About book The Unlikely Romance Of Kate Bjorkman (2005)
I really enjoyed this book. I felt like it had a really good theme and it kept me interested the whole time. Of course, I’m a teenage girl, and this book is as “chick flick” as it can get! However, it's really well written. It frequently deals with serious subjects or issues, but these issues are always resolved with the characters having learned something about both life and themselves. Which I thought was nice. And, fiction almost always ends on a hopeful, good note; not necessarily a happily-ever-after ending… but definitely hopeful. The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman meets all of these criteria, and is a dang good read as well! What happens is, a high-school senior (Kate Bjorkman) doesn't like romance novels. She thinks they are "disgusting, with kisses that last three paragraphs and make you want to put your finger down your throat to induce projectile vomiting." But she has her own little romantic story to tell, a real romance story. Something wonderful that happened to her last Christmas, so she sits down with a copy of The Romance Writer's Phrase Book to try and draft something that will be a little more like "real life." This book is both hilarious and touching. Kate's got the perfect set of characters to work with. There's the hero, Richard, who is her older brother’s best friend (convenient right?). Richard is kind, charming, and good-looking. So in other words, the perfect guy. Kate's had a crush on him for FOREVER! But sadly, she hasn't seen him lately. She sees him for the first time again during the Christmas season and instantly falls for him again. The best thing about this book is way she made the characters. Each character has a specific stereotype. Not one of them seems the least bit cardboardy. Kate is a very appealing heroine. She's smart, she's confident, and she's even comfortable with her non-romance-novel appearance. This is how she describes herself: “I know I mentioned my height-six feet-but did I mention the glasses? It's a rhetorical question. I didn't mention them on purpose, because I wanted you to imagine me looking like Cindy Crawford. I have worn glasses since I was three years old, and even when I have cool Giorgio Armani frames, my eyes are magnified about three times their size with these plate glass lenses.I know this is a disappointment in someone who is supposed to be the romantic heroine of this book, but unless you're one of those really shallow readers, you'll continue.” One of the best things about Kate is that she knows herself...and she's really proud of herself and who she has become. She's unwilling to change to attract her so called “hero”. The other characters are just as well appealing, and they aren't exactly what you might think them to be. This is fun while you’re reading this book! Kate observes both her parents' and her brother's relationships, and the conclusions she draws helps her to make her own decisions about what a love relationship should be. I really liked these people. They seemed so down-to-earth and normal, but not in the least way boring or predictable. I had such a great time reading this book. Louise Plummer has written several teenage books that I have liked, but this one is my favorite. For those of you who have yet to try these types of books, I would strongly recommend that you give it a chance. The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman would be an excellent place to start.
I read this book because the author used to be in my ward and I was interested in her writing. This book is so expressive of her witty, satirical sense of humor. It was like I could hear her telling this story. One part of the story is especially funny because the main character's mother tells about a big fight she and her husband had. The story is straight from Louise Plummer's life. I've read it in her collection of memoirs and heard her tell the story herself.... I think in Relief Society. Anyway... that was kind of funny. The book itself is a spoof on romance novels... and a romance novel at the same time. The main character, Kate, is a somewhat geeky, smart and lovable character who has had a crush on her brothers friend for many years. She wants to write a romance novel about it and so borrows from her handy "Romance Writers Phrase Book." The book is written as if it's still in the works, with Kate's 'revisions' adding more insight into her and other characters. The only disappointment was the end. Since the novel insisted on telling it like it really was... I would have preferred if she dumped her little cheating boyfriend in the end. It would have added all the more to the independence of her heroine. But... oh well. She does borrow some smutty phrases from the "Romance Writers Phrase Book". The phrases are used in mockery but I still wouldn't recommend the book for young readers.
Do You like book The Unlikely Romance Of Kate Bjorkman (2005)?
Note: Okay, I have to be honest. I bought this book just because of the cover. It was so cute! I saw the other cover of this book and it was flat out ugly. I wouldn't have bought it.The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman goes in my list of top romantic comedies. It's just so funny! This book was different from all of the other books I've read because here, I felt like Kate Bjorkman was actually talking to me and telling me her entire story. It's fresh and contemporary even though it's an old book.Plummer did an impressive job with Kate's character. She was down-to-earth and unique. She wasn't one of those stereotypes I expected in the beginning. Kate is a perceptive, don't-mess-with-me character and I love her! Another thing that I loved about Unlikely Romance, is how tight-knit Kate's family was. They were an odd, comical family; her dad was a nerd, her mom was eccentric, she was quiet(ish), and I'd compare her older brother to be just like Emmet from Twilight.One thing that I hated, though, were the 'Revision Notes'. Every few chapters, there would be a section where she talks about extremely random things or to explain more. I was bored by the second paragraph. The novel would have been better if the 'Revision Notes' were cut out from the book. Plummer should have added the vital parts into the actual chapters to make it more fluent.The mood in the book was mostly light and funny. It helped add to the holiday vibe it already had. Plummer was able to clearly, and delightfully depict the beauty and awe of the Christmas season.The Bottom Line: The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman is a light-hearted, romantic comedy that's perfect for the holiday season! Plummer did a brilliant job! This book is like a snowflake; one-of-a-kind. A :-)
—Reggie
I actually liked this book quite a bit. It was refreshing to read a YA whose main character was not the member of a dysfunctional family and/or was not suffering from some kind of disease, as is the norm in YA fiction these days. The story, which takes place over Christmas vacation, places awkward Kate Bjorkman in the middle of holiday festivities with her long-time love, Richard. Kate's family is, well, normal, and it's a breath of fresh air. Also, the style of this book is hilarious--it is presented as if Kate herself wrote it with the intention of publishing a romance novel. Along the way, she pokes fun at the conventions of romance novels while at the same time telling a cute love story. A great little book.
—Bayley
This book has a special place in my heart, not because it was otherworldly or chic or refreshing or any of that cool and different stuf, but because of all those juicy yet mundane details thrown into it. It's way common to have prtagonists, and, mind you, she's a girl, with glasses. It rang true to the nusiance but neccesity of glasses with all those moments of hating glasses, trying to live without, breaking them and feeling embarrassed, but eventually accepting them. Plus the family dynamics were real and just plain good to read about. The Christmas atmosphere was heavy but never overwhelming, and many of the witty dialogue was hilarious and memorable. The struggles and relationships were the highlight of the story, although we all know instalove was a bit overdone and the chance of childhood crush becoming true was just too slim, it was a sweet quick read and I love it nonetheless.
—Meth Randall
