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Hot and Bothered: A Novel
She’s offbeat, off balance, and at times off-the-wall, a late-thirties mother of two living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and trying to figure out who she is now that her husband has left her. He’s a rat, anyway, and currently attends Sex Addicts Anonymous. He still comes by the house, though, as do her hippie, macrobiotic mother; her feisty, alcoholic best friend; her God-fearing grandmother; and that Perfect Guy, the one with the beatific son who plays with her daughter, the one who happens to have a winning smile, wild black hair, a professorship at Harvard—and (drats!) a gorgeous doctor girlfriend.
Told in short takes that perfectly mimic the frantic nature of our busy lives, Hot and Bothered follows its heroine through the streets of Cambridge, where she spends far too much time staring into space and sipping mocha lattes with extra whipped cream; to church, where she prays for a little salvation; to Alaska, where she believes a rugged outdoorsman might just be that salvation; and to Cape Cod, where, in a little house by the sea, she might finally see the light. Annie Downey has written an updated Cinderella story for all single moms.
Told in short takes that perfectly mimic the frantic nature of our busy lives, Hot and Bothered follows its heroine through the streets of Cambridge, where she spends far too much time staring into space and sipping mocha lattes with extra whipped cream; to church, where she prays for a little salvation; to Alaska, where she believes a rugged outdoorsman might just be that salvation; and to Cape Cod, where, in a little house by the sea, she might finally see the light. Annie Downey has written an updated Cinderella story for all single moms.
291 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
2 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
About the author
Annie Downey
4 books5 followersAnnie Downey is a regular contributor to Hip Mama and Vermont Woman. Her work has appeared in Harper’s magazine and the Utne Reader, as well as on NPR. She lives in rural Vermont.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 6, 2008
This author has a connection to the place where I work... she and I were chatting one day, and she told me she was a writer... I realized I had seen this book around town (she is a VT author) and I was curious to read it.
I suppose this book would fall under the category of "chick lit," which sounds so dismissive. I like a lot of books that could be categorized as such, and this was one of them. Although it reminded me very much of Briget Jones Diary in the beginning, I soon saw the narrator as a unique character, separate from Ms. Jones. I liked the short, punchy writing style, the chapter headings, her crazy family, her rather selfish kids and the interesting people the narrator met along the way. It was the sort of book I would read a long sittings, then have to put away for awhile, usually when the narrator was happy and settled for the moment. For I knew some challenge or disaster was headed her way, and I wanted to postpone that moment for a bit.
I will be loaning/giving it to friends, not just because I liked it, but because of my rather tenuous connection to the author as well.
I suppose this book would fall under the category of "chick lit," which sounds so dismissive. I like a lot of books that could be categorized as such, and this was one of them. Although it reminded me very much of Briget Jones Diary in the beginning, I soon saw the narrator as a unique character, separate from Ms. Jones. I liked the short, punchy writing style, the chapter headings, her crazy family, her rather selfish kids and the interesting people the narrator met along the way. It was the sort of book I would read a long sittings, then have to put away for awhile, usually when the narrator was happy and settled for the moment. For I knew some challenge or disaster was headed her way, and I wanted to postpone that moment for a bit.
I will be loaning/giving it to friends, not just because I liked it, but because of my rather tenuous connection to the author as well.
May 17, 2008
I pick up a lot of books at the discount book warehouse next to my office building. These books are frequently a crap shoot, but you can't beat the $3 price tag,and when you have a 3 hour commute, you stop caring as much what you read. That said, when I first started reading Hot And Bothered, I was afraid that I would be reading just another single woman finds male salvation tome. I also thought that finding a way to relate to a divorced mother of 2 would be extremely difficult.
You could say that I got very lucky with this book. Yes, there is that whole male as salvation them,and yes the main character is ten years older than I am. However, she also has an unnatural attachment to her pink clogs and occasionally will sleep in her closet. I find these traits so easy to relate to that the book sucked me in within 20 or so pages and I could not put it down. I can't really go into the plot without giving away the story as it unfolds fairly rapidly. I will just end this by saying that this bargain basement find is totally worth reading.
You could say that I got very lucky with this book. Yes, there is that whole male as salvation them,and yes the main character is ten years older than I am. However, she also has an unnatural attachment to her pink clogs and occasionally will sleep in her closet. I find these traits so easy to relate to that the book sucked me in within 20 or so pages and I could not put it down. I can't really go into the plot without giving away the story as it unfolds fairly rapidly. I will just end this by saying that this bargain basement find is totally worth reading.
December 27, 2009
It was aight. Goofy mindless story about a divorced mother with two annoying kids and one annoying ex-husband. She dips into a depression and emerges in pursuit of the real self that she lost somewhere after she found her husband. A couple of really hot age appropriate guys were pursuing her... despite the fact she had loads of baggage and was tethered to this ex who was paying all her bills. I thought she sounded like a hot mess. Lest I forget the the 20 year old that was interested in her mountain man boyfriend with ripped abs...oh no he preferred the 40 year old emotional train wreck. Oh well..what do I know?
March 22, 2014
Laugh out loud funny!
Loved this book so much I shared it with three other people to read and each one of them enjoyed it.
Disappointed the author hadn't written any other books.
Loved this book so much I shared it with three other people to read and each one of them enjoyed it.
Disappointed the author hadn't written any other books.
October 7, 2019
I could not put this book down! I love how it reads like a diary and she is very funny! The characters have “nicknames” throughout the book that are very appropriate. Great read I recommend to all!
June 12, 2009
It started out a little iffy to me, but I just had to get used to the style it was written. It's almost like blog speak, as if you are reading/hearing the narrator's thoughts. It's definitely a different type of writing style and I found myself really enjoying it. It was super funny, kinda frustrating, and hard to put down.
The main character whose name I do not believe is revealed until the very end is a recently divorced woman who hates her ex-husband known as Ex-Rat. He cheated on her for probably their entire marriage and then asked her for a divorce, got engaged to a much younger lady, and is pretty much an ass in general. She has two kids, Brendan and Demon Princess aka Lucy. The discriptions of Demon Princess made me want to smack her and teach the narrartor how to parent. But then you must realize the narrator is depressed and her daughter is dealing with her parent's divorce. Brendan is a typical teenage boy trying to fnd his way, which sometimes means his mother and him disagree, a lot.
The narrator has a lot of funny experiences with men and usually when she is dealing with said men, is when I wanted to throttle her. She is very neurotic and goes through at least two therapists that the reader is aware of. The Christmas day scene at her house where her Ex shows up (sans fiancee who keeps calling), an old crush from Alaska and her Perfect Guy/semi-employer and her hilarious family is quite entertaining.
Her best-friend Pip, could be a story in itself. She is a meat-eater, dominantrix who works for the Bruins and dating a vegan guy 14 years younger than herself.
Basically, this was a hilarious quick read that was quite entertaining. And I got it for $4.98 at B&N!
The main character whose name I do not believe is revealed until the very end is a recently divorced woman who hates her ex-husband known as Ex-Rat. He cheated on her for probably their entire marriage and then asked her for a divorce, got engaged to a much younger lady, and is pretty much an ass in general. She has two kids, Brendan and Demon Princess aka Lucy. The discriptions of Demon Princess made me want to smack her and teach the narrartor how to parent. But then you must realize the narrator is depressed and her daughter is dealing with her parent's divorce. Brendan is a typical teenage boy trying to fnd his way, which sometimes means his mother and him disagree, a lot.
The narrator has a lot of funny experiences with men and usually when she is dealing with said men, is when I wanted to throttle her. She is very neurotic and goes through at least two therapists that the reader is aware of. The Christmas day scene at her house where her Ex shows up (sans fiancee who keeps calling), an old crush from Alaska and her Perfect Guy/semi-employer and her hilarious family is quite entertaining.
Her best-friend Pip, could be a story in itself. She is a meat-eater, dominantrix who works for the Bruins and dating a vegan guy 14 years younger than herself.
Basically, this was a hilarious quick read that was quite entertaining. And I got it for $4.98 at B&N!
May 22, 2009
This was a cute little novel. It was sort and was a relatively quick read. IT was about a woman who has recently divorced and she's trying to find herself. She is also trying to get back into the game. There is a cute guy at church that she is sort of stalking. Okay stalking is too harsh a word, she is day dreaming of doing naughty things to him but is too chicken to talk to him.............She comes to meet this guy in an unconventional way..........She is walking one day and sees a pile of leaves, is going to jump in them and a lady comes out of the house and it ends up being Hottie Hotterson's Mom (unbenounced to her) and she ends up offering to walk the dog for money. The mom of Hottie does not like kids including her grandson and when something comes up, pawns the kid that she's never met upon her to bring him to Vermont for Thanksgiving. Only after they return does she realize who daddy is. While in Vermont, she meets up with her 10 year old crush Mason whom is also HOT and a guide in Alaska. Mommy has to choose between the ex husband, the Alaska Hottie and the Cambridge Professor Hottie.................She's makes the right choice and it's an entertaining short read.
April 18, 2011
All my friends thought this was an erotic book...WRONG!
The beginning was soooooo boring that I put the book down several times in order to do more exciting things like clean my house, but eventually realized the author used this plot device to really show the tedium of the main character's life. I kept reading. Once the story got going it was fine, but I could never just let go and fully immerse myself into the story. And maybe that's what the writer wanted - us to feel disconnected like the main character had disconnected herself from life.
Ms. Downey is an awesome writer and I look forward to reading more of her books.
The beginning was soooooo boring that I put the book down several times in order to do more exciting things like clean my house, but eventually realized the author used this plot device to really show the tedium of the main character's life. I kept reading. Once the story got going it was fine, but I could never just let go and fully immerse myself into the story. And maybe that's what the writer wanted - us to feel disconnected like the main character had disconnected herself from life.
Ms. Downey is an awesome writer and I look forward to reading more of her books.
October 18, 2008
My first impression of this book was WRONG! I didn't like the style at first, short little chapters, ranting about her ex-husband. But, once I got into it, I loved the book! It was a very quick read, and I couldn't wait to see what happened next. I loved her quirky sense of style, and her honest, sometimes-defeatist attitude.
Although I have no personal experience with divorce, and found the rantings of her ex a little tiresome at times, it did have a place in the book, it was a great read!!
Although I have no personal experience with divorce, and found the rantings of her ex a little tiresome at times, it did have a place in the book, it was a great read!!
January 7, 2010
The title alone made me pick this book up out of the bargin bin! It was hilarious and had me laughing out loud many times! This is the story of Annie who thinks her life is over because she's divorced with 2 kids. This story talks about the men she meets, men she dates, how she deals with her parents, her ex-husband and her kids. We women can all relate somehow!
August 18, 2013
This book was an entertaining read - great for summer! I think it's probably because of where I'm at in my own life at the moment, but the protagonist annoyed me for most of the book and I found the ending way too Hollywood. However, I really enjoyed the writing style and loved all the fun nicknames!
October 7, 2015
When I saw this book for first time I told myself it looks pretty. I bought it and tahn I was like: Wow! I actually love it. It was new, refreshing, funny and I was smiling when I read the lines. The main character - I think there is enough word to express she is amazing. I like her mind and the way she handles her life.
September 6, 2008
This is Annie's first book. We went to NYC as part of her book tour and stayed in The Plaza.
October 18, 2009
I really enjoyed this! Finished this in a weekend's time. Thanks for the recommendation, Rochelle!
August 18, 2009
If you want to read about divorce and menopause...
February 27, 2010
This was a great read! Funny, sweet, heroic, etc. Divorced mother's who wonder about their lives should read this book!
June 11, 2011
A great Summer beach read! Laugh out loud funny!
December 28, 2012
Hilarious!!
May 22, 2007
This was one i read because i liked the cover, it was a dud.
June 11, 2012
LOVED this book and I rarely like chick books.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews