The beginning of the book had me thinking this was going to be a zany story. There was a lot of screwball humor. Crusie seems to be setting up a great story with two characters that seem different from anything I have read before. Love how Lucy keeps saying "sorry I beat you up" and Zach keeps getting more and more exasperated saying "you did not beat me up, besides I wasn't defending myself because I didn't want to hurt you". Oh by the way Zach is very macho, alpha but with a sensitive side (is that possible?), well at least when it comes to dogs. Love the line of how Lucy blushed so hard she almost passed out, hahah been there!Haha when Zach yells at Lucy for leaving the house he says "I thought somebody had grabbed you. I thought I was going to have to raise your damn dogs.." Such a great line for this book and the characters. Oh I loved the part where Zach proposes again and says "the dogs need a father and that hell they're just boys and need a male figure around" so cute and funny.The storyline of Lucy's ex-husband and a friend of his from highschool and Zach chasing John Bradley (friend from highschool) and Bradley Porter (Lucy's ex) had some confusing moments and wasn't really that interesting. I felt the author could have done a better job of getting Zach the cop with Lucy. I have seen this book on a lot of list for being one of the best romance books, but frankly I just felt it was mediocre. Zach and Lucy were some what immature characters to me, usually that doesn't seem to even enter into my frame of reference when I am reading a book but I noticed it this time for some reason. I did enjoy the bickering, no wait maybe I want to say witty exchanges Zach and Lucy had back and forth. I needed more from this book, more from the characters somehow. If you aren't a serious dog lover, I don't even know if you would like this book. Anyway some funny moments, but this book definitely won't be sticking around in mind.B-
What a great story... Once you start reading this you get so caught up in the big ball of crazy you never want to leave. You've got a big sexy stubborn cop, a semi-quiet green-haired teacher, a well-meaning friend, a sexy strong sister, three of the cutest dogs, a crazy cat lady neighbor and guns and embezzlement galore!! It's a madhouse but its perfect:) it's nonstop fun. If it were any other book I would have hated the hero and the heroine but this book was just too.... Good?.... The hero is so arrogant and loud but he's so freaking adorable when he's talking about food I have to forgive him. Plus the heroine never listens to him so he can be as arrogant or as loud as possible if he tells her five thousand times don't move from this spot someone is trying to kill you, she'll wait 2 minutes then immediately venture out. That is what we sometimes call a Too Stupid To Live heroine which usually force me to drop a story but I went along with it here because the madness that ensues is so much fun to read. The dogs... Oh the dogs.. Quite possibly stole the show...The story is crazy so try to stay on the surface when you read it- don't get mad at the madness, embrace it:)
I'm not by and large a fan of romance books--but I am a fan of Jennifer Crusie, in particular of her book "Bet Me"--an all-time favorite I rated five stars. This just doesn't rise to that level--not close. It's more the kind of book which I doubt I'll remember a year from now, while years after reading "Bet Me" I still remember Minerva, Calvin, and the Chicken Marsala and Krispy Kreme doughnuts. That said, this hit the spot. I read this right after the ordeal of taking the New York Bar Exam and this was perfectly fluffy, light and sweet. And it reads quickly and is lively. Crusie has a great sense of humor, great wit and the banter between Zack and Lucy is a delight. I think the only thing that rubbed against me the wrong way was the, well, romanticization of hoarding animals. Having more than one or two dogs or cats? Not imo healthy for either the animals or owners. I know we're supposed to find it endearing and cute, but for me notsomuch. Lucy also tends to verge sometimes on TSTL, without quite going over. And as I said, this also just doesn't belong in the same league as Bet Me. But in the mood for a light romance? This might be just the ticket.
—Lisa (Harmonybites)
There was literally nothing about this that I liked. I finished only because it got picked for me and I forced myself to, but really, it was a struggle. It has to be one of those "it's not you, it's me" books though, since everyone else on my GR list has given this at least 4 stars.And I'm just sitting here, stupidly blinking and looking around wondering what I missed. Or if I even read the same book.I feel like I lucked out with Bet Me being the first Jennifer Crusie that I ever read all those years ago, because the ones I've read since have not been my cup of tea at all.
—Cathy
School teacher divorces her husband, and promptly gets shot at and dragged into his embezzlement case, except she also lands herself a cop for protection.Not feeling it. The whole thing felt rushed and phoned in, but more to the point, this is one of those romances where all two people have to do is meet. Everything else just happens. I realize this is, like 80% of the romance genre, but I was just not in the mood for a story about how all you need to do to achieve lifelong romantic happiness is show up. As opposed to, I dunno, work hard at it and compromise and be thoughtful and your best self. Everyone who knows the story of how my girlfriend and I got together is now pointing and laughing, and okay, fair. But I still have a point!
—Lightreads
