What The Lady Wants by Jennifer Crusie

***** out of *****

This was a re-read of the first Jennifer Crusie I really got. I tried Fast Women before this but couldn’t get beyond the first couple of chapters. But this book moves much faster – its shorter and in a more popular style. Once you’ve got into Crusie’s books there is no turning back. You’ll still look back fondly at this one though.

There are some boringly stereotyped secondary characters in this, but the main protagonists are so appealling that its forgivable. As usual for a Crusie at the end I was still wondering quite what had happened. Which is a good excuse for a re-read.

If you like the mystery/mafia family plot of this, then try Agnes and the Hitman by the same author.

Genre: Romance with bit of mystery

Read: 12/4/8

Faking It by Jennifer Crusie

ISBN: 978-0312932787

This is one of my favourite Jenny Crusie books. Which means it is one of my favourite ooks of all time. I have only have it two months and the cover is already completely ragged from rereadings in the bath. I love it – she makes me laugh and actually care about ALL the characters all the time.

Plot:
Fakery – (of paintings, fortunes, secondary personalities and careers)
Bakery – (Are men muffins [keepers] or donuts [moment on your lips lifetime on your hips [[in the BAD way]])
Make (out) ery – NOT to channel Paris Hilton or anything but this book is hot

Characters: Really good characterisation – no surprise from Crusie as she is a writer who delivers believable people acting true to themselves whilst going through one hell of a plot arc. (It always seems strangely feasible whilst you are reading in this case you believe in con men, split personalities, precociously brilliant teens, delinquent parents (Heroes dad is hilarious) and a completely incompetent femme fatale who (accidentally) kills her men for very little profit.

What to love: All the secondary characters. All the main characters. The intricacy of the plot. The humour. The sex. The happy ever after. The comparison of people to baked goods – I do that myself quite ofen. (In case you were wondering you are a perfect slice of apple cake just from reading this blog. Practically the top of the cake hierarchy…)

What to loathe: Hmmm…. Sometimes Louise/Eve felt she had been changed to fit into the plot – but then she is not exactly a stable character – so maybe she really is written how she is supposed to be written – I love her anyway – so I take all that back – it is all great!!!

Buy, Borrow or Bin: Buy – Multiple copies. Lend them to sad friends

If this book was a drink it would be: The perfect ginger beer of the book world. If you are wondering… in my lexicon that means it is spicy, cool and strangely sophisticated whilst totally wholesome – combined with a great sense of fun.

Here is a link to the author page about the book including the first chapter so you can make your own mind up: Faking It

And this is the book on Amazon so you can see what the book buying world thinks: Amazon

Strange Bedpersons by Jennifer Crusie

ISBN 1551667436

This is not my favourite Jenny Crusie book. That leaves lots of room for manouvere as my favourite Jenny Crusie books are the perfect ginger beer of the book world. If you are wondering… in my lexicon that means they are spicy, cool and strangely sophisticated combined with a great sense of fun.

Plot: Incompatible thirty somethings overcome social and cutural barriers to realise a suit is more than just a suit and hippies are people too.

Characters: Really good characterisation – no surprise from Crusie as she is a writer who delivers believable people acting true to themselves whilst going through one hell of a plot arc. (It always seems strangely feasibly whilst you are reading).

What to love: All the secondary characters. A special mention goes out to Christine as I adored this character to bits and wish she had her own book

What to loathe: Sometimes I really wanted the lead couple NOT to get together – they were so much more annoying when in the same room. He became unbelievably controlling and she became mindlessly ranty; it was sometimes unpleasant to read. However it was true to the story and the characters.

Buy, Borrow or Bin: Buy

If this book was a drink it would be: A very lovely shop bought lemonade – not quite as good as homemade but you would be really glad you bought it – especially drinking it down at the beach in the sun.

Here is a link to the author page about the book including the first chapter so you can make your own mind up: Strange Bedpersons

And this is the book on Amazon so you can see what the book buying world thinks: Amazon