Rating: 
Summary: Why Mess With Perfection?
Review: Over the past few years I have been introduced and submerged into the world of the witty author, Jane Green. Usually when reading her books I find myself completely involved, not being able to read fast enough to satisfy my curiosity. However, Green's latest novel, TO HAVE AND TO HOLD, left me in agony; finding myself perusing the finish only by my dedication as a fan.
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD was a rather disappointing display of Green's creativity and artistic edge. It seems as her professional status grows, her creative brilliance and sassy flare diminish. The pure attitude and originality of past books, such as JEMIMA J and MR.MAYBE, is fading away with an attempt to write more mature work.
I applaud Green for making the effort to expand her creative spectrum and grow as a writer, but her humorous spin on women's everyday problems was what made reading her work enjoyable.
In her latest novel, Green leaves her signature style behind and opts for a more bland narration of a young woman's turmoils in her life. The main character, Alice, is not described with the enduring qualities and descriptions of the past feminist heroines. Instead Alice is a meek woman who marries the man of her dreams but has to give up her happiness and dreams for love. In TO HAVE AND TO HOLD, Alice is the victim. Her husband, Joe, is constantly unfaithful and she is forced to completely change her appearance, clothing, home, and career.
It is not until the very end of the novel that the reader catches a glimpse of the old Green. The victim is saved, and once again there is the sense of female empowerment. One could only hope that Green does not completely lose sight of the importance of a feminist attitude and that humor and wit that has captured so many.
Rating:
Summary: I love Jane Green, but this one was disapointing
Review: I absolutely love Jane Green's books, but I was disapointed with this one. The plot line seems great cheating husband in the suburbs fresh from London, although I must agree with some of the other reviews on the connection between the author/former owner of the house; All I can say is WHY? Some of it was just completely unbelievable. Alice has this great catering business and she gives it all up to stay at home and do absolutely nothing, on top of that she will agree to move to New York at the drop of a hat.
Another thing, what is up with the dog trainer just up and moving across the world, but not telling Alice he was there???
Jane Green has had much better books, this one is a quick and easy read, good for a slow saturday when you are out of fresh reading material. I do worry, at the end of the book Green seems to give the impression that she might continue with this story. I really hope she decides to start a new one.
Kim in Austin Texas
Rating:
Summary: Finally...decent writing
Review: I am a newcomer to chick-lit, and I must say by and large it has been a waste of money and dissapointing. However, I did enjoy this book. This is my first book by Jane Green and she is a good writer. The book wasn't perfect, though. I did like the main character; however, the last 100 or so pages are just kind of filler -- you can already guss how it will end. Not that much of the book is surprising, but it is worth the ride until those last 100 pages. Also, I feel like the main character, Alice, goes through an abrupt change near the end, as if Green realized the book was getting too long and neeeded to finish it off, or perhaps she just got tired of the story. My biggest complaint, though, about the book is Green's attitude towards the philandering husband. More than once she explains it away as him just not being able to help himself -- which is a load of bull and made me quite sad/incensed that this is an accepted worldview. To end, I enjoyed the book -- finished it in a weekend. From what I've read so far, I will definitely check out more of her books.
Rating:
Summary: I enjoyed it, but............
Review: I felt the story meandered towards the end, pretending it didn't know where it was going, although by then, it's more than clear to the reader, who has long since figured it out and is just eager for it to get there already!
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD is the story of handsome, wealthy businessman, Joe Chambers, who can't see the marriage for the blondes, and reserved, modest, but beautiful Alice Chambers, who can't see the philandering husband for the stupidity.
Joe loves Alice, but can't part with the thrill of the hunt, the chase, and most of all---the catch. He sleeps with any sexy blonde (or brunette if he must, because they can be just as good in bed) that crosses his path; and makes no bones about calling Alice nightly with a mouth full of lies about working late with clients, or flirting with women quite openly in her very presence.....uh, hello? Earth to Alice....?
Anyway---Joe meets Josie, a colleague at work and their affair results in Joe's mandatory and permanent transfer to New York, where he decides to use it as a fresh start, rejuvenating his commitment to Alice and their marriage, vowing to cease and desist all affairs and be the ever faithful husband.....shockingly enough, given his track record, this lasts nearly a year before their polar opposite passions drive Joe back into the ways of old. While Alice comes alive in their country home in Connecticut, Joe dreads his weekend visits there---hates playing the "country bumpkin" role, and yearns to return to the city....and the good-looking, Jimmy Choo wearing, bleach blonde dyed women who haven't "let themselves go" in favor of gardening and playing with the stupid dog.
For the most part, the storyline actually held my interest and I enjoyed the plot and the characters, but it became quite predictable and took too long to get to that inevitable point. And once it finally does, it's rather anti-climactic, to say the least. Alice's path leads somewhere that's a trifle unrealistic and hard to swallow---how she manages to maintain a friendship that would surely have crumbled in the face of reality is definitely fictional contrivance.......I also didn't feel Joe's character stayed true to his development; in the end, he simply carries on as nonchalantly as if he were simply immerging from a hangover. Throughout the story, Joe had shown sincerity in regret and asserted honest efforts to make his marriage work, yet after just a few days alone with assorted bottles of wines, he's simply over it---on to Josie, who had conveniently transferred to NYC in record time. No, no. Joe should've been far more crushed when all was said and done. With his years of betrayals and disgraceful behavior, the loss of Alice was worthy of more effect than if Joe had simply lost an old but comfortable and familiar piece of baggage.
Rating: 
Summary: Simply Fun to Read.. don't expect much more than that.
Review: I finished this book in less than 2 days. I read it in the morning, in the evening, while in the car.. It just kept me hooked. The book mainly deals with Joe and Alice - Joe is constanltly cheating on Alice, though he supposedly loves her. Since the day she got married to him, nothing was like she had in mind. Everything she does is to satisfy her husband, who uses her as more of a trophy girl than anything else. The marriage is headed for trouble as Joe continues with his infidelities and Alice learns that she can very well manage without him.
Out of all of Jane Green's books, I've read them all so far, This one would have to be pretty good I thought. My favorite Jane Green book was Jemima J, and this one would probably have to be number 3 on my list of her books. If you just want some fun -- pick up this book.
Rating:
Summary: Really 3 1/2
Review: I love Jane Green, but this book didn't entertain my as much as her others. From the beginning we know that she's mismatched with her husband and I kind of started to think she was just plain old dumb for staying with him. Luckily she's a nice person, but still - how come everyone knows he's cheating on her but her? Green is a wonderful writer, and that's what saved this for me. The characters weren't as funny or engaging as past Green books, but I managed to get through the story. Nothing unexpected here, but even a mediocre Green books beats a lot of what's out there today.
Rating:
Summary: Not my favorite
Review: I loved Babyville and couldn't wait to dive into this one but was somewhat disappointed. The first half of the book made me so angry at Joe, there were times when I wanted to question my own devoted husband or just throw the book across the room but it kept me reading. The third quarter of the book was somewhat dull. It was just describing Jane's new life which was crucial but could have been cut back. But I do love how Jane Green always concludes to a happy ending. Being a romantic, I have to have that in order for me to like the book. So it ended on a high note for me but in all I just didn't enjoy it as much as Babyville. But I've already started my next Jane Green book, Bookends and I can't wait to read Jemima J.
Rating:
Summary: Good Chck Lit
Review: If you are in the mood for some thing fun and light this is a good book. It was entertaining and I really liked the main character. It is a good book to read during your bath time.
Rating:
Summary: To have "Hold"
Review: Jane Green tries a different kind of chick-lit in "To Have and To Hold" -- this time it's about a timid young woman who learns that "deserves so very much better." While Alice is a bit of a wimp at times, it's a well-written story about being true to yourself, and about the realities of a good (or bad) marriage.
Alice has the life that most women would kill for -- a gorgeous house, scads of designer clothing, money to burn and a gorgeous husband in London. But to marry Joe, she gave up her dreams of kids and a cottage in the country, and remade her body and attitude just to please him. She tries to convince herself that this is a glorious life -- and also tries to believe that Joe, a notorious womanizer, isn't operating under the credo "what she doesn't know won't hurt her."
But when someone walks in on Joe with his coworker/girlfriend Josie, he finds himself unceremoniously transferred to New York. He and Alice also purchase a small, run-down cottage in the country, which Alice fixes up according to her tastes. Though Joe has vowed to remain faithful, he doesn't like Alice when she is happy, relaxed and dressed in jeans, rather than a docile trophy wife. And now that Alice has found her "soul home," she finds a strength she never knew she had.
Infidelity is a pretty touchy subject, but Green's tactic of taking on several POVs is what makes "To Have and To Hold" so good. She takes a look at the various kinds of attraction -- the thrill-based kind, the flirty-only kind, and the true-love kind -- and offers a few subtle insights into what makes a relationship bomb and what makes it work.
Green's writing is pretty ordinary, but she has a knack for making convincing characters. She lets the plot unfold slowly, letting the problems and tension unfold, as we find out more about Alice. Green's picture of the urban surroundings is glittery but lifeless, while the New England countryside is warm and cozy -- just as it is meant to be.
It's a bit hard to connect with Alice at first -- she's so timid that she changes everything about herself to please her husband. But when she gets her country cottage -- which, we learn, once belonged to a woman who suffered her husband's affairs for years -- we get to see her blossom. It's all the more satisfying, since she was so weak before. And Green dips into the minds of the other characters and giving them motivations, such as the caddish Joe and "other woman" Josie.
Relationships -- good and bad -- sit at the heart of "To Have and To Hold," a book that could easily have been called "In Glamour or in Jeans." An enlightening bit of high-end chick-lit.
Rating: 
Summary: Another Great Read by Jane Green
Review: Last night I finished To Have and to Hold, and all I have to say is what another great book by Jane Green. It was unlike anything else she has written - a whole new plot, great new characters, and a great story.I also had the chance to meet Jane last night at a book reading/signing. She was such a wonderful person - I thought she would be a bit snobbish or put off since she is a hugely successful writer, instead she was warm, sincere, and very greatful. It's just nice to know that the authors I love to read are "real" people with real problems and real lives. Go out and pick up any of her books - they're all fantastic!
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