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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
I've read this twice before and now I'm listening to it on Audible. The reader is quite good and the story continues to be fun as hell.
That makes 4 times as of August 2014. Still loving it!
5 times by Dec 2019
That makes 4 times as of August 2014. Still loving it!
5 times by Dec 2019
This is definitely my favorite of the collaborations between Crusie & Mayer. I adore Agnes and Shane, and the rest of the crazy cast of characters. Hopefully they decide to write together again!
I really wanted to love this, and it's very funny, but it aged quite poorly if it was ever good at all. I understand that the dumb young dude is supposed to be isolated and that's why he cares about the confederate flag etc. but in 2018 that's just....ugh! I can't. I know it doesn't take place in 2018 but as a modern reader I can't get behind that arc of the story.
I really struggled with how to rate this because although it had extremely funny moments (the flamingo and the frying pan stuff in particular), overall I was just underwhelmed.
This book has two authors: Jennifer Crusie, who is known as a romance novelist, and Bob Mayer, who primarily authors what I lovingly refer to as "male romances" - you know, that genre of books that's like easy read, wish-fulfillment adventure and specifically marketed to men (think Clive Cussler, Robert B. Parker, etc.). Sadly, I feel like the latter genre won out.
There just wasn't very much romance going on. Agnes has all these hang ups from her past relationships that are just magically solved in the course of a week. When she caught Shane holding a naked stripper and the other character thought he was cheating, Agnes knew instantly Shane was killing her and wasn't jealous. I mean, first, it's weird to have the reaction to your new boyfriend killing someone that that's not a big deal, but second, there's no reason Agnes would have been that trusting of Shane after like four days.
The emotions in this book generally felt shallow. There were at least seven on-page murders and no one seemed particularly upset. I think that Shane working for the government was supposed to make us think his murders were for good reasons, but in the 10+ years since this book came out, people's opinions on government-sanctioned murders has diminished.
Love was shallow, grief was shallow, ambitions were shallow.
The plot itself was twisty and unsatisfying to me. I'll admit I kind of skimmed the end because I was done with the book by then, but I don't think a closer reading would have made it better.
Overall, not what I was hoping for.
This book has two authors: Jennifer Crusie, who is known as a romance novelist, and Bob Mayer, who primarily authors what I lovingly refer to as "male romances" - you know, that genre of books that's like easy read, wish-fulfillment adventure and specifically marketed to men (think Clive Cussler, Robert B. Parker, etc.). Sadly, I feel like the latter genre won out.
There just wasn't very much romance going on. Agnes has all these hang ups from her past relationships that are just magically solved in the course of a week. When she caught Shane holding a naked stripper and the other character thought he was cheating, Agnes knew instantly Shane was killing her and wasn't jealous. I mean, first, it's weird to have the reaction to your new boyfriend killing someone that that's not a big deal, but second, there's no reason Agnes would have been that trusting of Shane after like four days.
The emotions in this book generally felt shallow. There were at least seven on-page murders and no one seemed particularly upset. I think that Shane working for the government was supposed to make us think his murders were for good reasons, but in the 10+ years since this book came out, people's opinions on government-sanctioned murders has diminished.
Love was shallow, grief was shallow, ambitions were shallow.
The plot itself was twisty and unsatisfying to me. I'll admit I kind of skimmed the end because I was done with the book by then, but I don't think a closer reading would have made it better.
Overall, not what I was hoping for.
I did not like this book at all. I love Jennifer Crusie, however this book was very hard to make it all the way through. I normally do not stop reading books in the middle, however I wanted to stop reading this one... but I finished it.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Romance novels are my secret pleasure to some degree but Jennifer Crusie (especially when paired with Bob Mayer) makes hilarious books that I'm willing to read in public!! Plus, this one is about a cook!
This is two separate stories.
There’s the stuff for Agnes, dealing with household tasks & a wedding that’s falling apart.
There’s the stuff for the hitman, dealing with scum and the underbelly of society.
Sure, there’s crossover (hence the title).
The stuff about Agnes & her life & the wedding struggles is entertaining in a mindless, beach-read type of book. The stuff about the hitman & his tasks are confusing and unnecessary and, quite frankly, sucked.
There’s the stuff for Agnes, dealing with household tasks & a wedding that’s falling apart.
There’s the stuff for the hitman, dealing with scum and the underbelly of society.
Sure, there’s crossover (hence the title).
The stuff about Agnes & her life & the wedding struggles is entertaining in a mindless, beach-read type of book. The stuff about the hitman & his tasks are confusing and unnecessary and, quite frankly, sucked.
I thought this was a quirky fun read. Agnes is trying to put on a wedding for the grandaughter of a mobster, but things aren't going according to plan. Her fiancee isn't who she thought he was, someone is trying to steal her dog and there is a contract out on her life. I would have given it four stars except that I didn't like how much bad language was in it. Maybe that's to be expected for a book about mobsters, but still...