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The Icing on the Cupcake by Jennifer Ross
Chick Lit Review

The Icing on the Cupcake by Jennifer Ross

Ansley is your classic sorority sister with loads of money, class- and a terrible attitude towards others. Though she has pursued a college eduction, this diva in the making plans on settling into the happy life of a housewife: getting married, popping out adorable children, and spending her time planning parties and other highly important functions in the neighborhood. Her plans are dashed when her adorable and successful fiancée, Parish, dumps her- in the middle of a party! Humiliated and distraught about the gossip that is sure to fly about her, Ansley flees the comfort of her hometown of Dallas and hightails to New York City to live with her grandmother until she can recover and get a game plan going.
Ansley’s grandmother, Vivian, is a feisty older woman who is juggling her own set of problems. Her husband has recently passed away, and left Vivian in hot water with the IRS over his finances and some risky tax moves he had been hiding from her. Making the situation even more uncomfortable is the fact that Vivian left Dallas when Ansley was young girl, estranging herself from her own daughter and granddaughter- not speaking to either in years. With her sudden houseguest, Vivian is hoping to make a family connection after so many years, but the question surrounds why she left her family in the first place…
The Icing on the Cupcake is a delicious and fluffy read from Jennifer Ross. Ansley’s character is easily disliked in the beginning, but after she sets up shop in New York and starts to have a personality change, she is extremely relatable. Vivian is a riot- a woman who is not afraid to talk about her sex life and her wishes to bed the IRS agent she is working with on her late husband’s finances. There were two things I particularly liked about this story- the mystery that keeps going strong throughout about why the family is separated and the not so expected love ending for the heroine. I enjoy when books veer away from the norm, and I think this is definitely one of those. I can only hope for a sequel to see how Ansley’s love life turns out! For all you bakers that love to read- check out the delicious recipes that end each chapter.

June 5, 2010
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Forget Me Knot by Sue Margolis
Chick Lit Review

Forget Me Knot by Sue Margolis

Abby Crompton, owner of a trendy London florist boutique, is struggling in her relationship. While everything may seem picture perfect to outsiders, Abby fears there is something array with her fiancée Toby. Other than their complete opposition in the social aspect- Toby comes from a highly wealthy family, Abby not so much- but now their lack of any activity in the bedroom is making Abby unsure of her future wedding plans. When she is running late to meet the dreaded soon to be mother-in-law, Abby confronts her fears of an elevator and promptly gets stuck in one. While waiting to be rescued, Abby confides all her doubts about her impending marriage and fiancée to the handsome stranger that is trapped along with her, filmmaker Dan.
Abby’s embarrassment is elevated when she later meets Dan in a business setting- he is going to be directing a film where scenes take place in Abby’s boutique. While continually assuring her that he doesn’t think anything less of her and the inebriated personal babble she bestowed on him, Abby finds herself thinking of Dan in a more romantic setting. When her relationship with Toby comes to a direct halt, Abby wonders if anything more could happen with Dan. Before she can even begin to rebound,, she finds some unsettling news that Dan has been hiding from her, and gives up hope on that budding relationship. But following all great chick lit patterns, Abby is able to find love in the end even after all the false starts.
Forgot Me Knot is a romantic delight from British author Sue Margolis. A lightweight comedy that chick lit readers will enjoy. This was one of the better books from Margolis in my opinion, the characters were a riot, especially the heroine’s mom who finds a way to stand up for what she believes in during a cruise vacation gone bad. The storyline moves along quickly, and remains charming throughout.

June 3, 2010
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Looks to Die For by Janice Kaplan
Chick Lit Review

Looks to Die For by Janice Kaplan

Lacy Fields is thriving in life. A great job as an interior designer, a successful and loving husband who works as a plastic surgeon in Hollywood, great family and friends. But when the cops explode into her house one night and arrest her husband Dan for murdering a wannabee actress, Lacy feels her life getting turned upside down. Convinced that Dan is not a murderer, but feeling like everyone- including Dan’s attorney- thinks he’s guilty, the mom who loves designer shoes and sparkling jewelry decides to launch her own investigation into the shady world of fame, money, and scandal. She certainly doesn’t expect what she finds- ex-cons, ransom notes, a dead body in her own trunk, being taken hostage. But determined to stand by her man, nothing will knock down this well-dressed amateur sleuth as she works feverishly to clear her husband’s name and put the pieces of her family back together.
Looks to Kill For, the first of two Lacy Fields mysteries from well-known author Janice Kaplan, will give readers plenty of suspense along with the posh LA lifestyle the heroine is living. The mystery is puzzling, with enough plot twists and character assumptions that will keep you guessing until the end, and the celebrity name dropping is delightful for chick lit fans. Kaplan’s witty writing along with the pull of a love story will keep readers wanting more from Lacy Fields.

June 3, 2010
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Enchanted Inc. by Shanna Swendson
Chick Lit Review

Enchanted Inc. by Shanna Swendson

Katie Chandler is just your average 26 year old who moved from her small town lifestyle in Texas to the magical world of New York City. She lives with her two friends, who also moved from Texas, and works Monday-Friday at a thankless assistant job to an evil boss. Katie wishes she could really do something with her life, make her mark somehow. Be important, wanted, needed. She never thought she actually possessed a talent, a gift, for magic.
Katie learns, after much persistence from the company MSI, that she is an immune- someone who can see magic but can’t actually practice it. MSI, which stands for Magic, Spells, and Illusions Inc. wants to recruit Katie and put her gift to use, being able to see past magical shields, cloaks, and invisibility. MSI are the good guys in the magical world, working to prevent evil magic at play. Katie quickly adapts to her new life, magic by day and normal at night. The hardest part is not being able to tell her roommates and parents about what she now does as a living- which includes working for the one and only Merlin. When a former MSI employee turns to the dark side, a battle ensues and Katie finds herself playing a pivotal part. Finally, somewhere she belongs, where she will make a difference.
Enchanted Inc. the first in the Enchanted series from author Shanna Swendson, is a fun tale that offers a magical adventure from the norm. The adventures the heroine embarks are comical, and the writing is light and saucy, with a twinge of seriousness and enough of a love story to interest chick lit fans. If you are looking to escape the everyday stories with the usual plot twists and characters, crack open the Enchanted series and get lost in the magic.
Rating: 4.5/5

June 2, 2010
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Perfect on Paper by Maria Murnane
Chick Lit Review

Perfect on Paper by Maria Murnane

Waverly Bryson has to be the luckiest girl in the world. After years of disastrous blind dates and her hopes of love being dashed, she has finally become a bride to be. Her fiancée? Only the gorgeous and wealthy Aaron Vaughn III. But suddenly things go horribly wrong. Just two weeks shy of becoming a wife, Aaron breaks it off with Waverly, telling her he’s just not in love with her. Ouch. Waverly is properly devastated, and moves blinding through the next year, wondering why love just won’t happen to her.

Then Waverly meets Jake McIntyre while on the job in Atlanta. He could be the perfect man, except Waverly can’t seem to keep it together around him. The evening concludes with her getting too drunk to dance with Jake and having to leave his company to throw up in the bathroom. Sure that she has ruined any chance with him, Waverly thinks she may well be single the rest of her life. In addition to her failed love life, her job is sinking fast. Being passed over for an assignment at her sports PR position is tough enough, and now Waverly is unsure she wants to continue on in the industry. It’s the support of her two best friends, McKenna and Andie that keep Waverly’s spirits up.

Perfect on Paper: The (Mis)adventures of Waverly Bryson by Maria Murnane is laugh out loud comedy. The heroine goes on laughable dates, finds herself in awkward situations, and is the definition of a klutz. Through each situation the humor shines through, and readers will enjoy the ‘honey notes’ that pop up along the way. This is a definite favorite of mine, I love when books can actually make me laugh and smile throughout each chapter. Murnane does a fantastic job making Waverly so relatable, and the supporting cast including the two best friends, a handful of co-workers, and a lazy father, really help Waverly’s journey along. Chick lit fans will enjoy the complicated romance and strong pull of friendship throughout.

Rating: 5/5

June 1, 2010
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The Cinderella Curse by JL Penn
Chick Lit Review

The Cinderella Curse by JL Penn

Cindy is a pretty ordinary girl- ordinary looks, ordinary job, ordinary friends. But one day, she crosses path with a witch, gets cursed, and turns into a pumpkin each night at midnight. This is a real damper for Cindy, as she is trying to give her love life a shot with a handsome police officer. Luckily, he works the overnight shift, so he has yet to see Cindy turn orange in bed. But when his schedule changes, Cindy knows she either needs to tell him the truth and hope he can handle it, or say good-bye to the man she is starting to fall in love with. With supportive parents and a best friend who helps get her through her pumpkin nights, Cindy tries with all her might to reverse the curse, even seeking out local witch covens for help. But only a fairy tale ending will be the answer for this puzzle.
The Cinderella Curse by JL Penn is a hilarious short story, and readers will enjoy all the trip-ups Cindy encounters as a pumpkin. Though the ending may be a bit predictable, it is still a fun story to dive into from one of my favorite authors.
Rating: 4.5/5

May 20, 2010
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Bulletproof Mascara by Bethany Maines
Chick Lit Review

Bulletproof Mascara by Bethany Maines

Nikki Lanier is in desperate need for a job, and her lone degree in linguistics is not helping her case any. When she gets an offer from Mrs. M, head of Carrie Mae Foundations (think Mary Kay or Avon) she gingerly agrees to learn about all things makeup. She quickly finds out that not only does Carrie Mae specialize in foundation and mascara, but they are also secret agents out to protect women around the world. Nikki soon finds herself attending target practice, learning which guns are used in which situations, and how to fight enemies with acid nail polish and flash grenade compacts.
After Nikki successfully completes her training test, Mrs. M sends her on to her first mission- to Taiwan. Nikki, along with veteran agent Valerie, are to rescue Lawan Chinnawat, director of a woman’s clinic and a leader in protesting the sex trades that dominate Asia. Along the way, Nikki befriends a handsome stranger who she thinks may be a government agent in on the kidnapping, and learns of a traitor within the company, almost losing her own life because of it.
Bulletproof Mascara, the hilarious spy novel from Bethany Maines, will keep readers laughing throughout as innocent Nikki goes from her awkward unemployment stage to confident secret agent, figuring out missions. Nikki’s character is immediately likeable, someone who is a little unsure about themselves but willing to take on a new challenge. The plot line is fun and engaging, with the mystery not being revealed until the very end. I was a little skeptical at first when I read the synopsis, because cosmetics gals working as secret agents didn’t sound very believable, but Maines definitely makes it work. Bulletproof goes on my favorites list, and I cannot wait for the sequel to come out! The book even has its own website, www.bulletproofmascara.com, and there is plenty of fun to be found there. A must read for chick lit fans that enjoy a little mystery and suspense in their books.

May 9, 2010
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House Rules by Jodi Picoult
Chick Lit Review

House Rules by Jodi Picoult

Jacob Hunt isn’t the average teenager. Though he is seemingly quite smart- especially with forensics analysis, he is terrible at reading social cues and expressing emotions, causing him to be an outcast among his school. But Jacob suffers from Asperger’s syndrome- a form of autism. While he can function at a higher level than those with autism, it doesn’t help him make friends any easier. The only person who really seems to understand Jacob is his tutor- until she is found dead, and Jacob is the prime suspect. Suddenly, Jacob’s family- which includes his single struggling mother and younger teenage brother- are under the spotlight. Could Jacob really have committed murder?
House Rules is a gripping, suspenseful novel by best-selling author Jodi Picoult. By examining different character point of views, readers can get a deeper understanding of the murder mystery at play. The clues help lead the plot along, but are never too informative, so I kept trying to read faster to find out who was the real killer. I had tears in my eyes while reading what Jacob’s mother went through during her daily life- what she needed to do when Jacob has tantrums in public and how she was coping during the days he was in jail. The story is powerful until the end, and keeps you thinking about the characters long after you have finished.

April 29, 2010
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Fat Chance by Deborah Blumenthal
Chick Lit Review

Fat Chance by Deborah Blumenthal

Maggie O’Leary is overweight and not ashamed to admit it. As a top columnist for a New York paper, her column “Fat Chance” touches on the myths of being overweight, offers support and confidence to her loyal readers, and talks about the obstacles overweight people have to endure. While Maggie is large and loving her shape, eating what she pleases, and never working out, that all changes one day when Hollywood comes calling. Heartthrob actor Mike Taylor is preparing for his next movie role as a diet doctor, and is seeking Maggie to be his consultant. Maggie, not seeing how she could possibly fit in to the LA lifestyle of perfect and plastic, decides to go on a diet to look more the part. But she does it all in secret, not wanting people at her job or her readers to know she is trying to change herself, while still writing how great big girls are. Her consulting trip to Hollywood leads Maggie to a possible love interest, and further confuses what she wants out of life. Can she possibly continue on with her column, her life, when she doesn’t truly believe those old philosophies anymore?
Fat Chance by Deborah Blumenthal is a lighthearted tale, and readers will enjoy following the heroine on her weight loss journey. At times the story seemed to fast-paced, especially with the supporting characters and their stories. I also didn’t quite feel a connection to the main character and why she was putting herself on a diet. The first chapters of the book spoke on how proud she was on not being super skinny and how she loved helping readers, but at the drop of a hat she changes her ways. If you can get past all that, Fat Chance is a fun and fast read that will give readers a lot of facts on nutrition, which was a little added bonus among the chick lit storyline.

April 25, 2010
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