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If You Tame Me
On the morning of her 55th birthday, Audrey takes stock of her life and finds it lacking. While she’s done well, she’s missing something important – a mate. She is also rocked by the 2016 election and wonders if it’s possible to be a feminist in the current political environment. In a fit of desperation, she ponders adopting a cat…but comes home with an iguana named Newt instead. Newt is destined to change Audrey’s life. Next door, Frank, a widow, lives with his six parakeets. He develops a crush on Audrey but is at a loss as to how to approach her. He’s shocked when his first wife, who he divorced, shows up on his doorstep to offer help, but he’s gobsmacked when his second wife, who died three years prior, shows up as a ghost to be his dating coach. Birds, a lizard, a man, a woman…what happens is magic.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 3, 2019
103 people are currently reading
435 people want to read
About the author
Kathie Giorgio
23 books81 followersKATHIE GIORGIO is the author of a total of fifteen books: eight novels, two story collections, an essay collection, and four poetry collections. She’s been nominated for the Pushcart Prize in fiction and poetry and awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Wisconsin Library Association, the Silver Pen Award for Literary Excellence, the Pencraft Award for Literary Excellence, and the Eric Hoffer Award In Fiction. Her poem “Light” won runner-up in the 2021 Rosebud Magazine Poetry Prize, and her work has also been incorporated into many visual art and musical events. Kathie is the director and founder of AllWriters’ Workplace & Workshop LLC, an international creative writing studio. She lives with her husband, mystery writer Michael Giorgio, and their daughter Olivia, in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Three of her adult children, Christopher, Andy, and Olivia, live close by, along with her solo granddaughter, Maya Mae. One adult child, Katie, has wandered off to Louisiana and lives among the mathematicians and alligators.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
September 17, 2019
Would an iguana tickle your fancy? Float your boat? Bake your cake?
Don't let the title fool you! It's not that kind of book (not that there's anything wrong with that).
Audrey realises on the morning of her 55th birthday that "this is it". With no man, family or kids, she decides to share her life with a pet instead. The original plan was to get a cat called Hope. But in the pet shop, the steady eyed gaze of an iguana captures her attention. And so Newton (Newt to his friends) joins Audrey's world.
"She didn't know this morning that an iguana was missing from her life."
Frank is her neighbour. Recently widowed and new to the area, he has a bit of a crush on Audrey.
"He wondered if she noticed him."
Throw into the mix a feisty new friend made over a bra fitting at "Victoria's Secret", Bob the pet shop owner, the world of online dating, the relevance today of Gloria Steinem, a 'Fifty Shades' film festival, the reappearance of an ex-wife (who wants to reconnect), the ghost of another (who helps Frank with dating advice) and you have a delightfully, quirky story.
And don't forget Newt. He's always happy to see you 🦎
The importance of animal friends in our lives is illustrated beautifully. Whether they have whiskers, feathers or spiny backs.
" Bob smiled. 'Audrey, he's an iguana.'
'But...he's mine. He's so much more than that.' "
This is a soft, gentle story that tells you that it's never too late. The unexpected can happen. You just don't know when happiness will take you by surprise.
Next time you pass a pet shop, maybe you should ask "How much is that iguana in the window?" 💕
A solid 3.5 ✩✩✩ I really wanted to find out what happened between Audrey & Frank. They're just such darn nice people!
"It was on to something new. Everything was new. Frank was beyond delighted."
I also love that the chapters had titles. There's just something about a book that does that..
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Black Rose Writing & of course to Kathie Giorgio for the opportunity to read this advance copy in return for an honest review.
In all seriousness, while a lighthearted book, it also raises deeper issues about politics & gender equality. What feminism means to different generations.
"Sometimes I feel like we're all the same gender, but we don't speak the same language."
It also talks about ageing. And loneliness. And wanting to have meaningful company. And admitting to wanting it. And being brave enough to take another chance at meeting that special someone. And I don't just mean an iguana.
* Disclaimer! Yes, my English teacher did teach me not to start sentences with "and". And Kevvy (if you're reading this) - I do know better.
Don't let the title fool you! It's not that kind of book (not that there's anything wrong with that).
Audrey realises on the morning of her 55th birthday that "this is it". With no man, family or kids, she decides to share her life with a pet instead. The original plan was to get a cat called Hope. But in the pet shop, the steady eyed gaze of an iguana captures her attention. And so Newton (Newt to his friends) joins Audrey's world.
"She didn't know this morning that an iguana was missing from her life."
Frank is her neighbour. Recently widowed and new to the area, he has a bit of a crush on Audrey.
"He wondered if she noticed him."
Throw into the mix a feisty new friend made over a bra fitting at "Victoria's Secret", Bob the pet shop owner, the world of online dating, the relevance today of Gloria Steinem, a 'Fifty Shades' film festival, the reappearance of an ex-wife (who wants to reconnect), the ghost of another (who helps Frank with dating advice) and you have a delightfully, quirky story.
And don't forget Newt. He's always happy to see you 🦎
The importance of animal friends in our lives is illustrated beautifully. Whether they have whiskers, feathers or spiny backs.
" Bob smiled. 'Audrey, he's an iguana.'
'But...he's mine. He's so much more than that.' "
This is a soft, gentle story that tells you that it's never too late. The unexpected can happen. You just don't know when happiness will take you by surprise.
Next time you pass a pet shop, maybe you should ask "How much is that iguana in the window?" 💕
A solid 3.5 ✩✩✩ I really wanted to find out what happened between Audrey & Frank. They're just such darn nice people!
"It was on to something new. Everything was new. Frank was beyond delighted."
I also love that the chapters had titles. There's just something about a book that does that..
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Black Rose Writing & of course to Kathie Giorgio for the opportunity to read this advance copy in return for an honest review.
In all seriousness, while a lighthearted book, it also raises deeper issues about politics & gender equality. What feminism means to different generations.
"Sometimes I feel like we're all the same gender, but we don't speak the same language."
It also talks about ageing. And loneliness. And wanting to have meaningful company. And admitting to wanting it. And being brave enough to take another chance at meeting that special someone. And I don't just mean an iguana.
* Disclaimer! Yes, my English teacher did teach me not to start sentences with "and". And Kevvy (if you're reading this) - I do know better.
October 19, 2019
If You Tame Me is the fifth novel by American author, Kathie Giorgio. On the morning of her birthday, Audrey: "…stood in her living room and looked around at all she collected by her fifty-fifth year. All she earned. But all she noticed was what was missing. There was no husband. There were no children. There was no chance. Statistically. Realistically. Ping!” She had a good job, her own place, and she felt complete but “She didn’t feel invincible. She felt invisible.”
Quite on impulse, she stops at the pet store, not for a kitten, definitely not a kitten, that would make her an old woman with a cat. A puppy? Just too darn overeager. A cockatoo would be nice, but she’s not after nice. Then something on the reptile wall catches her attention. Perhaps no one is more shocked than Audrey herself when she brings home a green iguana, but: “Old women, she told herself, did not adopt iguanas. She was fifty-five, just today. She adopted an iguana, just today. She was not old. At least, not today.”
Next door, sixty-three-year-old Frank (twice-married, once divorced, now a widower, with six parakeets), has noticed Audrey. He’d like to get to know her, but he’s hesitant. After three years, Frank is still grieving Susan and can’t get rid of his father’s irritating refrain, “three strikes, yer out!” And now he runs into his first wife (Strike One) in the supermarket, and his second wife (Strike Two) keeps appearing, offering relationship advice.
There’s the hook: Newt, the green iguana, draws the reader into this tale of a single woman with a bit of mid-life angst, and a lonely widower. It the ending predictable? Maybe a little (they’re gonna pair up, right?). But it’s the journey there that makes this novel such a worthwhile read. As Frank and Audrey each consider their situation and work out how they might change it, their thoughts and feelings will resonate with many readers, regardless of relationship status.
Audrey’s discussions with her work colleagues and her college friend cover many aspects of life under the broad umbrella of feminism, including That Book and That Movie (Fifty Shades) and That Man In The White House. They have her looking up icons (Jane Russell, Anita Bryant) and talking to Gloria Steinem’s back-cover picture. And of course, to Newt, who listens well. She wonders if that fish might ever need that bicycle…
They draw some conclusions: “That feminism is about the ability to choose what’s right at each time of our lives.”; “A feminist is a woman-supporter. It’s not about hate at all. And I don’t think a feminist is identified by his or her gender. Just by the support and beliefs.”; “Sometimes I feel like we’re all the same gender, but we don’t speak the same language.” And about taking action: “If we choose to be silent, then we’re choosing to not be heard. We can’t control if he listens, but we can control if we speak.”
Frank, too, thinks a lot about getting a relationship right, with input from wives if not parakeets. He’s very earnest, even if sometimes his thinking is a little teenaged. Giorgio has a way with words: “He would just have to wait until she climbed back down the ladder of anger and returned it to the closet.” Her characters are much more than one-dimensional; they don’t stagnate, and along the way, they give the reader quite a lot of wisdom on a myriad of topics. And more than a few laugh-out-loud moments.
There are a lot of f-words in this story: yes, a few of that one, but also feminist, future, friend, family, fair, found, fate and feminazi; and then there are the n-words, nice, neighbour and Newt; and ultimately some w-words: wild, wonderful. About more than just mature-age relationships, this is a delightfully funny and thought-provoking read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Black Rose Writing
Quite on impulse, she stops at the pet store, not for a kitten, definitely not a kitten, that would make her an old woman with a cat. A puppy? Just too darn overeager. A cockatoo would be nice, but she’s not after nice. Then something on the reptile wall catches her attention. Perhaps no one is more shocked than Audrey herself when she brings home a green iguana, but: “Old women, she told herself, did not adopt iguanas. She was fifty-five, just today. She adopted an iguana, just today. She was not old. At least, not today.”
Next door, sixty-three-year-old Frank (twice-married, once divorced, now a widower, with six parakeets), has noticed Audrey. He’d like to get to know her, but he’s hesitant. After three years, Frank is still grieving Susan and can’t get rid of his father’s irritating refrain, “three strikes, yer out!” And now he runs into his first wife (Strike One) in the supermarket, and his second wife (Strike Two) keeps appearing, offering relationship advice.
There’s the hook: Newt, the green iguana, draws the reader into this tale of a single woman with a bit of mid-life angst, and a lonely widower. It the ending predictable? Maybe a little (they’re gonna pair up, right?). But it’s the journey there that makes this novel such a worthwhile read. As Frank and Audrey each consider their situation and work out how they might change it, their thoughts and feelings will resonate with many readers, regardless of relationship status.
Audrey’s discussions with her work colleagues and her college friend cover many aspects of life under the broad umbrella of feminism, including That Book and That Movie (Fifty Shades) and That Man In The White House. They have her looking up icons (Jane Russell, Anita Bryant) and talking to Gloria Steinem’s back-cover picture. And of course, to Newt, who listens well. She wonders if that fish might ever need that bicycle…
They draw some conclusions: “That feminism is about the ability to choose what’s right at each time of our lives.”; “A feminist is a woman-supporter. It’s not about hate at all. And I don’t think a feminist is identified by his or her gender. Just by the support and beliefs.”; “Sometimes I feel like we’re all the same gender, but we don’t speak the same language.” And about taking action: “If we choose to be silent, then we’re choosing to not be heard. We can’t control if he listens, but we can control if we speak.”
Frank, too, thinks a lot about getting a relationship right, with input from wives if not parakeets. He’s very earnest, even if sometimes his thinking is a little teenaged. Giorgio has a way with words: “He would just have to wait until she climbed back down the ladder of anger and returned it to the closet.” Her characters are much more than one-dimensional; they don’t stagnate, and along the way, they give the reader quite a lot of wisdom on a myriad of topics. And more than a few laugh-out-loud moments.
There are a lot of f-words in this story: yes, a few of that one, but also feminist, future, friend, family, fair, found, fate and feminazi; and then there are the n-words, nice, neighbour and Newt; and ultimately some w-words: wild, wonderful. About more than just mature-age relationships, this is a delightfully funny and thought-provoking read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Black Rose Writing
September 18, 2020
The ignuana is the hero of this story. He's adorable, defensive, happy, eats voraciously, and lives a sweet, sweet life. Sadly he's not the main character (lol). The easiest way to describe Kathie Giorgio's novel is by comparing it to "As Good As It Gets" movie; but with a hetero 50+ couple, an iguana and birds instead of a dog. The bitter, angry, frustrated 'senior's talk' here is similar. As is the discussions about what it means to be 'happy' when you're past child rearing age.
What is a good life?
The primary focus of If You Tame Me is: what is a nice life? Does it have to include grandchildren, a spouse, an animal, a job, etc.? How do you define what is a nice or good when you are 55 years old, never married, have no children, and lack a companion of any kind. That is how we meet our leading lady.
There is a lot of great truth in this story that focuses on how those 'over the hill' can create a new life for themselves. But what does that look like? How do you make it happen? The obvious answer is that you must step out of your comfort zone and do things that are scary or anxiety inducing; like sign-up for an internet dating website, buying an iguana, or asking someone in for coffee. This is true at any age but I liked the focus here on those older; while showing that no matter our age we all have the same desires, needs, and hopes. To live a 'nice life'.
Feminism
There is A LOT of feminism in this book. Like to the point where I bet if you counted how many times that word, or a similar one is used it would be in the triple digits. And don't even start me on how often our leading lady refers to a fish needing a bicycle. It's a bit tiresome at points and much too beaten into the readers heads that we probably misunderstand the whole movement; and yet that wasn't even the most offensive thing in the story.
Giorgio and I greatly differ in one key area, that is a bit too prominent in her book, that I need to address. It would seem that Giorgio's focus on feminism is about control. She modifies it near the end of the story to mean consent (which is how I wish to define feminism: equal consent and standing). However on one key issue Giorgio is clearly still a bit too vanilla to understand some things...
Fifty Shades of Grey
Fifty Shades of Grey (while a terrible, terrible book with the worst writing I've ever read) IS NOT in any way RAPE or ABUSE. Period. This is a non-negotiable point. At no time does anyone in that book subject themselves to anything they do not enjoy or consent too. While they may be apprehensive and unsure this is not the same as screaming for your life while someone forces themselves upon you. Liking S&M, BDSM or other fantasy violent bedroom games is not perverse or wrong; it is a way to express yourself with your partner and enjoy yourself SAFELY. There is nothing wrong with it because it is done in a safe, consensual manner.
I understand that some may never understand this concept and for others it is trauma inducing. I am sorry for that; but I will not take away the rights and freedoms of some to enjoy their bedroom play just because someone is uncomfortable. This would be no different than telling someone they cannot kiss their same sex partner because someone is 'uncomfortable' to others. Not acceptable.
It is literally hurting NO ONE. If sometimes doesn't like the topic or feels uncomfortable then they too can leave the theatre, put the book down, or engage in their right to say no. Someone else's private choices does not put feminism back 10 years, change rules of consent, or make violent, unwanted behaviour acceptable. Those things are all still alive and well in our society. In fact some psychologists argue that those who express themselves violently with their consensual partner in the bedroom may in fact same themselves for acting out dangerously amoungst strangers. So how about we let people do as they wish knowing that consent has been given in these situations.
Overall
Once I calmed down a bit from raging about the comments made about FSoG in If You Tame Me; I was able to enjoy the cuteness again. It's a sickly sweet story that has moments of true clarity regarding how women are seen and treated in society (and absolutely every woman, no matter her age, should own a matching sexy set of bra and panties! I love the scene when the 70+ woman goes into Victoria Secret and gets herself a sexy set. Giorgio provides some insight into how lonely it can be to be alone; be it at age 55 or 25. I also like the straight-up admittance that wanting to be with someone and have a companion is not needy or wrong; it's natural human natural. We are social creatures (yes even us introverts need a bit of socialization) and do better when we have at least one confident to spend time with.
For the handling of loneliness, age, and exotic pets I give this 3 stars. I might otherwise have gone to 2 (as I am so angry about the BDSM representation); but just like our characters here I need to admit that something or someone can have both good and poor aspects to them.
If nothing else I learned that us exotic pet owners (I'm Mama to 3 snakes, including a 7'4" boa constrictor named Bowie) are always going to be seen as a bit odd and quirky; and that I hope at 55 years old I am still awesome enough to NOT fall into the 'nice' or 'typical' category by getting a kitten, and instead pick up that awesome reptile from the pet store.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
What is a good life?
The primary focus of If You Tame Me is: what is a nice life? Does it have to include grandchildren, a spouse, an animal, a job, etc.? How do you define what is a nice or good when you are 55 years old, never married, have no children, and lack a companion of any kind. That is how we meet our leading lady.
There is a lot of great truth in this story that focuses on how those 'over the hill' can create a new life for themselves. But what does that look like? How do you make it happen? The obvious answer is that you must step out of your comfort zone and do things that are scary or anxiety inducing; like sign-up for an internet dating website, buying an iguana, or asking someone in for coffee. This is true at any age but I liked the focus here on those older; while showing that no matter our age we all have the same desires, needs, and hopes. To live a 'nice life'.
Feminism
There is A LOT of feminism in this book. Like to the point where I bet if you counted how many times that word, or a similar one is used it would be in the triple digits. And don't even start me on how often our leading lady refers to a fish needing a bicycle. It's a bit tiresome at points and much too beaten into the readers heads that we probably misunderstand the whole movement; and yet that wasn't even the most offensive thing in the story.
Giorgio and I greatly differ in one key area, that is a bit too prominent in her book, that I need to address. It would seem that Giorgio's focus on feminism is about control. She modifies it near the end of the story to mean consent (which is how I wish to define feminism: equal consent and standing). However on one key issue Giorgio is clearly still a bit too vanilla to understand some things...
Fifty Shades of Grey
Fifty Shades of Grey (while a terrible, terrible book with the worst writing I've ever read) IS NOT in any way RAPE or ABUSE. Period. This is a non-negotiable point. At no time does anyone in that book subject themselves to anything they do not enjoy or consent too. While they may be apprehensive and unsure this is not the same as screaming for your life while someone forces themselves upon you. Liking S&M, BDSM or other fantasy violent bedroom games is not perverse or wrong; it is a way to express yourself with your partner and enjoy yourself SAFELY. There is nothing wrong with it because it is done in a safe, consensual manner.
I understand that some may never understand this concept and for others it is trauma inducing. I am sorry for that; but I will not take away the rights and freedoms of some to enjoy their bedroom play just because someone is uncomfortable. This would be no different than telling someone they cannot kiss their same sex partner because someone is 'uncomfortable' to others. Not acceptable.
It is literally hurting NO ONE. If sometimes doesn't like the topic or feels uncomfortable then they too can leave the theatre, put the book down, or engage in their right to say no. Someone else's private choices does not put feminism back 10 years, change rules of consent, or make violent, unwanted behaviour acceptable. Those things are all still alive and well in our society. In fact some psychologists argue that those who express themselves violently with their consensual partner in the bedroom may in fact same themselves for acting out dangerously amoungst strangers. So how about we let people do as they wish knowing that consent has been given in these situations.
Overall
Once I calmed down a bit from raging about the comments made about FSoG in If You Tame Me; I was able to enjoy the cuteness again. It's a sickly sweet story that has moments of true clarity regarding how women are seen and treated in society (and absolutely every woman, no matter her age, should own a matching sexy set of bra and panties! I love the scene when the 70+ woman goes into Victoria Secret and gets herself a sexy set. Giorgio provides some insight into how lonely it can be to be alone; be it at age 55 or 25. I also like the straight-up admittance that wanting to be with someone and have a companion is not needy or wrong; it's natural human natural. We are social creatures (yes even us introverts need a bit of socialization) and do better when we have at least one confident to spend time with.
For the handling of loneliness, age, and exotic pets I give this 3 stars. I might otherwise have gone to 2 (as I am so angry about the BDSM representation); but just like our characters here I need to admit that something or someone can have both good and poor aspects to them.
If nothing else I learned that us exotic pet owners (I'm Mama to 3 snakes, including a 7'4" boa constrictor named Bowie) are always going to be seen as a bit odd and quirky; and that I hope at 55 years old I am still awesome enough to NOT fall into the 'nice' or 'typical' category by getting a kitten, and instead pick up that awesome reptile from the pet store.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
August 5, 2019
I want to be this character when I am older!! She just doesn’t give a fuck and I love it. A true find who you are book.
February 3, 2020
A book for women of a certain age (mid-fifties), single, feminist, questioning what's next. I quite liked Audrey's character. Crusader for woman's rights and a bit wild as a young woman, she finds herself at fifty-five successful and alone, but uncertain why. Why did no one in all her years choose her as a partner? Unraveling this question Audrey ponders what it means to be feminist at fifty and wanting a man in her life--contrasting views provided by her friends the party girl, the man-hater, and her former revolutionist college room mate--while at the same time falling in love for the first time in years with first Newt (an iguana) and then the man next door.
I liked the feminist questioning/messaging throughout this book--though it could be more concise. The author struggles at times with repetitiveness. I also liked the theme of partnership. Her relationship with Newt is charming. The man next door?--I didn't buy. I found him needy. Not equal to the confident Audrey. A last resort vs first choice. All in, not a wow book but I did enjoy it.
I liked the feminist questioning/messaging throughout this book--though it could be more concise. The author struggles at times with repetitiveness. I also liked the theme of partnership. Her relationship with Newt is charming. The man next door?--I didn't buy. I found him needy. Not equal to the confident Audrey. A last resort vs first choice. All in, not a wow book but I did enjoy it.
January 15, 2020
Thoroughly charming and heart warming and at the same time very spot on target dealing with the ripples, or are they waves, of discord that radiate from having That Person in the White House. And I review from the east coast of Australia, and yes That Person, and his political ilk are symptoms of change on political stages towards women. Retrograde steps. Steps I thought I would not see. I am the age of the character Frank and I had a youth of marches for women's rights, and witnessed changes for the better and like the more elder female characters in the book, we crones, are stunned the backward steps
But, back to this delight.
It has been quite a long time since I have embraced a book so much that I have read it cover to cover over the course of one day. It is a lovely romantic fiction with the addition of so much punch, the main thread for me being the absolute need we humans have for connection.
Connections with others of our species but also the joy that comes from bringing another living being into our orbit, be it birds, iguana, fish or the much maligned cat. (I do write as a human who has shared her life with, and still does, birds, dogs, cats, fish and even insects, and in my garden in Australia I have friendly lizards and snakes residing) That old saying, "no man is an island" is so true and the real connection with other living beings lights up our living.
I don't often write out quotes from the book I am reviewing as I tend to just reflect on how a book impacts in me, but this time I am adding this quote as it gelled for me a concern about the worth of my sole voice in our current political climate and world wide concerns on environmental issues. Something we are acutely aware of as we move through this summer of hell of fires in Australia.
This quote comes from the postcard making weekend around Audrey's kitchen table and discussions on the worth of their action ......
"Do you think he'll really look at them?
Clara fell quiet. Audrey set the drinks carefully by the women's elbows and then said into the silence, "I doubt it. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't say what we want to say. There's a difference, I think, between being silent and not being heard. He might not hear us, but we should still say what we mean. Someone somewhere will listen, even if it's just us to each other. If we choose to be silent, then we're choosing to not be heard. We can't control of he listens, but we can control if we speak.""
Loved the book -did you guess that if you have read this far.
It is the first title I have read from Kathie Giorgio but I am seeking out her other titles. Purchase requested have been placed through my marvellous local library.
But, back to this delight.
It has been quite a long time since I have embraced a book so much that I have read it cover to cover over the course of one day. It is a lovely romantic fiction with the addition of so much punch, the main thread for me being the absolute need we humans have for connection.
Connections with others of our species but also the joy that comes from bringing another living being into our orbit, be it birds, iguana, fish or the much maligned cat. (I do write as a human who has shared her life with, and still does, birds, dogs, cats, fish and even insects, and in my garden in Australia I have friendly lizards and snakes residing) That old saying, "no man is an island" is so true and the real connection with other living beings lights up our living.
I don't often write out quotes from the book I am reviewing as I tend to just reflect on how a book impacts in me, but this time I am adding this quote as it gelled for me a concern about the worth of my sole voice in our current political climate and world wide concerns on environmental issues. Something we are acutely aware of as we move through this summer of hell of fires in Australia.
This quote comes from the postcard making weekend around Audrey's kitchen table and discussions on the worth of their action ......
"Do you think he'll really look at them?
Clara fell quiet. Audrey set the drinks carefully by the women's elbows and then said into the silence, "I doubt it. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't say what we want to say. There's a difference, I think, between being silent and not being heard. He might not hear us, but we should still say what we mean. Someone somewhere will listen, even if it's just us to each other. If we choose to be silent, then we're choosing to not be heard. We can't control of he listens, but we can control if we speak.""
Loved the book -did you guess that if you have read this far.
It is the first title I have read from Kathie Giorgio but I am seeking out her other titles. Purchase requested have been placed through my marvellous local library.
December 6, 2019
There is a flood of impressive novels about the inner life of people you may know nothing about facing challenges that would defeat the average American reader. I read, admire and recommend these books. But sometimes I need to spend my reading hours with someone like Olive Kitteridge. Or like Audrey, her significant other Newt, and Frank in Kathie Giorgio's If You Tame Me. Like Newt and unlike kittens, this book is not "nice". I hate "nice " books. It's humorous, sharp and is an ideal palate cleanser when you just can't look disaster in the face any more.
August 1, 2019
Overall Rating = 4.38
Storyline & Concept = 5
Writing & Delivery = 4.5
Cover Marketability = 4.5
Editorial = 3.5
Audrey knows she doesn’t want to be the old lady with cats. But when she buys herself an iguana for her fifty-fifth birthday, she doesn’t expect that this simple act is the beginning of a voyage of self-rediscovery. Neither does she imagine that her next-door neighbor, a recent widower struggling with the demons of his past, will somehow figure in that journey. Along the way, the moments of angst are well-balanced with moments of humor and fun.
With today’s political environment as a backdrop, Giorgio shows us how youthful passions flame and subside, to be replaced by mature insight; how each individual’s life experience shapes how they deal with the world; and how Love and caring are a partnership and not a competition. Readers of up-market Women’s Fiction will likely also enjoy this novel.
Sublime Line: “Giorgio’s love of language shines in this poignant and thoughtful examination of the nature of relationships, the universal need for companionship, and the meaning of feminism in today’s world.”
Storyline & Concept = 5
Writing & Delivery = 4.5
Cover Marketability = 4.5
Editorial = 3.5
Audrey knows she doesn’t want to be the old lady with cats. But when she buys herself an iguana for her fifty-fifth birthday, she doesn’t expect that this simple act is the beginning of a voyage of self-rediscovery. Neither does she imagine that her next-door neighbor, a recent widower struggling with the demons of his past, will somehow figure in that journey. Along the way, the moments of angst are well-balanced with moments of humor and fun.
With today’s political environment as a backdrop, Giorgio shows us how youthful passions flame and subside, to be replaced by mature insight; how each individual’s life experience shapes how they deal with the world; and how Love and caring are a partnership and not a competition. Readers of up-market Women’s Fiction will likely also enjoy this novel.
Sublime Line: “Giorgio’s love of language shines in this poignant and thoughtful examination of the nature of relationships, the universal need for companionship, and the meaning of feminism in today’s world.”
September 3, 2019
This isn't just a book about a lady buying an iguana; it is about loneliness, grief, aging, feminism, politics and love. Above all it is about doing something about your situation. Don't feel powerless whether it be at work, in a relationship or with whichever rather disappointing government you happen to live under - go and do something. big or small, go and live your life.
Yes, I loved this book. It is a joyous, life affirming read.
Yes, I loved this book. It is a joyous, life affirming read.
August 3, 2019
Literary, realistic, and featuring a well-rounded character — I would gladly recommend If You Tame Me for readers of fiction that reflects life.
September 29, 2019
If You Tame Me is a delightful novel with likable quirky characters and laugh out loud moments. Yet It addresses serious issues too which makes this book so much more than typical chick lit. I related to this book as a “woman of a certain age” and an animal lover but I think it will appeal to a wider audience as well.
December 5, 2023
For the Love of an Iguana...
I loved this, as a woman of a certain age. I appreciated the thoughtful musings on aging, grief, the importance of pets, and the outrage at political changes. One of my favorite things about this book was that each chapter had a title! Seems silly, I know but I enjoyed the cleverness of each one. When I first saw this title, I immediately thought of The Little Prince but figured it was only a coincidence. It wasn't. How great is that? I'm sending a copy of this book to my college roommate... high praise indeed.
I loved this, as a woman of a certain age. I appreciated the thoughtful musings on aging, grief, the importance of pets, and the outrage at political changes. One of my favorite things about this book was that each chapter had a title! Seems silly, I know but I enjoyed the cleverness of each one. When I first saw this title, I immediately thought of The Little Prince but figured it was only a coincidence. It wasn't. How great is that? I'm sending a copy of this book to my college roommate... high praise indeed.
December 3, 2019
4,5
I was really positively surprised by this book! I initially requested it because of the iguana on the cover. As a reptile-lover, I couldn't say no to it, and I wasn't disappointed.
I was afraid the iguana would only be a "prop" in the story, but he turned out to be his own, lovable character. Speaking of characters, I loved all of them. Especially Audrey.
I also liked how the book talked a lot about feminism, and what it means to be a feminist. These things came up as internal or external dialogue from Audrey, as she thought a lot about whether she could call herself a feminist or not. A few times throughout the story, however, the discussion seemed a little bit repetitive and or unnatural, especially when Audrey was discussing with Anabel and Vicky.
Hurray for a non-problematic, healthy, sweet, relationship! There was no point in the story where the two love interests had a falling out, and then a dramatic make-up arc... no, it was just sweet and natural and the relationship itself did not take up the main part of the story, and ultimately the story was mostly about Audrey figuring herself out. I was a big fan of this.
I didn't really like the way Frank and Bob talked about Audrey, about how she was "different than other women" because she isn't "boring" and chooses a cat or dog as a pet. Okay. I personally have a reptile, but I love dogs and cats and a million other animals too, that I wish I could keep. I just felt a little iffy when they made it seem like people who are into cats are somehow boring or unattractive or not interesting. You can't judge someones personality on whether they like cats or not. I'm sure the author did not mean for it to be understood like that (especially as I read she herself has a cat and a dog), but still it rubbed me the wrong way for some reason.
Anyways, I generally really enjoyed this book. It was a very relaxing read, not boring, not over the top or dramatic... just nice.
Extra:
- The research done around iguanas was really thorough, and that made me happy
- I wish the cover didn't look like it was made in paint. Many readers choose a book by its cover
I was really positively surprised by this book! I initially requested it because of the iguana on the cover. As a reptile-lover, I couldn't say no to it, and I wasn't disappointed.
I was afraid the iguana would only be a "prop" in the story, but he turned out to be his own, lovable character. Speaking of characters, I loved all of them. Especially Audrey.
I also liked how the book talked a lot about feminism, and what it means to be a feminist. These things came up as internal or external dialogue from Audrey, as she thought a lot about whether she could call herself a feminist or not. A few times throughout the story, however, the discussion seemed a little bit repetitive and or unnatural, especially when Audrey was discussing with Anabel and Vicky.
Hurray for a non-problematic, healthy, sweet, relationship! There was no point in the story where the two love interests had a falling out, and then a dramatic make-up arc... no, it was just sweet and natural and the relationship itself did not take up the main part of the story, and ultimately the story was mostly about Audrey figuring herself out. I was a big fan of this.
I didn't really like the way Frank and Bob talked about Audrey, about how she was "different than other women" because she isn't "boring" and chooses a cat or dog as a pet. Okay. I personally have a reptile, but I love dogs and cats and a million other animals too, that I wish I could keep. I just felt a little iffy when they made it seem like people who are into cats are somehow boring or unattractive or not interesting. You can't judge someones personality on whether they like cats or not. I'm sure the author did not mean for it to be understood like that (especially as I read she herself has a cat and a dog), but still it rubbed me the wrong way for some reason.
Anyways, I generally really enjoyed this book. It was a very relaxing read, not boring, not over the top or dramatic... just nice.
Extra:
- The research done around iguanas was really thorough, and that made me happy
- I wish the cover didn't look like it was made in paint. Many readers choose a book by its cover
December 4, 2019
This is an endearing, engaging novel that held my interest from the very first page. I fell in love with Audrey first, then Newt (her iguana!) and then Frank and his six birds. I just couldn’t stop reading this. I’m in my early sixties and it gave me lots to think about as far as older love is concerned, also sexuality and feminism. I especially loved the way Audrey and Frank both thought of their animals as family. Both of Frank’s previous wives make important appearances even though one of them is dead, and I loved that too. The author made it all seem real and brandished humor throughout with the lightest feather touch. I will be reading more by Kathie Giorgio!
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
September 29, 2019
If You Tame Me
Kathie Giorgio
Black Rose Writing, Oct 3, 2019
268 pages
Women’s Lit, Life Passages, Adult Fiction
Provided by NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Since the first time I saw this cover, I was fascinated with this book, but I had no idea what it was about. Finally, I read the synopsis because I just couldn’t stand not knowing. I requested the book and was approved for it. I sat down and started reading it. I set it aside for a day or so and thought about it almost constantly. Then I picked it back up and finished it. Trust me, the iguana on the cover is not the one who needs taming. Though he does bite.
His name is Newton or Newt for short. He’s called that because Fig Newton cookies are Audrey’s favorite and she didn’t want a cat, too cliche.
At 55 and single all her life, Audrey feels she needs to have a partner of some kind. She gets Newt from the local pet store and they bond quite well. She has bookshelves full of human relationship books and she’s read them all and that’s what she bases her relationship with Newt on. She treats him just as she would a human partner. Giving him his own space. Spending time with him. Talking with him about his day and hers. She has an electric blanket on her bed and he has an electric hammock to sleep in. He no longer stays in the glass tank she brought him home in. He has a large tree to climb in her front bay window, it’s a sunny spot and he can see her go off to work and come home. She’s created bricked corners in each room for him. She’s very careful with his diet.
But even this relationship with Newt doesn’t seem to be filling the need Audrey seems to be feeling. A friend she makes at work at the mall convinces her to join an online dating service. But there’s the very nice guy who owns the pet store, Dave. And then there’s her next-door neighbor with the six parakeets who cleared her driveway the last time it snowed. That would be Frank.
Frank has his own relationship problems going on. He was married to wife #1 and they didn’t want children, so they were fine. Then wife #1 decided she wanted children and divorced him. He got married to wife #2. Wife #2 died of cancer and Frank moved to a new house with no memories and got six parakeets. Lately, he’s been running into wife #1, who’s a widow now and lonely. And wife #2 is a ghost and keeps visiting him. She’s trying to keep wife #1 away, but help Frank find a new woman.
While all this is going on, Audrey reconnects with her best friend from college and they run up and down memory lane and rebond to create an all-new friendship that suits their new maturity. And Audrey has made several young friends who work at the mall as she does. At 55, suddenly her world has expanded just with her opening her mind and her world to Newt. This story is about passages and opening one’s mind and world to ideas and people you may not have considered before. Where one change leads to another and another. I highly recommend this book to everyone, but especially to older readers who may be looking for a way to open their worlds a bit to some change. This is inspirational and fun.
Kathie Giorgio
Black Rose Writing, Oct 3, 2019
268 pages
Women’s Lit, Life Passages, Adult Fiction
Provided by NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Since the first time I saw this cover, I was fascinated with this book, but I had no idea what it was about. Finally, I read the synopsis because I just couldn’t stand not knowing. I requested the book and was approved for it. I sat down and started reading it. I set it aside for a day or so and thought about it almost constantly. Then I picked it back up and finished it. Trust me, the iguana on the cover is not the one who needs taming. Though he does bite.
His name is Newton or Newt for short. He’s called that because Fig Newton cookies are Audrey’s favorite and she didn’t want a cat, too cliche.
At 55 and single all her life, Audrey feels she needs to have a partner of some kind. She gets Newt from the local pet store and they bond quite well. She has bookshelves full of human relationship books and she’s read them all and that’s what she bases her relationship with Newt on. She treats him just as she would a human partner. Giving him his own space. Spending time with him. Talking with him about his day and hers. She has an electric blanket on her bed and he has an electric hammock to sleep in. He no longer stays in the glass tank she brought him home in. He has a large tree to climb in her front bay window, it’s a sunny spot and he can see her go off to work and come home. She’s created bricked corners in each room for him. She’s very careful with his diet.
But even this relationship with Newt doesn’t seem to be filling the need Audrey seems to be feeling. A friend she makes at work at the mall convinces her to join an online dating service. But there’s the very nice guy who owns the pet store, Dave. And then there’s her next-door neighbor with the six parakeets who cleared her driveway the last time it snowed. That would be Frank.
Frank has his own relationship problems going on. He was married to wife #1 and they didn’t want children, so they were fine. Then wife #1 decided she wanted children and divorced him. He got married to wife #2. Wife #2 died of cancer and Frank moved to a new house with no memories and got six parakeets. Lately, he’s been running into wife #1, who’s a widow now and lonely. And wife #2 is a ghost and keeps visiting him. She’s trying to keep wife #1 away, but help Frank find a new woman.
While all this is going on, Audrey reconnects with her best friend from college and they run up and down memory lane and rebond to create an all-new friendship that suits their new maturity. And Audrey has made several young friends who work at the mall as she does. At 55, suddenly her world has expanded just with her opening her mind and her world to Newt. This story is about passages and opening one’s mind and world to ideas and people you may not have considered before. Where one change leads to another and another. I highly recommend this book to everyone, but especially to older readers who may be looking for a way to open their worlds a bit to some change. This is inspirational and fun.
October 31, 2019
I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
As soon as I read this synopsis, I knew I had to request this title. I was very excited when it hit my shelf and I read it immediately. In fact, I read it twice. I felt so connected with Audrey. I understand her relationship with her iguana so well as I have a special pet companion in my life as well. Much like Audrey, I am very attached to my pet Sparky, a 10 year old African grey parrot that I would give up anything else in my life for. When I got to the part about Frank and his six parakeets, I smiled so big. Where is my Frank?!
The characters in this book are so quirky and loveable. Watching the relationship grow between Audrey and Frank was delightful. I loved the deep theme of feminism weaved into this story. I really loved this so much.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to review this title. I really enjoyed it.
As soon as I read this synopsis, I knew I had to request this title. I was very excited when it hit my shelf and I read it immediately. In fact, I read it twice. I felt so connected with Audrey. I understand her relationship with her iguana so well as I have a special pet companion in my life as well. Much like Audrey, I am very attached to my pet Sparky, a 10 year old African grey parrot that I would give up anything else in my life for. When I got to the part about Frank and his six parakeets, I smiled so big. Where is my Frank?!
The characters in this book are so quirky and loveable. Watching the relationship grow between Audrey and Frank was delightful. I loved the deep theme of feminism weaved into this story. I really loved this so much.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to review this title. I really enjoyed it.
March 2, 2020
Obtained through Goodreads Giveaways in exchange for a fair review.
I wasn't sure at first, but by the time this book hit its stride I was enjoying reading thoroughly :) Strongly recommended.
I wasn't sure at first, but by the time this book hit its stride I was enjoying reading thoroughly :) Strongly recommended.
September 18, 2024
Wonderful little treasure of a book!😍
This lovely, whimsical piece of women's fiction with a big dose of sweet, slow romance really took me by surprise in how I could not put it down. Author Kathie Giorgio did such a superlative job of presenting both the female point of view with Audrey and her friends, and insight into Frank's thoughts and feelings.
I was drawn to the book by the unusual cover (who would think of a close-up up of an iguana for such a story?!) and the title, which took me back to my favorite part of a children's classic, with a little fox who just wants a special someone of his own to tame him.
Here, Audrey is the one who, at 55 years of age and still single, longs for her own special someone. And she sets her life on a new trajectory when she finds a pet green iguana to share her life with. Soon friendships and sisterhood blossom and she gets to know her widower neighbor, also a pet lover who charms her with his thoughtfulness, his connection with her iguana and his gentle and hesitant efforts to court her. This is a man who respects her and she feels comfortable being herself with, not dressing and making up to please him.
And Audrey and her friends have thoughtful discussions about the true meaning of feminism, sometimes ruffling each other's feathers, but in the process really getting to understand each other, age and experience differences and all. It's 2017 and they discuss the 2016 election and That Man in The White House. If you are firmly set against criticism lobbed his way, this book is, unfortunately, probably not for you.
I loved the Frank character and the magic realism of having his dead second wife back to set him on the right path now that he's mourned her for three years and needs to get on with life. And Audrey's companionship with her lizard Newt is heartwarming.
I can't think of a single element in this story I did not like. It was so easy to fall in love with the main characters and their animal companions. I would love to see more of this type of story.
Thanks to Black Rose Writing and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
This lovely, whimsical piece of women's fiction with a big dose of sweet, slow romance really took me by surprise in how I could not put it down. Author Kathie Giorgio did such a superlative job of presenting both the female point of view with Audrey and her friends, and insight into Frank's thoughts and feelings.
I was drawn to the book by the unusual cover (who would think of a close-up up of an iguana for such a story?!) and the title, which took me back to my favorite part of a children's classic, with a little fox who just wants a special someone of his own to tame him.
Here, Audrey is the one who, at 55 years of age and still single, longs for her own special someone. And she sets her life on a new trajectory when she finds a pet green iguana to share her life with. Soon friendships and sisterhood blossom and she gets to know her widower neighbor, also a pet lover who charms her with his thoughtfulness, his connection with her iguana and his gentle and hesitant efforts to court her. This is a man who respects her and she feels comfortable being herself with, not dressing and making up to please him.
And Audrey and her friends have thoughtful discussions about the true meaning of feminism, sometimes ruffling each other's feathers, but in the process really getting to understand each other, age and experience differences and all. It's 2017 and they discuss the 2016 election and That Man in The White House. If you are firmly set against criticism lobbed his way, this book is, unfortunately, probably not for you.
I loved the Frank character and the magic realism of having his dead second wife back to set him on the right path now that he's mourned her for three years and needs to get on with life. And Audrey's companionship with her lizard Newt is heartwarming.
I can't think of a single element in this story I did not like. It was so easy to fall in love with the main characters and their animal companions. I would love to see more of this type of story.
Thanks to Black Rose Writing and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
September 26, 2024
When Donald Trump was elected in 2016, it was disheartening for many of us. This is particularly the case for women, who felt that they had made such strides over the years in regard to gaining equality and independence, only to have a confessed sexual abuser elected to the highest office in the land. Kathie Giorgio has written a book where a successful, independent woman asks questions of herself, the world, and her place in it after these events.
On her 55th birthday, Audrey finds herself taking stock. Her life isn’t the way she’s pictured it at all. In many ways, she’s a modern woman with a good job who owns her own home. However, her life seems to consist of work and coming home to an empty house. She has no close friends, and no romantic interests anywhere except in the past. She’s spurred on to make some changes. A gift certificate from a coworker has her shopping at Victoria’s Secret where she makes a friend of the salesgirl. Next, she visits a pet shop. She’s looking for a companion, but not a cat or dog.
Newt is what Audrey names her new iguana, after her favorite cookie, Fig Newtons. Rather than a pet, she sees him as a partner in her life. He gradually insinuates himself into her home, graduating from living in an aquarium to having free roam of the home.
At the same time, the widower next door begins noticing Audrey. It’s been three years since he lost his second wife to cancer, and he’s feeling the lack of a human presence in his life. However, he has six parakeets who keep him company.
All of this comes together in a fun romance novel that also examines what it means to be a woman in these uncertain times.
To read my full review please go to If You Tame Me by Kathie Giorgio – A Modern Woman’s Quest for Connection
On her 55th birthday, Audrey finds herself taking stock. Her life isn’t the way she’s pictured it at all. In many ways, she’s a modern woman with a good job who owns her own home. However, her life seems to consist of work and coming home to an empty house. She has no close friends, and no romantic interests anywhere except in the past. She’s spurred on to make some changes. A gift certificate from a coworker has her shopping at Victoria’s Secret where she makes a friend of the salesgirl. Next, she visits a pet shop. She’s looking for a companion, but not a cat or dog.
Newt is what Audrey names her new iguana, after her favorite cookie, Fig Newtons. Rather than a pet, she sees him as a partner in her life. He gradually insinuates himself into her home, graduating from living in an aquarium to having free roam of the home.
At the same time, the widower next door begins noticing Audrey. It’s been three years since he lost his second wife to cancer, and he’s feeling the lack of a human presence in his life. However, he has six parakeets who keep him company.
All of this comes together in a fun romance novel that also examines what it means to be a woman in these uncertain times.
To read my full review please go to If You Tame Me by Kathie Giorgio – A Modern Woman’s Quest for Connection
September 13, 2025
If You Tame Me by Kathie Giorgio drew me in with the promise of an iguana. It is right there on the cover! That's all I needed. I like animals. I like all animals. I have considered having an iguana, some other lizard, or an amphibian. They are interesting. I have always been afraid I would not be able to keep them alive. Then along comes Audrey who convinced me that a middle-aged, single woman living in Wisconsin can have an iguana. There are also parakeets in this book. I love birds and have had parakeets. They are a joy. Maybe I will also get parakeets again. I digress. There is more to this story than the animals. Audrey is facing a lot of the issues that women of an age living in today's world are facing. She has younger friends who don't see these issues the same way she does and is trying to understand them. Been there. There were a few things that I thought Audrey was maybe a little too sheltered or naive about or maybe that was just a reason to explain these things for an audience who might not be hip to what single life is currently like. There is some romance in this book. If you are not a big romance person (I am definitely not), you can still enjoy this.
January 26, 2020
I liked Audrey very much.
Her adventuresness - who else should buy an iguana?- , her perseverance in calling the president of the United States 'that man in the White House', her searchings on a dating site, het considering her iguana as a partner (I do not agree there, but it sure made me laugh).
I liked Frank too, and certainly his two wives. His shyness, his sneekiness even. I just loved this brilliant sentence: 'Frank hugged her, as well as a man in a winter overcoat can hug a dead wife who is a ghost.'
What I liked less were the continuous conversations, the continual thoughts she had about politics and feminism. Yes, I do like to read about feminism and I do like conversations (everyone who knows me will agree), but please - a bit less would have helped in enjoying the book. Now the book seems to me something between a romance and a feministic essay, that is a pity.
Her adventuresness - who else should buy an iguana?- , her perseverance in calling the president of the United States 'that man in the White House', her searchings on a dating site, het considering her iguana as a partner (I do not agree there, but it sure made me laugh).
I liked Frank too, and certainly his two wives. His shyness, his sneekiness even. I just loved this brilliant sentence: 'Frank hugged her, as well as a man in a winter overcoat can hug a dead wife who is a ghost.'
What I liked less were the continuous conversations, the continual thoughts she had about politics and feminism. Yes, I do like to read about feminism and I do like conversations (everyone who knows me will agree), but please - a bit less would have helped in enjoying the book. Now the book seems to me something between a romance and a feministic essay, that is a pity.
July 20, 2020
Being a self-proclaimed feminist who has written extensively on the subject, I enjoyed that particular aspect of this book, which was really the prevalent theme. I also enjoyed the growth of the main character, Audrey, later in life. On her 55th birthday, she began to take serious stock of her life. Buying an iguana got her out of her comfort zone, and the possibility of romance with her neighbor brought her out of her shell.
I gave the book four stars because, even though it was well-written, it did drag during Audrey's bouts of self-introspection and read much like a graduate-school thesis on feminism. But the concept was original, the characters likeable, and the dialogue realistic with some cute twists and turns that kept me turning the pages.
I gave the book four stars because, even though it was well-written, it did drag during Audrey's bouts of self-introspection and read much like a graduate-school thesis on feminism. But the concept was original, the characters likeable, and the dialogue realistic with some cute twists and turns that kept me turning the pages.
March 16, 2020
I don't know how I happened on this book. Not destined to be a classic, not a lyrical masterpiece, often a little stiff in descriptions of the main characters' thoughts. But you know, it was appealing anyway. I loved the iguana. And it was a thoughtful treatment of the perspective of a woman in her 50s, looking back at her life and evaluating it, and deciding who she wants to be now. Gloria Steinem, Donald Trump and 50 Shades of Grey appear and provide interesting context. The treatment of the main male character was a little quirkier. I liked him too, though. All in all, I wouldn't really recommend it, but I appreciated that it kept my mind off coronavirus.
January 28, 2020
If you tame me is about Audrey, a fifty-five year old woman. Who is craving a relationship with man. She starts her journey with Newt a green iguana. She trains him so that they can co-exist as partners. She surrounds herself with friends who are all different and eventually gets around to knowing her neighbor Frank. The book took a while to get Audrey & Frank together. However if was nothing short of bliss when they got together. I enjoyed the fact that Frank is older, but still interested in a woman over fifty.
April 7, 2020
A present day story of a middle aged woman who dislikes our president. She has never married. She has a responsible job and has purchased a home. She decides she is lonely and what and how she set out to solve her situation. She makes new friends and she purchases a pet to keep her company. A lizard. About 3/4 of the way though the book I started getting a little tired of it but continued to the end to find out how her new life was developing. Worth reading as it shows how a women developed from college on.
Read
March 10, 2021The story of a woman who wakes up on her fifty fifth birthday questioning where she has arrived in life and, in a decision to have a companion and a nontraditional one, brings an iguana home as a pet. Eventually she and the widower next door become romantically involved, keeping a place for their respective pets in their relationship. I really didn’t relate to the main character.
January 19, 2020
Nice easy read
Fun cozy romance with touch of discussion about what it means to be a feminist.
Enjoyed thevlaid back pace of middle age romance.
Fun cozy romance with touch of discussion about what it means to be a feminist.
Enjoyed thevlaid back pace of middle age romance.
February 12, 2020
Love, love, love Kathie Giorgio’s “If You Tame Me”! In these frightening and difficult times, it’s so good to read a happy story about a woman we can identify with.
November 20, 2019
* I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book. *
Single department store manager Audrey has just turned 55 and is wondering where the life she thought she would have went. She would like a relationship with a man but does she actually need one, like a fish needs a bicycle. She decides it is time to make more of an effort and goes to a pet shop seeking an animal to share her time with. Deciding that a cat would be just too stereotypical, she comes home with an iguana and starts to focus her care and attention on it.
Audrey’s neighbour Frank is a 60-something widower who has dealt with the loss of his wife by raising parakeets and treating them as family. He has seen Audrey around and quite fancies her. When he notices her iguana, he starts to think that might be a way to strike up a friendship, and maybe more.
The plot of this novel promises to be a fairly typical rom-com, but there are elements that lift it above that. The age of the main protagonists allows Giorgio to explore themes of loneliness and loss after separation from and the death of loved ones. She also, through Audrey’s Gloria Steinem obsession, explores some issues relating to feminism and what it means both to younger women and to the former radicals who have now reached middle age. I quite liked this book; the only jarring note for me was Frank’s regular chats with the ghost of his dead wife, which we are apparently mean to take at face value. That was just a bit too Hollywood-sequel for my tastes.
Single department store manager Audrey has just turned 55 and is wondering where the life she thought she would have went. She would like a relationship with a man but does she actually need one, like a fish needs a bicycle. She decides it is time to make more of an effort and goes to a pet shop seeking an animal to share her time with. Deciding that a cat would be just too stereotypical, she comes home with an iguana and starts to focus her care and attention on it.
Audrey’s neighbour Frank is a 60-something widower who has dealt with the loss of his wife by raising parakeets and treating them as family. He has seen Audrey around and quite fancies her. When he notices her iguana, he starts to think that might be a way to strike up a friendship, and maybe more.
The plot of this novel promises to be a fairly typical rom-com, but there are elements that lift it above that. The age of the main protagonists allows Giorgio to explore themes of loneliness and loss after separation from and the death of loved ones. She also, through Audrey’s Gloria Steinem obsession, explores some issues relating to feminism and what it means both to younger women and to the former radicals who have now reached middle age. I quite liked this book; the only jarring note for me was Frank’s regular chats with the ghost of his dead wife, which we are apparently mean to take at face value. That was just a bit too Hollywood-sequel for my tastes.
September 9, 2023
This was such a good book… simple story, enough to take your mind off your day. The iguana and the birds were a wonderful part of the story! I look forward to more stories from this author. Nothing too heavy or mushy…. Just a good story.
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