Customer Reviews

Been There, Done That

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This first novel of Ms. Snow's is the kind of book you curl up with and finish in one sitting, even if that means you're going to get no sleep and still have to deal with a toddler and going to work the next morning! Her witty and humorous analysis of single life in our times made me laugh out loud, and cringe with recognition of myself. I can't wait for more from this new author!

Kathy Hopkins is a 32 year old journalist who looks far younger than she is. When her exboyfriend heres about a prostitution ring at a nearby collage he thinks that Kathy would be the perfect person to investigate.

As Katie O'Conner Kathy infeltrates the Collage getting to know the mindset of the people in her dorm , including her Clay Aiken opsesed roomate, and the various other people living in the dorm, while trying to investigate. Unfortunitly she does not really come up with much informatiion until it is too late.

Beyond this she has to deal with her feelings for her 21 year old R.A. as well as trying to keep her undercover gig underraps from her pregnant best friend.

Greatly enjoyed this humorous, witty novel. Most everyone has known someone like those in the story.Makes you wonder, if given a chance, how would you do things differently? Laughed out loud several times,causing my kids to ask what it was about! I am looking forward to her second book.

It arrived right before my vacation, and it was a great vacation read. The story line is engaging, the protagonist was someone I could identify with, and it was fun and light -- what could be better?

What a fun and delightful read. The main character, Kathy, who is 32 but looks more like she is 18 goes undercover at a local college to report on a "scandal". And what she finds at the end wasn't exactly what she was expecting. I would recommend this to anyone looking for an easy light read.

Salad Magazine education editor Kathy Hopkins is thirty-two, but when she orders a drink she still gets carded as most people assume she is a teen. That can be embarrassing when you act sophisticated during an interview of someone like Dr. Archer, Dean of Admissions at Mercer College, but ID is a requirement when you look as young as Kathy does.

Her former Cornell College lover, Tim McAllister asks her to go undercover as a student to expose a big business prostitution ring at Mercer College. His New Nation e-zine would break the story electronically while her magazine would do so in print. Her editors agree with Tim so over her objection, Kathy returns to college where she her physical attributes enables her to fit in though her mind feels like ancient history as she finds the students' needs immature and her inquires uncover everything except hookers.

Using humor as a delightful way to lampoon contemporary life, Carol Snow provides an affecting powerful tale that readers will finish in one enchanting setting. Kathy is a fabulous protagonist finding her return to school exacerbating, irreverent and fun; so will the audience. BEEN THERE, DONE THAT with and without the T-shirt is a terrific investigative tale filled with pleasant but surprising twists similar but more amusing than Never Been Kissed.

Harriet Klausner

What a great summer read! I laughed out loud so many times people asked what I was reading. I loved Kathy Hopkins' sense of humor, she just made me giggle. I felt like we could be friends or that I know her. Looking forward to more from Carol Snow!

Kathy has a problem that most women would love to have - she's in her thirties but could pass for 18 and this works wonders when she decides to go undercover at a college dormitory in order to unearth the secrets behind a supposed prostitution ring on campus. She's put to the task by Tim, her ex-boyfriend - they dated for a long time right after college, but it didn't work out and Kathy's been carrying a torch for him ever since. At first, she's not really interested in this assignment, she's has her own writing career that she sort of likes, but eventually she takes him up on it and moves into the dorm.

She gets immediately immersed into the college life and tries to figure out how not to get caught. She tries not to show her age, but a few times, she trips up, but figures out a way to stay incognito. She even meets the very handsome dorm R.A. and sparks fly, but he's barely 21 and Kathy [called Katie at the dorm] wouldn't let temptation sweep her off her feet, would she? Especially since she still has a thing for Tim - can things heat up again between the two of them?

This book adds a punch with the inclusion of the mystery behind the alleged prostitution ring. Kathy tries to infiltrate the "inner sanctum" of college baddies by joining some teams and actually enjoys some of her classes. She has a few "stake-outs", meets a bonafide hooker and ultimately delivers a much different story than the one she was sent to report.

What I liked about Snow's interpretation of modern day college days is that she didn't get silly with it. She portrayed them as they probably are, warts & all, but didn't stoop to silly gags to show us what they're like. What they're really like is just like we were however many years ago, just with iPod's & cell phones.

I like the style and pace of this novel, it kept me reading, and I enjoyed the secondary characters as well. This novel was funny, but not "in your face". I could relate to Kathy, even though I don't look that much younger than I am, but we've all been in the position where we are judged by what we look like and it was cool to see this woman using this to her advantage and making the most of it.

The only slight critique I had was with the ending. It didn't have the energy of the earlier parts of the story, but it was a good ending and it didn't really detract any enjoyment from the story.

I really enjoyed Snow's writing style and I look forward to reading more from this great author - next stop - Getting Warmer!

If you're looking for a light, fluffy read, this is for you. Kathy is 32 but appears as if she's 18. This is usually obnoxious, but about to become a positive--at least to her ex-boyfriend, Tim. Tim wants Kathy to go undercover at a small college in order to investigate a story on college girls working as prostitutes. Sooner than she's like, Kathy is back in a dorm, living with a strange roommate and adjusting to college life. She's trying to fit in, but having the super-hot RA's constant attentions is kind of distracting. Not to mention the pressure from her boss and Tim. She only has seven weeks, but that may not be enough.

I think my level of tolerance for chick lit is quickly coming to an end. I just can't get into these things like I used to. This was wasn't bad, and it actually threw a few twists in at the end that I didn't see coming. And the relationship between Kathy and Tim was actually a bit enlightening for me considering my own recent and heart-wrenching breakup. But like any chick lit, don't expect anything too deep.

Journalist Kathy Hopkins looks younger than she is--a lot younger. At 32, she's still getting carded in bars. Her professional life isn't living up to her expectations--she's just been promoted to education editor of Salad magazine, but it's boring. And her love life isn't any better. So when her ex-boyfriend calls up asking to collaborate on a juicy story about a prostitution ring at a local college, she jumps at the chance to both work on an exciting story and rekindle old flames.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. They're getting nowhere fast, when a janitor at the college mistakes Kathy for a student, and sparks the idea of enrolling her undercover.

So Kathy finds herself dealing with an annoying roommate, late nights, and an entirely inappropriate crush on a decade-younger guy.

I admit, I was predisposed to like this book before even opening it. Normally, I ignore cover quotes, but when it's from an author whose taste I know and trust, and who I know doesn't hand out quotes unless she means them, I pay attention.

It didn't let me down. I liked Kathy from the beginning. I too have always looked younger than my age, and like her, it's solely due to lucky genes. But a good quote and a likeable heroine will only take you so far. The writing managed the rest.

I was sucked right into this story. The characters' emotions and reactions are clear and real, and I could believe in them. More than that, the story went in a direction that surprised me, and made me believe that as well.

Been There, Done That is funny and serious, about growing and growing up, about discovering what you want and being brave enough to go for it. It's a suck-you-in read that had me immersed in the story and not wanting to put it down.