Liviania’s review of Strange Bedpersons by Jennifer Crusie
Contemporary romance released by HQN 24 Nov 2009

I’m supposed to focus on new releases, not reprints.  I picked up this Jennifer Crusie because I know she’s a favorite of many.  (I’ve even seen her on my mother’s shelf.)  I figure it’s all right then, as there are probably a number of readers like me who are new to the romance genre and pick up a big name completely clueless as to whether it is new or a reprint.  I can say this after finishing Strange Bedpersons: Crusie earned her reputation.

Tess is the crunchy granola feminist.  Nick is the lawyer determined to make partner.  Together, they pretend to be affianced even though they broke up.  (Why they broke up is a bit of a headbanger.)  Nick is about to land an important client, and it matters to him who Nick is dating.  Then Tess gets further involved with Nick’s life when her best friend, retiring dancer Gina, begins to date and falls for Nick’s best friend, playboy lawyer Park.  Tess and Nick have conflicting sensibilities and desires, but an undeniable attraction to the other.

Unfortunately, Tess was the weakest part of the story.  She is utterly intolerant of other people’s points of view.  She’s that friend who tries to make you guilty for ever eyeing a cow, much less eating and wearing it.  I’m all for living in the way you prefer and not hiding your lifestyle, but people who try to shove their way of living onto others because it is the only way to really live and be a good person annoy me.  Luckily, Gina gets a great scene of calling Tess on her shit.

On the other hand, I really loved Nick.  Tess’s main issue with him is that he’s too ambitious.  However, he never comes across as ruthless or cut off from other aspects of life.  Dude wants to make partner and be secure and thus does a good job.  She’s also got a problem with the fact he isn’t instantly GGG when she tries to foist her kink on him.  Kink’s fine, but you’ve got to look out for your partner if he or she is going to indulge you.  My main problem with Nick is that he kept pursuing this crazy chick who stepped all over him.  (That, and he messed with her clothes.  He’s not perfect, but he was more likeable and sympathetic than Tess.)

This sounds really down, but it is a major compliment to Crusie that I enjoyed Strange Bedpersons despite my initial dislike of Tess.  The book is extremely funny, particularly during the final dinner scene.  Nick and Tess have enough chemistry with each other and enough willingness to compromise (even if it does come slower on Tess’s part) that I believe the happy ending, despite the relationship’s rocky beginning.  I think I will seek out another one of Crusie’s novels, though I know some of them are considered misses.  After all, it doesn’t take much work to check out the blogs and see which ones are hits.

Grade: B-

Summary:
Tess Newhart knows her ex-boyfriend Nick Jamieson isn’t the right guy for her. He’s caviar and champagne; she’s take-out Chinese pot stickers. He’s an uptight Republican lawyer; she was raised in a commune. He wants to get ahead in business; she just wants…him. But there’s no way Tess will play second fiddle to his job.

Yet somehow she finds herself agreeing to play his fiancée on a weekend business trip that could make or break Nick’s career. And while he’s trying to convince Tess that he needs her in his respectable world, Tess is doing her best to keep her opinions to herself and her hands off Nick.

Read an excerpt here.

Did you notice Karma Girl has a new cover? Discussion anyone? Is it better or worse than the first one? I’ve got to say I’m not a fan of the real person on the cover rather than the sort of comic book look of the first one. Of course the new cover is due to the fact that Karma Girl and Hot Mama are getting reissued in mass market in anticipation of the next book in the series, Jinx, being released in September.

Not on only did Karma Girl get a new cover, but Hot Mama did as well. Again, I’ve got to say I liked the kind of comic book look at the cover, rather than this real person. I’m not a member of the marketing division, however, so obviously it’s not my choice. You shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover though, right? What’s inside these two books are wonderful stories and a very cool world. I mean really, who doesn’t love superheroes? Don’t tell me you don’t, because I’m wondering how many people are foaming at the mouth waiting for next week and The Dark Knight to come out. Estep’s superheroes, and ubervillains could fit with Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Ironman, Catwoman or Wonderwoman any day of the week. Fiera would probably kick a couple of asses of her own on the way there.

So that leaves us here, with Jinx. Hot Mama’s reissue is out August 5, and so if you haven’t read either of these yet, you’ve got time to go pick them up before Jinx comes out. Get in touch with your inner superhero, tackle those ubervillains and manage your secret identity. That doesn’t help? Hmm. . .it’s a great way to escape and Estep does tell a great story. I love the human side of her characters, even the villains, who always have a not-so-good reason to disrupt life but it’s there nonetheless.

Have I gushed too much? Hmm. . . well check out these reviews too:

Karma Girl

Hot Mama

And be on the look out to catch some uberhot, fun and super excerpts for all three novels.  Jennifer Estep’s site.

Recently, I honestly forgot why, we were chatting about the greatness of Laura Kinsale. Or lack of greatness? Or it might have been Shannon C’s lack of knowledge of Laura Kinsale’s greatness.

I don’t recall much more than going on and on and on about my lurve of Seize the Fire, Shadowheart, and The Hidden Heart. Along with how happy I was that I was introduced to romance with the book Shadowheart.

I am difficult. I know – you find this shocking – but if I had been reading romance for a while and discovered that the ‘smart romance‘ was Laura Kinsale and only her or her, Judith Ivory (I still think this is a big reason I can’t read her) and err oh someone else. And all the praise that is can be tossed on her at times in ways that makes it seem that if you hate her writing well… that is ok… romance needs stoopid readers too. ::pats head:: Hey it turns people off, I know shocking.

Of course, I also hate a trend as well. No seriously, if I walked in now, it would take a shit load of work to get me to pick up J.R. Ward. And uh, I loveses me some Ward. I admit d-i-f-f-i-c-u-l-t.

The point of this long winded post is Laura Kinsale is reprinting some of her out of print books with SOURCEBOOKS (not that I can find the info on the site).

And my personal fave is going to be back in print as of October 1, 2008 and without the horrid cover! [Ed.: a cover you can see if you float your cursor over the cover above.] WOOT! I must email mishy. Oh and it looks like it is on Fictionwise and has been there for a while (if you go by the release date which uh 2001?), Seize the Fire:

     Olympia St. Leger is a princess in desperate need of a knight in shining armor. Sheridan Drake, amused by Olympia’s innocence and magnificent beauty, but also intrigued by her considerable wealth, accepts the position of white knight. Unaware that Sheridan is a notorious scoundrel, Olympia willing allows herself to submit to his protection and potent embrace. Theirs is a love born in deception. But as they weather storms on the high seas and flee from nefarious villains, the love sparked by lies begins to burn uncontrollably. Taking shelter on a desert island paradise, the princess and dark knight battle overwhelming odds to keep their adoration burning bright.
     Read an excerpt.

via the Smartest Bitches.

Fantasy Fix is another Ellora’s Cave novel. This time it is vamps!

I love a good vampire tale. The idea is a group of friend form this club of sorts. They write down five fantasy, when it is their turn the others randomly pick one and make it happen.

They get around the, don’t go home with a stranger rule by using friends of friends. All I can say is they must have really good friends.

Regina doesn’t want to do it, and missed her last turn because she was in a relationship. So they wanna ‘fix’ her twice. She writes what she thinks are five stupid impossible fantasy. And poof next you know they are at a goth club.

All doesn’t go as planned and she goes home with a real vampire, Dmitri. He is an alpha pushy guy, go figure, so if that isn’t your bag baby skip this book. My only bitch is no ones friend should ever get that pissed off you didn’t go home and fuck the guy you were suppose to. Honestly that was a lil odd.