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snarkymotherreader's review
4.0
Alix Gordon is a flighty, promiscuous, devil-may-care woman who, in a fit of drunkenness, brings Sir Kendall, a man from a liqueur commercial, to life. This is a problem for many reasons:
1) Though the man from the commercial may be fictitious, the man who PLAYS him is not. The real man is lovingly referred to as Hardass Paul and is a professional fighter and former martial arts instructor of our dear female Dr. Frankenstein.
2) Sir Kendall is an international man of mystery who is convinced Alix is a minion of Hyko, Sir Kendall’s nemesis. International men of mystery are not known for their kindness or patience for their enemies.
3) Hardass Paul, compelled by the spell that brought Sir Kendall to life, is en route to Alix’s bed and breakfast.
4) Alix brought a man. To life. Using a computer…you don’t get much worse than that.
Luckily for one and all, Alix realizes how much of a mess she’s caused. The worse the situation gets, the stronger and more grounded Alix becomes. She accepts that she made a huge mistake and is ready to help Sir Kendall in this strange world. Her self-absorbed tendencies fall away with each new disaster, a fact the reader realizes far before Alix herself does.
The premise of Mr. Real by Carolyn Crane was refreshing: think Frankenstein meets Weird Science with gratuitous sex scenes. Alix didn’t create Sir Kendall; she breathed life into his two-dimensional image. It was one of the things I loved most about Mr. Real.
I was skeptical in the beginning because I couldn’t relate to Alix. Simply put, she was too much. Too frivolous, too sexual, too everything. The interactions between Alix and Sir Kendall at the beginning of the book followed along the same suit; if they were actors, I’d say they were trying too hard to emote.
Then along came Paul…once Hardass Paul entered the book for the long haul, everything clicked into place. Alix had to be too much to show how she could adapt when the situation called for it. She and Sir Kendall had to be awkward to show how well she interacted with Paul. She was still a crazy, funny, unconventional woman, but she had substance. The desire and affection Paul and Alix felt for each other was palpable and made me swoon on more than one occasion.
Even though it had a rocky beginning, I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Real. If you’re a fan of quirky sci-fi romances, do yourself a favor and check this book out!
1) Though the man from the commercial may be fictitious, the man who PLAYS him is not. The real man is lovingly referred to as Hardass Paul and is a professional fighter and former martial arts instructor of our dear female Dr. Frankenstein.
2) Sir Kendall is an international man of mystery who is convinced Alix is a minion of Hyko, Sir Kendall’s nemesis. International men of mystery are not known for their kindness or patience for their enemies.
3) Hardass Paul, compelled by the spell that brought Sir Kendall to life, is en route to Alix’s bed and breakfast.
4) Alix brought a man. To life. Using a computer…you don’t get much worse than that.
Luckily for one and all, Alix realizes how much of a mess she’s caused. The worse the situation gets, the stronger and more grounded Alix becomes. She accepts that she made a huge mistake and is ready to help Sir Kendall in this strange world. Her self-absorbed tendencies fall away with each new disaster, a fact the reader realizes far before Alix herself does.
The premise of Mr. Real by Carolyn Crane was refreshing: think Frankenstein meets Weird Science with gratuitous sex scenes. Alix didn’t create Sir Kendall; she breathed life into his two-dimensional image. It was one of the things I loved most about Mr. Real.
I was skeptical in the beginning because I couldn’t relate to Alix. Simply put, she was too much. Too frivolous, too sexual, too everything. The interactions between Alix and Sir Kendall at the beginning of the book followed along the same suit; if they were actors, I’d say they were trying too hard to emote.
Then along came Paul…once Hardass Paul entered the book for the long haul, everything clicked into place. Alix had to be too much to show how she could adapt when the situation called for it. She and Sir Kendall had to be awkward to show how well she interacted with Paul. She was still a crazy, funny, unconventional woman, but she had substance. The desire and affection Paul and Alix felt for each other was palpable and made me swoon on more than one occasion.
Even though it had a rocky beginning, I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Real. If you’re a fan of quirky sci-fi romances, do yourself a favor and check this book out!
brandy_wine's review
3.0
This was an interesting read.
Overall I liked it. I kind of wish she would have used the computer more because I would have :) but I understand why she didn't there were other things going on that she had to deal with.
The only thing I wasn't sure about..and maybe I missed it but I don't think I did. Why was Paul so close to her when she made it clear that she lived away from people. How did he hear her "laughing/screaming"?
That is the only thing that I was in question about. We get to find out more about his backstory later in the book.
It was a fun read.
Overall I liked it. I kind of wish she would have used the computer more because I would have :) but I understand why she didn't there were other things going on that she had to deal with.
The only thing I wasn't sure about..and maybe I missed it but I don't think I did. Why was Paul so close to her when she made it clear that she lived away from people. How did he hear her "laughing/screaming"?
That is the only thing that I was in question about. We get to find out more about his backstory later in the book.
It was a fun read.
emilyhei's review
4.0
Imagine if you were able to create the items you wanted on your computer simply with a click and it would appear on your doorstep. Imagine having a crush on a man for years only to have him think you were a joke and took nothing seriously.
Alix Gordon does take a few things seriously but she likes to live life in the moment too. When she realizes that her computer can create the man of her dreams, Paul Reirnhardt, not him literally but his TV ad persona Sir Kendall, Alix presses the button that puts him on her doorstep. Of course Alix thought about the moment not the what would happen once he was there. Now she has Paul showing up and a danger that was supposed to be pretend arriving squarely at her doorstep.
Very creative story. I thought this was a lot of fun and just unusual. Reminded me of some of the old serial movies where the had a spy caper. Great read, curious about the next book.
Alix Gordon does take a few things seriously but she likes to live life in the moment too. When she realizes that her computer can create the man of her dreams, Paul Reirnhardt, not him literally but his TV ad persona Sir Kendall, Alix presses the button that puts him on her doorstep. Of course Alix thought about the moment not the what would happen once he was there. Now she has Paul showing up and a danger that was supposed to be pretend arriving squarely at her doorstep.
Very creative story. I thought this was a lot of fun and just unusual. Reminded me of some of the old serial movies where the had a spy caper. Great read, curious about the next book.
schomj's review
4.0
3.5 stars
A paranormal/sci-fi romance that doesn't follow romance conventions.
Had a hard time with the beginning, because of the reckless, impulsive heroine, who really brought out my big sister tendencies (I kept wanting to tell her to sober up and think for 5 seconds). But, as frustrating as she was at the beginning, she did seem to become a lot more mature by the end -- because she wanted to; that was her goal. I admire that kind of personal growth and it happened in a believable way.
Really enjoyed the secondary.characters -- damaged but adorable Hardass Paul (the hero), the heroine's level-headed best friend, her supportive family, even the conjured Sir Kendall was developed in a meaningful way.
Despite the creepy set-up (I've never been a fan of the Weird Science-ing sex partners trope) and my initial reaction to the heroine, I enjoyed this story and am likely to read the next.
A paranormal/sci-fi romance that doesn't follow romance conventions.
Had a hard time with the beginning, because of the reckless, impulsive heroine, who really brought out my big sister tendencies (I kept wanting to tell her to sober up and think for 5 seconds). But, as frustrating as she was at the beginning, she did seem to become a lot more mature by the end -- because she wanted to; that was her goal. I admire that kind of personal growth and it happened in a believable way.
Really enjoyed the secondary.characters -- damaged but adorable Hardass Paul (the hero), the heroine's level-headed best friend, her supportive family, even the conjured Sir Kendall was developed in a meaningful way.
Despite the creepy set-up (I've never been a fan of the Weird Science-ing sex partners trope) and my initial reaction to the heroine, I enjoyed this story and am likely to read the next.
roguefire's review
4.0
I had a roller-coaster of like/dislike with this book. I loved The Disillusionists Trilogy and that world, so of course I would give the next series Carolyn Crane came up with a chance!
I ended up rolling my eyes at the beginning with the conjuring up of a sex slave of someone who treated you badly. Glutton for punishment? Masochistic? I dunno...then some steamy, steamy stuff and then the story got more interesting.
I liked finding out the connection between all the characters, and the incorporation of Hyiko.
I'm curious how this is classified as #1 of a series. It felt pretty final to me in an "and they lived happily ever after" way, there was no "or did they???" mystery behind it.
Always love reading Crane's worlds though and look forward to the next one!
I ended up rolling my eyes at the beginning with the conjuring up of a sex slave of someone who treated you badly. Glutton for punishment? Masochistic? I dunno...then some steamy, steamy stuff and then the story got more interesting.
I liked finding out the connection between all the characters, and the incorporation of Hyiko.
I'm curious how this is classified as #1 of a series. It felt pretty final to me in an "and they lived happily ever after" way, there was no "or did they???" mystery behind it.
Always love reading Crane's worlds though and look forward to the next one!
mcummings's review
2.0
I don't know how to categorize this, so I am going with Sci-fi. First off, I loved Ms. Crane's Disillusionist series, which is why this was an auto-buy for me. And, it is nothing like that series, which is okay by me. Author's do not need to keep creating the same thing over and over again.
According to the goodreads star system, 2 stars means it is okay, and it was. The writing was actually 4 stars, as well as the world-building and plot. And there was a surprise twist at the end that I really liked.
But I really did not care at all for the main character, and that really brought down the enjoyment factor for me, and it became more of a slog to get through.
According to the goodreads star system, 2 stars means it is okay, and it was. The writing was actually 4 stars, as well as the world-building and plot. And there was a surprise twist at the end that I really liked.
But I really did not care at all for the main character, and that really brought down the enjoyment factor for me, and it became more of a slog to get through.
vegancleopatra's review
2.0
1.5 stars
I love Crane's Disillusionist's series and was excited to read this new series. However, after reading it I feel as though fans of perhaps her romances (written under a different name) may enjoy it more than those attracted to the story in the Disillusionists.
Overall the biggest issue I had with the story was the main character, Alix. She did not start off well with me when she contemplated manipulating the computer guy for a quick romp. I don't care if the character is male or female, I hate characters which are so clearly "loose" and lacking mature conduct. Alix literally says things like "gulp" (out loud, mind you), is immature and makes stupid decisions. I absolutely could not stand her.
The storyline for Sir Kendall and Paul was ridiculous in my opinion. Not much is really even explained until past the midway mark. You don't know if the characters are insane or if there is a true background. The reason for Paul's freezing up every time he hears "Sir Kendall" is, in my opinion, in need of severe therapy if a grown man continues to react that way. Also, WTF is with the "romance" plot at the end? I have to roll my eyes at relationships that develop so quickly.
I did, however, like the premise of the book and the aspect of bringing things to "life" by using a computer program. The writing was decent, although not up to the level I'm used to with Crane. But I found the character of Alix so distractingly annoying that it affected my opinion on the writing.
Overall Mr. Real was a disappointment but may appeal to some of the Disillusionists fans.
I love Crane's Disillusionist's series and was excited to read this new series. However, after reading it I feel as though fans of perhaps her romances (written under a different name) may enjoy it more than those attracted to the story in the Disillusionists.
Overall the biggest issue I had with the story was the main character, Alix. She did not start off well with me when she contemplated manipulating the computer guy for a quick romp. I don't care if the character is male or female, I hate characters which are so clearly "loose" and lacking mature conduct. Alix literally says things like "gulp" (out loud, mind you), is immature and makes stupid decisions. I absolutely could not stand her.
The storyline for Sir Kendall and Paul was ridiculous in my opinion. Not much is really even explained until past the midway mark. You don't know if the characters are insane or if there is a true background. The reason for Paul's freezing up every time he hears "Sir Kendall" is, in my opinion, in need of severe therapy if a grown man continues to react that way. Also, WTF is with the "romance" plot at the end? I have to roll my eyes at relationships that develop so quickly.
I did, however, like the premise of the book and the aspect of bringing things to "life" by using a computer program. The writing was decent, although not up to the level I'm used to with Crane. But I found the character of Alix so distractingly annoying that it affected my opinion on the writing.
Overall Mr. Real was a disappointment but may appeal to some of the Disillusionists fans.
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