Review: Such a Fun, Romantic Story!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 21, 2013
From Lauren Baratz-Logsted, author of the laugh-out-loud novel, The Bro-Magnet, comes the laugh-out-louder novel, Pursuing the Times. I haven't smiled, snickered, giggled or...well, laughed out loud... this much while reading a story in a very long time.Our heroine, Mercury Lauren, would likely cringe if she heard what I'm about to say, but Chick-Lit really isn't my cuppa. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the female friendships and their love life ups and downs that are a part of the stories in this genre, but too often there's not enough time given to romantic relationships to suit my need for a solid happily ever after in my reading. That said, while Chick-Lit isn't my genre of choice, if more authors wrote it the way Ms. Baratz-Logsted does, it most definitely would be.Rarely do I find myself enjoying the heroine of a story as much as I do the hero, but this is another something this author managed to pull off. Mercury is intelligent, insightful, dedicated and self deprecating - in a denial-esque kind of way and I loved her outspoken defense of herself and her writing. There's just something so outrageous about her that, while watching a certain scene unfold on a golf course, had me thinking how much more exciting my own life would be if I had that kind of chutzpah!Frank D'Arcangelo is a great hero! You may - or may not - have heard that this book at times mimics Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Well, one of my favorite things about Frank is just how "Mr. Darcy" he is, in a thoroughly obnoxious, modern sort of way. But like our beloved Mr. Darcy of old, Frank isn't completely irredeemable, and even well before the conclusion of the story, I adored him! In fact, even when he was being an utter ass, I was still grinning and cheering him on in the direction I wanted him to go: into Mercury's arms.The bottom line: Pursuing the Times is an absolute pleasure to read. It's light, romantic, funny, steamy... a truly feel good story. Fans of any romance genre will completely relate to Mercury Lauren and her desperation to become recognized as a legitimate author, and you'll laugh at the lengths she'll go to to achieve her goal. I'm looking forward to reading more by this talented author. Even if it is Chick-Lit ;)My thanks to Ms. Baratz-Logsted for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review. And for her patience during the months it took me to actually pick it up and read it.