Review: Playing James by Sarah Mason

Such a cute book. Holly is a reporter, looking for her next big story, when her editor puts her on the "crime beat". She's not terribly excited, but she decides to make the best of it by starting a new series for her paper, where she "shadows" a cop, in a reality-TV-meets-newpaper kind of way. Unfortunately, the cop she's saddled with is James, who might just hate her guts, along with all other journalists, for that matter. Damn him and his piercing green eyes.

Sound like the makings of a genre-hugging chick-lit novel? Of course it does. Holly is adorable, has a tempermental car named Tristan, and meets cute with James, while balancing her life, her inattentive boyfriend, and her crazy, thespian family.

Loved this book because it's so very, very British, and because when James finally declares his love, he reveals his habit of going into his car and smelling Holly's seatbelt at the end of the day. How freaking romantic is that?

We have a Winner!

The winner of the 4-book giveaway is Laurie! You'll be getting an email soon, girl! Happy reading! :)

Chick-Lit Gal Giveaway!!

I need to clean out the bookshelf, so here goes! Leave a comment with your email addy, and I'll pick the lucky winner of four chick-lit classics!

**Two of Sophie Kinsella's best, Can You Keep a Secret and Remember Me?

**Jane Costello's The Nearly-Weds

**Original Cyn by Sue Margolis

Entries accepted until midnight on Wednesday, November 23rd. Good luck! :)

Review: The Nearly-Weds by Jane Costello

What a fantastic read! I love Jane Costello (my first book of hers was My Single Friend), and I had high hopes for The Nearly-Weds. Luckily, I was not disappointed.

Zoe's a British singleton in her late twenties, and is happy with her career as a pre-school teacher. But when she's jilted at the alter by her boyfriend of seven years, she escapes the ensuing drama by taking a job as a nanny in the US.

Single dad Ryan has a sexy ass, two adorable kids, and a huge chip on his shoulder since the death of his wife three years earlier. He's rude, crude and slobby, and spares little time for domestic duties, including spending time with his children.

But Zoe needs her job, so she grits her teeth at Ryan's unreasonable demands, late-night hi-jinks, and lax parenting skills. Zoe eventually finds some nanny friends in the neighborhood, and also finds the nerve to confront Ryan about his boorish behavior. With her help, Ryan begins to turn a new leaf.

A tentative friendship develops between the two, and a mutual attraction eventually leads Zoe into Ryan's bed. There's only one problem--Zoe is still in love with her runaway fiance, Jason. When he reconnects with her, she must decide between her old love and her new boss.

Costello's writing style is engaging, and her characters loveable. The relationships between the main characters develop naturally, and the dialogue is clever and engaging. All in all, a great read!

4/5 stars

Review: Build a Man by Talli Roland

I've never read this author before, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It started as something light and typically chick-lit, and ended up as something more.

Serenity is new in London. She's working as a receptionist in her boyfriend's plastic surgery clinic, but her real goal is to write for a British tabloid. The idea to write an expose on one of the clinic's male patients nabs Serenity a regular column, but she's told to work undercover, and she keeps the column a secret from both the patient and her boyfriend.

As Serenity and Jeremy (the subject of her expose) become close friends, she struggles with the weight of her lies and deception--if Jeremy, or her boyfriend Peter find out, they will both be furious.

About 2/3 of the way through this book, things took a serious turn that I didn't quite expect. However, Roland does a great job of keeping us hooked, and keeping us sympathizing with Serenity, even when her actions are none-too-sympathetic.

Loved the ending, and just read in an author interview that she's working on a sequel, which I will be anxiously awaiting!

4/5 stars

Review: Stupid and Contagious by Caprice Crane

How much do I love this book?

A lot. A whole lot.

Meet Heaven and Brady. Heaven is an underemployed waitress. Brady is a frustrated inventor. They meet each other and it's hate at first site. He thinks she's crazy. She thinks he's retarded.

Of course, they are neither--they are both smart, hip, music lovers. After their initial animosity subsides, they forge a tentative friendship and take a crazy trip to Seattle, to meet the creator of Starbucks and visit Kurt Cobain's grave. Of course, they fall in love.

How they get there made me laugh, and cringe, and tear up at the end.

It's an awesome book--read it. Seriously.



5/5 stars

Review: Something From Tiffany's by Melissa Hill

Okay, so this wasn't the best chick-lit book I've ever read. The dialogue didn't snap, there wasn't enough humor, and the there were two protagonists, which is different. In fact, I will give this story a lot of credit for being different!

Ethan is about to propose to his girlfriend Vanessa, and he and his eight-year-old daughter have gone to Tiffany's to buy her one honker of a ring. Gary, who's running late on Christmas Eve, has also popped into Tiffany's to buy his girlfriend Rachel the cheapest thing he can find--a $150 charm bracelet.

What happens next is pure happenstance--Gary gets run over by a cab on the street, and Ethan stops to render aid. In the shuffle, their bags get mixed. So, by Christmas, we see that Rachel has received the $20k diamond ring, and Vanessa has received the cheap bracelet. What are the two guys to do?

Ethan, of course, goes in search of his ring. Gary decides to let Rachel keep the ring, and marry her. Even though he had no intention of proposing.

Will the boys work it all out? Will the gals be any wiser? Will the course of true love ring true?

There were very few truly likeable characters in this book. Ethan was almost too good. The love story twist at the end seemed a little rushed and forced. As usual, the young child in the equation is wise beyond her years.

A sweet story, but something I'd recommend picking up at the secondhand bookstore.



3.5/5 stars