mjdolce's review
4.0
Loved this first offering from Lani Diane Rich. Fun read that was far less predictable than I expected it to be!
kkilburn's review
5.0
What a treat! A light romantic comedy of a book with engaging characters; sharp, witty dialog; and enough true human dimension to keep it all real. The writing is clean, lean, and funny as all get-out - kudos. I'm glad I started this early enough in the day to polish it off before bedtime; if I hadn't, I'd be staying up late! Highly recommended beach read!
scorpstar77's review
3.0
Wanda, the heroine of Time Off for Good Behavior, just can't seem to catch a break. She crashes through a witness box when she tries to take a swing at the defense attorney of the jerks who caused her office building to blow up (landing her in the hospital with severe burns), hits her head on the floor and ends up in the hospital again in a "light coma." She gets fired for missing too much work - because she was in a coma - and she falls in love with the attorney she hires to threaten her former employee for firing her under such terrible circumstances. And then her psychotic and abusive ex-husband - who has tried to kill her before - tells her he's going to kill her, with all signs indicating that he's headed straight to her town. All this and she has a phantom tune that keeps playing in her head that no one else can hear.
Because of all of this, or maybe in spite of it, she befriends a straight-talking therapist who helps her define what she needs to do in order to take back control of her life and, ultimately, prove to herself that she is good enough for the man she's fallen in love with. The reader learns a lot about all of the crap Wanda has been through - some of it her own fault, some of it not - and naturally pulls for her to get her shit together and come out on the other side as a grown-up who actually does something she likes for a living and likes who she is. Which, of course, she does.
I won't pretend that the story isn't a bit predictable and formulaic. But I enjoyed it nonetheless. I did get attached to Wanda as a character as well as some of the other secondary characters (particularly her friend Elizabeth's kids) and I got some catharsis. It was like watching a reasonably good Lifetime movie (I know, those are few and far between). Since I'm currently reading Middlemarch and A Short History of Nearly Everything with Infinite Jest in line to be next, I needed the mental break!
Because of all of this, or maybe in spite of it, she befriends a straight-talking therapist who helps her define what she needs to do in order to take back control of her life and, ultimately, prove to herself that she is good enough for the man she's fallen in love with. The reader learns a lot about all of the crap Wanda has been through - some of it her own fault, some of it not - and naturally pulls for her to get her shit together and come out on the other side as a grown-up who actually does something she likes for a living and likes who she is. Which, of course, she does.
I won't pretend that the story isn't a bit predictable and formulaic. But I enjoyed it nonetheless. I did get attached to Wanda as a character as well as some of the other secondary characters (particularly her friend Elizabeth's kids) and I got some catharsis. It was like watching a reasonably good Lifetime movie (I know, those are few and far between). Since I'm currently reading Middlemarch and A Short History of Nearly Everything with Infinite Jest in line to be next, I needed the mental break!
nutti72's review
3.0
This debut novel was a funny and sometimes sad book. We meet Wanda Lane as she's testifying in court when she testifying in a court case about getting blown up because someone @ the gas company forgot to close the gas main and the building she was working in blew up. Wanda is funny, sarcastic and has somewhat of a potty mouth. The witness stand collapses on her and she ends up in the hospital. From there her life ravels even further. She loses her job. Her abusive ex-husband is on his way from Alaska threatening to kill her. Oh and she hears phantom music in her head that she can't identify. Her life seems to be a train wreck waiting to happen. Wanda slowly begins to put the pieces of her life back together with the help of a good friend and therapist, but will it be enough to win the man of her dreams?
see_sadie_read's review
5.0
I have to say I really enjoyed Wanda and all of her Idiosyncrasies. Honestly, the woman is just a little crazy for most of the book and the situations she finds herself in are patently absurd. So you do just kind of have to role with it to a certain extent. I think her terse relationship with Father Hard-Ass is my favourite. There is so much witty sarcasm, what someone else called snark, in this book that I couldn't help but be constantly amused.
True conversation:
My husband sauntered into the living-room chuckling.
Me: "What?"
Him: "Nothing. I'm just laughing at you sitting there grinning to yourself."
Me (waving my Kindle at him indignantly): "But it's funny."
Him (shaking his head knowingly): "I'm sure it is."
Me (lovingly to his departing back): "Bastard"
Yep, that's how it goes. Wanda's journey of self-discovery is one I think a lot of women can relate to. If we're all as lucky as her and can finally come to not only understand but accept ourselves life will surely improve. Of course she is helped along by a whole cadre of new friends and one AMAZING new love interest. Yes, Walter (aka Jimmy Stewart) is just far too good to be true. So of course it's impossible not to love him. It only took me an evening to read the book and I'm glad I gave it the time.
True conversation:
My husband sauntered into the living-room chuckling.
Me: "What?"
Him: "Nothing. I'm just laughing at you sitting there grinning to yourself."
Me (waving my Kindle at him indignantly): "But it's funny."
Him (shaking his head knowingly): "I'm sure it is."
Me (lovingly to his departing back): "Bastard"
Yep, that's how it goes. Wanda's journey of self-discovery is one I think a lot of women can relate to. If we're all as lucky as her and can finally come to not only understand but accept ourselves life will surely improve. Of course she is helped along by a whole cadre of new friends and one AMAZING new love interest. Yes, Walter (aka Jimmy Stewart) is just far too good to be true. So of course it's impossible not to love him. It only took me an evening to read the book and I'm glad I gave it the time.
atrixareads's review
2.0
If we're being anal about ratings this would be a 2.5.
So, the good:
Wanda is a pretty great protagonist. No bullshit.
The narrator of the audiobook brings some humour into the reading.
Some sensitive topics e.g. domestic violence are dealt with here quite well.
The not so good:
The plot- I just couldn't find anything here to hold my interest. Romantic fiction isn't my usual choice of genre so this is more likely an issue of mine than the book's. It won't stop me from trying more of Rich's works in the future, though.
So, the good:
Wanda is a pretty great protagonist. No bullshit.
The narrator of the audiobook brings some humour into the reading.
Some sensitive topics e.g. domestic violence are dealt with here quite well.
The not so good:
The plot- I just couldn't find anything here to hold my interest. Romantic fiction isn't my usual choice of genre so this is more likely an issue of mine than the book's. It won't stop me from trying more of Rich's works in the future, though.
mcipher's review
3.0
This book was lots of fun, very funny, and all around just a great, quick read.
londonmabel's review
3.0
Hmm. I think I misled myself a bit cause I was expecting a romantic comedy, but it was more women's fiction. There was one bit of backstory that didn't ring true for me. And there was one funny thing near the beginning (in re the newspaper ads) that I expected to play out more, so I was disappointed when it just stopped. Buuut for a first novel, those are quibbly points. :-)
I liked the heroine, I liked the best friend, liked the side characters... in the end that's what keeps me reading.
I liked the heroine, I liked the best friend, liked the side characters... in the end that's what keeps me reading.
familywithbooks's review
3.0
I bought this book on a whim when browsing the clearance racks. I always am looking for a new twist on chick lit, and in reading the back of the book I thought "I never read a book about THAT before!"
The first thing that grabbed me was the author's acknowledgements. Discovering that she wrote the first draft of this book during NaNoWriMo inspired me to join in this year (I've always wanted to but make excuses every time). The part that really grabbed me and made me start reading the book though was when she thanked the readers. "You may not realize it, but every time you read a book, you're validating every author who ever thought up a story and, despite the overwhelming odds, said, "I'm gonna give this a shot."" Awwww - you sucked me in!
The story idea is definitely original to me and it grabbed and kept my attention through the whole book. It is a quick read. I could connect somewhat with the main character, Wanda, because I too keep trying to "do something meaningful." Here's hoping I'll figure out what that is.
The first thing that grabbed me was the author's acknowledgements. Discovering that she wrote the first draft of this book during NaNoWriMo inspired me to join in this year (I've always wanted to but make excuses every time). The part that really grabbed me and made me start reading the book though was when she thanked the readers. "You may not realize it, but every time you read a book, you're validating every author who ever thought up a story and, despite the overwhelming odds, said, "I'm gonna give this a shot."" Awwww - you sucked me in!
The story idea is definitely original to me and it grabbed and kept my attention through the whole book. It is a quick read. I could connect somewhat with the main character, Wanda, because I too keep trying to "do something meaningful." Here's hoping I'll figure out what that is.
More...