Love Reads!

Leah McLaren

April 2007

Warner 5-spot

ISBN-10: 0446699594

ISBN-13: 9780446699594

Meredith Moore is the most organized person you will ever meet, which makes her job as a continuity girl the perfect career. Recently though, something has come along that was never a part of her plan ……….. the biological need to have a baby.

At the beginning of the story we find Meredith working on her latest movie working with an insufferable director who changes his mind more then most people change clothes. After a very callus exchange of words she decides enough is enough just gets up and leaves into the great unknown that is unemployment. Her mother a hippie poet comes to her rescue and sets her up to be the continuity girl that a friend of hers has put in production. This is not just any friend; it is the Donald Trump of this story, a man by the name of Osmund Crouch, whom she has always had a connection to but never exactly understood why. Meredith packs her bags and moves to London into her mothers flat for the duration of filming.

Also on her mind around the same time as her becoming unemployed is the fact that she is getting older and yearning to have a child of her own. Her recent doctors visit to check on the freshness of her eggs further sends her into a worrying abyss when she finds out things have started to go downhill.

Will this movie put her back on top? Will she ever find someone suitable enough to be her sperm donor? Why is that one doctor she met showing up everywhere?!

This story is a good one, though maybe a little exaggerated at times and stays appealing throughout. A lot of people no matter what their age can relate to balancing your work life and every other one in between.

4 out of 5

I am sure those of you who have visited have noticed my nifty little widget on my sidebar called LibraryThing. This widget is actually connected to a website that actually helps you keep track of the books you have read or if your more like me you just want to show them off! The website allows you once you create an account to add up to 200 books to your listing. After that you must pay a one time fee of $25 for you to have an unlimited number of books listed. The widget comes is HTML format and can be placed anywhere that allows the code and as I said before it is connected to the website itself so as you update it the changes will show in the widget.

For my blog personally though the list cannot be in a certain order you can pretty easily tell what upcoming reviews would be on. So, keep checking back not only to read but to see whats coming soon!

By Laurie Horowitz

May 2006

William Morrow & Company

ISBN: 0060875267

As a treat to you all I have decided to post a review about one of my
favorite books. The paperback version will be coming out at the end of this
month and I thought since it is now cheaper it is even easier to pick up!

Jane Fortune is a true literati, there is nothing better in the world to
her then finding a comfy spot and reading a good book. She has even gone as far
as reviving a literary journal for aspiring authors to get their big break
which was started by her great-grandmother and aptly named The Euphemia
Review. After finishing college she took over the foundation and was able
to snag and amazing unknown named Max Wellman. Max’s story was in her debut
journal and thanks to Jane’s help he is now one the best authors in the Market!

Max was also Jane’s first love, he even went as far as asking her go go
away with him. This however was not to be thanks to her meddling aunt who
convinced the naive twenty-three year that such a match was not to be. She is
now thirty-eight and still single. Thing have been going smoothly since her
younger days, her journal is a well respected publication and she is content by
all intensive purposes living her life the way it is.

Her live abruptly makes a 180 when her high-class Boston families money
is suddenly kaput, forcing them out of their prestigious family home. Also
going on at the same time is another drama involving her newest lucky candidate
to be featured in her journal. The only problem is she cant find him! The
address he sent along with his submission is valid and so begins a chase to
track down her newest star author.

Though many larger book reviews have panned on The Family Fortune I
enjoyed it immensely. Especially when she spoke of her love for reading and how
it made her feel. I realized I am not so weird after all! It’s categorized as a
contemporary novel so look in your bookstores regular fiction section. I hope
some of you decide to pick up this book, you will not regret it.

4 out of 5

By Whitney Gaskell

August 2007

Bantam

ISBN 10: 0553589695

ISBN:13: 978-0553589696

In Mommy Tracked by Whitney Gaskell, the reader is introduced to four sassy women each at different stages of their lives, but still finding the time to come together. Grace, Chloe, Juliet and Anna all met as part of the neighborhood group called mothers coming together that hosts monthly events for the women to come together, have fun, and commiserate.

They’re newly appointed leader Grace is very inventive with her new ideas; some being nice; but painful (like a free bikini wax) while others are a bit more on the naughty side. Grace though as happy as she portrays herself to her friends and family secretly feels horribly about herself thanks to an overly critical stepmother and her constant badgering. Having endured it for a long period now she surprises everyone by being irresponsible in a BIG way.

Chloe, when we meet her in the beginning is 8 months pregnant and ready to start the journey that it is being a mom. Early on in the story she gives birth and hopes that with a child in the family her not so doting husband will shape up into a responsible adult. Unfortunately, her theory falls short when put into practice and her patience is quickly wearing thin. Then there’s also that little shoplifting habit……..

Juliet is quite the opposite of the previous two and is a high-powered lawyer on the verge of making partner. Her husband, previously a firefighter, stays at home taking care of the kids, and is resentful because she spends way to much time in the office and not enough with her family. Juliet ignores her husbands protests and figures that as soon as she makes partner they will be a financial easy street, but at what cost? Then there are those thoughts about her boss……….

Anna is a recently divorced restaurant critic with a two-year-old son named Charlie. Focusing solely on her career and her child she has not really had time for dating, though the way she portrays her ex I have a feeling he could scare anyone off. That is until she meets Noah a sweet entrepreneur with a great smile and easy demeanor. All seems perfect until he drops the bomb that he has been through four engagements, none of which resulting in marriage. Will she be able to look past it?

This book is perfect for every generation, whether you’re a young mother, a veteran, or not a mother at all, you can relate to at least one of the characters in it. They are all very real, each having their own unique set of baggage, but still able to help each other when another is in need.

4 out of 5

By Holly Peterson

June 2007

The Dial Press

ISBN 10: 0385340400

ISBN 13: 978-0385340403

In Manny the story is exactly what it sounds like right after reading the title; its about someone employing a male nanny.

Jamie Whitfield is thirty-something television news show producer living in Manhattan. As is usually the case when it comes to some chick lit she, along with her husband own a sizable apartment in as she calls it “the grid” more often called the Upper East Side. She thinks herself to be beyond the whole scene however doing the bare minimum required to fit in. She unlike many of her peers tries her best to make herself a part of children’s lives. She has to this point has been fairly successful balancing both that and work, but has recently discovered, at least when it comes to her son Dylan, there is only so much she herself can do.

Her husband Phillip spends almost no time at home, let alone with the children and because of this Dylan has never had a strong positive male influence in his life. This lack of bonding has made Dylan over the years very introverted. After trying to talk this through with her husband having gotten nowhere she decides to talk it over with some friends. They quickly tell her about the finer points of having what is called a “Manny” or male nanny. A Manny they say unlike their female counterparts do not do laundry or cleaning, instead they spend time with the children assimilating themselves as the male role model that has been absent. Taking the children to sports events, the park and most importantly be there to listen to the problems that may not be told to the parents because either they do not have time, or are not “cool” enough.

After some searching Jamie is quickly realizing she may have to throw in the towel as it is harder then she imagined to find someone to fill that role. Thankfully though she is served a miracle in the form of Peter a man in his late 20s trying to make ends meet while he develops computer software that provides homework help. He becomes more then just the hired help as time progresses.

This book is too utterly predictable and follows too long of a time line for the inevitable end result. The characters were engaging which is why I was disappointed the story played out as it did. Unfortunately with this book, all you need to do is read the title and your pretty much done.

I swear this is the LAST time this blog moves! I finally found the perfect place to for my growing blog to live and socialize! I am hoping with this blog under a bigger umbrella more avid chick lit readers like myself will be able to find love reads and benefit from its content. If you have any ideas as the page grows let me know. This page is for you! I want to know what you want to see! So email or comment and get you thoughts heard. Welcome to the new home of Love Reads, grab a cup of coffee sit back and enjoy!