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Getting Warmer
Natalie Quackenbush is approaching thirty, drowning in debt-and did she mention she lives with her parents? It's the kind of small talk she'd rather avoid. So she and her friends have found a new way to entertain themselves on the Scottsdale, Arizona singles scene: lying.
It's an innocent game, but when Natalie meets a guy she actually likes-and wants to see again-how will she explain that her mother isn't actually insane? Or that she doesn't really work with convicted murderers? If she can find a way out of her lies without destroying this fragile new relationship along the way, she might just wind up with something real.
It's an innocent game, but when Natalie meets a guy she actually likes-and wants to see again-how will she explain that her mother isn't actually insane? Or that she doesn't really work with convicted murderers? If she can find a way out of her lies without destroying this fragile new relationship along the way, she might just wind up with something real.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 2, 2007
6 people are currently reading
458 people want to read
About the author
Carol Snow
40 books226 followersCalled “an author to watch” by Booklist, Carol Snow is an American author of contemporary women’s fiction and young adult literature. After graduating from Brown University with a degree in psychology, she spent many years writing literary short stories before accepting that she couldn't go more than a few hundred words without cracking a joke. She eventually turned her attention to crafting humorous, heartfelt stories with a wider commercial appeal, and In 2006, Berkley/Penguin published her first novel, Been There, Done That, which Publisher's Weekly called “humorous, wise . . . romance with a bit of social commentary.” Since then, she has written four more books for adults, Getting Warmer (2007), Here Today, Gone to Maui (2009), Just Like Me, Only Better (2010), and the upcoming What Came First (2011), about which Laura Fitzgerald, bestselling author of Veil of Roses, said, “Carol Snow mixes her trademark humor with tenderness and understanding in this good-mom/bad-mom tale of unexpected twists and turns.” Carol has also written two young adult books for HarperCollins, Switch (2008), an ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, and Snap (2009). Foreign rights to her books have sold to publishers in Germany, Norway, and Romania.
Carol Snow grew up in New Jersey. Much of her childhood was spent immersed in books; the rest was focused on avoiding dodgeball. In addition to her psychology degree from Brown University, she holds an M.A.T. in English from Boston College. Before getting her first book published, she had the typical (for a writer) assortment of odd jobs: tour guide, tutor, chambermaid, waitress. She worked for a T-shirt company, a child services agency, and a vanity press. She even had a short stint in local politics. Her campaign brochures were really pretty, with flawless punctuation.
Since leaving New Jersey, Carol has lived all over the place: Rhode Island, London, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Utah, Arizona, and, now, Southern California, where she shares a cat-fur-coated house with her husband and their two children.
Carol Snow grew up in New Jersey. Much of her childhood was spent immersed in books; the rest was focused on avoiding dodgeball. In addition to her psychology degree from Brown University, she holds an M.A.T. in English from Boston College. Before getting her first book published, she had the typical (for a writer) assortment of odd jobs: tour guide, tutor, chambermaid, waitress. She worked for a T-shirt company, a child services agency, and a vanity press. She even had a short stint in local politics. Her campaign brochures were really pretty, with flawless punctuation.
Since leaving New Jersey, Carol has lived all over the place: Rhode Island, London, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Utah, Arizona, and, now, Southern California, where she shares a cat-fur-coated house with her husband and their two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
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September 30, 2020Couldn’t force myself to finish this. Really dislike romantic stories that are based on meaningless lies, especially when the author takes no time to develop interesting or likable characters. Not worth the effort. Sorry author.
April 10, 2012
I loved this book. Getting Warmer is about a woman named Natalie Quakenbush, a high school English teacher who invents stories to tell in the bar scene for entertainment. That's all well and good until she meets Jonathan, a guy she actually likes, but has already spun her tales and now has to come clean. For the record, I am a high school Social Studies teacher, so a lot of what I read resonated with me - feeling like you aren't making a difference, parent involvement, connections with kids who can't see their own potential - and I really enjoyed that.
I was extremely interested in what would happen in the story and I wanted to read it all the time. It helps that it's baseball season and I can't watch TV again until September. However, I think I would have chosen to read this without having the TV occupied by the Mets.
Natalie seems incredibly real. She could be any woman, she is true and not at all forced. None of the characters in the book are forced, at that. I really enjoyed that everyone had traditional names - Natalie, Shelly, Jill, Robert - I really hate the license authors take with bizarro names these days.
Overall I was extremely pleased with this book and I will be recommending it to some teacher friends who enjoy chick lit like me :)
I was extremely interested in what would happen in the story and I wanted to read it all the time. It helps that it's baseball season and I can't watch TV again until September. However, I think I would have chosen to read this without having the TV occupied by the Mets.
Natalie seems incredibly real. She could be any woman, she is true and not at all forced. None of the characters in the book are forced, at that. I really enjoyed that everyone had traditional names - Natalie, Shelly, Jill, Robert - I really hate the license authors take with bizarro names these days.
Overall I was extremely pleased with this book and I will be recommending it to some teacher friends who enjoy chick lit like me :)
October 11, 2024
4★
Natalie Quakenbush is a quirky character. Even her last name is odd and is even picked on by her students behind her back (though she still knows about it). It's a cute chick lit romance. It was just a little predictable. What I liked about this was that it centered more around the main character, Natalie. She's 29 and fearing turning 30 (wasn't so long ago I had those days, and my youngest sister just passed that. Made fun saying that she's now 3 decades old).
The description of Natalie's teaching classes was a little hard to picture. They were all different age classes (freshman - senior high school). Plus the class schedules changed around too much to follow. Some of the high school kids I liked, but I felt that Natalie was very judgemental of all her students (not just the one kid who she thought was Satan's spawn).
Some of the lies Natalie and her friends come up with while bar hopping is funny. And some I probably would've used to keep the guys I didn't like away. Except Natalie lied too much to strangers that she lies to a potential boyfriend.
The author's description of Arizona I really liked. Felt like I was really there, heat and all. I look forward to reading other books by Carol
Natalie Quakenbush is a quirky character. Even her last name is odd and is even picked on by her students behind her back (though she still knows about it). It's a cute chick lit romance. It was just a little predictable. What I liked about this was that it centered more around the main character, Natalie. She's 29 and fearing turning 30 (wasn't so long ago I had those days, and my youngest sister just passed that. Made fun saying that she's now 3 decades old).
The description of Natalie's teaching classes was a little hard to picture. They were all different age classes (freshman - senior high school). Plus the class schedules changed around too much to follow. Some of the high school kids I liked, but I felt that Natalie was very judgemental of all her students (not just the one kid who she thought was Satan's spawn).
Some of the lies Natalie and her friends come up with while bar hopping is funny. And some I probably would've used to keep the guys I didn't like away. Except Natalie lied too much to strangers that she lies to a potential boyfriend.
The author's description of Arizona I really liked. Felt like I was really there, heat and all. I look forward to reading other books by Carol
October 29, 2020
Didn't really get that far into the book, as it did not pull me in. Wasn't my style. The thing is, I repeatedly get the book, don't like it, and read it again, simply because last time i read it i fell asleep. Well, I was wide awake this time, and i promise i DID NOT LIKE IT. AT. ALL.
June 28, 2022
Girl meets guy, girl lies to guy, guy finds out and leaves her, they reconcile, the end…..
November 3, 2023
Read this in a day. Seriously, one day. But late into the evening to see how the author would handle the suspense. It was handled well. I recommend this book for light reading.
May 14, 2014
Have you ever bought a book and forgot why you wanted to read it?
This is a book review about that sort of thing. Guilty, completely guilty.
Years ago, before I was a Barnes and Noble member, I had One More Book Syndrome. Holla if you hear me on this one. Barnes and Noble has free shipping on orders over twenty five dollars. They’d also run specials like Buy Three Books, Get One Free. Fantastic! I love a good deal. This was all trickery I’m sure, because once you got to the checkout page with your four books, your total would be roughly eighteen dollars. This is where you had to make a choice. Would you pay for shipping or would you buy just one more book? Buying one more books is the rational thing to do. If you are going to shell out more money, you might as well come away with a lovely story in your hands. Agreed?
I’m sure that’s how I obtained getting warmer and no sooner than I bought it I forgot about it. It’s been sitting a lonely life on my bookshelf. Whenever I would glance for a title to read, buyer’s amnesia would hit me and I wouldn’t remember one darn detail about the book. Getting Warmer, I would think to myself. Did I buy some cheesy romance novel? Did I get myself into some paper porn? What was I thinking? And so, Getting Warmer was ignored.
When I committed myself to reading every book on my bookshelves before buying another book, I dreaded the day that this book would be next in line. The day came and I slid the book off the shelf and loudly said, “Ugh.”
WHAT AN IDIOT I HAVE BEEN FOR PUTTING THIS BOOK OFF!
It wasn’t a cheesy romance novel or sexy, sexy book at all! This book was hilarious! Getting Warmer isn’t about stripping down and getting naked with someone! It’s about getting closer and closer to the truth! Natalie is guilty of something I know I have done and I assume others have done as well. You are at a bar. You are having a few drinks. You are approached by someone and when they introduce themselves you have the option to be honest or totally screw with this person you’ll never see again.
I’ve done it and if I was still on the bar hopping scene I’d do it again. It’s so much fun.
And here is a book with characters who are doing it, too!
Okay, so it does backfire on Natalie, but even the backfiring is pretty hilarious.
This is one of those books that the characters feel so authentic (frighteningly so… because they feel like they were based on you and your friends). This is another author that I plan to get more acquainted with when my challenge is over.
www.melaniejomoore.com
This is a book review about that sort of thing. Guilty, completely guilty.
Years ago, before I was a Barnes and Noble member, I had One More Book Syndrome. Holla if you hear me on this one. Barnes and Noble has free shipping on orders over twenty five dollars. They’d also run specials like Buy Three Books, Get One Free. Fantastic! I love a good deal. This was all trickery I’m sure, because once you got to the checkout page with your four books, your total would be roughly eighteen dollars. This is where you had to make a choice. Would you pay for shipping or would you buy just one more book? Buying one more books is the rational thing to do. If you are going to shell out more money, you might as well come away with a lovely story in your hands. Agreed?
I’m sure that’s how I obtained getting warmer and no sooner than I bought it I forgot about it. It’s been sitting a lonely life on my bookshelf. Whenever I would glance for a title to read, buyer’s amnesia would hit me and I wouldn’t remember one darn detail about the book. Getting Warmer, I would think to myself. Did I buy some cheesy romance novel? Did I get myself into some paper porn? What was I thinking? And so, Getting Warmer was ignored.
When I committed myself to reading every book on my bookshelves before buying another book, I dreaded the day that this book would be next in line. The day came and I slid the book off the shelf and loudly said, “Ugh.”
WHAT AN IDIOT I HAVE BEEN FOR PUTTING THIS BOOK OFF!
It wasn’t a cheesy romance novel or sexy, sexy book at all! This book was hilarious! Getting Warmer isn’t about stripping down and getting naked with someone! It’s about getting closer and closer to the truth! Natalie is guilty of something I know I have done and I assume others have done as well. You are at a bar. You are having a few drinks. You are approached by someone and when they introduce themselves you have the option to be honest or totally screw with this person you’ll never see again.
I’ve done it and if I was still on the bar hopping scene I’d do it again. It’s so much fun.
And here is a book with characters who are doing it, too!
Okay, so it does backfire on Natalie, but even the backfiring is pretty hilarious.
This is one of those books that the characters feel so authentic (frighteningly so… because they feel like they were based on you and your friends). This is another author that I plan to get more acquainted with when my challenge is over.
www.melaniejomoore.com
October 29, 2010
High school teacher Natalie Quackenbush’s life is not going exactly as she’d planned. She followed her parents out to Arizona following a bad breakup, and although the plan was for her to stay with them only as long as it took her to get on her feet again, she’s been there for so long her parents don’t bother asking when she’s leaving anymore. Her students refuse to do any work, and the highlight of her days is going to happy hour with her best friend to make up crazy stories to tell the guys they meet.
Following a particularly humiliating blind date, Natalie finds herself talking to a handsome man at the bar. Without even realizing what she’s doing, she’s made up an entire alternate life for herself. Instead of being a high school teacher, she teaches literacy at the nearby prison. Yes, she lives with her parents, but it’s only to help take care of her mother with Alzheimer’s, which her mother doesn’t really have. What Natalie thought would be just another one of her crazy story sessions turns into something more when she finds herself becoming attracted to this perfect stranger. When he returns her feelings and a relationship starts to coalesce, all Natalie can think about are the lies she told when they first met. How long can Natalie keep the truth from him? What will happen to their romance once he finds out?
Carol Snow does a wonderful job creating realistic, likable characters. Natalie is genuinely flawed, and readers can’t help but like her for it. In another’s hands the lying plotline might have backfired, making the liar unlikable to the reader, but here Snow engages the reader so that we want Natalie to come clean but understand why she’s hesitant. I sincerely hope that Carol Snow’s debut book, Been There, Done That, is as much fun as her sophomore effort. If so, I’m sure I’ll be waiting on pins and needles for her next release.
Following a particularly humiliating blind date, Natalie finds herself talking to a handsome man at the bar. Without even realizing what she’s doing, she’s made up an entire alternate life for herself. Instead of being a high school teacher, she teaches literacy at the nearby prison. Yes, she lives with her parents, but it’s only to help take care of her mother with Alzheimer’s, which her mother doesn’t really have. What Natalie thought would be just another one of her crazy story sessions turns into something more when she finds herself becoming attracted to this perfect stranger. When he returns her feelings and a relationship starts to coalesce, all Natalie can think about are the lies she told when they first met. How long can Natalie keep the truth from him? What will happen to their romance once he finds out?
Carol Snow does a wonderful job creating realistic, likable characters. Natalie is genuinely flawed, and readers can’t help but like her for it. In another’s hands the lying plotline might have backfired, making the liar unlikable to the reader, but here Snow engages the reader so that we want Natalie to come clean but understand why she’s hesitant. I sincerely hope that Carol Snow’s debut book, Been There, Done That, is as much fun as her sophomore effort. If so, I’m sure I’ll be waiting on pins and needles for her next release.
September 23, 2013
Reviewed by Lissa Staley
Posted December 11, 2006
Women's Fiction | Romance Contemporary
Since moving in with her parents in Arizona last year and taking a job teaching high school English, Natalie has gone to great lengths to make her life more interesting. When she and her friend Jill hit the happy hour singles scene after work, it's like they become different people. Whenever they decide to ditch the boring guys who bought their drinks, the "truth" comes out, and they drive the men away by divulging unattractive and ridiculous lies about each other. Since she's otherwise an upstanding citizen, Natalie doesn't have any regrets about lying to men in bars, until she meets Jonathan. Unfortunately, by the time she realizes he isn't an alcoholic loser, she's already confided that she teaches reading to prisoners and cares for her crazy homebound mother. What is a girl to do when love at first sight is based on some very unwieldy un- truths?
Luckily, Natalie's lies don't affect her relationships with her coworkers and students; easy banter between friends and witty comebacks make her conversations sparkle. Carol Snow gives her minor characters room to shine, from the ambitious school secretary with a handful of bridal registries and no groom in sight, to Natalie's older sister and her perpetual grad student boyfriend back on the East Coast. Natalie's efforts to find an internship to help a struggling student stay in school are admirable, but the terrors of student pranks and behind the scenes glimpses of the teachers' lounge keep the story moving. Snow follows up on her undercover reporter story BEEN THERE, DONE THAT with another great read exploring the lives and loves of likable emerging young women. This refreshingly honest story reveals some funny, sexy and meaningful moments, and that's no lie!
Posted December 11, 2006
Women's Fiction | Romance Contemporary
Since moving in with her parents in Arizona last year and taking a job teaching high school English, Natalie has gone to great lengths to make her life more interesting. When she and her friend Jill hit the happy hour singles scene after work, it's like they become different people. Whenever they decide to ditch the boring guys who bought their drinks, the "truth" comes out, and they drive the men away by divulging unattractive and ridiculous lies about each other. Since she's otherwise an upstanding citizen, Natalie doesn't have any regrets about lying to men in bars, until she meets Jonathan. Unfortunately, by the time she realizes he isn't an alcoholic loser, she's already confided that she teaches reading to prisoners and cares for her crazy homebound mother. What is a girl to do when love at first sight is based on some very unwieldy un- truths?
Luckily, Natalie's lies don't affect her relationships with her coworkers and students; easy banter between friends and witty comebacks make her conversations sparkle. Carol Snow gives her minor characters room to shine, from the ambitious school secretary with a handful of bridal registries and no groom in sight, to Natalie's older sister and her perpetual grad student boyfriend back on the East Coast. Natalie's efforts to find an internship to help a struggling student stay in school are admirable, but the terrors of student pranks and behind the scenes glimpses of the teachers' lounge keep the story moving. Snow follows up on her undercover reporter story BEEN THERE, DONE THAT with another great read exploring the lives and loves of likable emerging young women. This refreshingly honest story reveals some funny, sexy and meaningful moments, and that's no lie!
August 24, 2010
You won't want to put this book down!
I was laughing so hard by page 10 that tears were streaming down my face and the fun didn't stop until the last page. Snow's book is hilarious. I received this book for Christmas and once I started reading I couldn't stop.
There is a little bit of Natalie Quackenbush in all of us. Natalie is struggling to grow-up and find herself. Along the way she tells lies (usually for fun) and not meant to hurt anyone but in the end she only hurts herself. The lessons she learns however, help her discover what she really wants and what is important. Snow weaves a funny, engaging and often surprising story.
I was laughing so hard by page 10 that tears were streaming down my face and the fun didn't stop until the last page. Snow's book is hilarious. I received this book for Christmas and once I started reading I couldn't stop.
There is a little bit of Natalie Quackenbush in all of us. Natalie is struggling to grow-up and find herself. Along the way she tells lies (usually for fun) and not meant to hurt anyone but in the end she only hurts herself. The lessons she learns however, help her discover what she really wants and what is important. Snow weaves a funny, engaging and often surprising story.
August 24, 2010
This is a very good book! It is about a teacher (Natalie Quackenbush) who lives with her parents and is bored with her life. She tries to add some spice to her life by going out with her best friend. When they are out, they make up stories about their lives to add even more excitement (and to rid themselves of men they are not interested in). However, Natalie tells her lies to a man she starts to really fall for and she does not know how to tell him the truth about her life. This book is cute and funny!
August 24, 2010
Another quick, funny summer read. Imagine if Lucy and Ethel worked at a highschool in Scottsdale. Imagine they ebellish the story of their lives when hanging out in the Scottsdale singles scene (especially when happy hour's over). Natalie and her friend Jill think it's pretty funny to pretend to be someone else when fending off guys at hotel bars. So, what happens when one day, Natalie finds a winner? How will she ever confess that she doesn't teach at a prison? She's got a lot of explaining to do, and who knows if Jonathan will listen.
August 25, 2010
Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive. Natalie and her friends often go to the bar after work and when they meet new people they give them false names and make up stories about their lives. One day Natalie meets a guy and makes up some whoppers which he believes but comes to regret them later on when she finds herself falling for him. How will he feel when he finds out that she isn't a teacher at the local prison and directing a play with the inmates playing the roles?
December 29, 2011
Bought this with some leftover points on a book gift certificate - it was cheap and I didn't have many points left, so there ya have it. This book is not something I would be thrilled to get or read otherwise, unfortunately. Pretty lame chick lit, really, with very little substance. A young teacher lives at home, has bad luck with men, does stupid stuff, eventually gets the guy. Fluff at it's finest. Not bad, but not so great either.
August 13, 2015
This was a pretty good book I liked how it took place in Scottsdale Arizona and surrounding cities. I went to Arizona this past year so I knew all the places they were talking about and what they were like. There were also some pretty comical parts in this book and it had some good laughs. Like how she lied to the guy she was dating that her mom was crazy and tried to kill the FedEx man with a butter knife. Pretty good book 4/5
June 29, 2010
This is the second book I've read by Carol Snow, and it was also my least favorite. There's nothing wrong with this book, but it uses the same formula as many other romantic comedies/"chick lit" books: girl meets boy, girl falls in love with boy, something happens that breaks them up, girl tries to win boy back.
It was a good, fun book, but nothing amazing. A good beach read.
It was a good, fun book, but nothing amazing. A good beach read.
September 2, 2011
This is the first book that I've read by Carol Snow and I wasn't impressed. The storyline was ok and reunion between boy and girl was weak. I did chuckle a few times, but overall I was pretty bored reading this book. I'm willing to read another book by this author to see if its any better.
This was an ok light predictable beach chick lit read.
This was an ok light predictable beach chick lit read.
August 24, 2010
I really liked this book. I thought it took some interesting turns and it definitely kept me interested. It certainly not a deep or complicated book -- which is what I needed to bring me down from stressful times.
August 24, 2010
I loved this book! I really liked Natalie & reading about her school, especially the "Adventures" class & how she helped Robert, the learning disabled student find what he was good at & become successful, & how Jonathan helped her.
August 24, 2010
Really fun read bout a thirtysomething school teacher in Scottsdale. For those of us who live in the Valley, you'll find the local references amusing.
A fun read-great for lying on the beach or for a long flight.
A fun read-great for lying on the beach or for a long flight.
August 25, 2010
Natalie Quackenbush is a high school English teacher who doesn't like her job and decides to spice up her life by telling lies to people she meets in bars. But when she lies to a man she ends up falling in love with, has she ruined everything? Enjoyable.
July 19, 2010
Cute but not nearly as good as "Here Today, Gone to Maui", which had a much more compelling plot and characters. This one was more of a typical "click lit" novel and the protagonist was less endearing.
August 30, 2013
The writing is an easy read but the storyline is kind of lame. When I read the back of the book I thought, "this could be a fun book to read", but once I started reading it I was disappointed. However I did manage to read it in just a few days, so it wasn't too bad.
June 16, 2014
The book was pretty good. I started reading it in the morning, took a few breaks, and finished it in the early evening. I really enjoyed some of the characters, but others felt fake/flat to me. It wasn't my favorite book, but I might reread it again sometime in a few years.
August 24, 2010
Laugh-out-loud funny and I couldn't put it down. Great if you're looking for a light, escapist read.
August 24, 2010
a good story - easy read. This book would make a good beach read.
October 22, 2011
Eh, it was okay, but a lot of stuff going on, at one point I felt like the author lost the point of the story. Had to finish it to see if it ever went anywhere, and it sort of did.
August 24, 2010
This was an okay book. The woman is a little quirky and it's a funny read. It's something I would recommend for someone who wants light reading.
August 24, 2010
I loved this book!! Super cute romance... just what i needed after a more serious book. def a quick read. thanks erin for makin me buy this from b&n!
August 24, 2010
I did not expect to like this book but I could not put it down at times. I loved Natalie's character and although I usually hate this kind of plot line, I could not put it down.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews