As a writer, I follow all kinds of
blogs and Facebook pages and Twitter feeds. Like, hundreds. That’s probably why
I don’t get enough writing done, actually. But it’s all worth it when I find a writer
like Emily Hemmer. Her blog and Facebook page have cracked me up from the
get-go, and when she posted an Oprah meme letting FB fans know her book was
free (“You get a free book! And you get a
free book! Everyone gets a free
book!), I jumped on it. Read the first two pages. And then proceeded to
devour The Break-Up Psychic in just a
few hours.
Book: The Break-Up Psychic
Author: Emily Hemmer
Publisher: Emily Hemmer
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Rating: [ [ [ [ [ (5 out of 5 hearts!)
About the Book:
Ellie has a bad habit of picking the wrong man; a cheating
ex-boyfriend, a mild-mannered foot fetishist, and let’s not forget about the
hillbilly with the impolite hard-on. But when Sam James, the oh-so-hot bad boy
Ellie has sworn to stay away from, keeps turning up like a bad penny, she’s
going to need more than her psychic senses to see what’s coming her way.
My Thoughts:
I love romance and I love humor, but
it seems like finding a book that combines those two elements effectively is harder than walking a tightrope while wearing flippers and carrying a big
suitcase. Either you get a book that’s heavy on the hilarity, but the
relationship doesn’t quite ring your bell, or the love story between the main
characters is honest and believable but the funny stuff falls flat. I'm happy to say that neither of those were an issue here.
Ellie, The Break-Up Psychic herself, is a likeable character that I can
easily picture being friends with. She’s got rotten luck in the man department,
and has been burned many times—so many, that when she meets Sam, a sexy,
motorcycle-riding mechanic with “bad idea” written all over him, she doesn’t
trust her head, her attraction, or the notable lack of psychic alarm bells that
usually go off when she’s about to get her heart stomped on again.
Sam and Ellie’s relationship struck
me as believable and realistic, perfectly created with complexity and depth.
And I almost hesitate to confess this, since it’s never happened before in all
the years I’ve been reading romance, but I’d seriously consider Sam for the
position of my book boyfriend. In a word? Yum. Plus, the supporting cast, Ellie’s best friend Luanne, coworkers Brooke and Amber (I love Amber – she’s
got to be some close relative of my favorite Parks and Recreation character, April Ludgate), and everyone else
that shows up throughout this story, are really well-written. No cookie cutter
characters here, that’s for sure, even among the secondaries.
And finally, add Emily Hemmer’s unique
brand of humor (quirky, surprising, offbeat) into the mix. It’s not just that
there are funny scenes that leave you like oh, that situation was hilarious (even though some
of them are, like the mysterious teddy bear massacre or the flavored body powder
taste-testing)—it’s more like shiny comedic threads are woven throughout the whole
story. Kind of like the caramel in Ben and Jerry’s Phish Food. That ice cream
would be delicious without it, but add the caramel, and the whole experience is
elevated from tasty to BUH-BAMM.
In all? Two thumbs up. I don’t make
the promise of a five-star read lightly and The Break-Up Psychic is totally worthy of the rating.
About the Author:
According
to her Yahoo! Shine horoscope for 2013, this year looks to be the best of Emily’s
life. She has plans to publish three books, win countess accolades from her
peers, and literally roll around on a bed made of money. She also plans to
purchase a new dishwasher. (Emily’s full
bio is here. I just liked this part the best.)
Connect with Emily Hemmer:
Buy the Book:
Disclaimer: I received a free
digital copy of The
Break-Up Psychic from Oprah Winfrey—I mean, Emily Hemmer, during a Facebook contest.
The review was my idea and when I asked permission to post it, I was promptly told to
put that shit up.
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