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When I Fall in Love
Love Me Tender
As "Love Me Tender" plays in the background, Debbie Carmichael determines to salvage her family's restaurant, Sweet Sal's Soda Shoppe, when her father's health fails. Teen heartthrob Bobby Conrad agrees to perform at a fundraiser concert. But just two weeks before the highly publicized event, Bobby backs out of the benefit. Enter Johnny Hartman, a young, unknown singer to take Conrad's place.
Debbie soon realizes the twists and turns leading up to the concert are divinely orchestrated. And it isn't dreamy Bobby Conrad who has stolen her heart - but the tender love of Johnny Hartman.
Debbie soon realizes the twists and turns leading up to the concert are divinely orchestrated. And it isn't dreamy Bobby Conrad who has stolen her heart - but the tender love of Johnny Hartman.
317 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2010
11 people are currently reading
441 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
December 21, 2016
This book was so cute, I think it deserves five stars! ^_^ I don't read much books from this era, but it is certainly enchanting! From poodle skirts and Sweet Sal milkshakes to starlets and Elvis Presley's "Love me Tender", this book made me feel bubbly and smiley. It just has a captivating touch.
Journeying with budding star singer Johnny and small-town waitress Debbie was extremely fun. I got the inside scoop on all the "Hollywood Heartthrobs" from back then; and also watched these two, dreamy young people realize what was truly most important in star-crowded California.
Not a novel to miss! Love Me Tender was like going to the beach with a strawberry milkshake and watching an era passed play before your eyes.
Journeying with budding star singer Johnny and small-town waitress Debbie was extremely fun. I got the inside scoop on all the "Hollywood Heartthrobs" from back then; and also watched these two, dreamy young people realize what was truly most important in star-crowded California.
Not a novel to miss! Love Me Tender was like going to the beach with a strawberry milkshake and watching an era passed play before your eyes.
March 29, 2016
About this book:
“As "Love Me Tender" plays in the background, Debbie Carmichael determines to salvage her family's restaurant, Sweet Sal's Soda Shoppe, when her father's health fails. Teen heartthrob Bobby Conrad agrees to perform at a fundraiser concert. But just two weeks before the highly publicized event, Bobby backs out of the benefit. Enter Johnny Hartman, a young, unknown singer to take Conrad's place. Debbie soon realizes the twists and turns leading up to the concert are divinely orchestrated. And it isn't dreamy Bobby Conrad who has stolen her heart - but the tender love of Johnny Hartman.”
Series: Part of the “When I Fall in Love” series. (Six books written by six different authors.)
Spiritual Content- Revelation 3:8 at the beginning; Prayers; Many Scriptures are quoted & mentioned; Many, many, many talks about God; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Church going; Mentions of those in the Bible; Mentions of Church going & Hymns; Johnny is a Pastor’s kid.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘stupid’, a ‘wimpy’ and three forms of ‘dumb’; A script has swear words which Johnny won’t read them.
Sexual Content- two barely-above-not-detailed kisses and three semi-detailed kisses; A couple forehead & cheek kisses; (Married couples kiss as well); Wanting to kiss & embrace; Noticing; Touches (semi-detailed); Embraces (barely-above-not-detailed); Hand Holding; Heartthrobs, crushes & swooning; Boys are called ‘yummy’, ‘dreamy’, and ‘cute’; Love songs; Love, falling in love, & the emotions.
-Debbie Carmichael, age 19-20
-Johnny Hartman, age 21
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1957
316 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star (and a half)
New Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Five Stars
Older High School Teens- Five Stars
My personal Rating- Five Stars
Oh. My. Goodness. I love it. I absolutely love it. I can’t even think where to start with this review. Ahhh! Okay, how ‘bout: Very, very, very rarely do I give a book five stars on My Personal Rating (Goodreads actually tells me that I’ve given more 1-star than 5-stars). “Love Me Tender” is getting five stars from me plus a recommendation to every teen girl who has ever fangirled/swooned over a famous boy. I did cringe a few times remembering a wasted year of my life over all that. But, truly, that’s what makes this novel so great…it makes the teen who’s reading it, notice how silly and how not waiting on the Lord it is to fawn over a guy like that...“While she had been chasing Mr. Wrong, her heavenly Father had placed Mr. Right directly in her path.” . (pg. 279)
Every time after I finish a book by this author (Janice Hanna is also Janice Thompson, for those who don’t know) I pray that she keeps writing! She is just so good!
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
“As "Love Me Tender" plays in the background, Debbie Carmichael determines to salvage her family's restaurant, Sweet Sal's Soda Shoppe, when her father's health fails. Teen heartthrob Bobby Conrad agrees to perform at a fundraiser concert. But just two weeks before the highly publicized event, Bobby backs out of the benefit. Enter Johnny Hartman, a young, unknown singer to take Conrad's place. Debbie soon realizes the twists and turns leading up to the concert are divinely orchestrated. And it isn't dreamy Bobby Conrad who has stolen her heart - but the tender love of Johnny Hartman.”
Series: Part of the “When I Fall in Love” series. (Six books written by six different authors.)
Spiritual Content- Revelation 3:8 at the beginning; Prayers; Many Scriptures are quoted & mentioned; Many, many, many talks about God; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Church going; Mentions of those in the Bible; Mentions of Church going & Hymns; Johnny is a Pastor’s kid.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘stupid’, a ‘wimpy’ and three forms of ‘dumb’; A script has swear words which Johnny won’t read them.
Sexual Content- two barely-above-not-detailed kisses and three semi-detailed kisses; A couple forehead & cheek kisses; (Married couples kiss as well); Wanting to kiss & embrace; Noticing; Touches (semi-detailed); Embraces (barely-above-not-detailed); Hand Holding; Heartthrobs, crushes & swooning; Boys are called ‘yummy’, ‘dreamy’, and ‘cute’; Love songs; Love, falling in love, & the emotions.
-Debbie Carmichael, age 19-20
-Johnny Hartman, age 21
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1957
316 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star (and a half)
New Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Five Stars
Older High School Teens- Five Stars
My personal Rating- Five Stars
Oh. My. Goodness. I love it. I absolutely love it. I can’t even think where to start with this review. Ahhh! Okay, how ‘bout: Very, very, very rarely do I give a book five stars on My Personal Rating (Goodreads actually tells me that I’ve given more 1-star than 5-stars). “Love Me Tender” is getting five stars from me plus a recommendation to every teen girl who has ever fangirled/swooned over a famous boy. I did cringe a few times remembering a wasted year of my life over all that. But, truly, that’s what makes this novel so great…it makes the teen who’s reading it, notice how silly and how not waiting on the Lord it is to fawn over a guy like that...“While she had been chasing Mr. Wrong, her heavenly Father had placed Mr. Right directly in her path.” . (pg. 279)
Every time after I finish a book by this author (Janice Hanna is also Janice Thompson, for those who don’t know) I pray that she keeps writing! She is just so good!
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
August 28, 2020
Well, that was so much fun!! Like a total blast in the past. I have soo much I loved about this book....
Things I loved (in no particular order):
— I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THE TIME PERIOD!! It was just soo much fun! And the author did an amazing job at writing about it. It felt so authentic! Literally, I felt all of the 50s vibes and totally loved it. My favorite shows ever were made in that time or around that time so I was already pretty positive I was gonna adore it.
— I loved the characters! They were all so much fun and unique. I really liked them all, especially Johnny and Debbie.
— I really enjoyed the Carmichael family relationship and how close they all were. I love family stories in general so I really enjoyed that aspect to the story!
— I so loved all of the faith content!! I really liked how Johnny always came to the Lord before he had a big show or problems. Same with Debbie’s family!
— The love story. Oh. My. Goodness. So. Sweet. Oh, I just loved it!!! Johnny and Debbie were the sweetest. *squeals*
— I love, love, LOVE all of the 1950s day-to-day life facts. It was the best!! The atmosphere was so fun. Especially working in the soda shop!! That sounds like the funnest job ever. Sigh... I just wanted to go in there and get a chocolate milkshake and hangout. I loved the tidbits on famous actors during that time and mentions of some of my favorite shows like I Love Lucy and Leave It to Beaver. Loved it!
— Like I said, I loved the atmosphere! The author added so many details and I loved that so much! It made it so authentic. The jukebox playing, the tv shows, the soda shop, etc...
Oh and I really liked the names they gave the food orders!😂
So pretty much, I could go on and on about all I loved about this book. I really have nothing that I disliked at all! I mean if I had any complaint at all, it might be that there were times that Johnny seemed a bit too perfect but honestly, that would be nitpicking because I really didn’t care if he did appear perfect because he’s awesome anyways soo...😌
So if you couldn’t tell, I so enjoyed this book! It’s a time-period I definitely want to read more of and funny that it’s rare in Christian fiction... so this ones a gem! So happy I read it because it was a blast.
I would highly recommend if you’re looking for a sweet, clean love story set in the 50s!❤️
Things I loved (in no particular order):
— I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THE TIME PERIOD!! It was just soo much fun! And the author did an amazing job at writing about it. It felt so authentic! Literally, I felt all of the 50s vibes and totally loved it. My favorite shows ever were made in that time or around that time so I was already pretty positive I was gonna adore it.
— I loved the characters! They were all so much fun and unique. I really liked them all, especially Johnny and Debbie.
— I really enjoyed the Carmichael family relationship and how close they all were. I love family stories in general so I really enjoyed that aspect to the story!
— I so loved all of the faith content!! I really liked how Johnny always came to the Lord before he had a big show or problems. Same with Debbie’s family!
— The love story. Oh. My. Goodness. So. Sweet. Oh, I just loved it!!! Johnny and Debbie were the sweetest. *squeals*
— I love, love, LOVE all of the 1950s day-to-day life facts. It was the best!! The atmosphere was so fun. Especially working in the soda shop!! That sounds like the funnest job ever. Sigh... I just wanted to go in there and get a chocolate milkshake and hangout. I loved the tidbits on famous actors during that time and mentions of some of my favorite shows like I Love Lucy and Leave It to Beaver. Loved it!
— Like I said, I loved the atmosphere! The author added so many details and I loved that so much! It made it so authentic. The jukebox playing, the tv shows, the soda shop, etc...
Oh and I really liked the names they gave the food orders!😂
So pretty much, I could go on and on about all I loved about this book. I really have nothing that I disliked at all! I mean if I had any complaint at all, it might be that there were times that Johnny seemed a bit too perfect but honestly, that would be nitpicking because I really didn’t care if he did appear perfect because he’s awesome anyways soo...😌
So if you couldn’t tell, I so enjoyed this book! It’s a time-period I definitely want to read more of and funny that it’s rare in Christian fiction... so this ones a gem! So happy I read it because it was a blast.
I would highly recommend if you’re looking for a sweet, clean love story set in the 50s!❤️
March 6, 2017
Love Me Tender was a really sweet love story set during the 50's!
Not only was it the cutest little romance I've read this year, but I totally got an education on the 1950's! :D Everything from malts, red lipstick, Elvis Presley, poodle skirts, crazy fangirls, and cute old fashioned romance, it's all here! It was a great book. Now I need to try a 50's style soda shoppe! :D
And Johnny Hartmann.... <333 *sighs* Now that's a real guy! ;D He wanted to follow God, and he wrote Debbie the sweetest songs! He was just awesome. :) And what he's wearing on the cover? That's how guys should dress nowadays! No more skinny jeans! ;P
I didn't particularly like the Hollywood atmosphere... it was definitely interesting, but I like the small town setting better. ;)
Yes, anyhow, it was a super cute story!
I recommend Love Me Tender ideally for ages 15+ (though younger teens could read it as well)
Not only was it the cutest little romance I've read this year, but I totally got an education on the 1950's! :D Everything from malts, red lipstick, Elvis Presley, poodle skirts, crazy fangirls, and cute old fashioned romance, it's all here! It was a great book. Now I need to try a 50's style soda shoppe! :D
And Johnny Hartmann.... <333 *sighs* Now that's a real guy! ;D He wanted to follow God, and he wrote Debbie the sweetest songs! He was just awesome. :) And what he's wearing on the cover? That's how guys should dress nowadays! No more skinny jeans! ;P
I didn't particularly like the Hollywood atmosphere... it was definitely interesting, but I like the small town setting better. ;)
Yes, anyhow, it was a super cute story!
I recommend Love Me Tender ideally for ages 15+ (though younger teens could read it as well)
January 7, 2017
Cute book. :) A lighter read, with some good messages to it. Didn't care for the repeated "Follow your heart" phrase or the constant kissing before any commitment, but otherwise it was a very sweet story! One I enjoyed. It was fun reading a book set in the 50's, with all its music references. :)
November 27, 2017
I can count on one hand the number of books I've read set in the 50s, so I was excited to read Love Me Tender and I wasn't disappointed. Such a cute romance! Diners, poodle skirts, and all the mentions of singers and actors from the 1950s...I loved it!! Now I'm off to look up the song Love Me Tender by Elvis.
June 20, 2016
This was cute. It was rather predictable, but still a cute story. I particularly enjoyed reading the columns from the Hollywood Heartbeat magazine.
June 5, 2022
A light-hearted story with sweet characters and fun surprises! I loved the time period and the Hollywood history!
September 6, 2010
I read this book almost straight through, but I had to stop to go to church on Sunday or I would have finished it instead. This author has an amazing gift. She is able to deliver a clean, but very romantic story every time. Her characters are endearing, but realistic, yet her stories are soft and tender. That's the best way to describe her books. Tender romances that will make your heart pound.
I couldn't help smiling as I read this book. The chapter beginnings where they quoted the Hollywood Heartthrob magazine was cute, too. In fact, I ended up reading little snippets of the story to my husband, who found them funny, too. Like...they say that soon we'll be paying 5 cents for a gallon of gas (hehehe...my husband remembers that and yes, he was a young teen in the late 50s) and he remembered minimum wage went up to a dollar. Seriously. I found those added historical tidbits to be especially fun and felt that they really added to the setting. I felt like I was hanging out in the fifties, but without the golly gees, and the aw shucks on every page.
One secondary character I also fell in love with was the agent's son. He was so cute in his many attempts to get his dad to represent him in the biz and land him a sweet role on television or in a movie. Hilarious! Every single scene where he piped in was adorable. I also found his motivation particularly touching, especially when he shared that with Johnny.
Speaking of Johnny, he was the ultimate hero. He reminded me of the character DJ in the author's other series when it came to his love for Jesus. They were similar, yet different. Same with Bobby Conrad. I loved getting to know these characters and how the author showed they were human, too, making all the starry-eyed girls seem a bit over the top, but it fit the story. I remember seeing old television snippets where girls were crying over Elvis, The Beatles, etc. so I know they really did act that way.
Anyway, I adored this story and as is typical every time I read this author's romances, I sighed with pleasure. She has a unique voice in romance and it's one that I can't get enough of, hence the five star rating. Hey, I loved watching Happy Days when I was a kid. If you did, too, then you'll love this one!
I couldn't help smiling as I read this book. The chapter beginnings where they quoted the Hollywood Heartthrob magazine was cute, too. In fact, I ended up reading little snippets of the story to my husband, who found them funny, too. Like...they say that soon we'll be paying 5 cents for a gallon of gas (hehehe...my husband remembers that and yes, he was a young teen in the late 50s) and he remembered minimum wage went up to a dollar. Seriously. I found those added historical tidbits to be especially fun and felt that they really added to the setting. I felt like I was hanging out in the fifties, but without the golly gees, and the aw shucks on every page.
One secondary character I also fell in love with was the agent's son. He was so cute in his many attempts to get his dad to represent him in the biz and land him a sweet role on television or in a movie. Hilarious! Every single scene where he piped in was adorable. I also found his motivation particularly touching, especially when he shared that with Johnny.
Speaking of Johnny, he was the ultimate hero. He reminded me of the character DJ in the author's other series when it came to his love for Jesus. They were similar, yet different. Same with Bobby Conrad. I loved getting to know these characters and how the author showed they were human, too, making all the starry-eyed girls seem a bit over the top, but it fit the story. I remember seeing old television snippets where girls were crying over Elvis, The Beatles, etc. so I know they really did act that way.
Anyway, I adored this story and as is typical every time I read this author's romances, I sighed with pleasure. She has a unique voice in romance and it's one that I can't get enough of, hence the five star rating. Hey, I loved watching Happy Days when I was a kid. If you did, too, then you'll love this one!
January 14, 2024
How many times can I talk about this book? I don't know, I just know that I haven't reached it yet, because here I am, reading it and talking about it again. Love Me Tender is one of the best books I have ever read. Are there cheesy lines? Yes. Are there moments when you feel like something is happening just to drive the plot? Yes. Would I have it any other way? NO!!! Janice Hanna (Thompson), this is one of the best books I have ever read, and I'm so, so happy just looking at the cover.
This book takes place in the 1950's, and I love it so incredibly because of it. Debbie and Johnny are the perfect couple, and I want to live in Sweet Sal's Soda Shoppe. I love the 50's theme in the book, and I love all the references to events, movies, and songs that I love. Reading this book is really like taking a vacation without ever leaving the couch.
Love Me Tender is one of my favorite books, and I cannot recommend this enough.
This book takes place in the 1950's, and I love it so incredibly because of it. Debbie and Johnny are the perfect couple, and I want to live in Sweet Sal's Soda Shoppe. I love the 50's theme in the book, and I love all the references to events, movies, and songs that I love. Reading this book is really like taking a vacation without ever leaving the couch.
Love Me Tender is one of my favorite books, and I cannot recommend this enough.
March 18, 2025
What I loved about this book:
- the faith content (so good!!)
- the setting (1950s diner…nuff said! 😍)
- the strong family bonds (Debbie’s family was awesome…and the Williams at the end 🥹)
- the lessons about getting star struck (would totally recommend this book to any teen girl who’s ever fawned over a famous guy)
All those things made for such a fun and sweet read! I had high expectations for this book, and I think I can say that they were met!
Note: The romance was sweet and clean although a good chunk of the book was focused on that, so there was more than a couple of kisses. Johnny fell hard. 😅
But I would totally recommend to teen girls who’ve read romance in books before. And Debbie is 19/20 in this book, so anyone around that age would connect to her I think.
- the faith content (so good!!)
- the setting (1950s diner…nuff said! 😍)
- the strong family bonds (Debbie’s family was awesome…and the Williams at the end 🥹)
- the lessons about getting star struck (would totally recommend this book to any teen girl who’s ever fawned over a famous guy)
All those things made for such a fun and sweet read! I had high expectations for this book, and I think I can say that they were met!
Note: The romance was sweet and clean although a good chunk of the book was focused on that, so there was more than a couple of kisses. Johnny fell hard. 😅
But I would totally recommend to teen girls who’ve read romance in books before. And Debbie is 19/20 in this book, so anyone around that age would connect to her I think.
February 5, 2017
First, the disclaimer. "I purchased a copy of this book. All opinions are my own." That done, LOVE ME TENDER is a cute story set in the 1950s when rock music, corner diners, and poodle skirts reigned. I enjoyed this book even though I wasn't born (or even thought about) during this decade, but I still remember malt shops and some of the music from this time period. Elvis Presley? The Beach Boys? Okay, I'm not sure about them but Presley is mentioned in the book.
News of the decade is included as well as celebrity gossip - who marries who and who 's leaving who and who doesn't care any more. . . as well as fashion news and of course a group of boy crazy girls -- what could be more fun? I laughed out loud about Dad having a temper tantrum about gas reaching the outrageous price of 50 cents a gallon. And McDonalds was debuting....
And that actually is sad that the fun, family operated malt shops and corner diners were run out of business by McDonalds...
I am not really big on celebrity news and gossip and never did go crazy over whoever was hot when I was a teen (Donny Osmond is one) so I really couldn't relate to the girls in this book and the heroine and hero are hardly ever together, but the book is good, well-written and laugh-out-loud funny.
News of the decade is included as well as celebrity gossip - who marries who and who 's leaving who and who doesn't care any more. . . as well as fashion news and of course a group of boy crazy girls -- what could be more fun? I laughed out loud about Dad having a temper tantrum about gas reaching the outrageous price of 50 cents a gallon. And McDonalds was debuting....
And that actually is sad that the fun, family operated malt shops and corner diners were run out of business by McDonalds...
I am not really big on celebrity news and gossip and never did go crazy over whoever was hot when I was a teen (Donny Osmond is one) so I really couldn't relate to the girls in this book and the heroine and hero are hardly ever together, but the book is good, well-written and laugh-out-loud funny.
August 4, 2018
3.5 Stars. (3 stars for those who aren’t as interested in the time period/setting as I am.) I was excited about this book because of the backdrop and time period... one of my favorite decades to read about it and there are few books written in it. Overall, the story was sweet and wholesome. The fangirling was oh-so relatable. I loved Johnny and Debbie.
The writing of this book, however, was not quite up to par. I don’t know if it was on purpose or not, but it was written in a very tongue in cheek type of way for readers in the 21st century (“A cordless phone? They could never imagine something like that!”). There was also some extremely predictable phrases and cliches repeated throughout the book. The storyline was not heart stopping or anything, but it was simple and cute.
I’m definitely glad I read the book. I loved the spiritual content. I loved the sweet romance. I loved the lighthearted story to read before bed. And again, I loved the era.
The writing of this book, however, was not quite up to par. I don’t know if it was on purpose or not, but it was written in a very tongue in cheek type of way for readers in the 21st century (“A cordless phone? They could never imagine something like that!”). There was also some extremely predictable phrases and cliches repeated throughout the book. The storyline was not heart stopping or anything, but it was simple and cute.
I’m definitely glad I read the book. I loved the spiritual content. I loved the sweet romance. I loved the lighthearted story to read before bed. And again, I loved the era.
July 22, 2018
I adored this book all the way through from start to finish. Simple but very sweet.
Everything about this book is so my style. I love the time it takes place, the location, and just every small detail that was put in the story to make it more to that decade. Did I mention how much I love the 50s? I will say though that the romance was very cheesy and it got on my nerves at times, but it all played out very well.
I definitely recommend this awesome story. There is a good amount of hugging and kissing, but it’s not too graphic. I felt pretty comfortable reading it. You just have to keep in mind that it does go with that decade. Probably good for 15 or old.
Everything about this book is so my style. I love the time it takes place, the location, and just every small detail that was put in the story to make it more to that decade. Did I mention how much I love the 50s? I will say though that the romance was very cheesy and it got on my nerves at times, but it all played out very well.
I definitely recommend this awesome story. There is a good amount of hugging and kissing, but it’s not too graphic. I felt pretty comfortable reading it. You just have to keep in mind that it does go with that decade. Probably good for 15 or old.
September 6, 2010
I am a huge Elvis fan, so any book called Love Me Tender is going to get my attention. I am also a fan of Janice Hanna (a.k.a Janice Thompson), so I was really looking forward to reading this book. I became a fan of Janice’s after reading her Weddings by Bella series. If you’ve read those books, you know that Janice has a terrific sense of humor and a wonderfully sentimental writing style. When I first started reading Love Me Tender, I was slightly disappointed that it didn’t have the humor I was expecting, but as I got more into the story, I realized that this story is different and my disappointment turned into delight.
Love Me Tender is a warm and nostalgic tribute to all the things that made the 1950s a time to remember. Even though I was not around in 1957 I really enjoyed all of the nostalgia, music and history in this story. I felt like Janice really enjoyed writing this book and that she put a lot of her heart into it. That really spoke to me and made me enjoy the story that much more. I highly recommend Love Me Tender. It is a wonderful and relaxing story that I really did not want to end. Thank you Janice for another wonderful story.
Love Me Tender is a warm and nostalgic tribute to all the things that made the 1950s a time to remember. Even though I was not around in 1957 I really enjoyed all of the nostalgia, music and history in this story. I felt like Janice really enjoyed writing this book and that she put a lot of her heart into it. That really spoke to me and made me enjoy the story that much more. I highly recommend Love Me Tender. It is a wonderful and relaxing story that I really did not want to end. Thank you Janice for another wonderful story.
April 16, 2014
Ever since I randomly discovered the Weddings by Bella trilogy at my local library, Janice Hanna (aka Janice Thompson) has become one of my favorite authors. Her books are as entertaining as well-made cinema, and the squeaky cleanliness makes them even more fun. This 1950's romantic comedy was funny and touching in all the right ways. What keeps it from getting a perfect score was that every chapter started with a long quotation from a fictional magazine. It made for interesting reading at first, but it got slightly annoying after a while. Other than that, "romcom" fans should pick up, read, and enjoy!
May 17, 2015
Love me tender
What a cute story. This is set in the 1950's, enjoyed hearing about them complaining about the raising prices. Back when Elvis first started. They have a fundraiser for the local ma and pop dinner. They try to get all the girls latest heartthrob, Bobby, to play for it but one time he can do it and the next he can't. Bobby agent is going to get a singer name Johnny to do it. Read the book to find out what happens. I received this book for a honest review. Recommend it.
What a cute story. This is set in the 1950's, enjoyed hearing about them complaining about the raising prices. Back when Elvis first started. They have a fundraiser for the local ma and pop dinner. They try to get all the girls latest heartthrob, Bobby, to play for it but one time he can do it and the next he can't. Bobby agent is going to get a singer name Johnny to do it. Read the book to find out what happens. I received this book for a honest review. Recommend it.
January 24, 2016
See my review of the other edition.
July 26, 2016
Love Janice's books!! Super cute & great story!!
February 4, 2019
Love Me Tender by Janice Thompson
The story premise reminded me so much of a recent play our young friends were in. This is what I found about "Bye Bye Birdie (1960 – 1961, first run)
In 1958, Elvis Presley was drafted. Bye Bye Birdie was a tongue-in-cheek response to the hysteria that ensued. After learning fictional crooner Conrad Birdie has been drafted, his handlers decide to capitalize on the situation. They bang out a new single for him entitled "One Last Kiss," and select a random small town teenager to be his "one last kiss" before he goes off to the army." http://mentalfloss.com/article/29238/...
This definitely wasn't a novella. This must be a full sized novel!
I'm glad only the beginning reminded me of Bye Bye Birdie! There were many references to both real and made up singing and cinema stars and I loved the chapter introductions with the different columnists! What a fun book! My only wish is to have heard some of the songs from this tale! I loved it!
The story premise reminded me so much of a recent play our young friends were in. This is what I found about "Bye Bye Birdie (1960 – 1961, first run)
In 1958, Elvis Presley was drafted. Bye Bye Birdie was a tongue-in-cheek response to the hysteria that ensued. After learning fictional crooner Conrad Birdie has been drafted, his handlers decide to capitalize on the situation. They bang out a new single for him entitled "One Last Kiss," and select a random small town teenager to be his "one last kiss" before he goes off to the army." http://mentalfloss.com/article/29238/...
This definitely wasn't a novella. This must be a full sized novel!
I'm glad only the beginning reminded me of Bye Bye Birdie! There were many references to both real and made up singing and cinema stars and I loved the chapter introductions with the different columnists! What a fun book! My only wish is to have heard some of the songs from this tale! I loved it!
August 31, 2017
11 or 12+
Oh. My. Goodness. I loved this book. It got a bit cheesy at times, but once I got past that it was so adorable. You really get sucked in. It's a super cute book and I would totally reread it. Would definitely recommend. There were a couple kisses and close talking, but it was very innocent and cute. A good romance for younger kids. No violence or language. It also had the great theme of how we sometimes idolize celebrities and how that affects us spiritually. Great great great read.
Oh. My. Goodness. I loved this book. It got a bit cheesy at times, but once I got past that it was so adorable. You really get sucked in. It's a super cute book and I would totally reread it. Would definitely recommend. There were a couple kisses and close talking, but it was very innocent and cute. A good romance for younger kids. No violence or language. It also had the great theme of how we sometimes idolize celebrities and how that affects us spiritually. Great great great read.
June 18, 2017
My rating 2.5 stars. Well.......It was just to lovey and stuff. I should have known since the title is Love me Tender. *shrugs* The girls in it were......weird. In my opinion. And i kind of felt like a certain two people fell instantly in love and then all lovey dovey. I don't know, I just didn't love it. It was an interesting story, but just to lovey for me. But don't let that from stopping you, because I have very different tastes then a lot of people.
December 31, 2017
I truly loved reading this book!!! Although it was fictional, it has so many beautiful characters in it that it could've been true!!! Looking forward to reading more from this author!!! I believe that this was one of the best books to finish on New Year's Eve!!! It had so much inspiration, love of people & love of God!!! It also remind you long as you know & love Good first then many blessings come you're way!!!
June 8, 2018
I enjoyed this book with the exception of ONE THING. DEBBIE.
I couldn’t stand her! Omg. There was a part where she kisses Johnny and then talks about another guy. LIKE WHAT? It pissed me off so much I gave up on her.
I loved that it talked about God, the Bible and spirituality.
It honestly read like a Christian nonfiction book and I didn’t mind. Those were actually my favorite parts and pretty much the main reason I’m giving this 3 stars.
I couldn’t stand her! Omg. There was a part where she kisses Johnny and then talks about another guy. LIKE WHAT? It pissed me off so much I gave up on her.
I loved that it talked about God, the Bible and spirituality.
It honestly read like a Christian nonfiction book and I didn’t mind. Those were actually my favorite parts and pretty much the main reason I’m giving this 3 stars.
August 29, 2015
Love Me Tender, by Janice Thompson, is a historical set in Laguna Beach during the 1950's. It's strange to think of the novel as a historical, because I recognized most of the names that the author used to reference the era, and the 50's really doesn't seem too far off in the past to me. This novel is set during my parents' generation, and I recognized names such as Pat Boone, Milton Berle, Kim Novak, Doris Day, Little Richard, Frankie Avalon, Roy Rogers, Patti Page, Perry Como, etc. partly from what my parents talked about. Also, I remember some of the names from K-Tel's info-mericals that were making sales pitches on television for various music artists' greatest hits, or from the guest stars list on the television show, the Love Boat, which I faithfully watched on Saturday nights on ABC with my mom and sister during the late 70's and early 80's. There are also the references to Elvis, both in the singer's name, and also in the name of the novel, which is same as the name of one of his most famous ballads.
The novel opens with Debbie Carmichael conversing with her younger sister and friends about Bobby Conrad, a Pat Boone type who has recently become famous as a singer and actor. Debbie, who is twenty, regards herself as more mature than the younger females, but is not above dreaming about meeting Bobby Conrad and capturing his attention. She has a plan which she hopes will make her dream a reality. Her family owns and operates the diner, Sweet Sal's, which was named after her mother. Many famous faces have dined there, as evidenced by the photographic wall of fame at the restaurant, but in spite of the fame, the family business is hurting financially. Debbie's father, Frankie, is running behind on the mortgage due to his health problems, and the family is in danger of losing their business. Debbie's plan is to ask her father to ask one of his friends who works as an agent to arrange for Bobby Conrad to headline a benefit fundraising concert for the diner.
Johnny Hartmann is a preacher's kid who has come to Hollywood to see if he can make it in show business. He believes that he has followed the Lord's direction to come out west from Topeka, Kansas, and is wanting to see where his singing ability will take him. He's a good, clean cut young man, who, at his first audition, refuses to read out lines from a script that has his character swearing. He gets turned out of the studio, and is told to return to Kansas by the casting director. However, all is not lost for Johnny; standing up for his principles brings him the notice of Jim Jangles, the agent for Bobby Conrad. Jim sees the same potential in Johnny as he had with Bobby Conrad, and offers to represent Johnny.
As it turns out, Jim Jangles is the agent who is Frankie Carmichael's friend. Johnny and Debbie meet when Jim takes Johnny along to Sweet Sal's to discuss the fundraiser with the Carmichael Family. Johnny is taken with Debbie, but doesn't know if he can compete in her heart with her crush on Bobby Conrad.
As Debbie spends time with Johnny, she is drawn towards him, but trouble is brewing for the Carmichael Family. Due to scheduling conflicts and obligations, Bobby Conrad might not be able to sing at the fundraiser. Will the Carmichael Family be able to keep Sweet Sal's? Will Johnny win Debbie's heart? Will Johnny make a career in Hollywood, or will he need to return to Topeka, Kansas? Revelation 3:8 is the verse that was inscribed on one of the inner title pages. It says, "I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept My word and have not denied My name." How will the truth in this verse unfold in Johnny's life due to the choices that he makes in his personal life, and in the pursuit of his acting and singing career?
I liked this novel. I found some tidbits rather ironic. For instance, where I live, a mortgage of $18000 (the amount owed by Frankie Carmichael) is not considered astronomically huge, and in fact, it would be rather on the small side. Also, Frankie thought that 50 cents for a gallon of gas was an outrage. I just paid about $1.26/litre of gas when I bought some this morning (over $3.75/gallon). In the novel, McDonald's is referred to as the "new kid on the block," and I suppose, in the 1950's, it was. Now it is the old timer that is trying to survive competitively amongst the numerous eateries in the neighbourhood.
With the setting in the 1950's, the novel seems believable. Characters like Johnny and Bobby seem as if they could exist, because they seem to be modeled after Pat Boone and other entertainers who were open about their faith in the Lord. I'm not sure if Johnny or Bobby could make it as easily in the secular market in today's entertainment business. They could probably make it in the Christian Contemporary music industry, but beyond acting for the tween/youth market (e.g. Disney XD, Nickelodeon, etc.), I can't imagine them going far in today's secular entertainment industry. This novel makes me wonder if it is possible for many Christians to find success as entertainers in Hollywood today.
This review is also posted on my blog at:
http://whatiscbreading.blogspot.ca
The novel opens with Debbie Carmichael conversing with her younger sister and friends about Bobby Conrad, a Pat Boone type who has recently become famous as a singer and actor. Debbie, who is twenty, regards herself as more mature than the younger females, but is not above dreaming about meeting Bobby Conrad and capturing his attention. She has a plan which she hopes will make her dream a reality. Her family owns and operates the diner, Sweet Sal's, which was named after her mother. Many famous faces have dined there, as evidenced by the photographic wall of fame at the restaurant, but in spite of the fame, the family business is hurting financially. Debbie's father, Frankie, is running behind on the mortgage due to his health problems, and the family is in danger of losing their business. Debbie's plan is to ask her father to ask one of his friends who works as an agent to arrange for Bobby Conrad to headline a benefit fundraising concert for the diner.
Johnny Hartmann is a preacher's kid who has come to Hollywood to see if he can make it in show business. He believes that he has followed the Lord's direction to come out west from Topeka, Kansas, and is wanting to see where his singing ability will take him. He's a good, clean cut young man, who, at his first audition, refuses to read out lines from a script that has his character swearing. He gets turned out of the studio, and is told to return to Kansas by the casting director. However, all is not lost for Johnny; standing up for his principles brings him the notice of Jim Jangles, the agent for Bobby Conrad. Jim sees the same potential in Johnny as he had with Bobby Conrad, and offers to represent Johnny.
As it turns out, Jim Jangles is the agent who is Frankie Carmichael's friend. Johnny and Debbie meet when Jim takes Johnny along to Sweet Sal's to discuss the fundraiser with the Carmichael Family. Johnny is taken with Debbie, but doesn't know if he can compete in her heart with her crush on Bobby Conrad.
As Debbie spends time with Johnny, she is drawn towards him, but trouble is brewing for the Carmichael Family. Due to scheduling conflicts and obligations, Bobby Conrad might not be able to sing at the fundraiser. Will the Carmichael Family be able to keep Sweet Sal's? Will Johnny win Debbie's heart? Will Johnny make a career in Hollywood, or will he need to return to Topeka, Kansas? Revelation 3:8 is the verse that was inscribed on one of the inner title pages. It says, "I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept My word and have not denied My name." How will the truth in this verse unfold in Johnny's life due to the choices that he makes in his personal life, and in the pursuit of his acting and singing career?
I liked this novel. I found some tidbits rather ironic. For instance, where I live, a mortgage of $18000 (the amount owed by Frankie Carmichael) is not considered astronomically huge, and in fact, it would be rather on the small side. Also, Frankie thought that 50 cents for a gallon of gas was an outrage. I just paid about $1.26/litre of gas when I bought some this morning (over $3.75/gallon). In the novel, McDonald's is referred to as the "new kid on the block," and I suppose, in the 1950's, it was. Now it is the old timer that is trying to survive competitively amongst the numerous eateries in the neighbourhood.
With the setting in the 1950's, the novel seems believable. Characters like Johnny and Bobby seem as if they could exist, because they seem to be modeled after Pat Boone and other entertainers who were open about their faith in the Lord. I'm not sure if Johnny or Bobby could make it as easily in the secular market in today's entertainment business. They could probably make it in the Christian Contemporary music industry, but beyond acting for the tween/youth market (e.g. Disney XD, Nickelodeon, etc.), I can't imagine them going far in today's secular entertainment industry. This novel makes me wonder if it is possible for many Christians to find success as entertainers in Hollywood today.
This review is also posted on my blog at:
http://whatiscbreading.blogspot.ca
December 31, 2019
Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness! An absolutely delightful read! I absolutely loved it! The magazine articles were a great addition and who doesn’t love a little tender romance? Debbie’s family is all around love able and unforgettable! A definite reread and personal favorite!
May 13, 2019
I really couldn’t get into this book, and all the characters were very two-dimensional.
June 26, 2025
2.5/3 stars. Cute story. I knew it was Christian going in (I like Christian books) but it was too preachy.
April 21, 2017
This wonderful love story reminds me of growing in the late 50's and early 60's.
Putting The Lord first in their lives was very endearing.
This story is for those who like a trip down memory lane and love Christian romance.
I read this story as a part of an anthology " Love At The Beach".
Putting The Lord first in their lives was very endearing.
This story is for those who like a trip down memory lane and love Christian romance.
I read this story as a part of an anthology " Love At The Beach".
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