Odd Mom Out

Odd Mom Out by Jane Porter

What was this book about?

Marta Zisser moved to Seattle because her mother was ill and a job opportunity came up. When the job fell through she opened her own ad business. It was tough balancing being a single mom and owning a business that was thriving.

Her 10 year old daughter Eva is like every girl. She has moved to a new town and wants to be accepted. She loved New York and everything it represented and this is nothing like it. She will do anything to become like one of the other girls.

So to her – her mom represents something bad. The other mom’s are concerned about what car you drive and what you wear. Her mother is more into being comfortable.

Can Marta find her place in Seattle society? Does that mean giving up everything she is? Can she find love when she is least looking for it?

What did you think about the book?

I have read all of Jane Porter’s books by now and for me this was the best one. I loved it. I loved the character of the mother and the daughter (and even the love interest). The mom especially for me was a great character. She was unusual, she fought the need to be like everyone else (for her own comfort an for her daughter), it hurt when her daughter acted like a normal teenager.

Even the romance for me was believable.

What genre would you consider this?
Romance/Family Dynamics

Overall:

Question for You!
Would you ever consider artificial insemination by a random sperm donor? What would be the risks in your eyes?

Flirting with Forty

Flirting with Forty by Jane Porter

What was this book about?

Jackie has just turned 40. She is alone – her husband having left her for a younger woman. She is responsible for her two children. She is just generally overwhelmed by life. She takes a birthday trip to Hawaii and meets surfer instructor Kai. He is everything she could want in a vacation romance.

The only thing is when she returns to her normal life – she can’t stop thinking about Kai. He hasn’t forgotten about her either. Can they do a long distance thing where they are hours of flight away from each other? What about her children? What about her life?

Can a 40 something mother find true love with a younger surfer?

What did you think about the book?

I wanted to like this book. I mean who wouldn’t want a woman who had been left by her husband for a younger woman – at home with two kids – to find love with a handsome younger man. It seems like a dream for most women in this situation.

I thought the book was realistic in many ways – the friends trying to talk her out of it. Her husband being upset. Even her “need” to get back to see him after the first time.

But I spent most of the book thinking her surfer boyfriend was going to turn out to be a freeloading jerk – which will facilitate her real relationship with someone more stable (and I don’t think it has to do only with his age – it also was his profession – and general demeanor that made me think this).

Anyways it made it hard for me to like him or want them to end up together. I think I would have liked to get to know him “more” in the story.

What genre would you consider this?
Romance

Overall:

Question for You!
Do you think you can convert a vacation romance into a long term relationship?