Book Review - Click: An Online Love Story

Nancy’s Review of Click: An Online Love Story by Lisa Becker

*This review is part of Lisa Becker's blog tour hosted by CLP Blog Tours.

Renee Greene is about to turn thirty years old and she’s looking for love. She decides to try online dating in search of her Mr. Right. Renee is reluctant at first but eventually meets most of the men who message her on the dating site she joins. Some of the guys give her hope for a lasting relationship while others are creepy, boring, arrogant and/or rude. She shares all of the details with her three best friends Shelley, Mark, and Ashley, seeking their advice and encouragement along the way. Click is told entirely in emails between Renee and her friends and the guys she dates. 

The story is truly unique in format. The emails allow readers to get to know the plot and the characters very well without being directly immersed into the action. At times, it would have been nice to experience what the characters were experiencing along with them rather than reading about what happened in their short summaries. That is the only minor drawback to a novel that is exclusively in emails. However, the emails in this novel are engaging and humorous. Renee’s foray into the world of online dating provides for many laugh-out-loud moments as she gives the recaps of her dates to her friends. Click: An Online Love Story is a quick, fun read with a modern approach to finding love.

Lisa Becker has endured her share of hilarious and awful dates with men she met through online dating, many of which inspired Click: An Online Love Story. She is now happily married to a wonderful man she met online and lives in Manhattan Beach with him and their two daughters. For more information, connect with Lisa through the book’s fan page on Facebook. 
--
What do you think of this review? Have you read Click? Share your thoughts with us by leaving a comment. Thanks!

Book Review: A Girl Like You


A Girl Like You. Gemma BurgessAbigail Wood finds herself single again after breaking up with her boyfriend of seven and a half years when she finally realized that he was not right for her. She quickly discovers that she doesn’t quite know how to be single. Meeting and dating new men is incredibly stressful for her, which only adds to her fears of ending up alone. After moving out of the place she shared with her boyfriend, she moves in with Robert, a friend of her sister’s fiancé. At first, they don’t see much of each other since Robert is one of London’s biggest players. He’s always out and Abigail keeps to herself too, working and going out with friends in attempt to stay as busy as possible so she won’t dwell on her breakup or being single. But one night, Abigail comes home and joins Robert to watch TV. This is the beginning of their friendship and the beginning of Robert becoming somewhat of a dating coach to Abigail. He tells her what to do and what to say on all of her dates, helping her to relax and enjoy dating. When Abigail falls hard for one of Robert’s best friends, a lot of unexpected feelings come to the surface as Abigail tries to figure out who is really the right man for a girl like her.

Author Gemma Burgess writes with such wit and charm. Her novel includes a wonderful cast of supporting characters who bring Abigail’s world to life. The characters really jump off of the pages and seem like friends anyone could have in real life. The whole story is very realistic and believable. It is told in a fun, engaging way that makes this book very hard to put down. The first few pages before Chapter 1 will really draw readers in and make them wonder throughout the whole book which man is the one who shows up to rescue Abigail in Hong Kong and make them wonder why she’s even there and why she’s so upset. It is an excellent way to keep readers guessing from the very beginning. If you are looking for a book full of humor, drama, friendship, dating and love, then you should definitely pick up a copy of A Girl Like You.   

Gemma Burgess is also the author of The Dating Detox. She's currently working on a new book series titled Union Street for St. Martin’s Press. Gemma lives in Notting Hill. For more information about her and her novels, please visit http://www.gemmaburgess.com. You can also connect with Gemma on Twitter.  
--
What do you think of this review? Have you read A Girl Like You? Do you want to read it? Leave a comment to let us know. Thanks! 

Book Review: Breaking Even

Nancy's Review of Breaking Even by Kathleen Kole

*This review is part of Kathleen Kole's blog tour hosted by CLP Blog Tours.
 
Breaking EvenIn Kathleen Kole’s Breaking Even, Penelope Whittaker is in a stable relationship with her fiancé Ben. They have been together for many years, but have yet to actually tie the knot. Penelope’s life is predictable, even boring at times, until she meets Scott, a recently widowed dad, when she drops off her soon-to-be nephews at school one morning. He offers to help her when she discovers that she locked her keys in the car. To her surprise, Penelope is very attracted to Scott’s kindness, charm and good looks.

Soon after meeting Scott, Penelope meets up with Kris and Renee, the wives of her fiancé’s brothers and her soon-to-be sisters-in-law, to tell them about her encounter with Scott. Kris and Renee are Penelope’s best friends, so they immediately worry when she shows such an interest in a man other than Ben, despite Penelope’s dismissal of their concern. Ben’s brothers Grayson and Paul are soon aware of the Scott situation, but Ben remains clueless. All Ben knows is that Penelope is unhappy when she gets angry with him for no reason and blurts out that they are like an old married couple. She then changes her appearance to give her life more excitement and to attract Scott even more to her, whether she wants to admit that or not. Ben also tries to spice up their relationship, not realizing that Penelope’s changes are for Scott and not for Ben. Meanwhile, Kris becomes jealous of Penelope and her changes because Kris feels like she is stuck in a rut too, which causes tension between them. This story has a very tangled web of characters that all affect each other and influence each other’s decisions. They are constantly in each other’s business, making it difficult for Penelope to figure out how she really feels. Does she still want to be with Ben even though it is increasingly difficult to ignore her strong attraction to Scott? Will she actually cheat on Ben or break it off with him before anything happens with Scott? There are turning points in any relationship. For Penelope, meeting Scott is a turning point in her relationship with Ben and she can’t go back.

Breaking Even is a fun, fast read that will keep readers wondering who Penelope will choose. There are surprises along the way that add to the drama and to Penelope’s confusion. Kole has an engaging writing style that will keep readers’ interest throughout the story. The dynamic between Penelope, Kris and Renee is well written. It often seems like Kris and Renee treat Penelope like she is part of their family even though she isn’t technically married to Ben yet. They have a hard time adjusting to the fact that she might have feelings for someone else because that means that they could lose her. At times, Kris and Renee seem nosy and bossy, but that is their way of showing that they care about Penelope and her relationship with Ben. Kole depicts the misunderstandings and miscommunication that can happen in relationships and friendships very well. Breaking Even is a worthwhile read about love, friendship, family and the tough life decisions that everyone faces.  

Kathleen Kole has been writing since she was a child. Breaking Even is her first novel. When she isn’t writing, she loves spending time with her husband, her son and her dog. Kole’s next novel, Dollars to Donuts, will be published this summer. To learn more, please visit http://www.kathleenkole.com, http://www.facebook.com/kathleenkoleauthor, and http://www.twitter.com/kathleenkole. 
--
What do you think of this review? Do you want to read Breaking Even? Have you already read it? Leave a comment to let us know. Thanks!

Book Review: Love Struck

Nancy's Review of Love Struck by Chantel Simmons

*This review is part of Chantel Simmons' blog tour hosted by CLP Blog Tours.
 
Love StruckPoppy Ross is an image consultant living in Toronto who thinks that she has the perfect life, including the perfect marriage. It is no wonder that she is shocked when she overhears that her husband, Parker, is having an affair. Her whole world begins to crumble as she struggles with this surprising and devastating revelation. When Poppy receives a call that Parker was struck by lightning, she rushes to the hospital only to find out that Parker was with the other woman, Sienna, and they were both affected by the bolt of lightning. Poppy approaches Sienna at the hospital and pretends to be a sociologist, so that she can gather information. After seeing how different she is from Sienna, Poppy decides that she needs to transform herself to look like Sienna so that Parker, who lost his short term memory of the affair, won't ever remember Sienna or go back to her. Poppy's plan is flawed in many ways, leading her down a difficult yet eye-opening path to the real truth.

Love Struck is full of laugh-out-loud moments as Poppy tries to look like Sienna. She changes her hair and her nails in addition to getting a tan, getting her teeth whitened, and wearing padded cycling shorts. She tries to change her physical appearance in every way possible without undergoing actual surgery, but that doesn't mean the process isn't painful. Despite the heartbreak that is the catalyst for all of these changes, readers will be able to see the humor in Poppy's pursuits. This book is a fun read with some unexpected twists that will definitely keep readers engaged in the story and invested in the characters. There are also some good lessons about the trouble that can come with trying to be perfect, because, after all, no one is perfect.

Chantel Simmons is also the author of the bestseller Stuck in Downward Dog. She has worked at ELLE Canada, Sweetspot.ca, TV Guide, Elevate and The Toronto Sun. She is currently the Hair Editor of The Kit, Canada’s first digital beauty magazine. Chantel also teaches magazine and online writing and editing in the book & magazine publishing program at Centennial College. She lives in Toronto with her husband and their cat. For more information, visit http://www.chantelsimmons.com and follow Chantel on Twitter @ChantelSimmons.
--
What do you think of this review? Have you read Chantel's books? Leave a comment to let us know. We love your feedback!

Book & Movie Review: Something Borrowed

Nancy's Review of Something Borrowed (Book & Movie)

Something Borrowed is about Rachel White, an attorney in Manhattan, and her childhood best friend, Darcy Rhone. Told from Rachel's point of view, the story begins when Darcy throws Rachel a 30th birthday party.

Rachel always plays by the rules. She always comes in second to Darcy and is quite accustomed to it, rarely speaking up for herself. She gives in to Darcy's demands, regardless of her true feelings. Darcy is engaged to Rachel's friend from law school, Dex. Rachel has been harboring a secret crush on Dex for years. When Darcy leaves Rachel's 30th birthday party early because she has had too much to drink, Dex takes her home. However, it isn't long before he is back at the party looking for Darcy's lost purse. He asks Rachel to go with him to another bar for one more drink. One thing leads to another and Rachel winds up in bed withe her best friend's fiance. Rachel's 30th birthday party is where her affair with Dex begins. They see each other secretly, making desperate attempts to keep their relationship hidden. Eventually, Rachel's co-worker and friend, Hillary, figures it out. Rachel then confides in her close friend, Ethan, who has been friends with Rachel and Darcy since they were kids, but likes Rachel much more than he likes Darcy. Hillary and Ethan are both rooting for Rachel's relationship with Dex because they don't want her to always be in Darcy's shadow. The whole situation becomes increasingly complicated as Rachel is forced to choose: friendship or true love?

  • The friendship between Rachel and Darcy is definitely believable. The depiction of childhood best friends who have stuck together into adulthood, despite their differences, is beautifully depicted.  
  • The flashbacks to different times in the Rachel and Darcy friendship are very important to understanding how they have gotten to where they are now.
  • Even though Darcy is a difficult friend to have around, most people have or have had a friend like her. Her actions will make readers cringe while relating to them. Readers will either be more like Rachel, more like Darcy, or a mixture of both. Bottom line: everyone can relate to these characters.
  • The relationship between Rachel and Dex is understandable. The details of their past make it easy to believe why they are risking everything for each other in the present. The intensity of their affair adds to the conflict and adds to the emotional impact of the overall story.
  • The ending is very realistic, including the character transformation that Rachel makes. 
  • There are a couple of great scenes between Rachel and Darcy, showing the depth of their friendship.
  • Kate Hudson is fantastic as Darcy.
  • Hillary is not in the movie. Ethan is the only best friend to Rachel, besides Darcy.
  • John Krasinski, who plays Ethan, really steals the film. He gives a great performance that is a departure from his character on the popular NBC show The Office. It is great to see him step into other roles that broaden his career and show more of his acting skills.
  • The flashbacks are just as important in the movie. The black and white freeze on Rachel's face is a great way to transition to a flashback.
  • The on-screen chemistry between Ginnifer Goodwin (Rachel) and Colin Egglesfield (Dex) is lacking a bit. The Rachel and Dex relationship is much more compelling in the book. Ginnifer Goodwin has better on-screen chemistry with John Krasinski.
  • The way the movie ends is slightly different from how the book ends. The movie's ending is less satisfying and less realistic than the book's ending. 
Overall, the book is better than the movie. However, the movie is well done. It is great to see the book's characters come to life on the big screen. Looking forward to reading the book's sequel, Something Blue. Hopefully, we'll get to see a film sequel as well.
--
Have you read Something Borrowed and/or seen the movie? What do you think?