Rating: Summary: I Didn't Make It Past Page 75 Review: To the reviewers who actually finished this book, I salute you. I have enjoyed Goldsmith's previous stories, especially "First Wives Club" and "Bestseller," but I don't know what she was thinking when she wrote this pile of garbage. I can't speak for the editing mistakes since I didn't get far enough into the book to see them, but the major turnoff for me was Tracie. This so-called "heroine" was self-absorbed, manipulative, immature and annoyed me to the point where I wanted Phil to mistreat her because she deserved it. Also just how much research on Seattle did Goldsmith actually do, because all I saw was one overplayed cliche after another (rainy weather, Starbucks-type places on every corner, half the population are nerdy types working at Microsoft or a dot.com). I finally had to give up on the book because I felt like my intelligence was being insulted. I only gave one star because Amazon doesn't have a zero star rating.
Rating: Summary: I enjoyed this audio about bad boys Review: I really liked this story by the author of the First Wives Club.This is the story of best friends Tracie and Johnny. Tracie is always going for the bad boys and Johnny is a nice guy who can't seem to get a date. Well he gets Tracie to turn him into a bad guy. But, are either of them really ready for this? Also this story is well written and the characters are rather well developed. As things progress you also get to see that things in real life usually do have some consequence, especially when you take things for granted and don't think things completely through.
Rating: Summary: Disappointing and Disturbing Review: The premise of this book sounded great. It appeared to be a light, entertaining read. Then I read it... well most of it and then I put it in the GARAGE SALE PILE. The plot is predictable without any twists or diversions. Not only are the characters flat, most are ridiculuously unhealthy. The majority of the main character's (Tracie's) advice on how to get women is demeaning and juvenile. She actually encourages her male friend to be emotionally abusive as if it is charming. You just can't believe how she tells him to treat his dates! She tells him to be condescending,critical and demeaning. Everything from judging what they eat to hitting on other women when he's on a date. SHe encourages him to make women doubt themselves and it will keep them coming back for more. And in the process of giving her "friend" advice she shreds him apart as if he offers no endearing qualities at all. She's terribly mean! And all the while she is in the depths of a nowhere relationship with a complete loser. And she's content with the dumb, not deep, cheating, and manipulative "artist" because the (...) is good. Even dialogue is weak and forced. Uh, I could go on and on but this book isn't even worth the time. A DEFINATE BOOK TO AVOID!!
Rating: Summary: Annoying characters, too much detail Review: This is the first book I've encountered by this author, and I can say that I won't be looking for her other works. The characters were condescending, and frankly, the characters who were supposed to be "cool" reminded me of the socially inept people you desperately try to avoid at parties. The dialogue didn't come across as spontaneous at all, and the plot was very predictable. Goldsmith includes too much detail in her descriptions (e.g., do we really need to know every facial movement each character makes?), which makes the story drag. Although I like the idea of a male version of the makeover story, I was deeply disappointed by this book.
Rating: Summary: Could barely force myself to finish it... Review: On long car trips, I sometimes take a novel to read aloud while my husband drives. (Yes, I read "girly" books, but he eventually gets interested enough in the plot to hear it to the end.) Unfortunately, this was the novel I picked up for a 10 hour car drive. Ugh! I'm not sure why it was bad, but I think it was the writing itself. It's been a few weeks & I can't really remember much of the plot, either. I would not recommend this book. Check out a Marian Keyes novel instead...MUCH better.
Rating: Summary: Bad Boy Review Review: Bad boy is the first novel I have read by Olivia Goldsmith. This book is very enjoyable to read. The suspense captured me, and I never feel like putting the book down. Bad Boy is about a newspaper journalist, Tracie Higgins, who always falls in love with the 'bad boy' type of men. On the other hand, her best friend is Jon, a successful computer geek who works almost 24 hours a day at a company similar to Microsoft. Jon is fed up with women thinking of him as too nice, sweet or perfect to date. He convinces his best friend Tracie to try to change him into a bad boy. With her great talent and experience with bad boys, she turns Jon into a hot bad boy that attracts most of the women in Seattle, including Tracie. I enjoyed reading this book very much not only because it is about romance, but also because of the irony in how a girl does a make over on her guy friend. She tries to hook him up with her friends, and eventually falls in love with him herself. What I like the most about this novel is the overall plot. The ending is predictable as soon as you have finished reading half of the novel. In addition, the dialogue is funny, such as when Jon keeps repeating the lines he needed to say to his date. I would recommend this book to teenagers because the novel is something similar to an adolescent life. I'm sure they will not get bored or stop reading in the middle of the book. Also, I would recommend this not just to teenagers, but also to people who like to read romantic stories. I'm sure you'll find this book no less enjoyable than I did.
Rating: Summary: I expected better than this Review: Having read--and LOVED--"The First Wives Club", I had high hopes for this book. I'd seen it in a local store and decided to buy it when I got the chance as it sounded like a really good read. Sorry to say I have to agree with betty jones (see review above). Maybe it's because I'm almost 41 and the characters are all in their 20's, but I think Tracie is one of the most shallow, obnoxious heroines I've ever come across in a novel. For heaven's sake, she's only 105 pounds and constantly dieting and in the gym! At one point she says Molly is "too old" for Jon--even though Jon is 28 and Molly is in her early thirties. What's that, about a four- or five-year age difference? Give me a break. These whiners definitely need to grow up already. The only character I could remotely relate to is Laura. She seems a lot like me, as she loves to cook and she's curvaceous. All I can say is thank goodness I'm no longer in my 20's, because if I had to deal with most of these people on a daily basis I'd go nuts.
Rating: Summary: Insipid, banal, sophomoric- and then it got worse. Review: I was attracted to the cover of this book as it sat on the New Fiction shelf at the library where I work. After reading the description, I should have known better, but decided to broaden my horizons and do a little "beach reading". After the first 3 chapters, I wanted to put the book down. Tracie was obnoxious, juvenile and I had an impossible time believing that she was out of high school. Do grown women actually act like this? I've never met one so completely, frustratingly moronic. Jon- talk about a one-dimensional character. Gosh, a computer nerd who works 80 hours a week and hasn't gotten laid since the Reagan administration- how unique. Their relationship was implausible, as was their dialogue, their jobs, their friends, etc etc etc. After a few more chapters, I kept groaning to my husband who said, "Just put it down. Give up!" But I never put a book down. This should have been a first. I was disturbed by Jon's bed hopping. Given the fact that all Tracie's friends/ Jon's conquests knew about each other, could EVERY SINGLE ONE have been so taken in by "Jonny"'s amazing charms that they didn't care???? Could all of them have been so repulsively spineless and brainless that they couldn't have a backbone and be a real woman and get a REAL man? There were absolutely no likeable characters, the plotline was straight out of a bad 80s movie (and apparently another book!) and the errors were glaring. Worst part is, if you read the acknowledgements Goldsmith actually thanks someone for the info on Seattle "hot spots". Ugh. My first book by Goldsmith and it would take some strong convincing to get me to pick up another. I will be recommending to everyone I know- if you must read this book, get it at the library: the fact that it's free dampens the pain.
Rating: Summary: Great! Review: I loved this one from Olivia Goldsmith- she takes a break from her ensemble novels and focuses one one main relationship. The novel focuses on Tracie Higgins, who sets out to make over her best friend because he has no luck with women. Tracie ends up falling for him, and the journey from friends to couple is rocky and amusing! The characters are great and likeable, and the writing smart and funny. Highly recommended for fans of romances!
Rating: Summary: Touch and Go Review: Bad Boy takes one geeky man with potential and mixes him up with a friend (female). Typical and easily spotted outcome. But the fun is along the way. I promise. Sit back and relax and watch Tracie transform Jon into a new man. Or at least a Bad Boy. Give him new clothes, new sunglasses and a five o'clock shadow and you have it. But trouble is round the corner. Tracie misses her friend and Jon, though enjoying his women, cannot stop thinking about Tracie. Two good friends and their individual stories made me laugh. And the end while obvious from page one, made me smile anyway.
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