs neighbor, Alex, and sparks fly. The one hitch, Alex is 10 years younger. What follows is a fun tale of how our own insecurities can unwillingly cause us to do silly things.
The author has written a story full of likable characters that you want to learn more about. The storyline is fun if somewhat predictable. The dog Fred is characterized perfectly.
If you are in the mood for a feel good romance, this is a great choice.
Narration on this one was very good. The narrator effectively voices male and female characters and uses a hollowed out noise technique to distinguish characters on the phone.
The author has written a story full of likable characters that you want to learn more about. The storyline is fun if somewhat predictable. The dog Fred is characterized perfectly.
If you are in the mood for a feel good romance, this is a great choice.
Narration on this one was very good. The narrator effectively voices male and female characters and uses a hollowed out noise technique to distinguish characters on the phone.
farahmendlesohn's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
5.0
I came for the basset hound and stayed for the humour. Lovely to see a novel about adults making real choices and growing in to themselves.
reader44ever's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars - great!
I really love this book. Nina and Alex are pretty great, and Fred (the dog) is just fabulous. :-) But for me, this book is not as wonderful as [b:Getting Rid of Bradley|33734|Getting Rid of Bradley|Jennifer Crusie|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1457714184s/33734.jpg|2025892] or [b:Manhunting|1450975|Manhunting|Jennifer Crusie|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1183739383s/1450975.jpg|726931] (both also by [a:Jennifer Crusie|19005|Jennifer Crusie|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1295982567p2/19005.jpg]), so it *only* gets 4.5 "great!" stars. ;-)
This story sees Nina, 40 years old, rescue Fred ("part basset, part beagle, part manic-depressive," page 33) from certain death at her local shelter (it was his last day; I cried, it was so touching). She meets Alex, 30 years old, when Fred wanders into Alex's apartment via the window that opens onto the fire escape. (Alex lives on the second floor, Nina the third, and she trained Fred to go down the fire escape to the back yard when needed.)
Here is a scene with Fred that always makes me LOL: On page 30, Fred is investigating Nina's couch.
Then we have this scene on page 38: After Charity has been introduced to Fred, he decides to show off his learning skills and jumps out the window to the fire escape, as Nina showed him how to do. He jumps outside and . . .
So Fred was/is wonderful. And this is indeed "Fred's book." :-) Nina and Alex were pretty great, too, once they got out of their own way and just accepted each other for who they each were. :-)
I love the ending, wheneverything is resolved and good and Nina and Alex are preparing for their happy ever after. :-)
So this is a great book, it makes me smile many times and cry at least once, but it doesn't make me quite as happy to read it as do Getting Rid of Bradley or Manhunting, so unlike those two, this one *only* gets 4.5 "great!" stars. :-)
I really love this book. Nina and Alex are pretty great, and Fred (the dog) is just fabulous. :-) But for me, this book is not as wonderful as [b:Getting Rid of Bradley|33734|Getting Rid of Bradley|Jennifer Crusie|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1457714184s/33734.jpg|2025892] or [b:Manhunting|1450975|Manhunting|Jennifer Crusie|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1183739383s/1450975.jpg|726931] (both also by [a:Jennifer Crusie|19005|Jennifer Crusie|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1295982567p2/19005.jpg]), so it *only* gets 4.5 "great!" stars. ;-)
This story sees Nina, 40 years old, rescue Fred ("part basset, part beagle, part manic-depressive," page 33) from certain death at her local shelter (it was his last day; I cried, it was so touching). She meets Alex, 30 years old, when Fred wanders into Alex's apartment via the window that opens onto the fire escape. (Alex lives on the second floor, Nina the third, and she trained Fred to go down the fire escape to the back yard when needed.)
Here is a scene with Fred that always makes me LOL: On page 30, Fred is investigating Nina's couch.
He'd sniffed it several times since he'd arrived, but now he made a decision. His haunches quivered and tensed as he crouched, and then with a mighty leap he flung himself onto the overstuffed cushions, hanging there for a long moment, a triumph of hope over biology, only to slide slowly back to the floor and land with a soft thud as his butt failed to achieve lift-off.LOL!!! :-)
He took it pretty well, considering.
Then we have this scene on page 38: After Charity has been introduced to Fred, he decides to show off his learning skills and jumps out the window to the fire escape, as Nina showed him how to do. He jumps outside and . . .
"Oh my God!" Charity ran to the window, Nina close behind.*hehehe* :-)
Fred sat on his rug on the fire escape, looking smug.
"Part basset, part beagle, part kamikaze," Nina said.
So Fred was/is wonderful. And this is indeed "Fred's book." :-) Nina and Alex were pretty great, too, once they got out of their own way and just accepted each other for who they each were. :-)
I love the ending, when
"I see Fred as ring bearer," Alex said in her ear.
And six weeks later, so did everybody else. [fin]
So this is a great book, it makes me smile many times and cry at least once, but it doesn't make me quite as happy to read it as do Getting Rid of Bradley or Manhunting, so unlike those two, this one *only* gets 4.5 "great!" stars. :-)
luaucow's review against another edition
4.0
A trashy, but completely satisfying modern romance novel, about a 40 year old divorcee who falls for her 30 year old neighbor, but refuses to believe he might want her too.
lauriereadslohf's review against another edition
5.0
This was one of my favorite romance novels back in the 90's and, being all burned out and jaded, I decided to pick it up again to see if I'd enjoy it as much as I did back before I became so grouchy.
Much to my surprise, I enjoyed it from beginning to end. Though a few of the pop references are dated, the humor and the romance were both a delight to read and it brought me back to those days when I looked forward to spending an afternoon reading to my hearts content.
This book is about Nina, a newly divorced 40 year old woman, who is finally living her life on her terms but she's a little lonely and decides to adopt a friend. Planning on adopting a spunky new puppy she instead falls for the soulful old eyes of a beagle mix named Fred. He smells, he's long past his youth and just looking at him makes her even more depressed but once she sets her eyes on him she can't leave him sitting in the pound and takes him home to her new apartment.
Because of Fred, who mistakes neighbor Alex's window for Nina's, she gets a surprise visit from the sexy younger ER doctor. The two become immediate friends and although he'd like to become a whole lot more, Nina is reluctant because she fears she's too old for him.
What follows is a book full of charm and wit and is a definite must read if you need some cheering up.
Much to my surprise, I enjoyed it from beginning to end. Though a few of the pop references are dated, the humor and the romance were both a delight to read and it brought me back to those days when I looked forward to spending an afternoon reading to my hearts content.
This book is about Nina, a newly divorced 40 year old woman, who is finally living her life on her terms but she's a little lonely and decides to adopt a friend. Planning on adopting a spunky new puppy she instead falls for the soulful old eyes of a beagle mix named Fred. He smells, he's long past his youth and just looking at him makes her even more depressed but once she sets her eyes on him she can't leave him sitting in the pound and takes him home to her new apartment.
Because of Fred, who mistakes neighbor Alex's window for Nina's, she gets a surprise visit from the sexy younger ER doctor. The two become immediate friends and although he'd like to become a whole lot more, Nina is reluctant because she fears she's too old for him.
What follows is a book full of charm and wit and is a definite must read if you need some cheering up.
sassejenn's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kiwicoral's review against another edition
3.0
It was cute. It had its moments and was well written. But man that hero was as dumb as a box of rocks. Dog was funny though.