Category Archives: Absolute Froth

Total unadulterated frothy fun, some light-hearted reading for you.

Stop the Wedding! – Stephanie Bond

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In this romantic comedy, Annabelle Coakley receives some disturbing news- her widowed mother is marrying a penniless old movie star. Meanwhile Clay Castleberry also receives disturbing news- his old movie star father is marrying for the umpteenth time. Both converge on Atlanta to stop the wedding. Annabelle is concerned for her naive mother, who was married for all her adult life until being recently widowed, and may be at risk of being conned out of her valuable home. Clay just wants to pay off the latest gold-digging bimbo that he’s expecting, like he normally does. Both Annabelle and Clay are in for a surprise when they see just how in love the betrothed couple are, Clay is especially surprised at both the age-appropriateness of the parents’ match, and his attraction to her daughter.

Kooks for your Kindle?– Both the parents are very sweet, and a good match for each other. Belle especially is written with some depth as a patient mother very understanding of her daughter’s bitterness. Clay is slightly exaggerated as the male lead, rather obnoxious at the start, but of course even though he’s a high flying investment manager he secretly drives a pick up truck and does manly things in the woods. The only other character is Michaela, Annabelle’s assistant and friend, also known as Mike- you can imagine the misunderstandings this leads to.

The Bella-Swan-Pathetically-Self-Sacrificing-Factor– Annabelle is a busy divorce attorney, and I imagine handling a hundred cases a month might jade someone on the subject of marriage, but she goes a little overboard with her mother. On the other hand, I found her to be a little too much of a passenger in her romantic dealings with Clay, but it was pretty hilarious when he found out how much he’d misjudged her situation.

Nookie for your Nook?– The author manages to make it steamy, but clean. Like a good launderette, but more fun.

Evaluation of your eBook?– If you’re looking for a cheap, light, quick, fun read, this is your book. The outcome is a little predictable, but so are most truly frothy reads. Oddly, I was thinking this would make a good TV movie, and at the end the author mentioned something along the same lines. I’m thinking I’ve covered a few books with an prickly attorney for a female lead lately, coincidence I’m sure, but I’ll aim for another career field in the next one!

Frothy Ranking: 3/5 cocktails.

Can be obtained from:

US: From Amazon for 99c

UK: Amazon for only 77p

Chasing Venus – Diana Dempsey

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This may be one instance where I shouldn’t have judged a book by its cover- this is not merely the fluffy romance i had expected! The title and cover don’t say murder-mystery-romance to me, but I was pleasantly surprised: Diana Dempsey is fast becoming one of my frothy go-to authors. Annie is a recently divorced who-dunnit author just finding success, but when a serial killer begins offing her contemporaries in the same style as their book characters, she finds herself framed. Faced with certain arrest, Annie becomes a fugitive, enlisting Reid, a former cop, as her reluctant shelter. Reid had contacted Annie in his role as presenter of a crime-fighting television show, but when she goes on the lam, Reid finds himself risking it all when he believes her side of the story.

Kooks for your Kindle?– No overabundance of wacky sidekicks here, although I wouldn’t have complained if Annie’s hippy parents had played a larger role, they had potential. Reid’s colleague Sheila was thoughtfully written, even as a lesser role of the jealous former lover. Reid has his own demons, obsessing over another killer more personal to his past.

The Bella-Swan-Pathetically-Self-Sacrificing-Factor– Annie’s no bimbo, she’s an intelligent writer who also has the nerve to turn fugitive for as long as it takes to clear her name. At first I thought she was nuts for going on the run, and later breaking and entering; but she’s a tough cookie who thinks quickly in a crisis. In all the Dempsey books I’ve read so far the leads have all been strong, intelligent women, but still with variation of character.

Painting a picture for your paperback?– The action takes place up and down the length of California, from fancy beachfront homes to modest apartments to a cabin in the woods. Of course in this day and age it’s not possible to go to ground for too long before being caught, so the tale is of a period of only a week or so.

Evaluation of your eBook?– I’m pleased to say I didn’t guess who the killer was before I was supposed to, and I like to think that’s due to the skill of the author, not my own addled brain. There’s some romance, although I thought their discussions about their future was a bit of a moot point when she was up for 4 counts of murder and he was aiding and abetting, but people have their own coping methods! The best news is, right now the book is totally free (see links below), but even if it wasn’t, it would still be worth it for an easy to read murder mystery with some added romance.

Frothy Ranking: 4/5 cocktails.

Can be obtained from:

UK: Free at Amazon and WHSmith.

US: Free at Kobobooksand Amazon

Uptown Girl – Olivia Goldmsith

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Kate is a child psychologist at a New York school, with a nice sensible boyfriend and two separate sets of friends- those from her big-city grown-up life, and those from her childhood in Brooklyn. When her oldest best friend Bina does not receive an expected marriage proposal, her ensuing crisis causes Kate’s friends to unite into one eclectic bunch of big-haired Brooklyn women and gay Manhattan men. After realising a pattern, Elliot, Kate’s mathematician friend, comes up with a surefire way to get Bina married- have her date the one guy all her friends dated before they met their husbands. Billy-the-dumper (as he’s known) does have a pattern of dating and dumping women right before they date and marry their husbands; the trouble is once he meets Kate, he has eyes for nobody else.

Kooks for your Kindle?– Kate’s childhood friends and their families seem closer to the catholic and jewish world of the Stephanie Plum novels, all about marriage, babies, food and family. Bev, Barbie, Bina and Bunny are collectively known as the Bitches of Bushwick. These women are written as provincial and garish, as if they were from darkest New Jersey, even though I was under the impression that Brooklyn is now pretty much an extension of New York (correct me if I’m wrong!). Kate was scared of them meeting her best city friends, cosmopolitan gay couple Elliot and Brice, but they make a fun dynamic- the guys are fascinated with the soap opera style goings on in their lives, and the girls love being advised by men with such good taste. Bina is the most lovable of the funny, gossipy girls, and as such I’m not sure why everyone is so keen to help her reel in Jack, her unworthy boyfriend, who ditched her on the night he was going to propose and ran off to Hong Kong. Her subsequent adventures are haphazard fun; I wondered if the book would have worked better from her point of view, but possibly not, she’s a little too ditzy.

The Bella-Swan-Pathetically-Self-Sacrificing-Factor– I found Kate’s character to be slightly inconsistent and hard to like at first. She took a little too long to dispatch the guys who were obviously wrong for her, although it was satisfying when she did. Kate’s not perfect, she’s a little smug in her feeling of superiority over her non-city friends.

Painting a picture for your paperback?– It’s set in Manhattan and Brooklyn, neither of which I know well, but I’d willingly give it a try if a school psychologist can afford to rent a nice one bedroom apartment in an old brownstone and still have change for Jimmy Choos and wedding gifts from Tiffany. Luckily that’s about as far as the brand-name dropping goes in the book. I was a little puzzled by Billy giving Kate a guided tour of the area in which she grew up, but perhaps it changed.

Evaluation of your eBook?– I’ve read a couple of the author’s earlier books, two good revenge stories, but this one is more ‘sex and the city’ in its storyline and setting. The twist in Bina’s storyline was a little obvious to me, as was the outcome of who ends up with whom, but it was an entertaining ride. It’s not an earth shattering read, but if you can get it cheap (see below), then it’s worth it for a fun, gossipy read.

Frothy Ranking: 3/5 cocktails.

Can be obtained from:

UK: 99p at Amazon, Waterstones and WHSmith.

US: Not available on Kindle through Amazon, odd for a popular american author. Kobobooks have it for $7.39
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Sweet Tea and Secrets- Nancy Naigle

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In this gentle southern US mystery, Jill returns to her small town home in Virginia after losing her beloved grandmother, Pearl. Of course, her first love Garrett is also still there, with whom she has unfinished business. Under pressure from Bradley (current boyfriend/boss) to return to her new life in Savannah, she has to decide what to do with Pearl’s legacy, and solve the mystery of Pearl’s own great love. In doing so she uncovers another puzzle involving Bradley, who may not be the good philanthropist he claims to be.

Kooks for your Kindle?-Lots of real, unexaggerated supporting characters, and Jill is fortunate to have a lawyer for a best friend, considering the events unfolding here. The other locals are colourful without being over the top. Garrett could easily have been bland (he’s quite vanilla and very considerate to elderly ladies), but luckily he has an edge and makes an attractive leading man, fortuitously blessed with patience and good timing in an emergency.

The Bella-Swan-Pathetically-Self-Sacrificing-Factor– Jill is reasonably strong, even when things take a turn for the dangerous. However, she may be a little gullible and naive for believing the evidence when she left Garrett the year before. I’d usually struggle to empathise with someone so virtuous, but she has enough pluck to be interesting.

Painting a picture for your paperback?– The author creates a homely southern town, with a strong community of good God-fearin’ folk. It’s very wholesome and a nice change from some of the harsher frothy reads out there. Some of the local cuisine is featured, with some yummy looking recipes included at the end, although I fear anyone imbibing that much sugar in their sweet tea on a regular basis may fall into a sugar coma or be the size of a house.

Nookie for your Nook?– So clean in content and language that not only could you recommend it to the M.I.L, but maybe even your great-granny.

Evaluation of your eBook?– A couple of almost extraneous kindle name-drops might be explained by the fact that the book seems to be self published on Amazon, I’m not sure how it works, but if it enables more reasonably priced easy reads like this, then great. Overall a nice page-turner, with some life-threatening excitement towards the end. The dialogue is more good-natured than snappy, but it fits the events happening in a period of bereavement and mystery. I felt it would have been best read in the shade on a sunny day with an icy drink, but don’t let that stop you if your circumstances differ. It’s a warm and fuzzy book that effectively conveys the type of southern community that will rally around when tragedy strikes.

Frothy Ranking: 3/5 cocktails.

Can be obtained from:

US: Amazon for $1.99

UK: Amazon for £2.68

Stuck With You – Trish Jensen

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Stuck With You is a funny, silly, sexy quick read. Two divorce lawyers on opposite sides of the same case find themselves stuck in quarantine after circumstances get them potentially exposed to ‘Tibetan Concupiscence Virus’, or TCV. Here’s the silly part- victims get a rampant case of the raging horn for 2 weeks. Fortunately Ross and Paige are both terribly good looking, smart and single, even if they don’t get along. Things get even more messy when their doctor realises that Paige’s visiting brother is her former college flame. The second half of the book, after quarantine, is where they try to determine whether they were infected, or really are meant to be.

Kooks for your Kindle?– Apart from a kleptomaniac aunt, characters are not overly stereotyped or exaggerated, even the smaller roles. Paige has a frighteningly litigious extended family, who convince her to represent them all in any matter, when really she’s a tax attorney. Her large, nutty family are in stark contrast to Ross’ lone status.

The Bella-Swan-Pathetically-Self-Sacrificing-Factor– Ross is a good leading man, with hidden depths and a good heart. Paige is a little defeatist, especially towards the end, but manages to handle matters well while in quarantine, even drawing up a legal agreement with the intention of keeping them separate!

Nookie for your Nook?– It has some pretty steamy moments, not recommended for the mother-in-law if she has a heart condition.

Evaluation of your eBook?– The quarantine premise is hilariously contrived, but if you want an easy, funny, steamy book with some snappy repartee between the leads, this is the one. I read it in around 3 or 4 hours flat, but then I’m a speedy reader. The secondary story between the doctor and Paige’s brother is just as interesting, and the rest of Paige’s family are lovably entertaining. Recommended for a day by the pool.

Frothy Ranking: 3/5 cocktails.

Can be obtained from:

UK: Amazon kindle for £5.63. WHSmith has the paperback for £8.00, and Waterstones the ebook for £5.94.
US: on Amazon the kindle is currently $7.39, but click here for the latest price, as I got it for $1.99 a week ago; this may have been a Black Friday offer. Kobobooks have it for $7.69.
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Crazy Little Thing- Tracy Brogan

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This adorable, fun book is by a relatively new author who seems to alternate between contemporary light reading (such as this) and historical bodice rippers. Sadie is reluctantly talked into spending the summer by Lake Michigan with her eccentric aunt and two adult cousins to recuperate from a nasty divorce. Instead of relaxing with her 2 young children for the summer she ends up falling for the visiting doctor next door; discovering and unexpected career; annoying her ex husband into a custody fight; and (possibly the worst) realising she’s beginning to turn into her mother. Sadie is tightly wound; compulsively tidying for fun until her interior designer cousin suggests she “use that personality disorder… for good instead of evil” and join his small business as a professional organiser.

Kooks for your Kindle?– The characters really make this book, the star being Aunt Dody, whose malaproprism for her doctor (“vaginacologist”) should become an officially recognised word in my opinion. Dody’s sons are unusual, although I can’t help thinking if you name a son Fontaine (even as a middle names), there’s a certain inevitability to his becoming an interior designer. Sadie herself is a mixture of sensible, cautious, and hilariously disastrous when drunk.

The Bella-Swan-Pathetically-Self-Sacrificing-Factor– Sadie is a little defeatist at the beginning of the story, briefly refusing to believe any man would want her again, but to be fair, her ex husband was a total tool. Her lovable children and her aunt’s family bolster her confidence, something that never happened with her husband and her mother. It takes a while to stop expecting the same mental beatings.

Painting a picture for your paperback?– With the theme of divorce and becoming closer to distant family because immediate family have let them down, there are a few parallels with Watch Over Me, also in the warmth, but that’s where the similarity ends. This is a much lighter, funny book, sharply told in Sadie’s voice, and she has some great snappy lines. It’s set by Lake Michigan in the summer, and has a beachy feel to it, so if you’re feeling wintery, this is just the thing.

Nookie for your Nook?– It’s sexy but not rude, and minimal enough to pass the mother-in-law test.  However it’s more suited to the twenties to forties market.

Evaluation of your eBook?– It was read in a matter of hours (within 24 hours) and not just so that I could get another review written- I couldn’t put it down. A couple of bits in the middle veered close to Bridget Jones painfully disaster-prone territory, and one or two of the misunderstandings were a little easy to spot, but those are minor quibbles. It made me laugh out loud, and although it’s extremely light in subject and tone it was eventful, non-stop and so sweet it left me with a case of the warm and fuzzies.

Frothy Ranking: 4/5 cocktails.

Can be obtained from:

UK: Amazon for £2.49.

US: Amazon for $3.99.

Chelsea Wives- Anna-Lou Weatherley

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Remember ‘Trashy novels’ and ‘Bonk-busters’? Pretend the recession never happened and get some true escapism from the Brit side of the pond. Meet three women of very different origins, the rich and spoiled of London’s Chelsea. Imogen was a successful model before her rich husband put her in a gilded cage for fifteen years. Lady Yasmin appears to be your typical surgically enhanced, social-climbing young trophy wife to her crusty old Lord- but who is she really? Finally, Calvary was born into this life, but can she retain her position and find happiness with a younger man if she finally divorces her serial-philandering husband? These three become unlikely allies when they realise they can all get what they want: If they have the guts and luck to pull off a spectacular heist.

Kooks for your Kindle?-For such an unashamedly frothy book the main characters are surprisingly only a little over-the-top; even the seemingly ‘gold-digging-bimbo’ has an agenda of an entirely unexpected nature. Some of the supporting players are suitably wacky.

The Bella-Swan-Pathetically-Self-Sacrificing-Factor– All three ladies have suffered in the past at the hands of their husbands, but this is the story of them taking matters into their own hands and breaking the rules to get what’s due. Who doesn’t love a good revenge story? In that respect there are shades of The First Wives Club, but it’s not derivative of that.

Painting a picture for your paperback?– The world of the overprivileged is explored, namely expensive shopping on the King’s Road, dining, traveling, parties, yachts, name-dropping, and some extremely outlandish behaviour. It’s all good excessive fun.

Nookie for your Nook?– I believe this type of book used to be known as ‘sex and shopping’ in the good old eighties era of Judith Kranz. There’s plenty of both to keep you entertained, although be warned, a lot of the bedroom action is between unattractive rich men and plastic younger women with ulterior motives, which might put you right off your Veuve Clicquot.

Evaluation of your eBook?– If you’re not bemused by point of view switches between the three leads within the same sections, and have the imagination to suspend belief for a while, you’ll love it. It’s flashy, trashy and pure escapism, and everyone gets the ending they deserve.

Frothy Ranking: 3/5 cocktails.

Can be obtained from:

UK: Totally worth it for £1.99 at Amazon, Waterstones, and WHSmith.
US: Kobobooks for only $2.61.
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Notorious Nineteen- Janet Evanovich

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This is the brand new release in the Stephanie Plum series, and as such is not a cheap offering, but if you’re a fan, maybe money’s no object. Cheaper paperback versions are due in June next year. I haven’t reviewed books 2 to 18 before jumping to this one (although I’ve read them), but thought it best to get this review done while the book’s brand new. Similar to the usual fun happenings, Stephanie’s broke, criminals need to be bounty-hunted, she exasperates her semi-serious cop/boyfriend Morelli with her risk-taking, many attempts are made on Stephanie’s life, and her cars have tragically short lifespans- as do those she borrows. This time the man on the loose is the embezzling manager of a care home for the elderly, who skipped bail while recovering from an appendectomy. Complicating matters is a lucrative side job with occasional colleague and lover Ranger, helping him guard a soon-to-be-wed couple from a crazed ex-special forces comrade.

Kooks for your Kindle?– All the old favourites are here, crackpot Granny Mazur still demonstrating where Stephanie got her nerve from, assistant Lula the retired hooker still ploughing through the junk food, and Randy the grumpy dwarf makes a reappearance. The bad guys are suitably creepy, albeit elusive, and the author does well to come up with new, varied baddies after so many episodes.

The Bella-Swan-Pathetically-Self-Sacrificing-Factor– Although Stephanie is not as skilled or smooth as Ranger, she usually has the reactions and common sense to get herself out of trouble. Ranger does his share of rescuing, thankfully, but she’s not entirely helpless. As usual she’s down on her luck financially, but muddles on without letting it get her down.

Painting a picture for your paperback?– New Jersey seems to be as much of a cesspit of criminal activity as ever (please let me know in the comments if it’s really that bad!), and the ‘Burg’ neighbourhood as much of a catholic, food, and family oriented area as ever.

Nookie for your Nook?– Evanovich still manages to string out the tension between Stephanie and her two great loves, although it now looks like one of them is considering a commitment. I can safely say i would still struggle to choose.

Evaluation of your eBook?– In grand Plum tradition, it was read in a day (OK- hours), and much enjoyed. It’s not one of the stand-outs of the series, but pretty solid. It would be nice to see Stephanie’s situation reflect her improvement as a bounty hunter; now that she’s bringing in the big guys she could be a little less broke. On the other hand she does get through an awful lot of cars… There were some minor plot points that didn’t quite add up- hard to explain without giving away the ending, but the reason for the bail-skipper disappearing from the hospital seemed odd if he had bail riding on him. Correct me if i’m wrong! On the whole, an enjoyable, fun, light read, which is what we like here.

Frothy Ranking: 3/5 cocktails.

Can be obtained from:
UK: Amazon for £9.99 kindle version now, or paperback for £6.99 when it’s released. Also at WHSmith and Waterstones for £9.99.

US: Amazon for $13.99 and Kobobooks for $17.39.
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Spoiled- Jessica Morgan and Heather Cocks

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It’s time we reviewed a little Y.A, and what better place to start than the debut book from the duo also known as the Fug Girls– celeb fashion critics extraordinaire, television fans, book lovers, and now authors in the young adult genre. The tale is a variation on the grand tradition of the ordinary-teen dream of discovering that their true heritage is special- done in vastly different ways including Harry Potter, The Princess Diaries, even Star Wars. Molly is a sixteen year old from darkest Indiana who learns the truth of her parentage on her mother’s deathbed- her father is movie star Brick Berlin. Once bereaved, Molly eventually goes to live with her father and new-found half sister of the same age, but the move to LA may as well have been a move to Mars for she couldn’t be more out of place. Molly’s initiation into the world of paparazzi, high fashion, showbiz, and sisterhood is swift, hilarious and (at first) brutal.

Kooks for your Kindle?-Brick is somehow lovable and narcissistic as well as delightfully un-self-aware. A one-man cautionary tale of the long term effects of La-La land, he has a childlike obliviousness to the reality around him. Brooke, his other daughter, is painfully aware of this and desperate for his attention and acts out as only Hollywood offspring can. There are some nice well rounded tertiary characters with traits defying the stereotypes.

The Bella-Swan-Pathetically-Self-Sacrificing-Factor– Molly’s hometown honey is the boy next door and she’s a little wholesomely naive- but she’s not completely unarmed.  A firm theoretical background in fashions stands her well and she has a good line in snark for facing the mean girls.

Painting a picture for your paperback?–  The authors are of the Sweet Valley High era (like myself), but the book admirably portrays its teens as modern day.  The sunny California atmosphere and the larger than life way of Hollywood living are seen through Molly’s fresh eyes.

Nookie for your Nook?– Nothing you wouldn’t want a teenager reading.

Evaluation of your eBook?– Lovers of pop-culture/showbiz gossip will love the nods to the likes of Mean Girls, Clueless, Friends and gossip mag celebs. The plot flows well, and leads on to the next book (which we’ll get to!) with one or two aspects unresolved. The authors’ strengths are their snappy dialogue, one-liners and their insider knowledge of this world. It’s most suited to today’s teens that know their Taylor Swift from their Taylor Lautner, but if you’re older than the target market- just call it a fun read and a guilty pleasure…

Frothy Ranking: 4/5 cocktails.

Can be obtained from:

UK: Not yet available as an ebook on Amazon UK, only paperback for £5.57.

US: The ebook can be found on Amazon.com for $8.99.

Ms America And The Offing On Oahu- Diana Dempsey

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A beauty queen’s quest to be appreciated for her brains as well as her looks. Happy Pennington has just been crowned Ms America- but possibly only because the favourite was murdered during the final. With this making her a suspect, Happy takes matters into her own hands to clear her name.

Kooks for your Kindle?– The usual selection of supporting characters, including a typically adorable Ms Congeniality and a slightly batty mother, not too over the top.

The Bella-Swan-Pathetically-Self-Sacrificing-Factor– Phew, not a whiff of it here; Happy is on a mission to prove how resourceful and clever she is. Unfazed by danger, she doggedly sets out to clear her name and subvert the stereotype of the dumb beauty queen, while respecting the hard work she and her colleagues put into pageanting.

Painting a picture for your paperback?– It’s doubtful that anybody needs any encouragement to go to Hawaii, but you are guaranteed to feel the urge to sip a well decorated cocktail at sunset having read this book. The setting is mostly at the plush hotel, with some eventful excursions. The author has a lovely way with words, of course that’s what we take for granted in an author, but Dempsey has a singular way of conveying the intelligence behind the pretty exterior of the lead character.

Nookie for your Nook?– This being a pageant for married women, our heroine has her husband along, but most of the time he is stashed out of the way in another hotel and largely forgotten. Fortunately he seems extremely understanding.

Evaluation of your eBook?-. A character with potential (a sequel is already out there), with echoes of the Miss Congeniality movie. There are shades of Stephanie Plum in her amateur, plucky efforts at crime solving, but different enough to set it apart. It reduced speed at one small point in the middle, but still skipped along well for a medium size read. Best devoured on a beach, because it WILL invoke the urge for the aforementioned cocktail.

Frothy Ranking: 4/5 cocktails.

UK: A bargain 77p on Amazon UK, and 98p from WHSmith.

US: 99c from Amazon or 99c from Kobobooks US and Kobo Canada.