Crazy Love: A Novel

by David Lozell Martin

When a lonely farmer ostracized by his neighbors for being different encounters an independent, successful woman who questions her seemingly perfect existence, an unlikely romance blossoms between them, proving that opposites really do attract. 30,000 first printing.

Genres: Fiction, Romance

288 pages, Hardcover

First published February 5, 2002

About the author

David Martin is the author of ten novels that range from the international bestselling thriller Lie To Me to the acclaimed love story, The Crying Heart Tattoo.

Reviews

[A.M. Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could give this book six stars. After being inundated with pragmatic guides to loving wisely, here is a romantic, tragic, wonderfully sexy book about the real world where everyone is imperfect and love is a verb.

The hero is, much like Forrest Gump, a twentieth century naif bodhisatva, who works his farm in relative isolation except for the animals he keeps there. The heroine is an emotionally damaged animal rights activist.

This is no Harlequin romance. And yet the final lesson is of the magical power of real, unconditional, crazy love.

Its on my current read list because I'm reading it for the third time.

[Les · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Original Thoughts (2002):

I loved this book up until the final pages! I would have given it a perfect 5-star rating, otherwise. Tugs at your heartstrings (ok, I cried a few times - something I rarely do while reading). Compassionate. Memorable characters.

My Current Thoughts:

I no longer own my copy of this book, and honestly, I have no memory of the story.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crazy Love. David Lozell Martin. 2002. Simon and Schuster. 284 pages. ISBN 0743223500.

If you decide to pick up David Lozell Martin's Crazy Love, you're in for a unique experience whether or not you end up enjoying the book. With the style, think Kent Haruf on crack and prepare for an emotional, shocking, heart-warming, yet disturbing story that is bound to stick around in your mind for a little while.

Crazy Love tells us a story about two unlikely characters living in the midst of Appalachia farm country who come together in the oddest way. We meet Joseph "Bear" Long, a 32-year old farmer who has never known the touch of a woman and is thought by most to be mentally retarded with the gift of having conversations with animals. Katherine Renault is a classy career-woman and animal-rights activist temporarily staying in town to recover from a traumatic illness. When Bear and Katie meet, their love for animals triggers their love for each other and us readers are prepared for a happily-ever-after ending.

This really couldn't be farther from the truth! Although Crazy Love does have a positive ending in a round-about way, it's not at all what you'll expect. The story is remarkably original and very intense in some parts, and the violence and drama will cause your jaw to drop in shock! The beauty of Crazy Love is that although you may not love this book, it will make you curious enough to want to look more into David Lozell Martin's other work.

From an educational standpoint, I find all the sidebar knowledge on the treatment of animals and animal rights to be very interesting, and it is inarguably easy to be drawn into this novel. However, the last fourth portion of Crazy Love is very rushed and thrown together, and could have been more impacting had a softer approach been taken with the characters we come to know so intimately.

Read more book reviews at http://dreamworldbooks.com.

[Sara Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was very well written. I love animals and love stories and this book combined the both. The words in this book spoke to my heart. I Cried at the ending. Very great book.

[Nicole LaMonte-DeGolier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant book from David Lozell Martin, he writes from the heart.

[Debbie Covert · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very unusual love story. Wasn't sure if I'd like it, at first, but then I couldn't put it down!

[Missy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book! I am definitely adding it as one of my favorite books of all time. The story was so different than anything else that I have ever read before. Part love story, part animal rescue story, it held my interest throughout.

I became attached to Bear and Katie and their farm. Their love for each other was unique and intense. Bear won my heart with his ways with his animals on his farm, and in his relationship with Katie. Katie falls in love with the quiet and gentle Bear while she is engaged to someone else. She knows for sure that she and Bear are meant to be together. Together they turn the farm into a sanctuary for homeless/rescued/abused animals.


This was a book that I would race to read upon arriving home from work. I couldn't put it down! It has earned a spot in my personal library. I look forward to reading more of David Martin's novels.

[Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that this book was spectacular and very well written. They author that wrote this book did a terrific job. This book was about a man that lived alone and everybody thought he was crazy but in the end he found the women that he loved and they had a little girl and named her Ruth even though i think that Ruth isn't Bear's real daughter. But after all the nice things that bear did for other people he winded up diagnosed with cancer and passed away on Christmas Eve. Katie and Bear's brother Robert eventually got together and got married even though Katie told Robert that he would never take bears place in her heart and Robert agreed that being put second to his brother was an honor. They later has Two little boy and Ruth became a tomboy
I wish they would make a movie out of this book!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing and brilliant book. The story of a simple farmer who can talk to animals and his love story with life. He is simple yet deeply profound in his ability to share the saga of his heart through his poetic perspective. Some consider him mentally challenged but the woman he lives and marries sees the depth of his soul. The author weaves their lives as animal rescuers on Bear's converted farm. We experimented empire and death and are presented with our penchant for killing for the animals view. This boom had me laughing out loud, crying, stopping for thought and yearning for the intimate erotic love the couple shared. The farmer left a legacy and needed all the characters in the book to form it. Loved this book.

[Mary23nm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a romance novel. There were times when I wanted to know more of what the characters were thinking and more romance. The writing style was abrupt at times and I was thinking, "Ok, what just happened?", but then it would be explained somewhat down the line. The middle dragged a bit, and it was headed for a three star rating, but the book redeemed itself. Still, I was left wanting more detail. All in all, a very good (get it from your local library) read. (must like animals!)

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nah. I mean, it's sweet (it's called Crazy Love, after all), but the innocence and naiveté of the main character is really hard to pull off without sounding cheesy or cliche, and I feel like Martin just doesn't do it here. I got annoyed with Bear, where he's supposed to be endearing. Again, it's a really hard thing for an author to do. Overall just didn't love the writing here.

[Ayeen Karunungan · Rating 3 out of 5]

"There are questions you begin to ask, why me and what now, and how solid was the universe, supposedly organized in solar systems and galaxies, gravity just right to hold it all together and keep it all apart, but what happens if everything starts to wobble?"

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't understand why DLM is not better known and appreciated. I just love his books and this is the best. I just didn't want it to end. Full of the best and the worst of mankind with just enough of the fantastic that it could almost be so.

[Martine Taylor]

It "ends in tears"....as Bear's mother would say...I'm not sure why I liked this book as much as I did, but I did. David Martin writes the best love stories ever.

[Genevieve Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. I could read and re-read this book hundreds of times (i'm on my way) and still love it every time.

[Golffox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book but all the animal abuse really bothered me....

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romantic but very sad

[Barbara Canten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite all time books.