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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fans of Jennifer Crusie will appreciate that this one has all the spunk and quirkiness that her other books are known for, and if you’re not familiar with her other books let me break it down:
We have a dog napping of a dachsund believed to be abused by her owner (but as it turns out, the dog is just a first class actress and manipulator for dog biscuits). We have two rugged PIs, and a threesome of women who make bad decisions that end up with fascinating results. We have a few mysteries to solve with crazy twists that leave you shaking your head in amusement.
Along the way, there are break ups, there are new relationships, there are epiphanies about life goals, and new beginnings. Anybody that loves a crazy romance mystery/comedy will enjoy this one as long as you don’t try to take it too seriously (because you just can’t).
We have a dog napping of a dachsund believed to be abused by her owner (but as it turns out, the dog is just a first class actress and manipulator for dog biscuits). We have two rugged PIs, and a threesome of women who make bad decisions that end up with fascinating results. We have a few mysteries to solve with crazy twists that leave you shaking your head in amusement.
Along the way, there are break ups, there are new relationships, there are epiphanies about life goals, and new beginnings. Anybody that loves a crazy romance mystery/comedy will enjoy this one as long as you don’t try to take it too seriously (because you just can’t).
"Fast Women" is my third Jennifer Crusie novel. It was about 150 pages longer than any of her other books I have read. I was initially pulled in due to the mystery and allure of a person working for a detective agency (probably due to my love of Veronica Mars).
Crusie is well known for her "Chick Lit" style, but there seemed to be more to "Fast Women". Chick Lit + Mystery? Unfortunately for me, they both fell flat and left me wanting.
What I liked: Basically anything after they discovered where Lynnie had been hiding after embezzling money from the McKenna Detective Agency. The finally 75 pages were more on part with what I was hoping for in the realm of mysteries.
What I disliked (or irritated me to no end): I know this is going to sound petty, but Susannah's nickname "SUZE". I cringed every time I read it (so much so it actually pulled me out of the story a lot). Also, the tea cups. The China. It is so not me, and I found myself wanting to skim over the text every time a character started talking or thinking about their China collection. I do not care. Not at all. Enough is enough.
Now, for those of you named Suze (sorry!), and those that love tea cup/China collections, and those that like kind of chick lit/kind of mystery novels, this just might be for you!
Enjoy and happy reading!
PS. I still gave it a three so I obviously didn't HATE it by any means.
Crusie is well known for her "Chick Lit" style, but there seemed to be more to "Fast Women". Chick Lit + Mystery? Unfortunately for me, they both fell flat and left me wanting.
What I liked: Basically anything after they discovered where Lynnie had been hiding after embezzling money from the McKenna Detective Agency. The finally 75 pages were more on part with what I was hoping for in the realm of mysteries.
What I disliked (or irritated me to no end): I know this is going to sound petty, but Susannah's nickname "SUZE". I cringed every time I read it (so much so it actually pulled me out of the story a lot). Also, the tea cups. The China. It is so not me, and I found myself wanting to skim over the text every time a character started talking or thinking about their China collection. I do not care. Not at all. Enough is enough.
Now, for those of you named Suze (sorry!), and those that love tea cup/China collections, and those that like kind of chick lit/kind of mystery novels, this just might be for you!
Enjoy and happy reading!
PS. I still gave it a three so I obviously didn't HATE it by any means.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I generally enjoy Jennifer Crusie's stuff as fun and escapist, and in that regard, this does not disappoint. But in some other ways, this was a let down. The central mystery was difficult to follow, and I found myself still trying to figure it out even after I had finished it. I still have no idea how all of these people were related to one another as a family. The two main characters fought entirely too much to make it seem like a long-term relationship between them would even be possibly, and at one point the male character expresses his understanding as to why men hit women. Uh, yeah.
A nice fun little romance/murder mystery. I especially like when novels with romantic elements don't feature only women in the first flush of youth, and Nell, as a 42 yr old divorced mother of an adult child, definitely qualifies.
Nell and friends get up to lots of fun high jinks and solve a decades old mystery or two in the process.
Nell and friends get up to lots of fun high jinks and solve a decades old mystery or two in the process.
second read. I like this one a lot more than the first Dempsey one. even though davy is slightly too domineering, he isn't as bad at it as phin is in welcome to temptation.
plus I love all the goodnights - they're super fun and kooky. or BENT, as they're fond of saying.
plus I love all the goodnights - they're super fun and kooky. or BENT, as they're fond of saying.
This book reinforces gender stereotypes so much I was grinding my teeth at one point. Its set in 2000 not in 1900, most women were no longer pathetic and giving up their life for men at that point. The women in this book are mostly pathetic. Also the writing is choppy and abrupt, I'm not a fan. Also there are like 20 different characters that I still haven't managed to work out how to fit into the big picture. They just name drop and expect you to know who this person is. What?
Leaving at 30%
Leaving at 30%
