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Naughty Neighbor: A Fun Undercover Romance Where Neighbors Fall in Love as Partners in Crime
Dear
In a previous life, before the time of Plum, I wrote twelve short romance novels. Red-hot screwball comedies, each and every one of them. Nine of these stories were originally published by the Loveswept line between the years 1988 and 1992. All immediately went out of print and could be found only at used bookstores and yard sales.
I'm excited to tell you that those nine stories are now being re-released by HarperCollins. Naughty Neighbor is the eighth in the lineup, and it's presented here in almost original form. Usually when I edit these books I do some modernizing. For instance, I change VHS to DVD, and roller skates to Rollerblades, and sticks of gum are now pieces of gum. I do this because the books were meant to be contemporary (as opposed to historical), and I don't want the reader to have a time disconnect. In the beginning of the original Naughty Neighbor, my heroine throws a handheld phone into the toilet, and the next morning she goes into the bathroom and sees the "slim silver antenna caught between the toilet lid and seat." Okay, so most phones don't have extended antennas anymore, but I just loved the image . . . so I left it in. And I don't know how many women wear front-closure bras anymore, but that got left in, too.
Naughty Neighbor is probably the most romancey of all the Loveswepts I wrote, but there's still a small mystery to unravel. Louisa Brannigan is a no-nonsense, hardworking press secretary, fighting her way to the top of Capitol Hill, with no help from her annoying neighbor, Pete Streeter. He receives phone calls all night long, he steals her morning paper, he thinks jeans are formal wear, and worst of all he's involved Louisa in the disappearance of a pig. So this is the story of a pig in Witness Protection and love being found by a workaholic woman and a fun-loving man who makes terrible pots of coffee.
Enjoy!
Janet Evanovich
In a previous life, before the time of Plum, I wrote twelve short romance novels. Red-hot screwball comedies, each and every one of them. Nine of these stories were originally published by the Loveswept line between the years 1988 and 1992. All immediately went out of print and could be found only at used bookstores and yard sales.
I'm excited to tell you that those nine stories are now being re-released by HarperCollins. Naughty Neighbor is the eighth in the lineup, and it's presented here in almost original form. Usually when I edit these books I do some modernizing. For instance, I change VHS to DVD, and roller skates to Rollerblades, and sticks of gum are now pieces of gum. I do this because the books were meant to be contemporary (as opposed to historical), and I don't want the reader to have a time disconnect. In the beginning of the original Naughty Neighbor, my heroine throws a handheld phone into the toilet, and the next morning she goes into the bathroom and sees the "slim silver antenna caught between the toilet lid and seat." Okay, so most phones don't have extended antennas anymore, but I just loved the image . . . so I left it in. And I don't know how many women wear front-closure bras anymore, but that got left in, too.
Naughty Neighbor is probably the most romancey of all the Loveswepts I wrote, but there's still a small mystery to unravel. Louisa Brannigan is a no-nonsense, hardworking press secretary, fighting her way to the top of Capitol Hill, with no help from her annoying neighbor, Pete Streeter. He receives phone calls all night long, he steals her morning paper, he thinks jeans are formal wear, and worst of all he's involved Louisa in the disappearance of a pig. So this is the story of a pig in Witness Protection and love being found by a workaholic woman and a fun-loving man who makes terrible pots of coffee.
Enjoy!
Janet Evanovich
253 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1992
331 people are currently reading
5265 people want to read
About the author
Janet Evanovich
332 books41k followersJanet Evanovich is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum series, the Lizzy and Diesel series, twelve romance novels, the Alexandra Barnaby novels and Trouble Maker graphic novel, and How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author, as well as the Fox and O'Hare series with co-author Lee Goldberg.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 656 reviews
April 23, 2019
I give their relationship a year.
Maybe.
I thought maybe I could shuffle this one under 2 or 1.5 stars but the ending just left me gagging. The "political thriller" bit totally fell apart. The relationship itself is all lust and hormones. It won't last.
And if it does? Well, I'd be sad for the heroine.
spoiler, kinda
She's all like "I am going to take control of my life! Be more assertive! Go to law school!"
And then the hero is all like, "Move to California and marry me."
And she's all like, "K."
And so will she go to law school? Maybe. But I feel like instead she'll bumb around with this rich loser till his laundry habits drive her insane and then she'll move back in with her Mom. Either that or she will finally succumb to her weird phobia of women named Bambi and go get botox.
Gosh, I'm depressing myself! But really, their relationship is depressing!
Maybe.
I thought maybe I could shuffle this one under 2 or 1.5 stars but the ending just left me gagging. The "political thriller" bit totally fell apart. The relationship itself is all lust and hormones. It won't last.
And if it does? Well, I'd be sad for the heroine.
spoiler, kinda
She's all like "I am going to take control of my life! Be more assertive! Go to law school!"
And then the hero is all like, "Move to California and marry me."
And she's all like, "K."
And so will she go to law school? Maybe. But I feel like instead she'll bumb around with this rich loser till his laundry habits drive her insane and then she'll move back in with her Mom. Either that or she will finally succumb to her weird phobia of women named Bambi and go get botox.
Gosh, I'm depressing myself! But really, their relationship is depressing!
October 24, 2015
4.5/5
I've never read this author before so I had no idea what to expect. After reading both positive and negative reviews, I decided to read this book anyway. I'm glad I did because it was incredibly good though it was a bit cheesy. I found the story was funny, entertaining, fast-paced, and so sweet. This book mainly focused on the hero and heroine who were so adorable. I loved the way they were attracted to each other. Both of them weren't perfect, but they were perfect together! Oh, so cute!
I had a good time reading it!
I've never read this author before so I had no idea what to expect. After reading both positive and negative reviews, I decided to read this book anyway. I'm glad I did because it was incredibly good though it was a bit cheesy. I found the story was funny, entertaining, fast-paced, and so sweet. This book mainly focused on the hero and heroine who were so adorable. I loved the way they were attracted to each other. Both of them weren't perfect, but they were perfect together! Oh, so cute!
I had a good time reading it!
October 22, 2022
Even though these books are older, I have enjoyed the other screwball romances that Janet Evanovich has written. Not so much this one. I didn't care for the narration on this one. C. J. Critt didn't give this book any life and made the heroine come off as whiny and very immature. But then, maybe that was the exact perfect read for this heroine. The plus is that this book is more romancey than the others. Nothing at all explicit, but just more. The mystery element is here too, and I always love that.
Louisa Brannigan is a press secretary for a Senator and works hard. She needs her sleep at night and that keeps getting interrupted by her upstairs neighbor getting phone calls at all hours. A hardworking girl needs her beauty sleep. That isn't the only annoying thing about Pete Streeter. He is a screen writer and also drop dead handsome and has gotten Lousia in hot water with her boss. No good can come from her involvement with Pete, two Senators and a missing pig.
Louisa Brannigan is a press secretary for a Senator and works hard. She needs her sleep at night and that keeps getting interrupted by her upstairs neighbor getting phone calls at all hours. A hardworking girl needs her beauty sleep. That isn't the only annoying thing about Pete Streeter. He is a screen writer and also drop dead handsome and has gotten Lousia in hot water with her boss. No good can come from her involvement with Pete, two Senators and a missing pig.
June 16, 2017
A short entertaining beach read. Early works of JE are just some fun reading!
August 24, 2009
It took me two weeks to read Dracula and it’s taken me a day and a half to read this. When I finished it, my fiance looked at me and said, “Already? You just started.” What can I say, it was a cute, easy read and I love me some Janet Evanovich. That’s probably obvious since half the books I’ve reviewed have been by her.
Naughty Neighbor is before the Stephanie Plum era, but I see a lot of similarities. The lead female is always witty, the lead male(s) is always dreamy and the family is always a riot, especially the grandma. Definitely rang true in this book as well. I almost forgot to mention the great use of animals. Yes, there is a pig on the cover of this book for a reason
I also like that I can relate to many of Evanovich’s stories. In this one, a former journalist (Pete) is trying to break a crazy story about a politician. Right down my alley.
It starts with Pete and his neighbor Louisa. They know everything about each other before meeting because the walls are thin. They hate each other in the beginning, but in the end … yeah right. You know I don’t like spoilers.
I will leave you with a couple of parts of the book that I loved though.
“The table was set for two with a white linen tablecloth, wineglasses and lavender candles. There was a daisy on her plate. It only had one petal left. Without thinking, she automatically played the game and plucked the remaining petal, silently chanting ‘He loves me.’”
How sweet is that?? Fellas, if your still reading my mushy post, definitely steal this idea
And in true Evanovich fashion, the love for donuts:
“Maybe she wouldn’t starve to death, she decided. Maybe she’d eat herself into obesity and explode. Death by doughnut.”
That’s what I’m talking about
Let me tell you though, this is a steamy book. It doesn’t take it too far and isn’t vulgar, but it’s hot!
I didn’t intentionally go to the store to get this book. I had 7 letters to fill for my A to Z Challenge and stumbled upon this for N. I am really glad I found it because it was a good book. And I like to see Evanovich’s early stuff.
There is one MAJOR drawback for this book though. One three different pages, I found errors. One page said “stick for dinner” instead of steak. One page had a set of squiggly lines between words. This may be something I don’t know about, but since there’s not one on my keyboard, I’m doubting it. And finally, there was a missing apostrophe. And it completely changed the sentence. It was supposed to be he’ll leave grease spots but was “hell leave grease spots.”
As much as I liked this cute love story, I absolutely can’t stand typos. If anyone else has read this book and thinks I’m reading wrong, please let me know.
If you can overlook the typos, pretend there are four bookmarks. If you’re anal like me, stick with the three.
Naughty Neighbor is before the Stephanie Plum era, but I see a lot of similarities. The lead female is always witty, the lead male(s) is always dreamy and the family is always a riot, especially the grandma. Definitely rang true in this book as well. I almost forgot to mention the great use of animals. Yes, there is a pig on the cover of this book for a reason
I also like that I can relate to many of Evanovich’s stories. In this one, a former journalist (Pete) is trying to break a crazy story about a politician. Right down my alley.
It starts with Pete and his neighbor Louisa. They know everything about each other before meeting because the walls are thin. They hate each other in the beginning, but in the end … yeah right. You know I don’t like spoilers.
I will leave you with a couple of parts of the book that I loved though.
“The table was set for two with a white linen tablecloth, wineglasses and lavender candles. There was a daisy on her plate. It only had one petal left. Without thinking, she automatically played the game and plucked the remaining petal, silently chanting ‘He loves me.’”
How sweet is that?? Fellas, if your still reading my mushy post, definitely steal this idea
And in true Evanovich fashion, the love for donuts:
“Maybe she wouldn’t starve to death, she decided. Maybe she’d eat herself into obesity and explode. Death by doughnut.”
That’s what I’m talking about
Let me tell you though, this is a steamy book. It doesn’t take it too far and isn’t vulgar, but it’s hot!
I didn’t intentionally go to the store to get this book. I had 7 letters to fill for my A to Z Challenge and stumbled upon this for N. I am really glad I found it because it was a good book. And I like to see Evanovich’s early stuff.
There is one MAJOR drawback for this book though. One three different pages, I found errors. One page said “stick for dinner” instead of steak. One page had a set of squiggly lines between words. This may be something I don’t know about, but since there’s not one on my keyboard, I’m doubting it. And finally, there was a missing apostrophe. And it completely changed the sentence. It was supposed to be he’ll leave grease spots but was “hell leave grease spots.”
As much as I liked this cute love story, I absolutely can’t stand typos. If anyone else has read this book and thinks I’m reading wrong, please let me know.
If you can overlook the typos, pretend there are four bookmarks. If you’re anal like me, stick with the three.
March 24, 2017
Naughty Neighbor is a pre-Plum romance by popular American author, Janet Evanovich. Louisa Brannigan has a great job looking as Press Secretary for Nolan Bishop, and she doesn’t need an upstairs neighbour who disturbs her sleep, steals her paper and takes her car space. Pete Streeter is a movie screenwriter who seems to be the target of some nasty people, and Louisa’s car, parked in his space, bears the brunt of it. This one is mainly romance with a touch of (very vague) intrigue. There is some fun dialogue, but the story is just a bit too drawn out. Not one of Evanovich’s best.
June 9, 2011
I had one major problem (and a few small ones, but more about those later) with this audio book – it was over much too soon! The story is on the shorter side, and I felt these characters had so much more to say and I wanted to get to know them more!
This quirky little story really tickled me and I didn't expect that since my initial impression was that this might be a random audio miss. The voice of C.J. Critt immediately felt off to me. It seemed more mature and slightly gruffer than what the story seemed to call for. BUT, Critt is an excellent performer and her enthusiasm and comedic timing will eventually make you forget that her voice isn't exactly matching the heroine's personality. Kudos to Critt for making the characters come alive so well.
I found myself pleasantly surprised as the characters grew on me. Again, part of that was due to the enthusiasm of Critt, but mostly it was the appeal of the characters as Evanovich expertly unveils them. I was particularly drawn to Pete Streeter and his unpretentious attitude and easygoing banter with Louisa. Having the hero fall hard first makes for a nice change, and Pete really puts his heart out there early. Gotta love a man not afraid to commit!
Louisa was a little less developed, so I didn't feel nearly as drawn to her. Still likable, but she could have used more background or some deeper insight into why she valued her independence so much that she was almost willing to let Pete walk away. That felt a little forced to me and I didn't fully see it fitting into the personality that had been painted of her. Otherwise, she was delightful and so was the story.
All in all, this is a cute little audio book that showcases some great work by Critt and by Evanovich. If you are anything like me though, you'll want more substance to the story so you can hang out with Louisa and Pete for a little while longer.
This quirky little story really tickled me and I didn't expect that since my initial impression was that this might be a random audio miss. The voice of C.J. Critt immediately felt off to me. It seemed more mature and slightly gruffer than what the story seemed to call for. BUT, Critt is an excellent performer and her enthusiasm and comedic timing will eventually make you forget that her voice isn't exactly matching the heroine's personality. Kudos to Critt for making the characters come alive so well.
I found myself pleasantly surprised as the characters grew on me. Again, part of that was due to the enthusiasm of Critt, but mostly it was the appeal of the characters as Evanovich expertly unveils them. I was particularly drawn to Pete Streeter and his unpretentious attitude and easygoing banter with Louisa. Having the hero fall hard first makes for a nice change, and Pete really puts his heart out there early. Gotta love a man not afraid to commit!
Louisa was a little less developed, so I didn't feel nearly as drawn to her. Still likable, but she could have used more background or some deeper insight into why she valued her independence so much that she was almost willing to let Pete walk away. That felt a little forced to me and I didn't fully see it fitting into the personality that had been painted of her. Otherwise, she was delightful and so was the story.
All in all, this is a cute little audio book that showcases some great work by Critt and by Evanovich. If you are anything like me though, you'll want more substance to the story so you can hang out with Louisa and Pete for a little while longer.
October 8, 2008
This is one of Evanovich's earlier works, and man, does it show. Though there are flashes of humor throughout, the plotting is inconsistent, the characters are underdeveloped, the mystery lacks complexity, and the romance is implausible.
On the other hand, this is the kind of thing that kept Evanovich writing, and she eventually hit One for the Money, Stephanie Plum's debut. While the characters in this book--the Naughty Neighbors in the title--are no Stephanie and Morelli (or Ranger, if you prefer), there is trace evidence here.
The book becomes more interesting if I look at the writing more as an objective observer instead of as a reader/fan. It's almost like a point on a graph that illustrates Evanovich's growth as a writer, and the progression from Naughty Neighbors to One for the Money is unmistakable. It's a good object lesson to aspiring writers.
On the other hand, this is the kind of thing that kept Evanovich writing, and she eventually hit One for the Money, Stephanie Plum's debut. While the characters in this book--the Naughty Neighbors in the title--are no Stephanie and Morelli (or Ranger, if you prefer), there is trace evidence here.
The book becomes more interesting if I look at the writing more as an objective observer instead of as a reader/fan. It's almost like a point on a graph that illustrates Evanovich's growth as a writer, and the progression from Naughty Neighbors to One for the Money is unmistakable. It's a good object lesson to aspiring writers.
July 26, 2013
I can always depend on Janet Evanovich for a funny, lighthearted, silly read.
Pete and Louisa are neighbors, Pete living upstairs and Louisa down. He is noisy, steals her morning paper and funny smells come from his apartment. Pete can hear everything in Louisa's apartment, including her phone calls from her mom. After her boss, a Senator, finds out she has an association with Pete, he fires her suddenly and the mystery begins. Pete and Louisa work together to find out what is going on.
There is nothing serious about this read. It goes quickly with some humor, romance, and good banter, perfect for a rainy day read.
Pete and Louisa are neighbors, Pete living upstairs and Louisa down. He is noisy, steals her morning paper and funny smells come from his apartment. Pete can hear everything in Louisa's apartment, including her phone calls from her mom. After her boss, a Senator, finds out she has an association with Pete, he fires her suddenly and the mystery begins. Pete and Louisa work together to find out what is going on.
There is nothing serious about this read. It goes quickly with some humor, romance, and good banter, perfect for a rainy day read.
December 16, 2015
Louisa and Peter were a fun pair. Two opposites that definitely attracted. A really fun book to read.
February 23, 2016
This is a really cheesy romance. The storyline was a bit far-fetched however I found it intriguing. Anyone looking for a quick and funny romance will enjoy this.
April 2, 2019
I'm not sure I've read this author before, this definitely felt...a little crazy to me. It's pretty quick and a lot strange, the characters are likable, I think and at other times I was raising my eyebrows. The whole thing was just kind of weird, but not in a bad way. I can't really explain it. Cute little story though.
February 11, 2012
I snagged this book off the exchange rack at the library simply because it was a Janet Evanovich book. I've looked at these "before the time of Plum" novels in bookstores, but didn't want to buy them because they look like "fluff" to me. So I was excited to find a chance to read a "guilty pleasure" book.
I read Evanovich's note to the reader in this book & loved it. She explains that "in a previous life, before the time of Plum" she had written 12 short romance novels.
It is fluff & I felt vaguely naughty for reading it. It doesn't fit into my annual theme & I should be reading the next book on the library's reading list, not indulging in "guilty pleasure." I skipped several passages, because I felt that I wasn't old enough to read them. I loved Grandma Brannigan, she reminds me of Stephanie Plum's Grandma Mazur. I enjoyed the political backdrop the book took place against also.
I read Evanovich's note to the reader in this book & loved it. She explains that "in a previous life, before the time of Plum" she had written 12 short romance novels.
It is fluff & I felt vaguely naughty for reading it. It doesn't fit into my annual theme & I should be reading the next book on the library's reading list, not indulging in "guilty pleasure." I skipped several passages, because I felt that I wasn't old enough to read them. I loved Grandma Brannigan, she reminds me of Stephanie Plum's Grandma Mazur. I enjoyed the political backdrop the book took place against also.
June 27, 2011
This was my first-ever Janet Evanovich book and I absolutely loved it! It was a short, quick read, packed tight with great one-liners that made me laugh out loud. Just ask my poor hubby, who had to stop what he was doing several times to listen to me read funny passages to him!
The best thing about this book was the absolute MALENESS of the "hero." Evanovich wrote his dialogue and inner thoughts just like a real guy, which completely tickled me.
My fave line:
Her: "Do you make love to women you don't love?"
Him: "Only in cases of emergency."
Awesome. This isn't a 5-star book because of extraodinary depth of characters, story or world-building. That's not what this book delivers. It's a 5-star book because it's a total crack-up and I saw myself in a lot of the neurotic behavior of the characters. Spot on! *grin*
The best thing about this book was the absolute MALENESS of the "hero." Evanovich wrote his dialogue and inner thoughts just like a real guy, which completely tickled me.
My fave line:
Her: "Do you make love to women you don't love?"
Him: "Only in cases of emergency."
Awesome. This isn't a 5-star book because of extraodinary depth of characters, story or world-building. That's not what this book delivers. It's a 5-star book because it's a total crack-up and I saw myself in a lot of the neurotic behavior of the characters. Spot on! *grin*
February 19, 2016
Not anywhere near one of her better works - in the end I only read it because the cover was yellow
June 5, 2017
I like to tell things as it is : the pig made me buy this book.
Well, not literally, of course I didn't hear a hog tell me to grab it, but when I saw this cutie on the cover, I clicked on the add to cart button and that was it. But don't waste your breathe waiting for him to be in the story, however😞.
"Pete Streeter was to her life what the big bang had been to the creation of the universe."
Louisa's existence was peaceful before Pete became her neighbor. Press secretary for a senator, with no boyfriend and no pets, she's exasperated by the noises, the cooking odors from next door coming from the vent and the calls he gets at night, which wake up her all the time. But the day the man steal her newspaper, she decide that enough is enough and give him a piece of her mind. From this moment, things will only go downhill. Threats, assaillant,shotgun and sledgehammer through the windshield, and all that because of a pig!?
So begins a pig hunt for Louisa and Pete. One who could have a link with national security or international relations. But that's not the difficult part for the young woman. Sharing close quarter with her outrageous and
insufferable neighbor might be more dangerous for her peace of mind.
If you're familiar with Janet Evanovich's style, you know that her stories are always short, light and on the absurd side. If you're not, knows that it's not romance, nor mysteries, but pure comedy. That's what I have come to expect but I would have prefer if the piglet was in the book and not just talked about.
Well, not literally, of course I didn't hear a hog tell me to grab it, but when I saw this cutie on the cover, I clicked on the add to cart button and that was it. But don't waste your breathe waiting for him to be in the story, however😞.
"Pete Streeter was to her life what the big bang had been to the creation of the universe."
Louisa's existence was peaceful before Pete became her neighbor. Press secretary for a senator, with no boyfriend and no pets, she's exasperated by the noises, the cooking odors from next door coming from the vent and the calls he gets at night, which wake up her all the time. But the day the man steal her newspaper, she decide that enough is enough and give him a piece of her mind. From this moment, things will only go downhill. Threats, assaillant,shotgun and sledgehammer through the windshield, and all that because of a pig!?
So begins a pig hunt for Louisa and Pete. One who could have a link with national security or international relations. But that's not the difficult part for the young woman. Sharing close quarter with her outrageous and
insufferable neighbor might be more dangerous for her peace of mind.
If you're familiar with Janet Evanovich's style, you know that her stories are always short, light and on the absurd side. If you're not, knows that it's not romance, nor mysteries, but pure comedy. That's what I have come to expect but I would have prefer if the piglet was in the book and not just talked about.
April 5, 2018
Meh. This story was ok but rather ridiculous at the same time.
September 15, 2018
This was a light, enjoyable story of a neighbor who was a little naughty and a lot desirable. It was kind of reminiscent of Stephanie Plum, but not quite as comical. Louisa and Pete are believable and fun to read about. Loved it!
November 11, 2009
I am gonna make this short since it was on audio and let's face it, I suck a audio. I got annoyed at the narrator, and some voices made me grind my teeth. It took so long and I must have rolled my eyes a hundred times over.
Louisa was now and again TSTL, and honestly so was he once or twice too. He was a macho pig, and she was a wimp and complained all the time. I did not like either of them.
But then we get to the real problem, it was audio, perhaps I could have liked them in a book, perhaps then I could have laughed (cos I read people laugh cos of this book).
I just do not know, let's blame it on that it was an audiobook. Sure I have read another one of Evanovich earlier tries and it was mediocre, and now where near her Plum novels but this one would deserve better too.
I am not an audio book kind of girl.
Blodeuedd's Cover thoughts: Very cute :)
Why I read it: Well listened
1, I will stick to reading books. And if anyone loving Evanovich has read it then tell me if it's better to read it.
August 12, 2010
This was one of the cheesiest romance novels I've ever read. I can do cheese (I love Twilight for God's sake!) but this was over the top even for me. In addition to the romance plot line there was also a mystery plot line that seemed implausible and I had trouble following. People say that Evanovich is really funny but that wasn't true of this book.
To be fair, this book was written pre-Stephanie Plum days and probably wouldn't have been rereleased if it wasn't for the success of the Stephanie Plum series. I've only read One for the Money and it was quite a bit better than this book.
I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator was not good. She had an overly theatrical voice that heightened the cheesiness level that much more. I may have liked this book better if I had read the paper version.
To be fair, this book was written pre-Stephanie Plum days and probably wouldn't have been rereleased if it wasn't for the success of the Stephanie Plum series. I've only read One for the Money and it was quite a bit better than this book.
I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator was not good. She had an overly theatrical voice that heightened the cheesiness level that much more. I may have liked this book better if I had read the paper version.
February 13, 2017
Very Stephanie Plumish but less fleshed out and more to the point. Almost gave it a 3 stars for effort but overall, no.
It's cutesy and easy to read fast - the characters are well enough and the dialogue funny - but it didn't tickle my tickle bone enough to make up for how fluffy it was. It has another 'modern grandmother' at the end but she's barely in it. We also get sleazy politicians and a strange mystery side story about a pig. The mystery side story wasn't important after all, just a cute thing for the couple to do together and keep the story flowing.
It's readable but not enough substance, even for a romance humor novel, to gain a higher rating.
It's cutesy and easy to read fast - the characters are well enough and the dialogue funny - but it didn't tickle my tickle bone enough to make up for how fluffy it was. It has another 'modern grandmother' at the end but she's barely in it. We also get sleazy politicians and a strange mystery side story about a pig. The mystery side story wasn't important after all, just a cute thing for the couple to do together and keep the story flowing.
It's readable but not enough substance, even for a romance humor novel, to gain a higher rating.
November 7, 2009
Reading this should give any starting author hope. This proves that one of your first books can be total crap and you can go on to be a very successful writer. The writing is choppy at best. The scenarios are more than improbable. The characters have few redeeming qualities. The plot is nonexistent. So why two stars and not one? Because it was merely bad. Sort or like something a friend has asked you to read. OK for an amateur, but not something you'd expect to be published anywhere.
January 19, 2016
A cute book, but the characters really got on my nerves after a while. Pete is kind of an ass and Louisa is not nearly as funny as Stephanie Plum. She's also actually kind of irritating. The mystery is also solved too fast and far too easily. The book has good bits of humor throughout and I enjoyed reading it as it shows where Ms. Evanovich started and her talent even then. Still, I like her later books better.
February 21, 2024
Janet Evanovich is one of my favorite authors. She brings a lot of cornball situations and humor into all her stories, and I really like that. I don't need every book to be so intense and deep that it stays with me for weeks, or years: sometimes I need a little light read that makes me laugh. Like a snack. You know, an ooey, gooey brownie, or a dish of particularly decadent ice cream. Evanovich always delivers on that!
September 21, 2008
Janet Evanovich is always a good read. A light screball comedy romance, but still a satisfying read. It give me something to read while waitng for her next Stephanie Plum book.
August 14, 2017
A very cute romance. Louisa and Pete prove that romance can bud from that person you think is exactly what your not looking for in a partner. That upstairs neighbor that's too noisy, steals your newspaper and appears to be a spoiled rich womanizer could just be the perfect guy after all. Pete offers her a job after she loses her job and Louisa finds herself sneaking around in the dark in an undercover investigation for a story that Pete is hoping to get involving a pig. Louisa finds she enjoys not following all the rules and stepping out on the ledge a little. Pete's attractive, rich and fun, he just might be the one. Pete does his best to prove to Louisa that they are destined to be married.
September 18, 2019
it wasn't horrible but you can tell it was one of the first attempts at writing. The POV changed pretty much every paragraph which made reading it really tough. The romance was really not believable and their troubles were rather pointless. It was tough to even understand how it all started. In any event, it was not a great book and there was scant little humor in it. Glad she got better as she progressed.
April 4, 2023
I mostly liked this audio. Except, for the old school music between parts that kept going for a few minutes after the narrator got going again. Other than that, this was a funny, mystery with characters I really got into. Pete was hilarious in a nonchalant kind of way and though high-strung at times Louisa was funny and very determined. Together they made a great sleuthing team and were definitely meant for each other.
November 27, 2024
2.75
The guy was a little annoying, mostly in the beginning but a little throughout the whole thing. It was fun, but mid overall. I did have a good time, but meh.. A little disappointed because I remembered liking books by this author in the past and they just were not as good as I was expecting.
The guy was a little annoying, mostly in the beginning but a little throughout the whole thing. It was fun, but mid overall. I did have a good time, but meh.. A little disappointed because I remembered liking books by this author in the past and they just were not as good as I was expecting.
March 8, 2018
Cliche and corny.....but I knew that going in anyway. Entertaining if you like goofy romances.
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