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Librarians in Love #1
The Undateable
One San Francisco librarian would rather check out a good romance than dare to experience it herself. Luckily, her own next chapter is full of surprises…
Melissa “Bernie” Bernard isn’t familiar with fame. After all, she works at a college library with hardly any visitors. But when a video of a marriage proposal in her stacks goes viral, it’s not the bride and groom who capture the Internet’s attention. It’s Bernie—caught rolling her eyes. Now, just as she’s ready to go into hiding and permanently bury her nose in a book, a handsome reporter appears with a proposal of his own…
If Colin Rodriguez doesn’t do something big to attract new readers, his boss will hire someone else to dole out dating advice. Determined to prove he’s an expert at romance—despite his own pitiful track record—he pitches a story: He will find dates for the undateable. Specifically, for the now-infamous, love‑hating librarian at Richmond College.
Even though Bernie doesn’t believe in happily-ever-afters, she’s not one to resist a good challenge. Yet with one disastrous date after another, she’s ready to give up. Until Colin proves he’ll do anything to find her the perfect match—even if it means putting himself up for the role…
Melissa “Bernie” Bernard isn’t familiar with fame. After all, she works at a college library with hardly any visitors. But when a video of a marriage proposal in her stacks goes viral, it’s not the bride and groom who capture the Internet’s attention. It’s Bernie—caught rolling her eyes. Now, just as she’s ready to go into hiding and permanently bury her nose in a book, a handsome reporter appears with a proposal of his own…
If Colin Rodriguez doesn’t do something big to attract new readers, his boss will hire someone else to dole out dating advice. Determined to prove he’s an expert at romance—despite his own pitiful track record—he pitches a story: He will find dates for the undateable. Specifically, for the now-infamous, love‑hating librarian at Richmond College.
Even though Bernie doesn’t believe in happily-ever-afters, she’s not one to resist a good challenge. Yet with one disastrous date after another, she’s ready to give up. Until Colin proves he’ll do anything to find her the perfect match—even if it means putting himself up for the role…
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 2017
110 people are currently reading
1223 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Title
13 books140 followersSarah Title has worked as a barista, a secretary, a furniture painter, and once managed a team of giant walking beans. She currently leads a much more normal life as a librarian in West Virginia. Kentucky Home is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 283 reviews
March 3, 2017
*3.5 stars*
Way more than what I was expecting from the cover, this book reads like a trendy contemporary adult romance with an interesting female MC and a lot of #feministpower elements.
The Undateable was my first read from Sarah Title, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. The cover looked a bit tired, if I'm being honest, and didn't reflect the freshness of the story.
Bernie is a somewhat of a modern-woman stereotype. She is so concerned with not "dressing to please the male gaze" and being comfortable, non-conformist, and wary of cis-genered, man-bro-types that she ends up coming across as cynical and abrasive... and unwittingly ends up as a viral meme. When given the opportunity to open up and invite change, she slowly takes baby steps to get there, yet still retains much of her spunk and originality.
Bernie was a well-developed character, and I think many of my modern, liberal friends could relate to her. She is SO many things that we don't often see in romance but we should: she is sex-positive, vehemently anti-slut-shaming, unfazed and open to dating bisexual men (and acknowledges their existence!), and struggles with issues like privilege and bias. She reflects a true woman living in San Francisco, and I loved that about her.
Colin, the male MC, also was an interesting character. We get into his head with the duel POV-style story, and I liked how he grew to like and really enjoy Bernie over time. It's a slow-burn romance, and I think it has to be that way for it to be believable.
I had a few issues with the book, though overall I was pleased. For one, the pacing needed work. The book felt very long, and it is, clocking in at over 350 pages. It could have been cut down a lot, honestly, because parts of the story dragged a good deal.
I also think that a lot of plot threads were abandoned or unused, like Colin's tension with his co-workers and writing as Maria, as well as Bernie's work as an actual librarian. Those elements were introduced and never went anywhere, which irritated me a bit.
Overall, however, this book was a success, in my book. A smart romance with a female MC that sounds like many of my friends, I think Sarah Title is doing something right.
*Copy provided by the publisher for review*
Read as part of my RT reading challenge, my quest to read new authors before the convention (https://www.rtconvention.com).
Way more than what I was expecting from the cover, this book reads like a trendy contemporary adult romance with an interesting female MC and a lot of #feministpower elements.
The Undateable was my first read from Sarah Title, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. The cover looked a bit tired, if I'm being honest, and didn't reflect the freshness of the story.
Bernie is a somewhat of a modern-woman stereotype. She is so concerned with not "dressing to please the male gaze" and being comfortable, non-conformist, and wary of cis-genered, man-bro-types that she ends up coming across as cynical and abrasive... and unwittingly ends up as a viral meme. When given the opportunity to open up and invite change, she slowly takes baby steps to get there, yet still retains much of her spunk and originality.
Bernie was a well-developed character, and I think many of my modern, liberal friends could relate to her. She is SO many things that we don't often see in romance but we should: she is sex-positive, vehemently anti-slut-shaming, unfazed and open to dating bisexual men (and acknowledges their existence!), and struggles with issues like privilege and bias. She reflects a true woman living in San Francisco, and I loved that about her.
Colin, the male MC, also was an interesting character. We get into his head with the duel POV-style story, and I liked how he grew to like and really enjoy Bernie over time. It's a slow-burn romance, and I think it has to be that way for it to be believable.
I had a few issues with the book, though overall I was pleased. For one, the pacing needed work. The book felt very long, and it is, clocking in at over 350 pages. It could have been cut down a lot, honestly, because parts of the story dragged a good deal.
I also think that a lot of plot threads were abandoned or unused, like Colin's tension with his co-workers and writing as Maria, as well as Bernie's work as an actual librarian. Those elements were introduced and never went anywhere, which irritated me a bit.
Overall, however, this book was a success, in my book. A smart romance with a female MC that sounds like many of my friends, I think Sarah Title is doing something right.
*Copy provided by the publisher for review*
Read as part of my RT reading challenge, my quest to read new authors before the convention (https://www.rtconvention.com).
September 30, 2017
Melissa "Bernie" Bernard is an academic librarian at a small college in California. She likes her life. She has a great job, good friends and things are nice and quiet. They also aren't very exciting and her biggest decision of the day is which grey skirt goes better with her clogs. Still, predictable is good. Predictable is safe. Predictable is, well, predictable!
But when a flash mod marriage proposal takes over the library one day a random photo of an annoyed Bernie instantly becomes an internet sensation. In a matter of moments Bernie has gone viral. Bernie has become the meme "Disapproving Librarian."
A local internet women's magazine quickly decides to capitalize on Bernie's instafame by building a series of articles around her frumpy "undateability." They send Colin Rodriguez (the only guy on staff) to convince Bernie to agree to a makeover and a month's worth of first dates as they transform her from frump to fashion plate.
I'm sure you can see where this is going. Bernie wants nothing to do with the magazine, she likes her life just fine thank you and she doesn't need a magazine that caters to a misogynistic concept of what "beautiful" and "worthy" is telling her how to dress or convince her to wear makeup and she especially doesn't need their help finding a man. But of course there's a tiny little spark between Bernie and Colin and he somehow manages to convince her that maybe she should give this dating thing a shot.
Wackiness and eventual sexy times ensue.
This book was dee-lite-ful. I simply adored it. Sarah Title is a fun, frothy and sassy as they come writer and she's spun a delectable comedy romance confection with this book. I'm not exactly experienced with romance novels but I've been swearing to myself that I was going to at least try one and now I've gone and spoiled myself. I sincerely doubt they get much better then this.
Part of the pleasure of this book, a large part, was Title's fantastic hero and heroine. Bernie is definitely every librarian I've ever met but she's not a stereotype. I don't know if I can fully express how refreshing that is. Seriously the librarian stereotype is something we discuss all the time. It's very important and progressive to see a character like this who isn't wearing a pencil skirt, a bun and her mother's pearls shushing anyone who so much as whispers when she's not otherwise occupied with pushing her glasses back up her nose and stamping everything in site.
Bernie's also a feminist but she's not defiantly un-female. She likes being romantic and sexy, but her version of those things not someone else's. She doesn't quite know that about herself in the beginning but when she gets there its a really, really nice and realistic realization. You go with her as she gets to the point where she understands that being in love or in a relationship doesn't mean you're redefining who you are and its an important, and very realistic journey.
Colin is maybe a little less defined as a character, the story is really a bit more about Bernie in that sense, but his initial directionless, devil may care attitude feels equally real, especially considering the state many 20 somethings are finding themselves in these days post college or grad school. He's taken this magazine job because he needed a job not because he cares about it. But he has a core of understanding and compassion in him that's really lovely. Yeah he's a bit of a doofus but he's not a knuckle dragging neanderthal either. I mean the book basically opens with his sister putting him in a headlock, c'mon.
Title makes the great decision to not let these two get bogged down in a lot "women are people in their own right! Down with the patriarchy!" brawls. They bicker, sure, and Bernie is very resistant to things like fake eyelashes but its charming bickering and false eyelashes suck!
This also isn't a story about someone changing to suit someone else its about two people finding someone they can be who they already are with. I just loved that.
But it isn't at all trite. Title's writing is just very, very good. Yes its quippy and I suppose you could argue that real people probably aren't this clever all the time but I bought this friendship that becomes something more and I bought the traditional cast of supporting players who get the lovers from A to B with sage advice and humor. Even Bernie's series of dates work with some being predictably hilarious and awful and some being whatever and some having possibilities.
What really makes this a standout for me though is Title never makes the obvious choice. There are things you just expect from a story like this, silly mistaken identity scenes or misunderstood conversations that separate the lovers or a zero hour conflict that gets resolved at the last moment . Title never does that, in fact most of the time she takes the tropes and basically says to her readers "yeah that's not happening" and it always works brilliantly.
Another thing I loved about this is Title is saying you can have fluffy romance and really, really great sex but you can also have believable comedy and important conversations and supporting characters with their own rich inner lives beyond "fabulous gay neighbor" or "scheming harlot." Romantic novels don't have to be Scottish Lairds taming saucy redheads and they're not always a contest to see who can come up with the most creative way to describe a penis.
I mean c'mon how many times can you read "engorged flesh sword" before you want to throw the book in the microwave?
But when a flash mod marriage proposal takes over the library one day a random photo of an annoyed Bernie instantly becomes an internet sensation. In a matter of moments Bernie has gone viral. Bernie has become the meme "Disapproving Librarian."
A local internet women's magazine quickly decides to capitalize on Bernie's instafame by building a series of articles around her frumpy "undateability." They send Colin Rodriguez (the only guy on staff) to convince Bernie to agree to a makeover and a month's worth of first dates as they transform her from frump to fashion plate.
I'm sure you can see where this is going. Bernie wants nothing to do with the magazine, she likes her life just fine thank you and she doesn't need a magazine that caters to a misogynistic concept of what "beautiful" and "worthy" is telling her how to dress or convince her to wear makeup and she especially doesn't need their help finding a man. But of course there's a tiny little spark between Bernie and Colin and he somehow manages to convince her that maybe she should give this dating thing a shot.
Wackiness and eventual sexy times ensue.
This book was dee-lite-ful. I simply adored it. Sarah Title is a fun, frothy and sassy as they come writer and she's spun a delectable comedy romance confection with this book. I'm not exactly experienced with romance novels but I've been swearing to myself that I was going to at least try one and now I've gone and spoiled myself. I sincerely doubt they get much better then this.
Part of the pleasure of this book, a large part, was Title's fantastic hero and heroine. Bernie is definitely every librarian I've ever met but she's not a stereotype. I don't know if I can fully express how refreshing that is. Seriously the librarian stereotype is something we discuss all the time. It's very important and progressive to see a character like this who isn't wearing a pencil skirt, a bun and her mother's pearls shushing anyone who so much as whispers when she's not otherwise occupied with pushing her glasses back up her nose and stamping everything in site.
Bernie's also a feminist but she's not defiantly un-female. She likes being romantic and sexy, but her version of those things not someone else's. She doesn't quite know that about herself in the beginning but when she gets there its a really, really nice and realistic realization. You go with her as she gets to the point where she understands that being in love or in a relationship doesn't mean you're redefining who you are and its an important, and very realistic journey.
Colin is maybe a little less defined as a character, the story is really a bit more about Bernie in that sense, but his initial directionless, devil may care attitude feels equally real, especially considering the state many 20 somethings are finding themselves in these days post college or grad school. He's taken this magazine job because he needed a job not because he cares about it. But he has a core of understanding and compassion in him that's really lovely. Yeah he's a bit of a doofus but he's not a knuckle dragging neanderthal either. I mean the book basically opens with his sister putting him in a headlock, c'mon.
Title makes the great decision to not let these two get bogged down in a lot "women are people in their own right! Down with the patriarchy!" brawls. They bicker, sure, and Bernie is very resistant to things like fake eyelashes but its charming bickering and false eyelashes suck!
This also isn't a story about someone changing to suit someone else its about two people finding someone they can be who they already are with. I just loved that.
But it isn't at all trite. Title's writing is just very, very good. Yes its quippy and I suppose you could argue that real people probably aren't this clever all the time but I bought this friendship that becomes something more and I bought the traditional cast of supporting players who get the lovers from A to B with sage advice and humor. Even Bernie's series of dates work with some being predictably hilarious and awful and some being whatever and some having possibilities.
What really makes this a standout for me though is Title never makes the obvious choice. There are things you just expect from a story like this, silly mistaken identity scenes or misunderstood conversations that separate the lovers or a zero hour conflict that gets resolved at the last moment . Title never does that, in fact most of the time she takes the tropes and basically says to her readers "yeah that's not happening" and it always works brilliantly.
Another thing I loved about this is Title is saying you can have fluffy romance and really, really great sex but you can also have believable comedy and important conversations and supporting characters with their own rich inner lives beyond "fabulous gay neighbor" or "scheming harlot." Romantic novels don't have to be Scottish Lairds taming saucy redheads and they're not always a contest to see who can come up with the most creative way to describe a penis.
I mean c'mon how many times can you read "engorged flesh sword" before you want to throw the book in the microwave?
January 9, 2018
Trigger warnings: I honestly don't think there's anything??
Look, the second I discovered that there's a series called "Librarians in Love" and that the books were $1.40 each on Kindle, I was obviously going to read this.
Was it incredibly predictable? Yes. Did I know how it was going to end before I was two chapters into it? Obviously. Was it a hell of a lot of fun? Decidedly. Did it make me actually laugh out loud? Yup.
Basically? Bernie is an academic librarian. When a flashmob ends in a proposal for one of her student assistants, Bernie's disapproving face in the photos is turned into a meme. An online fashion magazine decides they want to give her a makeover and send her on 30 dates in 30 days to help her get over her laughing-stock-of-the-internet drama. And so they send a cute reporter dude her way. Obviously, they bicker endlessly at first and then fall in love because that's how these things work.
The author is a librarian, and while Bernie is on leave from work for the bulk of the book, the parts that DID involve librarianing were INCREDIBLY accurate. Especially the part where she's starving to death on desk duty and the person due to relieve her is late. Because that. is. my. life.
So yeah. If you want a cheesy romance book about a frumpy librarian who turns a slightly douchey reporter into a feminist and wins his heart that will cost you less than $1.50? Look no further.
Look, the second I discovered that there's a series called "Librarians in Love" and that the books were $1.40 each on Kindle, I was obviously going to read this.
Was it incredibly predictable? Yes. Did I know how it was going to end before I was two chapters into it? Obviously. Was it a hell of a lot of fun? Decidedly. Did it make me actually laugh out loud? Yup.
Basically? Bernie is an academic librarian. When a flashmob ends in a proposal for one of her student assistants, Bernie's disapproving face in the photos is turned into a meme. An online fashion magazine decides they want to give her a makeover and send her on 30 dates in 30 days to help her get over her laughing-stock-of-the-internet drama. And so they send a cute reporter dude her way. Obviously, they bicker endlessly at first and then fall in love because that's how these things work.
The author is a librarian, and while Bernie is on leave from work for the bulk of the book, the parts that DID involve librarianing were INCREDIBLY accurate. Especially the part where she's starving to death on desk duty and the person due to relieve her is late. Because that. is. my. life.
So yeah. If you want a cheesy romance book about a frumpy librarian who turns a slightly douchey reporter into a feminist and wins his heart that will cost you less than $1.50? Look no further.
February 28, 2017
I received an ARC from the author, who is a fan of my ROMANCE NOVELS FOR FEMIINSTS blog. Thanks, Sarah Title!
Despite its category romance-style cover, this is really more of a romantic comedy, or perhaps straight-out comedy, than a romance. Feminist college librarian Melissa "Bernie" Bernard gets caught frowning at some misbehaving students and finds herself the star of a "Disapproving Librarian" Internet meme which goes embarrassingly viral. Colin Rodriguez, a writer who works for Glaze.com, a women's fashion and lifestyle website, tries to impress his boss by getting Bernie to star in a new series for the site, one which includes giving her a makeover and finding dates for the "undateable" librarian. 30 dates in 30 days, most of the ridiculous variety, and lots of laugh-out loud humor, especially from feminist Bernie, give this story a lot of appeal. For example, from page 58:
He stood up and walked toward the door. She tried not to look at his butt. But she was a feminist, not a robot. He had a great butt.
He turned back to her and she quickly looked down at her keyboard. Totally not looking at your butt, Mr. Patriarchy.
Things about the story that didn't work as well for me:
• I never really got a handle on Colin's character. The story suggests he's a bit of a slacker, and rather unenlightened (although not overtly sexist) when it comes to women. But I never got a sense of who he was as a character, what his goals and motivations were. I'm not sure if he was meant to change and grow over the course of the story, but I didn't really see anything happening to him on the character development front.
• Colin writes a popular advice column for women, not as himself but as "Maria." Each chapter opens with a question and answer from the column, many of which are hilarious. But I wanted the author to unpack the power dynamics here more than she does, dynamics which permit a man to write a column for women, but only if he is pretending to be a woman. Would his readers feel differently if they knew Maria was really a 30-something guy?
• The romance between Colin and Bernie is not very fully developed. The two don't even meet until 50-odd pages into the book, and then most of the story has Bernie spending time with her friends and colleagues, or with her disastrous dates, not with Colin. The few times when Colin and Bernie are together, they fight like cats and dogs, largely for the pleasure of fighting. But both the lack of time they spend together and the constant bantering make it difficult to buy that they are slowly growing to like/love one another.
• Bernie espoused feminist principles articulately and accurately. But she doesn't seem to live by what she preaches to Colin, at least as far as the book's premise goes. Bernie gives him a long spiel about why she won't participate in the Glaze.com scheme when he first proposes it:
"I am currently the subject of a humiliating, but not life-ending, meme. You want me to capitalize on that humiliation to quote-unquote combat stereotypes, which really means just force me out of my comfortable, spinster life so I can be paraded around in front of the state of California and the world and find true love and the patriarchal definition of what is Good For Me." (57)
But then after a few paragraphs of advice from her boss, and from "Maria," Bernie does a complete about face, and agrees to participate. Made her feminist stance a little difficult to take seriously, even as she continues to zing Colin with feminist lines like "No putting women on a pedestal. It makes us helpless. Pedestals are for objects and prizes, not people" (219).
• Is the lesson Bernie learns by book's end meant to be that that to "make yourself vulnerable to love," as Colin avers, is not to sexist-ly diminish yourself to get a man? (226) Or that "You are you, whether you're single or in a relationship," so don't avoid dating? (279) Or that she's not a traitor to feminism if she enjoys dressing more femininely? ("She felt girly and good, and she did her best to ignore the part of her that said only a Bernie-bot would enjoy feeling girly and good" [201]? Or all three?
I'd love to read a romance with a main character who is as overtly feminist as Bernie is, but in which said character's feminism was not the issue she had to overcome...
Despite its category romance-style cover, this is really more of a romantic comedy, or perhaps straight-out comedy, than a romance. Feminist college librarian Melissa "Bernie" Bernard gets caught frowning at some misbehaving students and finds herself the star of a "Disapproving Librarian" Internet meme which goes embarrassingly viral. Colin Rodriguez, a writer who works for Glaze.com, a women's fashion and lifestyle website, tries to impress his boss by getting Bernie to star in a new series for the site, one which includes giving her a makeover and finding dates for the "undateable" librarian. 30 dates in 30 days, most of the ridiculous variety, and lots of laugh-out loud humor, especially from feminist Bernie, give this story a lot of appeal. For example, from page 58:
He stood up and walked toward the door. She tried not to look at his butt. But she was a feminist, not a robot. He had a great butt.
He turned back to her and she quickly looked down at her keyboard. Totally not looking at your butt, Mr. Patriarchy.
Things about the story that didn't work as well for me:
• I never really got a handle on Colin's character. The story suggests he's a bit of a slacker, and rather unenlightened (although not overtly sexist) when it comes to women. But I never got a sense of who he was as a character, what his goals and motivations were. I'm not sure if he was meant to change and grow over the course of the story, but I didn't really see anything happening to him on the character development front.
• Colin writes a popular advice column for women, not as himself but as "Maria." Each chapter opens with a question and answer from the column, many of which are hilarious. But I wanted the author to unpack the power dynamics here more than she does, dynamics which permit a man to write a column for women, but only if he is pretending to be a woman. Would his readers feel differently if they knew Maria was really a 30-something guy?
• The romance between Colin and Bernie is not very fully developed. The two don't even meet until 50-odd pages into the book, and then most of the story has Bernie spending time with her friends and colleagues, or with her disastrous dates, not with Colin. The few times when Colin and Bernie are together, they fight like cats and dogs, largely for the pleasure of fighting. But both the lack of time they spend together and the constant bantering make it difficult to buy that they are slowly growing to like/love one another.
• Bernie espoused feminist principles articulately and accurately. But she doesn't seem to live by what she preaches to Colin, at least as far as the book's premise goes. Bernie gives him a long spiel about why she won't participate in the Glaze.com scheme when he first proposes it:
"I am currently the subject of a humiliating, but not life-ending, meme. You want me to capitalize on that humiliation to quote-unquote combat stereotypes, which really means just force me out of my comfortable, spinster life so I can be paraded around in front of the state of California and the world and find true love and the patriarchal definition of what is Good For Me." (57)
But then after a few paragraphs of advice from her boss, and from "Maria," Bernie does a complete about face, and agrees to participate. Made her feminist stance a little difficult to take seriously, even as she continues to zing Colin with feminist lines like "No putting women on a pedestal. It makes us helpless. Pedestals are for objects and prizes, not people" (219).
• Is the lesson Bernie learns by book's end meant to be that that to "make yourself vulnerable to love," as Colin avers, is not to sexist-ly diminish yourself to get a man? (226) Or that "You are you, whether you're single or in a relationship," so don't avoid dating? (279) Or that she's not a traitor to feminism if she enjoys dressing more femininely? ("She felt girly and good, and she did her best to ignore the part of her that said only a Bernie-bot would enjoy feeling girly and good" [201]? Or all three?
I'd love to read a romance with a main character who is as overtly feminist as Bernie is, but in which said character's feminism was not the issue she had to overcome...
June 1, 2017
WHY CAN'T EVERY BOOK BE LIKE THIS? Smart, laugh-out loud banter with real representations of people who live in this century. AHHHHHHHHHHH!
"I like to have something to strive for."
"To strive to change my mind about diminishing myself to make a man look good?"
"To convince you that making yourself vulnerable to love doesn't diminish you."
Bernie is a librarian who doesn't get dressed to please the male gaze (#femgasm). Colin is a privileged writer who never gets turned down. A story to save his career throws them together and the results are delicious.
My only complaint - the cover is the WORST. Why is she dressed like she is in the 90s? Who wears a blue tshirt with blue jeans? AGH.
"I like to have something to strive for."
"To strive to change my mind about diminishing myself to make a man look good?"
"To convince you that making yourself vulnerable to love doesn't diminish you."
Bernie is a librarian who doesn't get dressed to please the male gaze (#femgasm). Colin is a privileged writer who never gets turned down. A story to save his career throws them together and the results are delicious.
My only complaint - the cover is the WORST. Why is she dressed like she is in the 90s? Who wears a blue tshirt with blue jeans? AGH.
March 2, 2017
This was a nice change of pace. I've been in a major reading funk and this helped to get me out of it. It was an easy read and the characters feel very realistic and modern--very millennial. Not my usual cup of tea, but this proves I need to drink some different tea more often.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine. http://affairedecoeur.com.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine. http://affairedecoeur.com.
March 20, 2017
3.5 stars.
I really enjoyed this book, and at some points it was laugh out loud funny. Bernie is great and I love her gradual bit of self-realization.
But how the hell does a woman go on 30 dates in as many days in San Francisco and only date white dudes? There's mention of one named Jamal in passing, but who knows, he could have just been a hipster. A couple of the people at Glaze /might/ have not been white, and while the hero's last name was of Hispanic origin he seemed to be pretty white too. Even if he was supposed to be Latino, one character? Two if you include his sister... it's a common problem in romance, but I guess I've been reading so many authors who are just...doing better... that it was a bit of a shock.
I really enjoyed this book, and at some points it was laugh out loud funny. Bernie is great and I love her gradual bit of self-realization.
But how the hell does a woman go on 30 dates in as many days in San Francisco and only date white dudes? There's mention of one named Jamal in passing, but who knows, he could have just been a hipster. A couple of the people at Glaze /might/ have not been white, and while the hero's last name was of Hispanic origin he seemed to be pretty white too. Even if he was supposed to be Latino, one character? Two if you include his sister... it's a common problem in romance, but I guess I've been reading so many authors who are just...doing better... that it was a bit of a shock.
August 3, 2018
I couldn't resist trying this book since the main character is a single librarian my age...but I don't generally like flat out romance books and this book reminded me why. It was predictable, had little character development, and was completely unrealistic. I think those who like romance could enjoy this more than me. I like my books to be another genre and have romance added in. This book was readable, but not really something I liked.
Content warning: lots of sexual discussion and one sex scene (not too graphic and easy to skip over) and some language
2018 challenge: a book involving a bookstore or library
Content warning: lots of sexual discussion and one sex scene (not too graphic and easy to skip over) and some language
2018 challenge: a book involving a bookstore or library
April 14, 2018
Trevlig och underhållande feelgood. Kanske inte så mycket romance som tidigare böcker i Lovereads utgivning, men en trevlig läsupplevelse.
April 3, 2018
Well it's official, RavenclawReadingRoom can convince me to buddy read anything with her.
Was this book good? No. But was it enjoyable? Yeah, kinda, OK it was. It's cute and fun and incredibly ridiculous and predictable in parts, but I enjoyed it and I'll probably read the other two. Bernie is sort of badass in her own way and Colin has his moments. I guess 2018 Amanda likes feminist nonslut-shaming romances? I think I might be OK with that.
Was this book good? No. But was it enjoyable? Yeah, kinda, OK it was. It's cute and fun and incredibly ridiculous and predictable in parts, but I enjoyed it and I'll probably read the other two. Bernie is sort of badass in her own way and Colin has his moments. I guess 2018 Amanda likes feminist nonslut-shaming romances? I think I might be OK with that.
not-interested
April 4, 2021DNF @ 45%.
I found the hero to be a douche, the fashionistas around the librarian to be rather misogynistic (Big girl shoes? Really?), and the heroine to be paper-thin in her feminism.
As a librarian who considers myself a feminist who has moved between the worlds of being very frumpy/dowdy/not caring much about my appearance to comparatively high fashion (cutting edge gay clubs) and back again, I was very excited about the description of the work. I was rather dumbfounded when the fashionistas mocked and tweaked the heroine to such a degree, pressing her into choices so deeply against her will, as I sure the hell know there are plenty of ways to enhance one's own appearance without going full-out against one's own sensibilities.
The "big girl shoes" comment in particular rankled me, based on my own experience suddenly going from flats to literally dancing in high heels overnight.
Perhaps the continuing story had more balance, and I may continue my reading later, as I find the premise to be extremely enticing (and overlaps quite a bit with my own life, but swapping genders). But for now, I found neither protagonist to be compelling enough to continue.
I found the hero to be a douche, the fashionistas around the librarian to be rather misogynistic (Big girl shoes? Really?), and the heroine to be paper-thin in her feminism.
As a librarian who considers myself a feminist who has moved between the worlds of being very frumpy/dowdy/not caring much about my appearance to comparatively high fashion (cutting edge gay clubs) and back again, I was very excited about the description of the work. I was rather dumbfounded when the fashionistas mocked and tweaked the heroine to such a degree, pressing her into choices so deeply against her will, as I sure the hell know there are plenty of ways to enhance one's own appearance without going full-out against one's own sensibilities.
The "big girl shoes" comment in particular rankled me, based on my own experience suddenly going from flats to literally dancing in high heels overnight.
Perhaps the continuing story had more balance, and I may continue my reading later, as I find the premise to be extremely enticing (and overlaps quite a bit with my own life, but swapping genders). But for now, I found neither protagonist to be compelling enough to continue.
September 15, 2017
A unique premise and likeable characters, along with my favorite kind of arguing-all-the -time through their attraction couple make this book a solid 3-3.5 stars. It was a well-executed book overall, though at times it felt a little long.
It may have been higher, but I really love the development of a relationship in a book, and theirs was built while the heroine was dating other men. This left me with fewer butterflies and anxious moments than I tend to like in my romances (this might be chick lit, honestly). I appreciate low conflict but this was a little tepid as far as that goes. The real moments and genuine characters did save the book, besides it being an easy, sweet, and fun.
I plan to continue the series.
It may have been higher, but I really love the development of a relationship in a book, and theirs was built while the heroine was dating other men. This left me with fewer butterflies and anxious moments than I tend to like in my romances (this might be chick lit, honestly). I appreciate low conflict but this was a little tepid as far as that goes. The real moments and genuine characters did save the book, besides it being an easy, sweet, and fun.
I plan to continue the series.
March 22, 2017
2.5 stars. I enjoyed Bernie's "take no prisoners" personality, but found the plot kind of improbable and silly--particularly at the end. Younger readers will likely find this more to their taste.
August 26, 2018
Jag vill börja med att säga att man måste se den här boken för vad den är och därför släppa alla PK-tankar och bara flyta med. (För ja den innehåller snäva könsroller och är inte banbrytande på något sätt). Det här är ingen bok för den elitistiske läsaren, men fan vad mycket jag tyckte om den.
Jag flöt med. Läsningen gick snabbt, jag skrattade högt flera gånger och mådde bara bra. Jag kände igen mig i Bearnie. I hennes sätt att bo i sitt huvud. Att ifrågasätta och ifrågasätta igen. Jag tycker om Colin trots den ”ärkeman” han framställs vara. Jag tycker till och med om Dave trots att han är en enda stor gayklyscha (okej, det kanske är därför jag tycker om honom, han är ju en rätt obetydlig karaktär i det stora hela).
Problemet för mig, vilket gör att jag ger boken fyra stjärnor istället för fem är att Bearnies och Colins kärlekshistoria får så lite plats i bokens helhet.
Jag flöt med. Läsningen gick snabbt, jag skrattade högt flera gånger och mådde bara bra. Jag kände igen mig i Bearnie. I hennes sätt att bo i sitt huvud. Att ifrågasätta och ifrågasätta igen. Jag tycker om Colin trots den ”ärkeman” han framställs vara. Jag tycker till och med om Dave trots att han är en enda stor gayklyscha (okej, det kanske är därför jag tycker om honom, han är ju en rätt obetydlig karaktär i det stora hela).
Problemet för mig, vilket gör att jag ger boken fyra stjärnor istället för fem är att Bearnies och Colins kärlekshistoria får så lite plats i bokens helhet.
July 27, 2018
I’m not a big romance person. And that’s not some stupid judgment call like when people say “oh, I don’t have a TV.” It’s just that I’ve disliked more romance novels than I’ve liked. But this was very cute and sweet and inoffensive and fun.
August 26, 2022
Det var en lagom bok för en trött hjärna. Handling skulle jag klassa som typisk chicklit. En kvinna ses nästan lite som fula ankungen, får en makeover och hittar kärleken, kan man säga i korta drag.
Det är en berättelse som är fin för stunden, men jag gissar att den inte stannar kvar så länge. Jag kan ändå säga att jag rekommenderar den om du vill läsa något söckersött om kärlek.
Det är en berättelse som är fin för stunden, men jag gissar att den inte stannar kvar så länge. Jag kan ändå säga att jag rekommenderar den om du vill läsa något söckersött om kärlek.
February 24, 2017
The Undateable is the first book in the Librarians in Love series by Sarah Title.
Melissa Bernard, AKA Bernie, is a librarian. It's her ideal job and she's very good at it. Nothing very unusual happens until one day a flash mob are in the building. Bernie isn't happy about it and unfortunately for her, her disapproving glare was captured for all time in a photograph. That photograph was immediately turned into a meme quoting 'Disapproving Librarian Disapproves'. Bernie is horrified when she sees the photo, not only because it's embarrassing to be a meme, but she looks so awful in the photo, not just her expression, but her clothes. Clothes that she never thought twice about normally.
Colin Rodriguez works for an online fashion magazine. He likes the job, and doesn't want to lose it. Something that might happen if the junior writer of the magazine has her way. There is only room for one writer, which means one of them has to go. The boss of the magazine decides that the two can show their worth, and she will pick who will get the job. She has decided that they have to do a story on Bernie. Colin comes up with the idea that he will prove that the undateable librarian is in fact very dateable. He wants to set her up on one date a day for a month and wants to write about each date. He's not pleased at all when his boss says that the junior writer, Pia, must take part in the story too.
Bernie at first is horrified at Colin's idea, but she talks to friends about it, and in the end decides to take part. Not to find a man, she's an independent woman who doesn't need a man. But she wants to prove that she can date, and her make over will help to get rid of the old fashioned staid old librarian image she portrays. An image that modern librarians are angry at her about.
What follows is the fabulous story of the dates that Bernie goes on. Some horrendous, some hysterically funny, others perhaps leading to the bedroom?? And all the while Colin and Bernie have all that time to get to know each other, even if they do seem to be arguing more than getting on. Will Bernie find love after the month of dating, she isn't looking for it, but you know what they say, things come to you when you least expect it. Will the meme ever be forgotten about or will Bernie learn to laugh about it, especially when her month of dating comes to an end.
This was a light hearted read, and I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of Bernie's journey of self discovery. There were some lovely romantic moments between her and one particular guy. You will have to read the book to discover who that guy is. All in all, it's a book that had me smiling practically from beginning to end, the ultimate feel good book. I loved it and can't wait to read the next book in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers' Copy of this book.
Melissa Bernard, AKA Bernie, is a librarian. It's her ideal job and she's very good at it. Nothing very unusual happens until one day a flash mob are in the building. Bernie isn't happy about it and unfortunately for her, her disapproving glare was captured for all time in a photograph. That photograph was immediately turned into a meme quoting 'Disapproving Librarian Disapproves'. Bernie is horrified when she sees the photo, not only because it's embarrassing to be a meme, but she looks so awful in the photo, not just her expression, but her clothes. Clothes that she never thought twice about normally.
Colin Rodriguez works for an online fashion magazine. He likes the job, and doesn't want to lose it. Something that might happen if the junior writer of the magazine has her way. There is only room for one writer, which means one of them has to go. The boss of the magazine decides that the two can show their worth, and she will pick who will get the job. She has decided that they have to do a story on Bernie. Colin comes up with the idea that he will prove that the undateable librarian is in fact very dateable. He wants to set her up on one date a day for a month and wants to write about each date. He's not pleased at all when his boss says that the junior writer, Pia, must take part in the story too.
Bernie at first is horrified at Colin's idea, but she talks to friends about it, and in the end decides to take part. Not to find a man, she's an independent woman who doesn't need a man. But she wants to prove that she can date, and her make over will help to get rid of the old fashioned staid old librarian image she portrays. An image that modern librarians are angry at her about.
What follows is the fabulous story of the dates that Bernie goes on. Some horrendous, some hysterically funny, others perhaps leading to the bedroom?? And all the while Colin and Bernie have all that time to get to know each other, even if they do seem to be arguing more than getting on. Will Bernie find love after the month of dating, she isn't looking for it, but you know what they say, things come to you when you least expect it. Will the meme ever be forgotten about or will Bernie learn to laugh about it, especially when her month of dating comes to an end.
This was a light hearted read, and I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of Bernie's journey of self discovery. There were some lovely romantic moments between her and one particular guy. You will have to read the book to discover who that guy is. All in all, it's a book that had me smiling practically from beginning to end, the ultimate feel good book. I loved it and can't wait to read the next book in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers' Copy of this book.
December 31, 2017
3.5 stars
May 5, 2018
Not horrible, but pretty meh. Nice to read something fluffy and ridiculous while I'm adjusting to the new job.
July 20, 2018
Jag skulle ha lyssnat på Elin när hon sa att den blir värre mot slutet. Alltså nej. Så mycket nej, så mycket som är dåligt i den här. Största problemet är att män ska vara män ("en man bjuder bara en kvinna på en romantisk komedi om han vill ligga") och kvinnor ska vara kvinnor (alltså i klänningar, höga klackar *suck*, och mycket smink). Ah! Orkar inte. Så dålig.
November 6, 2018
Super cute! Enjoyed the story and the main characters. Looking forward to reading the next title in this series.
December 26, 2019
Lite seg ibland, men den tog sig ungefär halvvägs igenom och blev bara bättre och bättre. En riktigt bra romcom! Förutsägbart? Japp. Roligt? Ja. Romantiskt? Mycket!
February 1, 2020
En riktigt bra, lättsam och feministisk (typ) biblioteksromans som påminner om The Ugly Truth och The Princess Diaries. Den kommer nog att försvinna snabbt ur minnet (och det är okej ibland behöver man en palettrensare) men jag är definitivt sugen på att kolla in de två andra fristående böckerna i serien. Jag menar... BIBLIOTEKSROMANS!!
March 6, 2017
This is a pretty cute book - I adored both h/h --- but --- I wish there had been more emphasis on the romance between them. I like that they get to know each other so well but the actual romance lacked.
Review coming
Review coming
February 8, 2017
The Undateable by Sarah Title, is a cute story with some very funny moments. I requested this novel because of the book blurb and pretty cover. This is the first novel in the author's brand new series, Librarians in Love, and it can be read as a standalone.
Bernie Bernard loves her job as a college librarian. She thrives on helping the students with their research, in addition to the hustle and bustle of the reference desk. Her frumpy appearance contributes to the librarian stereotype and her single status. She doesn't date much, but she has two really good friends that are oodles of fun. Her delightful elderly neighbors let her spend a ton of time with their dog, which brings her a lot of happiness. Bernie believes that she does not need romantic love in her life, so she does nothing to attract the opposite sex.
Good-looking journalist Colin Rodriguez is the only male employee and senior writer for an online women's' magazine. He provides the male point-of-view, even though one of the junior writers is hot on the trail to takeover his job. Colin needs to attract new readers in order to remain employed. He comes to the conclusion that Bernie is the solution to his problem, because she has been recently outed as the the disapproving librarian. A meme has been created in her likeness and it has gone viral.
Colin wants to evolve Bernie's new personality, which is causing Bernie nothing but grief, into someone that is likeable, attractive and dateable. Bernie reluctantly agrees to be the subject of Colin's articles on overcoming being undateable. Colin's employer gives her a makeover, and Bernie agrees to go out on many first dates. During the month long dating process, Bernie and Colin fall in love.
This is a nice story, that could have been a great story if it had been condensed into fewer words. I liked both main characters and their differences are what made them so attractive to each other. Colin's blog, where he is perceived as an older woman giving advice on relationships and love, is an amusing and complimentary sidebar to the existing plot. The secondary characters add a lot of liveliness and personality. I am looking forward to the second book in the series.
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
Bernie Bernard loves her job as a college librarian. She thrives on helping the students with their research, in addition to the hustle and bustle of the reference desk. Her frumpy appearance contributes to the librarian stereotype and her single status. She doesn't date much, but she has two really good friends that are oodles of fun. Her delightful elderly neighbors let her spend a ton of time with their dog, which brings her a lot of happiness. Bernie believes that she does not need romantic love in her life, so she does nothing to attract the opposite sex.
Good-looking journalist Colin Rodriguez is the only male employee and senior writer for an online women's' magazine. He provides the male point-of-view, even though one of the junior writers is hot on the trail to takeover his job. Colin needs to attract new readers in order to remain employed. He comes to the conclusion that Bernie is the solution to his problem, because she has been recently outed as the the disapproving librarian. A meme has been created in her likeness and it has gone viral.
Colin wants to evolve Bernie's new personality, which is causing Bernie nothing but grief, into someone that is likeable, attractive and dateable. Bernie reluctantly agrees to be the subject of Colin's articles on overcoming being undateable. Colin's employer gives her a makeover, and Bernie agrees to go out on many first dates. During the month long dating process, Bernie and Colin fall in love.
This is a nice story, that could have been a great story if it had been condensed into fewer words. I liked both main characters and their differences are what made them so attractive to each other. Colin's blog, where he is perceived as an older woman giving advice on relationships and love, is an amusing and complimentary sidebar to the existing plot. The secondary characters add a lot of liveliness and personality. I am looking forward to the second book in the series.
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
May 21, 2017
I feel like this book was written by someone who doesn't understand romance novels, and who has watched a lot of Hallmark movies. Romance novels can start with conflict and antagonism and witty arguments, but the characters inevitably change (either through their perceptions of each other or through character development). Colin and Bernie just liked to argue! That's not romantic tension; that is a relationship void of empathy and well-developed listening skills. It doesn't work in fiction, and it doesn't work in reality.
This is more humorous chick-lit than it is romance. The sexual and romantic tension is nearly non-existent, and when there is a chance to develop the relationship more, the scenes happen "off-camera." After the 10th date, I stopped caring about them because the book started to feel so empty and repetitive.
Still if I consider this book to be humorous fiction. it is not so bad. I literally lol'd a lot. However, because I was expecting a romance, it ended up a disappointment.
I also don't like that Bernie's feminism was something that needed "fixed" or "tamed."
This is more humorous chick-lit than it is romance. The sexual and romantic tension is nearly non-existent, and when there is a chance to develop the relationship more, the scenes happen "off-camera." After the 10th date, I stopped caring about them because the book started to feel so empty and repetitive.
Still if I consider this book to be humorous fiction. it is not so bad. I literally lol'd a lot. However, because I was expecting a romance, it ended up a disappointment.
I also don't like that Bernie's feminism was something that needed "fixed" or "tamed."
May 21, 2017
Didn't finish after page 56. This book just could not keep my interest. I like that it has a unique plot. But the writing needed some help. It wasn't poorly written or anything, but the author fell into the trap of being too explainy with her characters inner monologues. They go into too much detail and over explain and talk about things that I don't really care about. I don't need to hear in great detail about every little thing and about the back story behind every little thing and the back stories to the back stories. I just want to be told the story. I felt like the author stopped the flow too much with over long monologues. But I did like that the characters were at least different. At least, Bernie was different from the norm. Not cliche. So there were some good things about the book and if you don't mind a little bit of a slow paced story you'd maybe like this.
October 29, 2018
Igazából nem is annyira romantikus regény ez, mint inkább romantikus komédia, ugyanis például a főszereplők kb. az 50. oldal környékén találkoznak először, s jó sokáig csak megy közöttük a ping-pong, ütköznek az elképzeléseik és vicces párbeszédeket folytatnak. Úgyhogy bátran ajánlom azoknak is, akik kicsit ódzkodnak a romantikus regényektől. Ráadásul Bernie személyében nagyon jó kis könyvtárost kapunk, aki egyáltalán nem a sztereotípiákat erősíti, bármennyire is szerencsétlen a róla készült kép. Külön örültem annak is, hogy ő végre nem a szokásos városi könyvtáros volt, hanem egyetemen dolgozott és mindjárt találtam egy csomó közös pontot a munkájában meg az enyémben. Igazán üdítő volt olyan hősnővel találkozni, aki túl azon, hogy ugyanazzal foglalkozik mint én, még igenis modern gondolkodású és életvitelű. Az a fajta nő, akinek tényleg nem kell az elégedettséghez férfi és párkapcsolat, nem zárkózik el az egy éjszakás kalandoktól és randizik ugyan de nem az tölti ki az életét, hogy mindenképpen párkapcsolatban éljen. Boldog és elégedett a munkájával, a barátaival és a szabad idejében is jól el tudja foglalni magát, talán ha egy kicsit olcsóbb lenne az élet San Franciscoban még jobban érezné magát. Éppen ezért folyamatosan gyötrődik, hogy mennyit ad fel magából és feminizmusából ha elfogadja a magazin ajánlatát, ha kifesti magát és csinosabban öltözik. De rá kell jönnie, hogy a randizás lehet vicces a kellemetlen tapasztalatok ellenére is és néhány centi sarok vagy éppen egy kis rúzs és szempillafesték még nem jelenti azt, hogy vissza kell adnia a feminista igazolványát.
Röviden: imádtam Bernie-t. Hozzá képest Colin sokkal halványabban van megfestve, bár neki is akadnak szuper pillanatai és gondolatai, s talán ha kicsit többet olvashattunk volna azokról az időkről, amiket együtt töltenek és a beszélgetéseikről, nem tűnik annyira elsietettnek a történet vége. Mert ezt tudnám felhozni negatívumnak: sok volt a randi és keveset láttunk az igazi kapcsolatból. Az pedig, hogy szex is kevés volt, engem nem zavart, nem az erotika szokott érdekelni a romantikus regényekben, hanem a kapcsolatok fejlődése.
Azért ajánlom ezt a könyvet mert jó kis romantikus komédia, vicces jelenetekkel és egy igazán belevaló hősnővel, aki ráadásul egy igazi modern könyvtároskisasszony. Úgyhogy mindenképp remélem, hogy folytatódik magyarul is a sorozat és megtudjuk a többi könyvtáros hogyan jut el a boldog végkifejletig.
Részletesen: http://olvasonaplo.net/olvasonaplo/20...
Röviden: imádtam Bernie-t. Hozzá képest Colin sokkal halványabban van megfestve, bár neki is akadnak szuper pillanatai és gondolatai, s talán ha kicsit többet olvashattunk volna azokról az időkről, amiket együtt töltenek és a beszélgetéseikről, nem tűnik annyira elsietettnek a történet vége. Mert ezt tudnám felhozni negatívumnak: sok volt a randi és keveset láttunk az igazi kapcsolatból. Az pedig, hogy szex is kevés volt, engem nem zavart, nem az erotika szokott érdekelni a romantikus regényekben, hanem a kapcsolatok fejlődése.
Azért ajánlom ezt a könyvet mert jó kis romantikus komédia, vicces jelenetekkel és egy igazán belevaló hősnővel, aki ráadásul egy igazi modern könyvtároskisasszony. Úgyhogy mindenképp remélem, hogy folytatódik magyarul is a sorozat és megtudjuk a többi könyvtáros hogyan jut el a boldog végkifejletig.
Részletesen: http://olvasonaplo.net/olvasonaplo/20...
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