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A review by tracey_stewart
Anyone But You by Jennifer Crusie
4.0
I requested this book from a bookswap purely on the basis of the Popcorn Dialogues. I know Jennifer Crusie as one half of Jenny Crusie and Lucy March (aka Lani Diane Rich), and I've enjoyed their occasionally wine-glazed podcasts on what makes movies good or bad ("Lord, it wasn't good" – I am required by natural law to admire and applaud anyone who quotes Bloom County). They are both sharp, smart, very funny ladies (who know and love Bloom County), and there is always the hope that personality really will come out in a person's writing.
And, you know, it does here. I'm not at all sorry I asked for this book, nor that I read it. I don't mean that as damning with faint praise – really, I opened the book-shaped package with the Goodreads bookswap label and questioned my judgment for a minute. With a thousand books out there I know I want, I chose a possibly stupid romance novel? But: PopD. Then a GR friend recommended Jennifer Crusie in an unrelated conversation, and I picked up poor maligned Anyone But You.
Jenny's personality holds true from the podcasts to the novel, and it's just plain fun. This is chick lit in its purest form, very nicely written, funny – wry, even – with an older heroine (older than the usual 20-year-old, I mean) who is not a size two, a hero who is not perfect but also not Tragically Flawed, and just a …well, a fun story with a touch of fairy tale about it. It's sweet – a quick candy read, and one of the better brands of candy at that. Four stars out of sheer sentimental gooeyness.
And, you know, it does here. I'm not at all sorry I asked for this book, nor that I read it. I don't mean that as damning with faint praise – really, I opened the book-shaped package with the Goodreads bookswap label and questioned my judgment for a minute. With a thousand books out there I know I want, I chose a possibly stupid romance novel? But: PopD. Then a GR friend recommended Jennifer Crusie in an unrelated conversation, and I picked up poor maligned Anyone But You.
Jenny's personality holds true from the podcasts to the novel, and it's just plain fun. This is chick lit in its purest form, very nicely written, funny – wry, even – with an older heroine (older than the usual 20-year-old, I mean) who is not a size two, a hero who is not perfect but also not Tragically Flawed, and just a …well, a fun story with a touch of fairy tale about it. It's sweet – a quick candy read, and one of the better brands of candy at that. Four stars out of sheer sentimental gooeyness.