Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Looking for THE BEST MAN? Kristan Higgins Tells You How to Catch Your Own Sparkly Manicorn
Personally, I didn't think she could top MY ONE AND ONLY, which I know I'm sorta alone on that island because many readers weren't as impressed by the heroine, but I adored it. Nothing could possibly top that crotchety heroine and her smart-alecky ex-husband...and then I met the heroine who basically lives my nightmare on the page.
Faith gets jilted at the altar. By her "newly-out-of-the-closet" groom, which she totally didn't know because they'd been having sex and everything. Poor girl. I totally wanted to meet this girl for drinks and say, "I know your pain." Okay, I've never actually been jilted at the altar...and I'm pretty sure none of the guys I've actually had sex with are gay--but I did date a gay guy for a while who kept insisting he wasn't and I still managed to get my heart broken and that's like totally the same. He and his husband are happy now and have a baby. Just saying. I know.
Moving on.
And to make the jilting that much more bitter, it's the best man who pokes the groom and makes him fess up. Right in front of everyone and God. Yeah, I could see holding a grudge against the guy, since he certainly gives all the appearance of having the sensitivity of a bull in a china shop.
The story moves on to the heroine's current dating experiences 3 1/2 years later--and you find out she's still hoping to cross "have sex with a straight guy" off her bucket list. (Really at this point, you're laughing with her and not at her.) But the world is full of scallywags and her gaydar is definitely broken, so dating hasn't been working much for her.
The heroine is called home to help resolve a problem ("How do you solve a problem like Lorena?") and while there, she's also going to landscape and remake this barn on the family wine-farm to make it useful for weddings, et al. She immediately bonds again with the best man, who is now a sheriff in her hometown, when he writes her a ticket for speeding. (Not a love at first sight premise, no.)
Many, many more horrifying shenanigans later, and finally, miraculously she and the best man-sheriff have sex. (Yes! She scratched "have sex with a straight guy" off her list!)
This is what she says after, reflecting on Levi's beautiful, breathtaking abs: "Yes. Levi Cooper was a sparkly unicorn of wonder." And a bit later, my favorite line in any book ever: "And the sex was great. She honestly hadn't known sex like that really existed outside of Ryan Gosling movies." Yeah, that line was so stupendous that I had to read it to Deerhunter, who said, "Yeah! Or porn!" "Sweetie, Ryan Gosling movies are girl porn. We don't usually find the regular porn all that." "Oh. Okay."
The book is about two somewhat awkward, imperfect, hurt people who find love together--and Ryan Gosling-esque sex. It's funny, magical, heartwarming, bittersweet, sad in parts where you could just weep, and ends on the right note of Happily Ever After. Even though the hero does remain rather emotionally constipated when discussing his feelings, it's okay--that's what makes it feel real, you know?
Good stuff. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
What great stuff have you been reading lately? Any horrific wedding stories to share--or those about emotionally constipated men?
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Books by the Crew
19 comments:
I'm working the newest Jennifer Ashley historical which starts with a jilted bride! Who knew? The Higgens book is on my TBR list. Thanks for the encouragement!
I have a couple of books by Kristan Higgins on my TBR .... will get there eventually .... she certainly does sound a talented author!
I just finished re-reading Maureen's Caribbean Spell (my review is on Amazon UK LOL). A bit pricey but worth every penny. Only a Woman author could come up with a witch who uses sex to re-charge her magic ..... wonderful concept. LOL
The evil sorceress De Leon made my skin creep. Especially with a whip studded with rivets to shred a victims back .... Ugh! Thankfully she got her comeuppance! Miranda is delightful! LOL
Also finished Mary Balogh's 'Precious Jewel'. About an emotionally constipated hero who eventually marries his mistress. This novel, a glimpse from the past, reads quite strangely in a world of emancipated women's libbers .... "How may I please you Sir?" But under Balogh's spell it is an absorbing read.
Great review Hellie
Mo, I do love a jilted bride premise...all that "woman scorned" premise. Revenge, revenge... What's the Ashley book called?
I think Q should guest blog on our ship and do an official book review of Mo's newest...that's what I think. What do you say, crew?
Mary Balogh is a definite read for me too...I will have to look that one up. I don't think I've read it.
I second Q doing the review! (He even admitted it's already written.)
You are KILLING me here. Seriously. This book is sitting on my Kindle but I'm reading the McQuiston AND the first of Eloisa's novellas showed up last night and she's discussing it on FB and I need to read that but my edits are due on Thursday.
Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!
Send this review in to the New York Times! I want to read a book of your reviews!
I've tried Higgins in the past and her books and I have just never clicked. This book clicked! It was awesome. I loved the heroine and hero (even though he was emotionally constipated). LOL What's even better is that I think it's the start of a series and I'm all onboard for that. Get THE BEST MAN - you won't be disappointed.
I'm on the third book in Shannon Stacy's Kowalski series. I'm liking them. The family dynamics are great. The dialogue is laugh out loud funny at times. I'm running hot and cold on the heroines but the heroes are awesome - sexy, hilarious, tender... so, I keep moving on to the next book in the series.
Ruthie Knox's newest downloaded to my NOOK yesterday and I cannot wait to dive into that book. If you've never read Ruthie you should all give her a try. She wrote a novella to start this series off and I LOVED it! HOW TO MISBEHAVE is 99 cents at Amazon and worth every cent. It's a great inexpensive and non time consuming way to see if you like an author or not. Highly Recommend!
You have an enviable ability to write funny reviews about books you love. Seriously. I can only do funny when I didn't like the book. When the book works, I go into this pedantic litany of what worked. Boring.
Ryan Gosling movies are porn, eh? Hmmm. I've only seen one, Drive, which featured all the stuff that is porn FOR ME, like guns, car chases and violence. So, uh, okay. :)
Currently reading The Hundred Thousands Kingdom by N.K. Jemisin. For the most part, I don't read that much epic/high fantasy anymore, but this one comes highly recommended. Also reading How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran because, apparently it's controversial, and it was just $1.99.
Finished Jellicoe Road (Melinda Marchetta), which was awesome, and Back to the Bedroom (Evanovich), which was meh, but an interesting look into the genesis of the Stephanie Plum series. Also read The Bedwetter by Sarah Silverman; it started out funny but lost steam toward the middle. Oh, and Fallen by Lauren Kate, which was actually quite awful, as in "Hello, Mary Sue."
Reading quite a lot lately.
I love Q. ((((smooch!)))
Gods, what is the name of the JA book... Uh, The Seduction of Elliot McBride... Yeah, that's it!
Terri, I thought you were reading THE BEST MAN last week? Oh, wait, never mind...I know what happened. Just get to it quick, will you?
Debbie, I'm immensely flattered and welcome to the ship--though I've read some NYT reviews and I don't think my style is anything they'd like. *LOL* I'm far too happy for one and willing to embrace a happy ending!
Irish, I've been seeing ads for the Kowalski books and have been tempted to give them a whirl. They're in print, right, not just e-books? (I know, I'm so dreadfully old school.)
Thank you, Pat. *blushing*
And I'm basing my experience on THE NOTEBOOK and CRAZY STUPID LOVE, though guns and car scenes can also float my boat in that direction as well. (Fast & the Furious anyone? *fans self*)
I've seen the HOW TO BE A WOMAN book, hysterical. Love it when women call it how they see it.
I did enjoy the FALLEN series, but I know what you mean. I lost steam in the series after #2 and it took more to read the others.
I've read one of the Kowalski books and really liked it. Have a couple more lingering on the kindle. (Everything is freaking lingering on the kindle at this point.)
Kiddo read that Fallen series and I think she liked them. There's one series she didn't like how it ended. I can't remember if that's the one or not.
What is this HOW TO BE A WOMAN book? I think I could use some pointers!
Hellie: I think Q should guest blog on our ship and do an official book review of Mo's newest
Terri: I second Q doing the review!
I have reviewed some weighty tomes in my time but have never been invited to review a romance novel. I am truly flattered that you would consider letting me loose with this. *reverent bow*
However with the author already on the ship I really think that Maureen should review her own book. The lady is extremely modest and just requires a formal invite from the skipper I think. LOL
On the subject of reviews, I would also like Terri to review her book when she's ready. I would also be interested to here Pat talking about her own books.
That should fill a few vacant slots! LOL
Yep, they're in print, Hellie. You could probably get one from the library just to try it out. I'm on the 3rd book in the series and realized that I started it a while ago and I put it down cause the opening chapter seemed kind of silly to me. Now after reading the first 2, I get the author's voice and the whole dynamic. No urge to put it down this time. LOL The first book in the series is EXCLUSIVELY YOURS (Joe & Keri's story).
I could have a lot of fun reviewing my own book... Can I interview myself, too?
Maureen, You could give the lowdown on what drove you, what inspired you, what drove you crazy and how you dreamed up some of these characters. I think you should interview Miranda and Reynard. I know that you authors talk to your characters! LOL
All good ideas, Q!
*copy/paste in blog idea folder...
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