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Notes from the Backseat
London aristocrat Mia Clementine doesgorgeous for a living. Her cousin's etiquettefirm, The Inner Gentleman, works smallmiracles on rough-around-the-edgessuperstars, and Mia is their most sought-afterstylist. But selfish, overpaid soccer playerJosh Watkins? He's in a league of his own.
And thanks to her rep, his team wants Mia to waveher magic wand and turn their celebrated player—and we domean player —into a changed man before his next charity gig.
That * No more fighting. * No more swearing. * No more "allegedly" shagging a page-three girl at a casino restaurant.
But just when Mia thinks Josh is kicking his old habits, he turns thegame around. Suddenly, Mia's looking for meaning in her society-pageexistence. Sure, she's an expert in pushing the posh life, but maybeit's time to not play by the rules.…
And thanks to her rep, his team wants Mia to waveher magic wand and turn their celebrated player—and we domean player —into a changed man before his next charity gig.
That * No more fighting. * No more swearing. * No more "allegedly" shagging a page-three girl at a casino restaurant.
But just when Mia thinks Josh is kicking his old habits, he turns thegame around. Suddenly, Mia's looking for meaning in her society-pageexistence. Sure, she's an expert in pushing the posh life, but maybeit's time to not play by the rules.…
296 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
6 people are currently reading
446 people want to read
About the author
Jody Gehrman
15 books803 followersJody Gehrman is a native of Northern California, where she can be found writing, teaching, reading, or obsessing over her three cats most days. She is also the author of eleven novels and numerous award-winning plays. Her debut suspense novel, Watch Me, was published by St. Martin's Press. Her other adult novels are Bombshell, Notes from the Backseat, Tart, and Summer in the Land of Skin. Her Young Adult novels include The Truth About Jack, Audrey's Guide to Black Magic, Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft, Babe in Boyland, Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty, and Triple Shot Bettys in Love. Babe in Boyland was optioned by the Disney Channel and won the International Reading Association's Teen Choice Award. Her plays have been produced or had readings in Ashland, New York, San Francisco, Chicago and L.A. She and her partner David Wolf won the New Generation Playwrights Award for their one-act, Jake Savage, Jungle P.I. She is a professor of Communication at Mendocino College.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
April 8, 2018
I like the idea for this novel; unfortunately, it never drew me in. I forced myself to read the first third, trying to get interested in the characters and plot, but I remained so uninvested that I had to start skimming. Soon I full on skipped about 50% of the book to check out the end. I will say that I liked the message by the end, but I didn't enjoy the journey.
It opens with one narrator (Marla) but then quickly switches to letters written by Gwen, who ends up being the main narrator. I think that this structure made me care about Gwen less, since she was at a remove. Also, there was not a ton of action in the novel since the idea was that Gwen was sitting in the backseat on a road trip and writing long letters.
As I said, the end of the book has a nice message, so that some fans of upbeat, cute chick lit (which I normally am) will undoubtedly find this book worth reading.
It opens with one narrator (Marla) but then quickly switches to letters written by Gwen, who ends up being the main narrator. I think that this structure made me care about Gwen less, since she was at a remove. Also, there was not a ton of action in the novel since the idea was that Gwen was sitting in the backseat on a road trip and writing long letters.
As I said, the end of the book has a nice message, so that some fans of upbeat, cute chick lit (which I normally am) will undoubtedly find this book worth reading.
January 19, 2020
Loved this book to the very last page!
July 12, 2019
3.5 stars-fun chick-lit
January 9, 2020
Very entertaining and light read. Loved the characters
February 18, 2024
Why is the description on here not the actual description of the book though?
March 22, 2024
Deux récits joyeux ... contes de fée ... tout est bien qui finit bien !
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2015
As the title itself implies, ‘Notes From The Backseat’ is about Gwen who writes notes about her trip with her boyfriend Coop and sends them to her best friend, Marla. This simple storyline works very well due to the humour combined with the believability of everything and the fact that Gwen is quite likeable.
Unfortunately for Gwen, the journey involves his close friend, Dannika who is blonde, beautiful, toned and healthy. Needless to say, Gwen feels insecure and insignificant next to this Malibu Barbie and constantly analyzes their interactions. Despite Gwen’s paranoia and jealousy issues, she’s still likeable because her situation is completely understandable hence her reaction is acceptable. Besides that, one thing that stands out about her is her choice of outfits which are only from the 1950s. She’s not afraid to be different and at the same time, she’s just like most girls when it comes to relationships.
Dannika was the perfect antagonist. She’s good at being mean and making certain provocative statements without looking like the evil one. It’s evident from the beginning that she feels threatened by Gwen, hence she resorts to those statements and grabs every opportunity she can to flaunt her body and good looks. I didn’t particularly like Coop as he was slow on the uptake to realize the effects of Dannika’s behaviour on his girlfriend Gwen. He even defended her when Gwen tried to point out what she was doing.
Besides delving into relationships and jealousy, the author also tackles the subject of estranged parent-child relationships. Getting a glimpse into Gwen’s non-existent relationship with her father and seeing how her experiences at a tender age shaped her into someone who’s incredibly jealous and has trust issues were convincing. Most importantly, this helped to flesh her out. Meanwhile, the book also conveyed the message that you can be friends with someone for a long time yet not know certain vital details about them.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable book with meaningful messages.
Unfortunately for Gwen, the journey involves his close friend, Dannika who is blonde, beautiful, toned and healthy. Needless to say, Gwen feels insecure and insignificant next to this Malibu Barbie and constantly analyzes their interactions. Despite Gwen’s paranoia and jealousy issues, she’s still likeable because her situation is completely understandable hence her reaction is acceptable. Besides that, one thing that stands out about her is her choice of outfits which are only from the 1950s. She’s not afraid to be different and at the same time, she’s just like most girls when it comes to relationships.
Dannika was the perfect antagonist. She’s good at being mean and making certain provocative statements without looking like the evil one. It’s evident from the beginning that she feels threatened by Gwen, hence she resorts to those statements and grabs every opportunity she can to flaunt her body and good looks. I didn’t particularly like Coop as he was slow on the uptake to realize the effects of Dannika’s behaviour on his girlfriend Gwen. He even defended her when Gwen tried to point out what she was doing.
Besides delving into relationships and jealousy, the author also tackles the subject of estranged parent-child relationships. Getting a glimpse into Gwen’s non-existent relationship with her father and seeing how her experiences at a tender age shaped her into someone who’s incredibly jealous and has trust issues were convincing. Most importantly, this helped to flesh her out. Meanwhile, the book also conveyed the message that you can be friends with someone for a long time yet not know certain vital details about them.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable book with meaningful messages.
April 30, 2008
It’s kind of funny how you might know someone for a really long time and never truly know them. Marla thought she knew her best friend Gwen, but she never knew Gwen could write so much.
The story starts out with Marla in Paris, meeting her fiancé’s parents. However, most of the story is told from Gwen’s point of view through the journals she sends to Marla. Gwen is going on a trip with her boyfriend of almost three months, Coop, and Coop’s best friend from college, Dannika. What Coop doesn’t know is that Gwen has massive jealousy problems, and the fact that Dannika is a beautiful blonde in a yoga-toned body doesn’t help.
As one would expect, the story ends well. I found many parallels between Notes from the Backseat and Faking 19. The main characters are two girls who have been best friends since high school. There is a divorce involved in both, and the girls from those families come to terms with or learn to accept their fathers. And of course, there’s the happy ending.
There’s a repeated phrase in this novel that really stuck with me: “We are not out parents.” It shows that no matter what our parents do, we can always blaze our own trail because we’re not destined to follow directly in their footsteps, as realized by Gwen and her new friend Joni. That’s the phrase that helped Joni get through her wedding and Gwen come to accept her dad’s mistakes.
What I like best about this novel was the descriptiveness. Gwen, Coop, and Dannika do a lot of driving, and each new scene and setting is exquisitely described. I felt like I was there beside them. I also really appreciated the complicated personalities of the characters. All the jealousy, anger, and finally happiness makes them seem human.
I would recommend this book to teens, although I believe it was aimed at an older audience. There are some mature scenes, so it would be best for older teens to read.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
The story starts out with Marla in Paris, meeting her fiancé’s parents. However, most of the story is told from Gwen’s point of view through the journals she sends to Marla. Gwen is going on a trip with her boyfriend of almost three months, Coop, and Coop’s best friend from college, Dannika. What Coop doesn’t know is that Gwen has massive jealousy problems, and the fact that Dannika is a beautiful blonde in a yoga-toned body doesn’t help.
As one would expect, the story ends well. I found many parallels between Notes from the Backseat and Faking 19. The main characters are two girls who have been best friends since high school. There is a divorce involved in both, and the girls from those families come to terms with or learn to accept their fathers. And of course, there’s the happy ending.
There’s a repeated phrase in this novel that really stuck with me: “We are not out parents.” It shows that no matter what our parents do, we can always blaze our own trail because we’re not destined to follow directly in their footsteps, as realized by Gwen and her new friend Joni. That’s the phrase that helped Joni get through her wedding and Gwen come to accept her dad’s mistakes.
What I like best about this novel was the descriptiveness. Gwen, Coop, and Dannika do a lot of driving, and each new scene and setting is exquisitely described. I felt like I was there beside them. I also really appreciated the complicated personalities of the characters. All the jealousy, anger, and finally happiness makes them seem human.
I would recommend this book to teens, although I believe it was aimed at an older audience. There are some mature scenes, so it would be best for older teens to read.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
August 12, 2013
I was wildly entertained by Jody Gehrman's book, I loved how it reminded me of "Sisterhood of the Travelling pants" meets "Princess Diaries" It was a kind of book I've been looking for, simple but makes total sense. Gwen was such a cool character, yes she's quite different, and she may look like she's living in a different era but that's what makes her incredible! her style is so 60's, Gwen showed so much love and devotion for Coop by being the bigger person by letting her anger go. I mean we all have those moments where get to be that green jealous monster when it comes to our boyfriends, especially if just like Gwen his psycho best friends are the ultimate babe! haha. I mean this book relates to any woman with insecurities, I have to say it is quite empowering as well. All the while Gwen was keeping her composure and much less not having urge to murder Dannika because truth be told if I was her, I must have pushed her off the cliff or something.
for my whole review check it out on my blog!
Artistically Geeky http://aimeedelacruz.blogspot.com/201...
for my whole review check it out on my blog!
Artistically Geeky http://aimeedelacruz.blogspot.com/201...
February 11, 2016
Gwen is a Jackie O dress-alike, Coop is a wonderful god like man and Gwen's boyfriend. Coop is taking Gwen to Mendocino to meet his college friends who are getting married. Cool...
So then we have Dannika (a Malibu Barbie), she is tall, blond, svelte, beautiful, a famous yoga instructor & Coop's best friend. Dannika is also going to the wedding, in fact she is driving..... As beautiful as Dannika is outside, she is as ugly inside. She is a snotty, petty, conniving, insecure, selfish, blow sniffing, lying, jealous Bitch and has it out for Gwen, who she is going to prove totally not right for Coop.
Well.....that's all I'm going to say about the story.
I read this in less than 3 hours, it proved to be entertaining.... however, this is a far cry from anything written by Jennifer Cruise, whom I adore.
So then we have Dannika (a Malibu Barbie), she is tall, blond, svelte, beautiful, a famous yoga instructor & Coop's best friend. Dannika is also going to the wedding, in fact she is driving..... As beautiful as Dannika is outside, she is as ugly inside. She is a snotty, petty, conniving, insecure, selfish, blow sniffing, lying, jealous Bitch and has it out for Gwen, who she is going to prove totally not right for Coop.
Well.....that's all I'm going to say about the story.
I read this in less than 3 hours, it proved to be entertaining.... however, this is a far cry from anything written by Jennifer Cruise, whom I adore.
September 2, 2009
Cute and entertaining story about a woman with an antique clothing fetish and major trust issues who is forced to face her insecurities when she goes on a weekend road trip to attend a wedding with her boyfriend and his best friend, who is also a gorgeous, beautiful blonde. Gwen is relegated to the back seat cramped in between two surfboards, where she feels like the proverbial third wheel. She begins journaling her feelings and by the end of the story, she has filled several journals.
I enjoyed how the book is laid out like a journal as letters to her best friend, Marla. The tension between Gwen and Dannika was realistic. It's too bad my back won't allow me to wear kitten heels as I really would love to have the leopard print pair that Gwen favors.
I enjoyed how the book is laid out like a journal as letters to her best friend, Marla. The tension between Gwen and Dannika was realistic. It's too bad my back won't allow me to wear kitten heels as I really would love to have the leopard print pair that Gwen favors.
August 4, 2008
A very light and quick summer read. The descriptions of the main characters clothes were awesome! (50's polyester suits and traveling coats and leopard print kitten heels.) The main character works through her jealousy problem while falling in love, and while going on a trip with her boyfriend and his hot yoga instructor of a friend, she writes journal entries with her thoughts throughout the trip. Very funny, quirky, and she takes you on a journey through her emotional rollercoaster of a vacation.
March 2, 2017
Many folks gave this book a pretty good rating; however I just couldn't do it. After about 10 pages in, one sentence made me shut this pathetic book and never give it a second thought. The sentence was, and I quote, “ I had no way of knowing that little leather-bound journal would save my friends life. Well, her love life, at least – which maybe, in the end, is the same thing.” Nope, couldn’t do it…too pathetic, time waster.
March 26, 2009
THIS is the sort of book chick lit should be. Funny, silly, wry, clever, well-written.
The characters entertain without fail and the situations Gwen gets into and her cutting observations she writes in her notebook in order to not beat the crap out of her BF's best (female) friend just make me giggle.
An insightful and fun book.
The characters entertain without fail and the situations Gwen gets into and her cutting observations she writes in her notebook in order to not beat the crap out of her BF's best (female) friend just make me giggle.
An insightful and fun book.
October 20, 2009
Quick and easy reading, as the book is written in the form of journal entries from Gwen to her best friend, Marla. Gwen is on a road-trip with her boyfriend and his best friend, Dannika, who happens to be a famous yoga instructor. As the title indicates, Gwen is in the backseat and she's writing non-stop.
January 15, 2015
This was a quick and very easy book to read. It was very interesting and a cute read. I loved the cover. I thought there were a decent amount of interesting characters in this book that made it more interesting to read. This was a good chick lit read and I can see many fans of chick lit enjoying this book.
November 29, 2008
Loved this book. You really can relate to the character and her animosity towards her boyfriends "hot, blonde, and beautiful" best friend. Full of ups and downs and humor, this book is a must read for any chick lit fan.
July 7, 2008
Just finished this one, it was a fun beach read. The main had a passion for vintage clothing and so do I so it was kind of cool
August 29, 2008
O-H-M-Y-G-O-O-D-N-E-S-S-T-H-I-S-B-O-O-K-W-A-S-S-O-F-U-N-N-Y!!!
August 13, 2008
For a chick book, this was really a good read! I was pleasantly surprised. Perfect for summer!
September 19, 2008
Another read for fun book. I am acquainted with this author and admire her writing and literary ability. She is writing young adult fiction and she is a marvelous teacher.
February 17, 2009
An original chic lit story. Super fast read. Very enjoyable.
February 17, 2009
Really funny. Sharp, girlie insights make this a fun chick lit read.
April 1, 2009
A quick read, but very funny!
May 15, 2009
Took me quite a few starts to really get into it.
June 28, 2009
Girly, but good...
July 20, 2009
This was a very fun read. The author has an artistic way with words, without going over the top. The story kept me engaged and the characters were great fun.
March 22, 2010
Super quick read but pretty entertaining. I really liked all the clothing references to the 50's.
July 30, 2010
Didn't like the way this book was written. Read a few chapters and put it down. Very rare that I do this.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews