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Forever Material
"...a flirty, sexy romp." - IvyD, ManicReaders
"...a light, fun read, and more than occasionally funny, but it's also got a lot of depth to it, and some ideas worth pondering long after the book has been set down." - Anna, GenreReviews
After making a fool out of herself too many times over bad boys, Barbara Whitehall knows one when she sees one. That's why she's made a career out of teaching other women how to get over the bad boys--like her hunky neighbor--and find good men.
Jake Mancini’s life was going just fine until his good-looking business neighbor walked into his life on killer legs. But those legs are nothing next to her lethal tongue. Her "DateSmart" workshops have cheated him out of several Saturday nights with attractive women--and prime retail space for his business.
But Barbara's always had a soft spot for bad boys, even though she knows they're bad for her. If Jake can prove her wrong this time, she'll have to close up shop. Can Jake get close enough for her to fall for him...without losing his own heart?
"...a light, fun read, and more than occasionally funny, but it's also got a lot of depth to it, and some ideas worth pondering long after the book has been set down." - Anna, GenreReviews
After making a fool out of herself too many times over bad boys, Barbara Whitehall knows one when she sees one. That's why she's made a career out of teaching other women how to get over the bad boys--like her hunky neighbor--and find good men.
Jake Mancini’s life was going just fine until his good-looking business neighbor walked into his life on killer legs. But those legs are nothing next to her lethal tongue. Her "DateSmart" workshops have cheated him out of several Saturday nights with attractive women--and prime retail space for his business.
But Barbara's always had a soft spot for bad boys, even though she knows they're bad for her. If Jake can prove her wrong this time, she'll have to close up shop. Can Jake get close enough for her to fall for him...without losing his own heart?
185 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2011
126 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
dnf
April 18, 2017DNF at 40%
Random word game
Word: "material" (which proved to be harder than I thought it would be)
Ugh .....
I think most people know I don't DNF easily ... but ...
I JUST COULDN'T DO IT ANYMORE!
The premise is awesome
but
The writing is meh
and the situations are meh
and the characters are meh
and the romance is slow slow slooooooow burn ... but without anything to hold your interest in the meantime. Like I never felt feels and by 40% you better believe I need to be feeling something .... other than boredom that is.
I Just can't.
Random word game
Word: "material" (which proved to be harder than I thought it would be)
Ugh .....
I think most people know I don't DNF easily ... but ...
I JUST COULDN'T DO IT ANYMORE!
The premise is awesome
but
The writing is meh
and the situations are meh
and the characters are meh
and the romance is slow slow slooooooow burn ... but without anything to hold your interest in the meantime. Like I never felt feels and by 40% you better believe I need to be feeling something .... other than boredom that is.
I Just can't.
August 22, 2012
Please stop by and read my review at Coffee Beans & Love Scenes Reviews.
August 13, 2016
Forever Material is a quick read, just under 50 000 words, but for such a light read, there's actually quite a lot packed in there. It's also solidly put together, something you can read in an afternoon but can then later reflect on it without having to keep your brain turned off.
Barbara's workshops about dating had some great material in there, realistically presented, and I found myself wishing she'd come around to my town so I could send a friend or two in her direction. Boiled down to its essence, Barbara tells women that it's ok to have a fling, and it's ok to want forever, but they're not going to happen with the same man, and that's where the heartbreak comes in. She maintains that while a man can change from one category to the other, he's not going to do it for the sake of a woman; he has to make that change himself, and expecting forever from a man who's only interested in a fling will end disastrously for everyone. I loved that her material was so practical, that she wasn't relegated to trying to warn women of the evils of men or insisting everyone need to save themselves for Mr Right. As a character, Barbara was very likeable, a woman desperately trying to navigate the world by placing everything in neat categories and discovering all the shades of gray that fall between black and white.
For his part, Jake is a pretty complex person, which is why he dislikes being compartmentalized so neatly. He doesn't want to be dismissed as being good for nothing but a fling, although he doesn't have commitment on the brain right now. He's quite busy enough running his karate school and dealing with troubled family members. He can at times be chauvinistic, but someone (usually Barbara) always calls him on it.
One of the themes that fascinated me most was that of family, loyalty, and commitment. Barbara tells people that when a man can commit to things outside of a relationship, it's a good sign in the love department. A man who takes care of parents and siblings will carry that devotion into a relationship. Naturally, Jake spends a considerable amount of time cleaning up after his extended family, but the interesting part is that in spite of her opinions about families and loyalty, Barbara has cut herself off from her own family. I'm sure there are readers who will see this as a hideous double standard, but I actually really liked it. From what Barbara said about her family, it sounded like she'd removed herself from a toxic situation, letting the book (and hopefully the reader) take into account that while family is important, loyalty should only ever go so far.
So while it might sound contradictory, Forever Material is a light, fun read, and more than occasionally funny, but it's also got a lot of depth to it, and some ideas worth pondering long after the book has been set down.
Barbara's workshops about dating had some great material in there, realistically presented, and I found myself wishing she'd come around to my town so I could send a friend or two in her direction. Boiled down to its essence, Barbara tells women that it's ok to have a fling, and it's ok to want forever, but they're not going to happen with the same man, and that's where the heartbreak comes in. She maintains that while a man can change from one category to the other, he's not going to do it for the sake of a woman; he has to make that change himself, and expecting forever from a man who's only interested in a fling will end disastrously for everyone. I loved that her material was so practical, that she wasn't relegated to trying to warn women of the evils of men or insisting everyone need to save themselves for Mr Right. As a character, Barbara was very likeable, a woman desperately trying to navigate the world by placing everything in neat categories and discovering all the shades of gray that fall between black and white.
For his part, Jake is a pretty complex person, which is why he dislikes being compartmentalized so neatly. He doesn't want to be dismissed as being good for nothing but a fling, although he doesn't have commitment on the brain right now. He's quite busy enough running his karate school and dealing with troubled family members. He can at times be chauvinistic, but someone (usually Barbara) always calls him on it.
One of the themes that fascinated me most was that of family, loyalty, and commitment. Barbara tells people that when a man can commit to things outside of a relationship, it's a good sign in the love department. A man who takes care of parents and siblings will carry that devotion into a relationship. Naturally, Jake spends a considerable amount of time cleaning up after his extended family, but the interesting part is that in spite of her opinions about families and loyalty, Barbara has cut herself off from her own family. I'm sure there are readers who will see this as a hideous double standard, but I actually really liked it. From what Barbara said about her family, it sounded like she'd removed herself from a toxic situation, letting the book (and hopefully the reader) take into account that while family is important, loyalty should only ever go so far.
So while it might sound contradictory, Forever Material is a light, fun read, and more than occasionally funny, but it's also got a lot of depth to it, and some ideas worth pondering long after the book has been set down.
February 28, 2013
Love is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.
Barbara Whitehall, founder of DateSmart, believes she has formulated the perfect approach to successful coupling. But after an awkward introduction to Jake Mancini a martial arts instructor, biology begins breaking down barriers to edge out Barbara's common sense approach to courtship.
Forever Material is a light hearted romantic comedy on the surface but it has rich layering that you may not expect from the genre. It cleverly explores the psychology of attraction. By the end you understand why the characters are the way they are. And the mental and physical seduction percolating between the lines is delicious.
The story is laced with flirty banter and although it’s set in the present, it has a timeless feel.
If you enjoy movies like, His Girl Friday, Serendipity, He's Just Not That Into You and The Proposal, or if you like books like Sohpie Kinsella’s Confessions of a Shopaholic, Gemma Townley ‘s Learning Curves, Wendy Markham’s Slightly Engaged, or Zoe Rice’s Pick Me Up, I suspect you’ll enjoy Athena Grayson’s Relationship Material.
Oh and did I mention a dessert description in the story actually made my mouth water?
Barbara Whitehall, founder of DateSmart, believes she has formulated the perfect approach to successful coupling. But after an awkward introduction to Jake Mancini a martial arts instructor, biology begins breaking down barriers to edge out Barbara's common sense approach to courtship.
Forever Material is a light hearted romantic comedy on the surface but it has rich layering that you may not expect from the genre. It cleverly explores the psychology of attraction. By the end you understand why the characters are the way they are. And the mental and physical seduction percolating between the lines is delicious.
The story is laced with flirty banter and although it’s set in the present, it has a timeless feel.
If you enjoy movies like, His Girl Friday, Serendipity, He's Just Not That Into You and The Proposal, or if you like books like Sohpie Kinsella’s Confessions of a Shopaholic, Gemma Townley ‘s Learning Curves, Wendy Markham’s Slightly Engaged, or Zoe Rice’s Pick Me Up, I suspect you’ll enjoy Athena Grayson’s Relationship Material.
Oh and did I mention a dessert description in the story actually made my mouth water?
January 27, 2012
I LOVED this book, and I can't help wondering why Hollywood hasn't made it into a movie yet!! The writing is so witty and tight, the characters are scrumptious, and the story line made me laugh out loud, then sigh contentedly at the characters' tenderness. What Athena Grayson does best is create a page-turning romantic comedy, all the while cleverly weaving in the backstory of each character's secret pain and vulnerability so that you understand why he or she hasn't quite discovered the "one" yet (and might be just a little resistant). My one and only complaint about this novel is that I wished it was about 30 pages longer--the ending came to quick for me, and I wasn't ready to let go of the characters!! Honestly, I think I would have followed them anywhere. I rarely come across romantic comedies that are written this well with characters to die for. Darn it all--where's the sequel?
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews