Breathing Room: A Novel

Rating:
Summary: 2 stars in SEP's standard.........
Review: firstly i have to say that this is my leats favourite book of SEP's book ive read so far...... this is not really much of her humopr in this one and its just so and tooo SEP...... it seems to talk more about his ex-wife than him.... their story are not really developed the story was just liek okay.. it doesnt really get me excited or waiting to see whats next...... i have to admit its rather a disappointment.......

Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite romances
Review: Hard for me to "breathe" with this one, it was too awful!

I had this book for a long time until I got around to reading it. This was a good thing because by now I�ve forgotten what I paid for it so, I�m not sure how much of a waste of money it was.

Isabel�s negative traits: self righteous, controlling, arrogant, obsessive, superior, annoying, boring, judgmental, prissy. Those are just the ones I can think of offhand.

Her positive traits: OK, let me think a minute, I'm sure there's something. She seemed to like kids?

Her fiancé left her after falling in love with a frumpy older woman whom he had gotten pregnant. Her accountant ran off with her money. Her career tanked. But that didn�t stop her from assuming she knew what was best for everyone else and telling them about it! She�s definitely not in a position to give advice! Heal Thyself.

Ren was a likeable enough guy, nowhere near the �bad boy� the media would have you think. He was however either stupid or masochistic or both to get involved with Isabel. What could a man like Ren possibly see in this woman? Or really any man for Pete�s sake. And how could she appeal to a man after she dictated her list of �rules� for them having sex? �Can�t do this, can�t do that, I�m in charge, I call the shots.� Can you say "kill the mood"?

And what was with the last couple of chapters? For awhile there I thought I�d dozed off and woke up in another book! Castle ruins, lightning, goddess (yeah right), statues (cue dramatic music)!

This definitely goes into the �giveaway� pile! Although I'm not sure if there's anyone I dislike enough to give it to.

I can highly recommend Ms. Phillip's "Kiss An Angel" which is one of my favorite books. Also "It Had To Be You".

Rating:
Summary: not bad. but nothing memorable..
Review: I am giving this book 3 1/2 stars. I did not enjoy the two main characters in this s book. They did nothing of me. I did enjoy the others, I liked Tracy and her kids, and I also l liked her husband Larry, every time they went to Ren and Isabel, I couldn't wait to get back to Tracy and Larry, If the story was just about them then I would have give this book 4 stars.

Happy Reading Lisa

Rating:
Summary: BELOW PAR.
Review: I DIDN'T THINK IT COULD GET MUCH WORSE THAN LADY BE GOOD AND DREAM A LITTLE DREAM BUT SHE HAD TO GO AND PROVE ME WRONG. NOT GOOD ENOUGH FROM THIS AUTHOR.

Rating:
Summary: What Fun!
Review: I just finished reading "Breathing Room" for the second time. Nearly all of SEP's books are on my keeper shelf and are dog-eared from re-reads. This will, no doubt, be one of them

One previous reviewer was turned off because Isabel was dowdy and plain. She wasn't! She just dressed a different way and had worked hard to make herself appear professional.

The best thing about this book, other than the tour of Tuscany, is the banter and sizzle between Ren and Isabel. She doesn't take his guff and he is caught by that. He's bored by women throwing themselves at him. They are a perfect match.

I thought the hunt for the fertility statue could have been left out, but it did serve to introduce some delightful characters. Also, the secondary romance of Ren's ex-wife and her estranged husband was wonderful.

I enjoyed the heck out of this book both times I've read it. No doubt, I will again some other winter's night.

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable and fun
Review: I picked it up since I am currently daydreaming of running away to Italy and live a simpler life under the Tuscan sun. This book is a fun fanasty book ~~ about a rugged movie star who kills lovely ladies on the big silver screen for a living and a demure self-help guru/psychologist who meet and fall in love with each other. It's a sexy book ~~ fun and sweet. Ren has escaped to Italy to his grandmother's old villa for a few weeks before commencing on the next movie. Isabel lost her fiance, her accountant had run off with all of her money and she lost her fortune and fame ~~ so she rents the farmhouse on the villa's property for a few months to catch her breath.

While Isabel is there, the townsfolks don't help her ~~ she runs out of hot water and electricity. She discovers with Ren's help the real reason why the villagers were hostile to her and makes amends.

It's a charming book and a quick read. It's fun ~~ pure fun. Nothing much in here that is intellectual ~~ so if you're looking for a thought-provoking book, this isn't it. If you're looking for something to escape into for a while, this book is a better choice.

9-11-04

Rating:
Summary: There's room for more...
Review: I will probably get some negative votes on this one but... I just had a hard time getting through it. I didn't care for the main characters- he was flaky and she was difficult. I, too liked sub-characters Tracy and Larry, better than the main ones. Ren is a dashing playboy- a "stuck on himself" movie star that needs to find himself. Isabel Favor is a "self-help guru" and author of The Four Cornerstones of a Favorable Life. She thinks her life is perfect until it falls apart. They both end up in Italy to get away from it all - at the same villa. Ren owns the villa but Isabel refuses to leave since she has put down a large deposit for it in good faith. There's a past here. They've met before. They had a rather unusual one night stander of which both want to forget. Surprise! They are now sharing the same villa. Sparks and tempers start to fly! Meanwhile, something is going on around the villa- Isabel is trying to be run off by the villagers. Why? I'm not going to tell incase you want to read it for yourself. Hey, you might enjoy it. It just wasn't for me. Too silly at times.

Rating:
Summary: One of her best from one of the best
Review: I've been wondering how to review this book without relating to it personally. OK, I just can't. I read this book two weeks after someone I loved very much died. Susan's most current book was full of life -- it had wonderful characters, humor, romance, spirituality and fantastic, intelligent dialogue. It lightened my sad heart.

The charmingly flawed, bigger than life yet all too human, funny characters of Isobel and Ren involved me in their Tuscany world. They made me laugh, cry and reflect on marriage. I was bereft when this book ended. My new friends were gone! WAH! Until I immediately reread my favorite chapters. And then reread my other SEP favorites -- Heaven Texas; Kiss an Angel; Nobody's Baby But Mine...I could go on.

I would give this particular book 10 stars. SEP is one of my very favorite authors. Breathing Room is the best of her books to date.

BUT read ALL of Susan Elizabeth Phillip's books. Your heart will thank you.

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable
Review: There are a few improbable plot twists in this book that stretch the reader's credulity a bit, but suspending disbelief is frequently necessary when reading novels. I found the characters interesting, the banter witty, and the writing very good.

All in all, a fun read.