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The Not-So-Perfect Man: A Romantic Comedy About a Widow Choosing Love Over Perfect
As far as her family and friends are concerned,Frieda has been the grieving widow for long enough. At 35, she's still (relatively) young, still (adequately) attractive. Her sex drive is very much alive; even Frieda admits she'd like to put it to use again. Besides, she has a son who certainly needs a father figure. With visions of the perfect second husband in mind, Frieda's sisters start to send eligible males in her direction. Big sister Ilene -- herself substantially married -- has found the ultimateunattached a gorgeous, independently wealthy, successful, divorced father, pillar of society and paragon of potential. What more could a single mom ask for?Apparently a lot more than loved ones realize. Frieda's own efforts bearvery tasty fruit. Sam is young, talented, devoted, and incredibly sexy -- though broke, only sporadically employed, and clueless about kids. But he makes Frieda feel brand-spanking-new, in a most wonderfully wanton way. When all is said and done, does Frieda really need the "perfect man" ... or the far-from-ideal man who's perfect for her?
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 20, 2004
8 people are currently reading
383 people want to read
About the author
Valerie Frankel
52 books115 followersShe's written twenty books (e.g., The Accidental Virgin and The Girlfriend Curse), and contributed to dozens of publications including the New York Times, Self, Allure, Glamour, Parenting and Good Housekeeping. Her memoir, Thin Is the New Happy, about overcoming bad body image after 30 years of dieting and self-loathing, was recently described as "Rueful, zestful and surprisingly funny," by the New York Times.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
July 6, 2017
the sypnosis is a little bit off. i mean when i read it i thought the book is all about Freida finding her perfect man.. but all in all the story is nice an easy read.
September 17, 2024
Very light & easy. Just what i needed.
January 26, 2008
Cute, but kind of disappointing.
October 26, 2012
Fairly decent book but not one I would read again.
March 30, 2023
Oh my what a lovely read it was. I was not anxious or worried about what's gonna happen next and I was simply relaxed as I read this book . Really had a great time.
It had drama, it had fun , it had love and it had heartache.
Other than the lovely package stated above it had lots of insecurities and I loved how they all worked in their own way to get over it .(personally I found that really inspiring).
If you are in that phase where you are kind a getting bored with the high-school drama or the young love and wanna read about the love stories of grownups and how they deal with love and adulting simultaneously, you will really enjoy this book.
So, do I recommend this book ?
Oh Yes.
It's worth your time😊
It had drama, it had fun , it had love and it had heartache.
Other than the lovely package stated above it had lots of insecurities and I loved how they all worked in their own way to get over it .(personally I found that really inspiring).
If you are in that phase where you are kind a getting bored with the high-school drama or the young love and wanna read about the love stories of grownups and how they deal with love and adulting simultaneously, you will really enjoy this book.
So, do I recommend this book ?
Oh Yes.
It's worth your time😊
November 22, 2020
When I started reading this book, I really enjoyed it, but with each chapter, some of the characters constantly got worse.
Illene was rude and demeaning towards Peter, who put up her her shit for way longer than he should have. She also felt the need to control her grieving sisters love life, which I felt was unnecessary and her constant comments about weight towards Peter and Betty were absolutely rude.
Despite her terrible character, I didn’t mind the book, it was a quick easy read.
Illene was rude and demeaning towards Peter, who put up her her shit for way longer than he should have. She also felt the need to control her grieving sisters love life, which I felt was unnecessary and her constant comments about weight towards Peter and Betty were absolutely rude.
Despite her terrible character, I didn’t mind the book, it was a quick easy read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2024
Cerita tentang satu keluarga dengan 3 anak perempuan yang kisah cintanya berbeda semua wkwkw literally berbeda banget nasibnya. Penuh tawa tapi juga "ngenes". Gue nikmatin ceritanya tapi endingnya agak terlalu apa ya.... Kek memaksakan??? Kaya cerita yg di buru-buru aja gitu😩 dari awal sampe sebelum scene terakhir gue nikmatin banget tpi big no di akhir.
October 23, 2019
This was my first so called "beach read" I guess. I really enjoyed it and got real mad at the characters! Overall, I wish the writing was a little more coherent, but the dynamics and interaction had me finishing this book very late into the night.
April 14, 2024
I think I bought this book at a thrift store for $1, and it was a good purchase. Nothing earth-shattering or unforgettable, but a cute little story, quick and easy read, very enjoyable!
September 25, 2024
This one was pretty cute
June 20, 2019
According to her sister Ilene, thirty-five year old Frieda has grieved over her husband's death long enough. It's been over a year, and Ilene believes that single mom Frieda doesn't have any time to waste in finding another husband. Ilene is happily married to Peter, and she wants nothing more than for Frieda to experience the same bliss. All is not as perfect in Ilene's marriage as she likes to portray. Peter has put on some weight over the past few years, and Ilene doesn't find him attractive anymore. She constantly pushes him to work on weight loss 'for his health.'
The third (and youngest) sister in this mix is Betty, who pushes men away with rudeness. She runs interference between her two older sisters, often being the voice of reason and keeper of secrets. Ilene wants to fix Frieda up with the perfect man - handsome, intelligent, great job, loves kids. Frieda likes him, but the passion just isn't there. And then there's Sam, a stage actor whom Frieda meets in her frame shop. The chemistry ignites from the first moment. But Sam travels a great deal, has no money, and doesn't know how to relate to Frieda's son. Is anything lasting likely between Frieda and the 'not-so-perfect' Sam? Or does she need to settle for stability instead?
This is a fun new offering in the chick lit genre. The characters are endearing. Although there are aspects of each sister that you will love to hate, there are also those that you will just love. Ilene, Frieda, and Betty are true-to-life, and far from perfect themselves. The descriptions of Frieda's dates are laugh-out-loud funny and probably a fair representation of the types of single men available to a thirty-five year old woman. I admired the relationship between the sisters and their desire to help each other, even though their help is not always beneficial.
The Not-so-Perfect Man is an enjoyable afternoon's read. It's light but also poignant as the characters learn about themselves through the course of the book. Romance lovers will be thrilled with Valerie Frankel's latest offering, complete with giggles, misunderstandings, and a supremely happy ending.
The third (and youngest) sister in this mix is Betty, who pushes men away with rudeness. She runs interference between her two older sisters, often being the voice of reason and keeper of secrets. Ilene wants to fix Frieda up with the perfect man - handsome, intelligent, great job, loves kids. Frieda likes him, but the passion just isn't there. And then there's Sam, a stage actor whom Frieda meets in her frame shop. The chemistry ignites from the first moment. But Sam travels a great deal, has no money, and doesn't know how to relate to Frieda's son. Is anything lasting likely between Frieda and the 'not-so-perfect' Sam? Or does she need to settle for stability instead?
This is a fun new offering in the chick lit genre. The characters are endearing. Although there are aspects of each sister that you will love to hate, there are also those that you will just love. Ilene, Frieda, and Betty are true-to-life, and far from perfect themselves. The descriptions of Frieda's dates are laugh-out-loud funny and probably a fair representation of the types of single men available to a thirty-five year old woman. I admired the relationship between the sisters and their desire to help each other, even though their help is not always beneficial.
The Not-so-Perfect Man is an enjoyable afternoon's read. It's light but also poignant as the characters learn about themselves through the course of the book. Romance lovers will be thrilled with Valerie Frankel's latest offering, complete with giggles, misunderstandings, and a supremely happy ending.
April 28, 2014
I picked this up on impulse at the library, figuring some fluff would be nice. This book certainly fit the bill! It ended up being my companion for a racing weekend at Barber. (Sorry, not all races are interesting.)
It's the tale of three sisters and their man troubles, basically. Frieda is a widow whose sister keeps trying to fix her up with people before she's ready. Ilene is the controlling sister, who's very pushy and critical--quite unlikeable in most situations. Betty is the frumpy sister with a bad attitude. Frieda finally falls in love with a starving actor, and they have fantastic, escapist sex all the time, much to the disapproval of her sisters. She's too stuck on herself and obsessed with status to stay with him in the long term, though. (…or is she? suspense!) Meanwhile, Ilene is completely bitchy to her husband, who starts the book as an overweight dishrag with no self-esteem. And Betty falls in love with an arrogant ass who takes her on as a makeover project.
All of the characters were grating, whiny, and annoying throughout most of the book--just a bunch of wretched people, wouldn't want to know any of them. They all manage some growth by the end, which is good, but they kind of still seemed like assholes to me. There was also a lot of ham-fisted puns and slapstick humor attempts, and the ending felt rushed and a bit too perfect. But overall, I enjoyed reading it, and it suited its purpose well.
It's the tale of three sisters and their man troubles, basically. Frieda is a widow whose sister keeps trying to fix her up with people before she's ready. Ilene is the controlling sister, who's very pushy and critical--quite unlikeable in most situations. Betty is the frumpy sister with a bad attitude. Frieda finally falls in love with a starving actor, and they have fantastic, escapist sex all the time, much to the disapproval of her sisters. She's too stuck on herself and obsessed with status to stay with him in the long term, though. (…or is she? suspense!) Meanwhile, Ilene is completely bitchy to her husband, who starts the book as an overweight dishrag with no self-esteem. And Betty falls in love with an arrogant ass who takes her on as a makeover project.
All of the characters were grating, whiny, and annoying throughout most of the book--just a bunch of wretched people, wouldn't want to know any of them. They all manage some growth by the end, which is good, but they kind of still seemed like assholes to me. There was also a lot of ham-fisted puns and slapstick humor attempts, and the ending felt rushed and a bit too perfect. But overall, I enjoyed reading it, and it suited its purpose well.
May 10, 2013
Each one of us has a different perception of who is the perfect person to spend the rest of our lives with. I think that's the idea that Valerie Frankel wants to explore in her novel "The Not-So-Perfect Man." This is a story of three sisters living in New York City, and their eternal quest for happiness, with and without partners. Ilene is married to Peter, but she is unhappy because he has gained a lot of weight since they got married. Betty works at a chain book store and is falling for the guy installing audiobook booths. Freida is recently widowed, and is dipping back in the dating pool. At first glance, they have ordinary stories and that's not bad at all - we feel like we know these characters from the beginning. But the plots get a little too unbelievable, and yes I get the idea that we shouldn't settle and we should follow our hearts, but there's also a lot to be said for logical decision making.
Full review: http://luhathoughts.blogspot.com/2013...
Full review: http://luhathoughts.blogspot.com/2013...
November 13, 2012
The Not So Perfect Man follows 3 sisters: Freida the widowed mother and middle sister, Betty the single and unhappy in her life youngest sister, and Ilene the married with no kids eldest. The premise seemed cute at first, but unfortunately, it just felt weird by the end.
Ilene and husband Peter begin and end the book together. Freida begins the book alone, falls in love with actor Sam Hill, for various reasons dumps him and almost marries David, a man whose life mirrors hers. She ends up (as with any good chick lit) with Sam, the man who makes her heart go wild. Betty is with Earl Long for a while until he turns out to be a jerk, and by the end is with David in a short-term rebound relationship.
I preferred David for Freida. And the fact that he was so ready to marry one sister and winds up with another is just all kinds of creepy. I dunno about this one.
Ilene and husband Peter begin and end the book together. Freida begins the book alone, falls in love with actor Sam Hill, for various reasons dumps him and almost marries David, a man whose life mirrors hers. She ends up (as with any good chick lit) with Sam, the man who makes her heart go wild. Betty is with Earl Long for a while until he turns out to be a jerk, and by the end is with David in a short-term rebound relationship.
I preferred David for Freida. And the fact that he was so ready to marry one sister and winds up with another is just all kinds of creepy. I dunno about this one.
February 17, 2012
I know the perfect man for you! How many times have we all heard this? Since her husband’s death, Frieda has heard this phrase from her meddling sister, Ilene numerous times. Ilene, being the oldest takes it upon herself to fix her sisters’ problems (even is they don’t realize they have any). She knows just what Frieda should be looking for in the perfect man, and knows just the guy for her. Ilene is quick to point out that Baby sister Betty could stand to lose some weight. Sometimes the sisters’ close relationship sometimes gets in the way of their individual lives. This fast moving tale is a light look at how the perfect person for us may not be whom everyone else expects.
November 13, 2012
This review has a very mild spoiler, so if you don't want to know anything about the book then don't read any further. It's something you'll find out on page 44 anyway, so it's not a major spoiler.... Anyway, my comment is this - I really enjoyed this book, except for what Frieda did when she first met Sam!! I mean come on, she lives in New York, shouldn't she be a bit wary of people she's just met?? He could have been some kind of nutter, she knew absolutely nothing about him... That's the only real criticism I have about the book, otherwise I enjoyed it, and am looking forward to reading my next Valerie Frankel (I have 3 from the library)
February 6, 2010
I enjoy Frankel's books. They all have a bit of something off the beaten path of chick-lit. Here a youngish widow re-enters the dating fray. I had a few issues with interactions between the beaux and her son, but otherwise this was mostly frothy fun.
May 31, 2011
This book just was not for me. Kind of a cute storyline but I just did not like the characters in the book at all. After reading about half of it I gave up and decided to move on to something else.
July 22, 2016
one of the most surprising books i have ever read.
i kept waiting for the other shoe to drop in all the sisters lives somewhere. they did drop,
only not where i expected them to. certainly not in case of The Earl and The Leather Boots.
i kept waiting for the other shoe to drop in all the sisters lives somewhere. they did drop,
only not where i expected them to. certainly not in case of The Earl and The Leather Boots.
June 27, 2007
Another fun read!
September 25, 2007
beach read.
April 10, 2008
an ordinary lovelife..full of unpredictable moment
February 9, 2008
I quick read, but a silly story and an odd ending
November 4, 2008
Amusing read about 3 sisters and how they deal with the men in their lives and eachother.
May 1, 2011
I thought this was just 'OK', not one to recommend to friends - but enjoyable enough to keep me entertained. I just didn't really 'like' any of the characters enough to care.
July 8, 2020
A widow starts dating again. Light and amusing.
June 22, 2011
(mükemmel erkek yok)
türkçeye çevirilirken kitap kapağı aynı bırakılmış çok şaşırdım eğlenceli bir roman
türkçeye çevirilirken kitap kapağı aynı bırakılmış çok şaşırdım eğlenceli bir roman
July 3, 2011
I loved how realistic the characters were. I didn't care for the bad language, but the story was so good I put up with it.
September 19, 2014
Although this wasn't a bad book, I just couldn't get into the characters. I kept forgetting who was who. Was looking forward for book to end instead of seeing how it ends.
June 7, 2012
Funny and witty. Good read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews