This Tangled Thing Called Love

by Marie Astor

Claire Chatfield has everything a girl could possibly wish for: looks, a promising career, and an engagement ring from one of New York's most eligible heir-bachelors! Life should be a dream and yet, it does not feel like one... When an enigmatic new neighbor, Alec Brunell, moves into an apartment above from Claire's, Claire is surprised to find herself wondering whether the choices she has made in her life are worth following through.

In order to secure his place as his father's successor, David Lawson must settle down with a wife befitting the future head of Lawson Enterprises - and who could fit the prerequisite better than lovely Claire Chatfield? There is just one glitch - David Lawson is in love with another woman.

Alec Brunell has never lacked for women's attention, but he finds himself at a loss when faced with his downstairs neighbor, Claire Chatfield. Still, her iciness only adds fuel to his fire, as Alec is determined to change Claire's view of him.

This Tangled Thing Called Love follows a story of four people searching for love - will they have the courage to find it?

Genres: Romance, Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Ebooks

254 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 12, 2012

About the author

Marie Astor is New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author. Marie is a die-hard romantic, which is why she loves writing romantic suspense and contemporary romance. In her spare time, Marie enjoys being adventurous out-of-doors. She often gets new story ideas while she is hiking up a mountain or trying to avoid bumping into a tree while skiing.

Marie loves hearing from readers and always answers all of her emails personally. Visit Marie at www.marieastor.com to learn more about Marie’s new book releases and events.


Marie Astor

Reviews

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh. This book just didn't cut it. It had such promise. How can a book with a Sexy Tango Dancer be disappointing? When the author spends more time developing the antagonists, that's how. Every time Astor switched to the crappy boyfriend's point of view I just wanted to fling my Kindle across the room. Sexy Tango Dancer didn't even really come into play until about 70% through the book... I almost forgot he existed. I feel like the whole novel was poorly sequenced, and it would have been so much better if it hadn't switched point of views between the protagonist and her ex and his lover. Usually I love hearing the point of view coming from another character, but in this case I hated it. Why do I want to hear about this slimy jerk of a character? I think some people will pity him, but I just think he's an ass. (What really made me mad was that the author gives him a happy ending!!!) And also, do people actually talk like that????? I swear every time someone was introduced to someone else it would go like this: Person A: "Nice to meet you." Person B: "Likewise." I have never actually heard someone say that! Who says "likewise" ??? Maybe I should stop here before I go off on a tangent and start looking up other examples of the very awkwardly worded conversations that take place throughout the novel.

[Lindsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just alright
It was actually way better than I thought it would be, I got into the characters and story but then the ending was so abrupt and fast it was almost like being cheated or that the author took the easy way out or something.

[Ginny Gallagher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marie Astor could not have picked a more perfect title than “This Tangled Thing Called Love” for her book.

Each character seems to be tangled up in their own idea of what the perfect love should be and struggles to step away from family, friends, and society expectations and define love on their own terms.

The story is told in multiple points of views so you really get to know several of the characters and what drives their decisions.

I really enjoyed reading this book and would love to get another look into the lives of all these characters.

[Deborah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Contrived and Smutty

I'm currently working through all my unread Kindle books by author alphabetical order. Otherwise I probably would have skipped this one. Annoying characters, tedious plot, and the male point of view for the ultimate love interest was downright sleazy at times. I think I'm too old for this Sex in the City wannabe. And using Fink as the name of a competitor real estate business made me roll my eyes every time it was used.

Younger readers who like a bit of romance and sex may enjoy it.

[Literary Chanteuse · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great mix of characters in this chick lit love story. A hot latin tango dancer, a wealthy playboy heir and an intelligent down to earth heorine. Enticing chemistry that pops up like the paparazzi and keeps you wondering who Claire will choose. Even though she endures some heartache she manages to stay strong and lets her heart be her guide.

[Alisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

O Editor, where art thou? I read through to the end because the story itself wasn't terrible, if very typical of the chick-lit genre, but some of the writing was painfully bad. This book would really benefit from a good editor's red pen.

As another reader mentioned; the ending was abrupt. I found it extremely bizarre how she just all of sudden jumped to an epilogue, a propos of nothing.

[Trish · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very slow. Too much time was spent on the relationship that didn't work out and not enough on Claire & Alec. It was tedious and I was happy when I finally finished it. Also the dialog lacked a certain kind of flow, almost seemed too formal at times. I would hardly call this a "romance" book. The silver lining is that at least I didn't pay for it since it was free on Amazon.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet romance. I liked this story very much.

[Amber Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Romance

This book is obsessed with Wright and being the perfect size. I've read a few books by Marie Astor and if you like one you'll like them all. Girl is engaged to rich but cheating guy and meets goal opposite of fiance where it's attraction at first sight. They fall in love when she finds out about fiance and happily ever after with some drama. Though this one seems to ficus on the cheating at times more than the main romance.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story, but I would’ve preferred less David and more steamy moments between Claire and Alec. You don’t really get to their relationship development until about 2/3 the way through the book.

[S. S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice chick read

It is fun no brainer book. Easy read. You sometimes need something like this book to make you feel good.

[Neil · Rating 2 out of 5]

The storyline of this romance was predictable, with the characters not very engaging.

If you are in the mood for an easy read without having to use much brain power this may be for you.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Synopsis

Twenty-eight-year-old Claire Chatfield has everything a girl could possibly wish for: looks, a promising career at New York’s top architectural firm, and an engagement ring from one of New York’s most eligible heir-bachelors! Life should be a dream, but when Alec Brunell, a sexy tango dancer, moves into the apartment one floor above from Claire’s, he unwittingly awakens Claire’s old insecurities, making her question her life choices. Will Claire brave her fears and allow herself to take a chance on Alec, or will she continue to play it safe?

In order to secure his place as his father’s successor, thirty-three-year-old David Lawson must settle down with a wife befitting the future head of Lawson Enterprises - and who could fit the prerequisite better than the stunningly beautiful and incredibly bright Claire Chatfield? There is just one glitch – David Lawson is in love with another woman – a Hollywood Legend Claudia Block.

A successful tango instructor, Alec Brunell has never lacked for women’s attention, but he finds himself at a loss when faced with his downstairs neighbor, Claire Chatfield. Upon hearing of his occupation, most women swoon with desire, but Claire runs for the door. Still, her iciness only adds fuel to his fire, as Alec is determined to change Claire’s view of him.

Claudia Block has been basking in the limelight of Hollywood for more years than she cares to admit. While she still has her looks, she would much rather not mention her age, which makes her unconventional affair with young and handsome David Lawson that much more difficult for her to give up.

Dance Me to the Stars is a love story about finding one’s perfect match - sometimes following one’s heart is as convoluted as learning the steps of tango.

My Thoughts

The story is about learning that playing it safe does not always pan out the way we plan, sometimes following our heart and not our head is the safest bet and ultimately the wisest choice!

Claire is involved with David Lawson but there is never a time when her heart "sings" when she and David are together. Claire learns over time to overcome her painful past and in doing so opens her mind as well as her heart to the endless possibilities that life has to offer, both personally and professionally!

David Lawson is a 33-year-old man who is still trying hard to fit into the mold created for him at birth by his domineering father, a mold that is stifling him a day at a time but is one that would give him everything money could buy if he could only carry through with his father's wishes! David finally learns that to truly be happy he must live life on his own terms, by doing so he gets more than he ever thought he could.

Alec Brunell is a heartthrob, the sexy neighbor upstairs who Claire tries so hard to suppress her attraction to. He is also a man who knows what he wants and he wants Claire and is determined enough to hang in there for the long haul.

Claudia Block, one of Hollywood's aging legends and the woman who has truly captured David Lawson's heart but whom he can never have an open relationship with or he will lose the future that he so desperately wishes to have. Claudia finds out almost too late that the love she and David share for each other is more important than age or wealth, in the end that love is all that matters to them both.

4 people whose intertwined stories will take you on a whirlwind trip that is full of passion, excitement, despair, lies, painful choices and in the end glorious new beginnings that will make you smile as each couple finally realizes that what their heart knew all along is that love always triumphs if you allow it to!

[Ecopy of book was sent to me by author in exchange for an honest review. ]

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claire Chatfield is engaged to the man of her dreams, or so she thought ... is she really in love with her fiance David Lawson ... or is she playing it safe instead of following her heart?

This Tangled Thing Called Love is a fun and sassy novel that raises the timeless question of when making choices about love relationships, do you play it safe and follow your head, or do you throw caution to the wind and follow your heart? Ah ... love is a many splendored tangled thing ....

The story is set in New York City and follows the perspectives of four characters: Claire Chatfield, David Lawson, Alec Brunell and Claudia Block. Claire and David are in a relationship, but they haven't been spending as much time together as they used to. Claire starts to question her relationship with David, and she finds herself becoming attracted to her sexy new upstairs neighbor, dance instructor Alec Brunell. Alec is attracted to Claire from the time he met her, he knows that he wants Claire, and he's willing to wait for her. Claudia Block is an aging Hollywood starlet who is David's true love, but his future in the family business deems this relationship unacceptable, and requires him to choose a more suitable wife. What is the right choice for Claire, David, Alec and Claudia? The author does a wonderful job of intertwining these four people's stories into a fascinating tale of their struggle to find love and decide what relationship choice is the right one for each of them.

The author creates a cast of characters that are realistic, strong, complex and engaging. These are characters that the reader can relate to: they are not perfect, they have flaws, they question the choices they make in life and relationships, and they try to live their lives just like we do! I found that this is a fascinating look at how four people go through the motions of deciding what path to follow in love relationships, they each had to deal with a timeless question that everyone has pondered at one time or another.

I think the story engages the reader in a witty and entertaining manner. Who hasn't ever questioned their choices in life and in relationships? Sometimes you have to endure some self-questioning and make wrong choices before attaining your true hearts desire ... and sometimes you have to go let go of the safe options, go out on a limb and just follow your heart when seeking true love and happiness. That is what life's all about!

This Tangled Thing Called Love is an entertaining romance novel that will embrace and engage you in it's dialogue about how people weave their way through the tangled maze of choices in life and love!


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review, and for hosting a virtual book event on my book review blog site.

Virtual Book Event: On Monday, June 25, 2012 author Marie Astor participated in a virtual book event with an Author Interview on Jersey Girl Book Reviews.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...

[Samantha March · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of This Tangled Thing Called Love in exchange for an honest review. Claire Chatfield has the best life. She is successful, has great girlfriends, and has just received a massive rock from her now fiancé, David Lawson. David is one of the most sought-after bachelors in New York City thanks to his elite status and sizeable bank account. But Claire’s world is rocked when photos appear in a tabloid magazine of David locking lips with an aging Hollywood actress. Claire calls off the engagement, and is forced to face her true feelings – she didn’t have the overwhelming in love feeling with David. He was reliable, solid, and safe....but Claire knows she wants more. When she starts spending more time with her sex on a stick neighbor, Alec, Claire thinks she has the found the man she could spend forever with. A tango dance instructor, Alec sweeps Claire off her feet and also makes a startling connection with her career. Will Claire finally have the courage to go after what she really wants in life?

I thought This Tangled Thing Called Love was a cute and sweet romance novel. Claire is a great heroine, someone who was duped by the one she loved, but it turned out to be for the best. Claire had been ignoring her feelings about her relationship with David for too long. The POV gives readers insight on a slew of characters – Claire being the lead, but also Alec, David and even David’s fling – Claudia. I liked that we got just enough of glimpse into their thoughts – nothing too overwhelming where it was confusing. One flaw I thought was that I didn’t think there was enough on Claire and Alec’s relationship. It really didn’t come into play until the second half of the book, and I thought that was too long. The majority of the book focused on Claire and David’s relationship, but I would have liked to see more Alec in there. There were some enjoyable subplots as well, including Claire’s work and friendships, and overall I thought this was a very quick and pleasant read that I would recommend.

[Kaitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know it’s been 12 days since my last review. It did not take me 12 days to finish this book – maybe 3-4 nights overall. Please see my vacation post for why I took a week off!

This is one of those books that I am not proud to admit I read – but I promised (well maybe I didn’t but I will from hereon) to review the good, the bad, and the ugly. That is what you get in reading “free” books. Some great ones, some not so great. Based on the title I knew what I was getting myself into and it’s what I needed after 2 “heavier” books. It was your classic chick-lit, not intellectually stimulating book. That being said, it kept my interest. The main character Claire, is quite likable, terribly naive, but you find yourself routing for her.

From the very beginning, it is crystal clear where this book is going. I won’t spoil it, but I have to admit it was no surprise to me. The book takes you through the relationship of David and Claire (or maybe lack there-of). The characters are built up well, but for any of us that have ever been in a relationship, it is frustrating. Throughout the book it is revealed that neither of them are in the relationship for the right reasons, which may explain some of the more frustrating aspects (ok – you have to work late again for the 7th time this week!?).

Ofcourse there are a few twists thrown in, nothing shocking, but makes for a good story. All the characters and situations are realistic. I found myself thinking of past situations or friends that reminded of me of certain characters, which made the story pass quickly but kept me interested at the same time. It was wrapped up in a neat little bow at the end. Would I recommend? For a free book, with no expectations, maybe as a beach read. (Disclaimer: I do tend to download books like this often, but as I am reviewing them now, I think it is pushing me to read more challenging books that I am proud to reviews! So stay tuned!)

[Gloria Antypowich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love is a tangle, before it becomes a Tango!
Claire Chatfield, once an ugly duckling, has become a swan…but she doesn’t realise it. She is still caught in her personal images from the past and is amazed when David Lawson-the only son of a wealthy family becomes interested in her. But as time goes by he becomes more deeply involved in his work at the family business that he hopes to one day run, and he spends less time with Claire even though he still insists that he loves her.
She meets Alec Brunell, her upstairs neighbour, when his loud music disturbs her Saturday morning sleep-in and she goes up to his apartment to tell him off. Inspite of her anger and indignation, she is attracted to him, but she pushes the idea away reminding herself that she is in love with David.
Her discontent grows as David neglects her, but then he shows up with a diamond that is so big it is blinding to look at, and Clare reassures herself that their relationship is sound. Little does she understand the motivation behind his marriage proposal.
As the story unfolds we learn what David Lawson is all about. We see Claire struggle with the reality of their relationship and watch her find her way.
This is a good book—there are twists and turns in the plot that I hadn’t anticipated when I started reading the book. All the characters are very human—even the ones I didn’t like could be recognised as being a realist part of a mix in society.
This book runs through a gamut of emotions: joy, excitement, confusion, betrayal, despair, painful choices, determination, and new beginnings.

[Katie Daliy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to read this book because someone recommended it to me and I thought I would check it out. I also wanted to read it because it is the sort of book I am interested n. (You know all of the lovey dovey stuff.) I also thing the way that the book looked to me stood out and said read me.

I think on the bingo book this book comes under "A book with a female main character." Because it is a book all about love and it was good to have a female main person in the book. I think that this related to a lot of girls/woman. And that is what its target market was.

I liked this book because it was mostly all about woman's point of view of love and their view of love. I also think that this book was good because love is quite a hard thing to describe and I think that the author did that really well. I don't think that there was one quote in the book that I liked the most and that stood out for me. But I like the hole story line.

I learnt from this book that love is a tangled thing. And it also made me noticed that love is not just for your parent.

I thought that the main character was the most interesting person in this book.

[Anastasia Varga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claire Chatfield is engaged to one of New York's most eligible bachelors. Her fiancé, David Lawson is every girl's dream: handsome, successful and rich, David can have his pick of women, but he has his eyes set on Claire, or so she thinks, but David's busy work schedule makes it difficult to believe his amorous assurances... When a handsome neighbor by the name of Alec Brunell moves into Claire's building, she begins to wonder whether David is really the one for her. This is a story about following one's heart, the courage it takes to follow one's choices, and the mistakes people make in the process. I loved the added perspective of Claudia and David and the fact the author presented the story from the view of each character. A+

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story.

Claire is engaged to NYC's most eligible bachelor and she has a great job. Could she ask for more? When she meets the tango dancer/instructor who lives in her building, she can't stop thinking about him. But, she keeps telling herself, that she is in love with her fiance who happens to be working late a lot lately. No problem, right? After all, he's trying to please his father and take over the real estate business soon. That is until the local paparazzi magazine has her fiance passionately kissing Claudia Block, a former sexy actress. Then, her world falls about.

Does she break off the engagement and does she forgive him?

Cute story but the author has a few characters all with the same name: Jake. This was confusing.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claire has everything - a perfect job and a well to do and dishy fiance, David. Then things can change in an instant when David strays and she finds herself single. Examining what she wanted and finding out it wasn't what she thought after all

I really enjoyed this book, found myself reading it on the train to and from work, wanting to find out what the next chapter held for the characters.

Would definitely read others by this author, good flow, good humour and sensitively dealt with situations that can arise in life.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars for me.

Prim & proper Claire is dating an eligible and desirable David. She meets her new neighbor Alec and begins to wonder if the reliable and familiar romance is what she really wants...

I had a hard time getting into this one. The language sort of bored me. I never really connected with Claire- didn't know much about her other than her job and the fact that she was a chubby kid. I felt we got to know David and his family a lot more. By the time Claire relaxed a bit the book was over.

[Zan Render · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me hooked from the very first page: Claire is woken up by loud music early on a Saturday morning and in fury of irritation rushes to chide the culprit - a sexy new neighbor who had just moved into her building - and this is only the beginning. What follows next is Claire's search to find her true self and her true partner - the man she had been dreaming about her whole life, but was too afraid to look for. Will she find him? You'll have to read the book to find out - I'm glad I did.

[Shauna Stewart Hougham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good read. You root for Claire but you also find yourself rooting for David the slime ball as he stands up to his old man and breaks away and goes for his real love and Claire realizes she never really loved David and she falls in love with her neighbor the tango dance but also turn out to be connected to a bldg that she is trying to preserve. Don;t want to give to much away. But it is a good book, with stories involving three girls and their love lives and their careers. Marie did it again.. hmmmmmmmmmm wonder if there will be a book 2?

[Maurene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was enjoyable chick lit, as long a you're not bothered by dense characters and predictable plots. This didn't bother me, as I knew this was the kind of book I was reading. Little things irked me though. For instance, Claire drinks a cucumber martini at one point, and then the rum in her drink is strong. If you're going to be that detailed at least name the proper alcohol. There were other examples, but that was one that I remember questioning. Otherwise though, it was an enjoyable beach read (or airplane read as was the case with me).

[Kate Berg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the writing style and how the author told the story from the perspective of the different characters. What makes a relationship go awry and can you truly blame it on one person? What do you do if you meet a person who is perfect for you, but are afraid of what your friends / family will think of your choice? The author raises these tough to answer questions in a format of an easy to read, yet very well-written book.

[Kristy Ledford · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't expect much since this was a free Kindle book and I was right. It took way too long to develop the characters and then among the handful introduced or referenced to, at least 3 were named Jake. How hard is it to come up with another name? I found the writing annoying, with dialogue that doesn't sound natural. It seemed like the author had her thesaurus and dictionary next to her, pulling out various words rarely used words to try to impress the audience. It just didn't work.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

A contemporary romance, yes. Enjoyable? Not really. I got frustrated reading the first half of the book, and the epilogue tells most of the best parts. The main female character's name was Claire, but half of the time it was spelled differently - Clair, Clar, etc. An editor would be good, as there were other word mistakes (such as your instead of you) that spell check would not catch. I am not somebody to complain about these things usually, but it was bothersome in this book.

[Diana Cason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the way the author presented different point of views for the characters. It makes you understand all the characters in a deeper sense. This book is touching, brilliant and full of sarcastic banters from the main characters. There is no shock factor in Astor's writing nor has she attempted to devastate you with big flowery words. This book is pure fun, romance and sexy tango dancer swooning.

[Cory Mace · Rating 3 out of 5]

This romantic triangle proves that true love will always find you, even when your least looking for it. I enjoyed the character plots, just wished the two main characters in David's life did not begin with a C. It made you really pay attention to who he was with (Claire or Claudia) in one paragraph to the next. Not to mention the editor goofed in many places and used "Clair" in different places throughout the book. It was a cute, quick read, for a free download.