Sharon's Summer Reads - volume 1

While I've spent most of my summer reading lots of picture books, with a bunch of novels for various age ranges mixed in,  Sharon has also been busy reading.  Granted, most people don't read as much as I do.  She does a decent job, though.  She recently sent me several reviews of adult fiction. Since there are quite a few, I'm splitting the posts over several days.  Enjoy!

These reviews are by guest reviewer/blogger Sharon.

Catering to the Italian Playboy by Tamelia Tumlin

Sophie is trying to get her catering business off the ground.  Unfortunately, that also means jumping out of a cake in a g-string after the person she had booked cancelled.  But instead of the cake being placed at a birthday party, she ends up interrupting a business meeting behind held by none other than Max.  She hopes that she does not remember their one night of passion six years ago but he does.   And he wants more.  But, will the secret that Sophie has end up being too much for him?

Like

Cute characters

Story seemed fairly realistic

Dislike

I would have liked a quick epilogue to know how the story ended  (the future)

Fringe Benefits by Christine Pope

Katherine moved to LA and has not been able to find a job.  When she sees an ad promising to pay $2,000 a month she wonders what is truly is all about but figures it won’t hurt to apply.  She is quickly contacted for an interview and is hired.

Within a day or two, she learns that many of the prior assistants left within a few weeks due to inappropriate advances by the boss.  But Katherine finds that she is attracted to him.  Of course, he does not seem to be attracted to her.   But working for Pieter definitely has its perks as he gives her a company car (a Mercedes) and pays her on a weekly basis.  

Like

This book is not what you would expect – the boss seducing the employee.  It is much more developed than that.

Dislikes

Pieters character is written as very wooden.  It makes sense as you learn about his character but I wonder if a real person wouldn’t be a bit warmer.

Thirty-Two Going On Spinster: A Novel by Becky Monson

Julia has been working in the accounting department of a software company for ten years.  The only thing that makes it bearable is that she can gossip with her friend, Brown, whenever she wants during the day.  But then, new hire Jared starts.  Nevermind that he took the job she wanted, the eye candy makes up for it.  And when Jared makes friends with her and Brown, Julia is even happier.

Julia starts to change as she wants to impress Jared.  She starts to wear a bit of makeup (mainly due to an unfortunately waxing injury) and decides that it is time to move out of her parents basement (due to her sister mostly).  

Will Julia stay a spinster the rest of her life working in a job that she doesn’t like?  

Likes:

Even thought I found parts predicable, I liked how they happened and how the characters acted

Dislikes:

Predicable – I figured out what was going to happen probably halfway through.  Maybe the author didn’t care though.

The storyline seemed to happen a bit too fast