Not Another Bad Date (Avon Romance)

Have read all of Rachel Gibsons book, and would recommend them all. She makes you care about all of the characters, injects humor and just tells a good story.

I like Rachel Gibson. She's one of the few writers out there who allow their female protagonists to be successful in their chosen field. She's funny. She can write a great love (i.e. sex) scene. Her male protags are appealing. But she can't seem to come up with any diversity in the development of a love story. Girl hasn't had a man in ages (read: desperate). Boy is extremely active in regards to women (read: really just wants in girl's pants). Girl tumbles in lust "But it's only sex". Boy eagerly complies with girl's stated rules. Girl then changes the rules on boy, and gets her feelings hurt when he doesn't ante up. Boy, for no apparant reason, then tells girls he really does love her and will she marry him. To me, this makes for a very unsatisfying and unbelievable love story. Gibson does great with the fun, funny, sexy stuff. She falls down on the job when it comes to the love stuff. I'd also like to see some different personality types. That would be novel, no pun intended.

The first thing I noticed when I opened this book was the large font and extra spacing of the text. Who do they think they're kidding? I'm getting really annoyed at these authors and publishers who pull this trick. Come on! If you can't fill up a whole book, then charge half price!

As for the story itself, it's like a Corvette that only travels 35 MPH on the open road. You know it can be so much more fun and enjoyable, more thrilling, but the driver holds back and doesn't give it everything she has. The dead socialite wife sent to Wal-Mart? Could have been hysterical, but it was cut off before it even started. Adele's "curse" of bad dates? She could have shown more examples and even tried a date with Zach to make sure the curse was over, but that theme kind of died down and never was resolved thoroughly. What about Adele and Zach's daughter? And . . . exactly when did Zach fall in love with Adele? Yeah, they had a lot of great sex, but the relationship was barely explored.

This book was just sort of blah. Half the book was over before anything really happened. While reading it, I couldn't help but wish that she would have amped up the story and really kicked it into a higher gear. There was so much there that could have been so much better. Maybe if Gibson had actually filled up the 375 pages instead of trying to fake us out with all the extra space . . .

Rachel Gibson used to be the best - many of her early books are among my favorites. There was a distinct difference at the start of the "Writers' Series" - I understand that Gibson shortened the publishing dates between books. Maybe she needs to go back and take her time, come up with that great Rachel style we all loved and not be so rushed that she produces this kind of junk.

I liked this series, but this was the book I liked the least. Oh, I liked the story of Adele going home to Texas and being shocked to see her old boyfriend who broke her heart. I liked her relationship with her niece and sister. I liked the story of the 2 teen girls. I liked the high school football championship story. And I really liked Adele. She is the strong, but vulnerable, stands-up-for-herself and takes no guff heroine I like in a romance.

So, why only 3 stars? The self-centered, arrogant, insensitive hero. He's the stereo-typical egotistical, all-women-want-me-so-why-not-have-as-many-as-I-can jock. Fine, but he was MARRIED! So, his wife didn't care what he did, he still was married and screwed around on her, even having threesomes. Ooh, yuck. He had a daughter, who he rarely saw and he's cheating on the wife, who he chose to marry. He had no regard for his daughter all this while. He was completely insensitive to Adele and selfish. And when he did finally get a clue, the groveling and apologizing wasn't enough to make up for his bad behavior and cruel remarks to Adele. He should have had to get down on his knees and beg and then be left hanging for awhile until Adele gave in and forgave him. But, she forgave way too easily and quickly.

What I did like was that Adele did kick Zach out and told him off the first time he treated her like a jerk. Unfortunately, she took him back a little too quickly. But, then the next time he was even a bigger jerk, she did what I often wish heroines who are treated so badly would do - she LEFT! Yeah for her!

So 3 stars for the secondary relationship stories and Adele, but a 2 star deduction for the hero, Zach.

I liked Lucy's, Clare's, and Maddie's stories much better.

I thought this book was awful.It felt forced and the plot was seriously cliche.I totally enjoyed the first 3 books in this "series" but this one was just disappointing.