An American Love Story [Mass Market Paperback]

Rona Jaffe (Author)

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 441 pages
• Publisher: Dell; 1st THUS edition (May 4, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 044020884X
• ISBN-13: 978-0440208846
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,239,403 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A goofy premise, but juicy & involving., May 7, 1999

By 

E. Fagan (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: American Love Story, An (Hardcover)

"An American Love Story" probably isn't one of Jaffe's best - she doesn't delve into some of the characters & they come off sort of cartoon-y. Nor does the relationship between Susan, a brilliant, free-thinking, kindly writer and Clay, a lying, self-centered jackass have any sort of reality to it. But I was hooked. The story is typically breezy & fast-paced, peopled with characters you love to hate & people you wish you knew in real life. It's also a fascinating condemnation of Hollywood in all its soul-destroying, middle-age-hating, superficial glory.

No Nobel Prizes here, but a wonderfully escapist few hours are available for those who indulge. Lots of fun.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finished the book -- Really great!, November 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: An American Love Story (Mass Market Paperback)

I finished the book over a week ago. I took my time, but then, toward the end, I couldn't help myself. I just had to reach that climax! (That skeezer, Clay. He really got what he deserved!) Meanwhile, the book was fun to read, and I loved how the plot ended up reaching its conclusion. I felt so satisfied -- so at peace -- when it was all finished.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Classic Rona Jaffe..., June 23, 2007

By 

Mercedes L. Johnmeyer "The Most Happy" (Summerville, SC) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: An American Love Story (Mass Market Paperback)

I really enjoyed this book. It's your typical Rona Jaffe formula, but she does it so well.

There are many characters in this book, but it's not too hard to keep them straight. The story centers around Clay Bowen and the women in his life. Clay's a successful Hollywood bigwig who commutes back and forth between NYC and Hollywood. His wife Laura, a former star ballerina, and daughter Nina live in NYC, and as the years go by, he begins to look at them as a drain on his life. So enter Susan Joseph, a very intelligent writer who Clay starts an affair with that lasts many, many years. Well, Clay, being the lying, cheating, schemer that he is, also takes up with a very young Bambi Green much later in life. This relationship proves to be much different then his previous two because he no longer seems to be in control.

Overall, I liked the story. It kept me turning the pages, wanting to see what would happen next. However there were many times I would get SOOOO frustrated with the shallowness of some of the characters, and the total despicability of Clay's actions. Without giving it away, I was very glad to see what became of him in the end. Of course I recommend this, as I do most all the Rona Jaffe books I've read. If you like the whole soap opera-type storyline, then you'll really like this book!