Better Latte Than Never [Paperback]

Catherine Clark (Author)

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  
• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (April 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061367141
• ISBN-13: 978-0061367144
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #614,748 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Small Town, High Hilarity, April 29, 2008

By 

Little Willow (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Better Latte Than Never (Paperback)

A teenage girl's summer adventures include being chased by a crazy dog, working at the local Gas 'n' Git with a guy who thinks he's Bono, and attending a summer school French course taught by substitutes who don't actually know the language.

Written in first person present tense, Better Latte Than Never (previously titled Frozen Rodeo) focuses on a teenager named Peggy. Middle name, Fleming. Her father is an amateur figure skater turned real estate agent and her mother is a very pregnant weather forecaster. Due to her father's career, the children all have been named in honor of famous skaters. The five year old twins are named Torvill and Dean. The quiet and thoughtful three year old is called Dorothy. That in itself is sure to crack up any skating fan - but wait, there's more.

Peggy, who opts to go by Fleming, has a very interesting summer. After getting into multiple car accidents - in which she remains unscathed, but sadly cannot say the same for the vehicles - she is no longer allowed to drive and gets a job at the local Gas 'n' Git to pay her father back. Meanwhile, she takes a French class taught by a string of unqualified substitutes, fights her attraction for the cute waiter at IHOP, befriends a girl named Charlotte with a wild streak and bickers with her co-worker, Denny, who has an obsession with U2 and often attempts to look, sound and act like his idol, Bono.

Anyone who has ever lived in a small town and dreamed of getting out of it will echo Fleming's thoughts about her city; anyone who has felt pressured to take care of their younger siblings will sympathize with her family plight. With a solid ending that ties every subplot and character together, I give this book a perfect score.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is NOT supposed to be a romantic comedy!, May 17, 2008

By 

Harmony Book Reviews "Harmony" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Better Latte Than Never (Paperback)

First off, I must say that this was NOT supposed to be a romantic comedy, even though the cover says so. It was previously published as "Frozen Rodeo", which made much more sense. Do not blame the author for what the cover says. Now on to the review...

Peggy Fleming spends her time working at a coffee shop inside of a gas station. If that's not horrible enough, most of the money she makes goes directly to her parents to help pay for the damages she caused with her car. When she's not working, Fleming is stuck at taking a French that she thought the boy she liked who was sorta but not really her boyfriend would be taking. When she finds out that not only is he not taking the class, he's also dating a waitress at the place her works, Fleming and her newly-found best friend begin plotting ways to make him jealous and get him back.

Better Latte Than Never is another hilarious novel by Catherine Clark. I found Fleming very easy to relate to, especially with the boy and family troubles she was experiencing. Every character, even the minor ones, was well-developed and creative. I really enjoyed this and would reccommend it to anyone as a fun and fast read.

*This was previous published as FROZEN RODEO*

2.0 out of 5 stars Not Clark's best, July 26, 2011

By 

D. Grant (Orlando, FL.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Better Latte Than Never (Paperback)

I did not really enjoy this book. I felt that it wasn't funny or romantic. Flemming(the main character) complains a lot and I honestly didn't like her. Before this I had read Picture Perfect and So Inn Love also by Clark which are both more enjoyable reads.