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A Pug’s Tale by Alison Pace
Chick Lit Review

A Pug’s Tale by Alison Pace

As a huge dog lover, I was immediately smitten with the cover of A Pug’s Tale by Allison Pace. And I’m happy to report that I was just an enamored with the story as I was with the cover. The heroine, Hope, works at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, has a boyfriend that is currently living in Africa with Lawyers without Borders, and is starting to get lonely. She only has Max to talk to- which is her boyfriend’s pug that she is in possession of until Ben returns back to New York. While attending a pug party at the Met in honor of Daphne, another pug owner/lover and an investor with the museum, Max leads Hope to a fake painting sitting in her office. It looks as though someone has stolen the original, and wants Hope to know about it. The mystery of the stolen painting is the main focus of the book, with scavenger hunt clues, a so-so private detective, and Hope’s co-workers looking at each other suspiciously. Hope it determined to solve the mystery, and hopes to figure out her life at the same time. Will Ben ever come home from Africa? Does she want him, or is she still crushing on her boss, Elliott, who is getting engaged and questioning if Hope is the painting thief?
This is a really cute book, and I always like a little mystery with my chick lit. Hope is a very convincing character, super sweet and genuine, but that is a little lost when it comes down to her personal life. I wish there had been a little more emphasis on her boyfriend, because it was hard to tell if she really loved him or what the deal was there. I kept thinking she was going to get with Elliott because he was talked about so much more than the actual BF. Daphne’s character was super kooky yet really fun to read about. I loved the way the ending worked out with her (no spoilers here) and it gave me a good laugh when I read it. I thought this was a light read that was fun throughout the way, and a great book for dog lovers to pick up. Sometimes I did think the plot was getting a little too out there, but it was still interesting enough to keep me engrossed. I guess this is actually a sequel to Pug Hill, which I didn’t realize until I was almost halfway through the book, and that was because I was doing research on it. If you haven’t read the first one, I wouldn’t worry, I didn’t feel that I was missing anything, but I will definitely grab a copy of Pug Hill to read as well!
[Rating: 4]

September 9, 2011
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Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow by Claudia Carroll
Chick Lit Review

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow by Claudia Carroll

Annie and Dan have been the perfect couple for so long. But what happens when the honeymoon is over, the romance starts to wear off, and your husband seems to be married to his job more than you? That’s the way Annie is feeling, and is increasingly unhappy as the lonely days go by. Dan seems to put everyone and everything in front of his wife, so when Annie gets a huge opportunity, she wants, no needs, to take it. Annie is offered a spot on a Broadway show, a huge break for her, but it would mean leaving Dan behind for a whole year in their Irish village of Stickens, and living alone in the Big Apple. When the final straw pushes Annie over the edge, she flees Stickens and lands in New York, ready for a break from her marriage. But will a year apart be good for Annie and Dan? Or will it only lead to the demise of their union?
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow by Claudia Carroll is an enjoyable chick lit read. I really felt Annie’s pain in how often she was put on the back burner by her husband, and was rooting for her to get to New York and be her own person. I liked reading about someone struggling to find their independence, because I can relate to that pretty easily. Annie meets a great cast of characters when she gets to New York, and there is quite the subplot going with a cast mate who has a drug problem. I really didn’t know how this story was going to end. I couldn’t decide if I thought Annie and Dan would get back together, or if Annie would find a new man in New York. That made me more on edge to finish the book quickly and see how everything played out. Overall, I really liked this story, a bit slow at times, but a fun chick lit read that I think will inspire readers to never rely too heavily on a man. I would recommend!
[Rating: 4]

September 7, 2011
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The Whole Package by Cynthia Ellingsen
Chick Lit Review

The Whole Package by Cynthia Ellingsen

Three friends have lost it all. Doris finds out her husband is having an affair, Cheryl lost her fantastic job, and Jackie is poor after her husband passes away and leaves her with debt. When the three high school friends get together once again, now in their forties, they feel like everything is crashing around them. When they get an idea to reclaim their lives, their independence, and their happiness, it comes in the form of an unexpected business venture- a restaurant. But not just any old restaurant- a place where women can come for a delicious meal with a side of a yummy, half-naked waiter. The Whole Package centers on giving women some eye candy, a little show, and great food. But can the friends make their business succeed, or will their restaurant go bust- along with their friendships?
The Whole Package by Cynthia Ellingsen is a heartfelt story that still provides comedic relief. The idea behind the restaurant is a bit silly and out there, but I thought the ending was pitch perfect. The friendship between the three women is complex yet so utterly truthful. Each character well written and developed, and I enjoyed that they were in a different place in their lives. Doris was watching her marriage crumble and struggling to parent her teenage daughter, Jackie was still mourning her husband but having thoughts about her lawyer and late husband’s best friend, and Cheryl is the single gal that can’t seem to commit. I loved reading about all three of them, and was cheering for each woman to succeed. The middle seemed to lag a bit for me, but I definitely recommend The Whole Package. A delightful read from a new author that clearly has a way with the written word.
[Rating: 4.5]

September 7, 2011
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The Perfect Hero by Victoria Connelly
Chick Lit Review

The Perfect Hero by Victoria Connelly

Kay Ashton, a die-hard romantic waiting for her Mr. Darcy to come along, receives an inheritance after her friend Peggy passes away. Kay decides to buy a property on Lyme Regis and turn it into a cozy Bed and Breakfast. The first guests? Why only the cast members of `Persuasion’ and Kay gets to rub elbows with some famous actors- including the gorgeous Oli Wade Owen. Kay is sure she has met her Mr. Right- after all, Oli is playing the lead in the movie. But Adam, the writer and producer, has fallen for Kay. But Kay thinks Adam has taken a liking to Gemma, the shy lead actress. Kay makes it her mission to bring together Adam and Gemma, while Adam tries to confess his true feelings, while Kay tries to make herself irresistible to Oli.
The Perfect Hero by Victoria Connelly is a sweet romance story filled with wrong turns and too many assumptions. I did like this story, but it was a bit too slow for me to really get into. Kay was a nice heroine, a lonesome girl who is just looking for her happy ending, but she spent most of her time daydreaming and in her own little bubble than with reality. I didn’t get the attraction to Oli Wade Owen, it was very clear that he was a player and had some secrets going on. On that note, I liked the surprise at the end regarding his character. Adam was a doll and Gemma was very sweet, though painfully shy. I didn’t really understand why she was acting when she clearly didn’t enjoy it and didn’t like the attention. That was confusing. This was still a cute romance, and there are some great scenic descriptions in there, but it missed the mark for me by just a bit. I think fans of light romances will enjoy it though.
[Rating: 3]

September 5, 2011
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Cat in a Vegas Gold Vendetta by Carole Nelson Douglas
Chick Lit Review

Cat in a Vegas Gold Vendetta by Carole Nelson Douglas

Well, I’m never a fan of giving unfavorable reviews, nor am I a fan of not finishing books. Unfortunately, this is what has happened when I attempted to read Cat in a Vegas Gold Vendetta by Carole Nelson Douglas. I usually write a little synopsis of the story to start off my reviews, but I’m not quite sure what to type here. There is a cat that is a detective and chats with other stray cats, a PR whiz that somehow turns into a detective, an ex-fiancée with no memory, and an actress with a kooky aunt. The actress hires Temple Barr to act as the detective and track down who killed her aunt’s handyman, and the cats help out. But then Temple has issues with her ex-fiancée Max, who was in a magic accident and has no memory of her. That’s about all I can do to sum it up. I don’t want to write a scathing review, I think this book simply wasn’t for me. I agreed to review it thinking it was more of a mystery book, and not some strange ode to cats. Within about four chapters, I was completely lost and was never able to get into the story or the characters, and ended up just scanning the rest.
[Rating: 1.5]

September 2, 2011
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Jackpot by Jackie Pilossoph
Chick Lit Review

Jackpot by Jackie Pilossoph

Siblings Jamie and Danny Jacobson are not looking for love. Jamie has been burned by a cheating ex-husband, and has lost faith in the meaning of love and faithfulness. Danny is an aspiring actor who also works as a teacher, and is better at one night stands than any real relationships. But brother and sister get the shock of their life when their slightly overbearing Jewish mother, Frankie, wins the lottery. Frankie, who lost her husband when the children were both young, has wanted to be fulfilled by grandchildren for years. After her lottery winnings flow in, she devises a plan to get those grandchildren- a promise of $8 million dollars that Jamie and Danny can collect if they produce a child. The siblings are shocked- until the scent of money starts to become intoxicating. Jamie decides to use her co-worker, Drew, who has always crushed on her, to help her become pregnant. But along the way, Jamie thinks she could actually be falling in love with him- but doesn’t know how to confess the real reason she finally gave him a chance. And Danny falls head over heels with Courtney, a business owner who cares more about his teaching than acting career, but is crushed when she reveals she cannot have children. Both Jamie and Danny need to decide, do they pick love- or the cash prize?

Jackpot! is the second novel from Jackie Pilossoph, who once again will not disappoint. The story is written in alternating point of views, between the brother and sister. Pilossoph once again shows off her ability to get into a man’s head and write effectively from the male perspective. Both Jamie and Danny could seem selfish, but with snappy dialogue, loveable personality traits, and a soft spot for families, the two main characters will become your friends throughout the story. I enjoyed that not only was this novel light and funny, but there was a serious note underneath it all. What would you pick if you had to make the choice- love or money? Many of us would say love in a heartbeat, but the characters go through very real struggles along the way to make their decisions. I thought the entire novel had a very real feel to it, and I liked watching how it would all come together. Add in a heart clenching plot twist with Frankie, and plenty of scenes that will leave you laughing out loud, Jackie Pilossoph definitely hits the Jackpot! with her sophomore novel.

[Rating: 4]

August 31, 2011
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A Proper Charlie by Louise Wise
Chick Lit Review

A Proper Charlie by Louise Wise

Charlie Wallis is hoping to luck out and finally land her dream job as a journalist, and lucky for her, best friend Melvin secured her a position at the London Core- a British tabloid newspaper. But not as a journalist, oh no, Charlie is simply the “clerk,” running mundane tasks for others in the office. But when the Core is bought out by Donald Middleton, things around the office begin to change. For starters, Donald’s son is brought in as the corporate manager, and Charlie is immediately gob smacked by him. Handsome, charismatic, rich, but Ben is dealing with some very personal issues. He has just lost his mother, his father is ill, and his sister cannot be found after a very hard family discovery. Charlie and Ben are brought together in the oddest way- both trying to track down the “Gentleman Abductor,” a kidnapper that is targeting prostitutes. But while they don’t realize they are both on the case-Ben searching for his sister and Charlie in hopes of being able to write an article on the kidnappings- their wires get crossed. Soon, Ben thinks Charlie is a prostitute, and Charlie thinks Ben is the Gentleman Abductor! While their budding romance has taken enough hits- Ben being from a well to do family, Charlie being an orphan from the opposite end of the totem pole is the biggest issue- now this latest development causes even more strife. Can Charlie and Ben find love together?
I had a lot of fun reading A Proper Charlie by Louise Wise. It almost reminds me of Prince William/Kate Middleton, with the backgrounds being so different yet they are obviously in love. Charlie is so likeable, sometimes a little dense, especially when it comes to her boyfriend/ex-boyfriend, Andy. There is one hilarious sex scene in the book with Charlie and Andy that absolutely had me cracking up! I like that the book focused so much on Ben and his family issues- and there are a lot of them! I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the book, trying to hunt down the Gentleman Abductor and also Ben trying to locate his sister. There were times where I really didn’t like Melvin’s character, who was Charlie’s best friend and foster home comrade. He seemed really down on Charlie all the time, about her dreams of being a journalist and about falling in love with Ben. And when it came to Andy and his disgusting self-absorbed attitude, I really didn’t understand how Charlie could be so naïve to look past it all. Luckily, she gets to redeem herself in the end with that situation. Overall, I really liked this book and thought it was super funny- chick lit fans are sure to love!
[Rating: 4]

August 29, 2011
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Merciless by Diana Palmer
Chick Lit Review

Merciless by Diana Palmer

I had a really difficult time getting into Merciless by Diana Palmer. The first two chapters sat well with me, but then it really went downhill from there. The two main characters, FBI agent Jon and single mom Joceline, are seemingly in love with one another but neither will admit it. When their lives are threatened and they are forced to hide out together, the two finally decide to be with one another and Joceline spills a big secret that is really pretty obvious from page one. The dialogue in the book really got me. The characters would constantly state the most obvious things, and the historical facts made it sound like they were reading out of a book. When the dialogue is discussing someone’s pregnancy and then the dialogue tag reads “she said, alluding to her pregnancy,” well, that is a little unnecessary. And maybe it’s just because I’m younger, but the old fashioned views that were constantly talked about seemed a bit overboard. In every chapter it’s mentioned that Joceline has a child out of wedlock and what a horrible person she is because of it. After the first few chapters I had trouble staying with the book, but the kicker was when (SPOILER-ISH ALERT) Joceline confides to Jon that Markie is his son. This happens right after Jon’s mother is shot and killed. What is the appropriate response? To have sex and really leave it at that. I was completely baffled. I can’t say I would recommend Merciless, but I have heard that Diana Palmer’s earlier works are said to be better.
[Rating: 2]

August 26, 2011
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The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin
Chick Lit Review

The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin

I have mixed feelings about The American Heiress, the debut novel from Daisy Goodwin. While I really enjoyed the writing, the author can clearly write in the 19th century setting, and most of the characters were well developed and thought-provoking, there were a few lacking elements that kept sneaking up on me. The story is set in the 1890’s and follows an American heiress, Cora Cash, and her journey with love, money, and prestige. Though Cora has fallen for a “normal” man, her mother insists that she can only marry someone with a title. The dreadful Mrs. Cash brings Cora to England in search of the perfect royal candidate. Cora is quickly engaged and married to Ivo, the Duke of Wareham, and quickly finds that perhaps the royal life isn’t what she expected. Her husband becomes withdrawn and secretive, often leaving for extended periods of time, even once Cora finds herself pregnant with his child, her close friends are not to be trusted, and the suspicions of affairs reeks in every home. Cora tries to stay positive, but becomes increasingly aware that money and titles do not equal happiness.
Why did I have mixed feelings? I already mentioned the writing was great, Goodwin is a terrific storyteller, but there were just a few oddities mixed in that would snag my attention. Right from the beginning, Mrs. Cash somehow gets lit on fire and half of her face is scarred. Seems like a big deal, but after Cora wonders if she is dead, the scene is over and I was left wildly confused as to what was going on. There were little scenes like these that were thrown in but didn’t really seem to have a place in the story. I think this might be because there was an overabundance of characters. I kept wondering if some of the smaller characters would make a bigger impact, but it didn’t seem to happen. They could have been cut out and the story could have been shorter and more to the point. There were times where the plot seemed to drag on, but then others where I didn’t want to put it down. The ending did leave me pretty unsettled though, because it seemed Cora was finally going to stand up for herself and there was a big build up around it and then…she settled. And then the story was abruptly over. So you can see my confusion with this book. I was going to give it three stars, but decided to add that half star because of the gorgeous cover, and the fact that were a few sporadic moments where I didn’t want to put the book down. I’m curious to know if others have read The American Heiress and what your thoughts were.
[Rating: 3.5]

August 24, 2011
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