Review: Thinks Like a Woman
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 26, 2014
April’s experience in screen writing shows in her ability to handle realistic conversations.  The plot is well-designed and kept me guessing until near the end.  The author handles most of the story details rather well.  A few things did, however, bother me.One is quite personal, in that she gives Rick (her main character) a terrible dislike for small dachshunds.  Having had several of that breed in my home over a period of twenty-five years, I take offense at her descriptions of their actions and attitudes.  Sorry, but that’s my prejudice.Another problem is a grammatical misuse of the subjunctive mood.  At various times she makes a comparison, such as “I wondered if Carmen were as round as Delores.”  Ooops!  In this instance “were” should be replaced with “was.”  Since this is a comparison of actual people, the indicative mood is proper.  She could use “were” correctly in the subjunctive mood, if she were making a hypothetical comparison such as “If I were a rich man….”  Picky?  Sure, but good writers should know the difference.My major criticism is April’s struggle, as a woman, to get inside the head of her male characters.  Her portrayal of Rick makes him appear as a wimp with too few masculine qualities to deserve the love Bree apparently has for him.  Likewise, Charlie is not much of a policeman.  In fact, none of the men in the story seem well-centered or complete.  She should have relied more on her male co-writer for advice, or (even better) she should have written the story from Bree’s perspective.By overlooking these faults I was able to enjoy the book.  I give it four stars.