Computer reading

Strange Bedpersons - Jennifer Crusie (HQN, 1994, 2009)

Was playing around with ebooks and ended up downloading this to my computer, and then discovering that I couldn't transfer it to my iPhone. (Note to self: pay more attention to ebook downloading rules)

Anyway, adorable. Took my laptop to bed with me a few times so I could read this tale of a free-spirit teacher and a yuppie attorney finding love. Much cuteness, and a nice escape during a busy period. But be prepared for pretty much every romance stereotype under the sun.

Awww

The Cinderella Deal - Jennifer Crusie (Bantam Books, 2010/1996)

Remember how a couple months ago I was like "omg, Jennifer Crusie is like the most adorable thing ever"? I picked up another of her titles recently - this one a reissue of one of her earliest works - and I maintain that her work is just purely adorable. How can you hate on romance novels when they are this sweet?

That said. Will someone please explain to me why people in books and movies are always getting themselves into fake engagements or fake marriages? Does this ever actually happen in real life? (Psst Corey Perry, if you need a fiancée, call me. I won't ask too many questions.) This time, stuffy yet hot professor guy needs a family life in order to nail down his dream job (oh, and by the way, he is writing this crazy feminist book, just so you know) in some little town in... Ohio?... so he ropes in his aggravating kooky artistic neighbor. Who loves strays. And the rest is essentially what you'd expect, all done with a really light hand.

I am recovering (I hope!) from an awful flu, so I keep thinking back to the scene where the whole "family" gets some terrible bug and is laid up for ages. If they made it through, so will I, right?

Spun sugar

Bet Me - Jennifer Crusie (St. Martin's Press, 2004)

Over the summer, I did some research on genre fiction and along the way came across a reader's advisory guide to romance fiction that pointed me toward Crusie. I couldn't tell you what it said, but I noted the name with a "maybe I'll check this out sometime" sort of attitude.

So Bet Me takes on your typical mis-matched, romantic comedy couple. She's serious and a bit overweight, he's hot shit with a bad reputation. And thanks to a pile of misunderstandings all set off by a ridiculous bet by her ex, they end up on a date. Which is where fate takes over.

This book was insanely charming. I found everybody adorable. Friends, sidekicks, evil exes and family... it was like living in a little fairy world. With great banter. Seriously, the banter - and not just between Min & Cal - was really well-done. When I read romance, I tend to read it with a cynical eye. (Because I am - or ought to be - too cool for it, too intellectual for it.) But maybe because I'm trying to be more sincere in my enthusiasms in general, or maybe just because Crusie got past my defenses, I was sorta smitten. It was a really sweet reading experience.