Customer Reviews

For Better, for Worse: A Novel

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

I started off really enjoying For Better, For Worse. It was a light, humorous romantic comedy told from an omniscient perspective instead of the typical first-person narrative. I found that refreshingly different. Josie Flynn leaves her native London and her pining, cheating exhusband for a brief trip to New York to be the maid of honor in her cousin's wedding. While on the plane, she meets Matt, a charming English man, and they hit it off immediately. Sometime after Jo arrives in NYC, the novel starting losing most of its appeal. All the characters began behaving rather idiotically and the whole thing became annoying. I realize you must suspend your disbelief with a romantic comedy, but most of the occurences were a little too much, for various reasons, for this to be an enjoyable novel.

This book started off good, and I really liked the way it was written - focusing on a bunch of different characters one by one and seeing what they were up to at that moment in conjunction with the plot. So that was cool. As the book went on, though, I began to get a little annoyed. Am I supposed to believe that after one great day, two strangers can think of nothing but each other and are going to such great lengths because they've both fallen in love with each other? I wish they'd either been together a little more at the beginning or at the end, as I didn't really feel any chemistry between them. It was an OK book overall - although the ending seemed rushed and I wish I could have known what happened after that, it wasn't very satisfying for me - but I'm rather disappointed that I bought this book at full price and am now stuck with it, since I'll probably never reread it. I'd recommend this to you only if you buy it at a used bookstore or check it out from the library and aren't expecting the best book in the world. Maybe if I'd set my expectations lower, I would have enjoying it more. :-/

I have to admit that I did like the book, in terms of the writing style. However, the ending was so abrupt and unbelievable. I wanted to know what happened with their relationship after those first five minutes back together. Also, I think Matt should have ended up with Holly, since he spent more time with her than the heroine of the book! Are we really supposed to believe that he's in love with Josie after everything he did with Holly?!?! You can probably tell that I was annoyed by this book A LOT, but it was funny!

For Better, For Worse is a romantic comedy about Josie, a Londoner who flies to New York City to attend her American cousin's wedding. Having separated from her cheating husband, she senses that her cousin isn't certain that she is marrying the right man. It is Josie's job to stop her cousin from making the worst mistake of her life. But is she judging her cousin's situation based on her own failed marriage? And is she ready for romance -- especially when an adorable rock journalist tries to sweep her off her feet?

There are some witty moments in this novel, but not enough to make it interesting. And the novel is longer than necessary. Carole Matthews's writing style reminds of Clare Naylor's, but it lacks Naylor's signature comic timing and wit. This is a good book to read on the beach, however, it is far from memorable. If you decide to give this book a whirl, enjoy it for what it's worth, but do not expect a blockbuster read in this one.

I picked up my friends copy of For Better For Worse as i was intrigued to see what she was laughing at, and once i started to read it i couldn't put it down.
This is one of those books that will keep you up at night turning the pages to see what happens next, it was thoroughly enjoyable, one of the best books i have read in a long time, would i recommend it - you'd be crazy not too......

We meet Josie Flynn a soon to be divorcee, who is just starting to get over her divorce from Damien. For her winter vacation from work she is headed to New York for her cousin Martha's wedding. While on the plane, she is seated next to the charming and handsome Matt, the rock journalist, who is also recently divorced. They share their horror stories, and seem to becoming friends. Once they land in NY they decided to meet for an afternoon at the Statue of Liberty. After this point the book serisoulsy goes down hill. We are then treated to a cat and mouse game while Matt is looking for Josie. Throw into the mix an unbelievably lavish wedding, an affair (or 2 depending how you look at it), an ex husband who comes toting an expensive gift to win back Josie's affection, and a duck and it make a very unbelievable book.

This was a trite nightmare. Every cliche was thrown together for this book and it drove me crazy as I read it. How many more times are editors going to accept novels where the main characters serendipitously meet somewhere in NYC after missing each other everywhere else? Plus, I couldn't believe that halfway through the novel the author had the audacity to address me as the reader (and as "dear reader," nonetheless). It was the only instance in the entire book and it ruined whatever small amount of pace the author had going for her. With so much chicklit in the market, your dollars are best spent elsewhere.

I truly did. The first few pages were great. The Cat Formerly Known as Prince was right on. His antics mirrored my own cats' behavior when on the phone. The phone call from Josie's mother was fall down funny. But that's where it ended. Once she got on that plane to New York, this book slowed way down. The situations became contrived. Would someone so recently hurt by her soon to be ex-husband fall that quickly for Matt? Would Matt fall so quickly for Josie? And the way he treated Holly, the PR girl, was awful. Who would want someone who could use another woman that way? I kept with the book--there were some really funny scenes. I thought the parts about self-centered Damien were good. All in all, it wasn't terrible, but there are so many better books out there to be read.

I instantly liked the main character, Josie Flynn; what could be worse than your husband leaving you for a home wrecker with double-D cleavage who wears lycra leopard-print thongs? Josie has the good sense to leave England for New York, to attend her American cousin's wedding. I laughed out loud at the writer's droll observations about men, love, and women's friendships. A witty, warm-hearted read that I highly recommend.

This book reminded me of the movie "Serendipity" - the characters spend a great deal of the book trying to find each other again. I did like the book & think it should be a movie due to all the entertaining circumstances that present themselves throughout the book - it would be better than "Serendipity."

Parts of it were entertaining, but parts were also frustrating. I was frustrated by the author changing to different people each chapter, especially when I wanted to know what happened to the person I was just reading about, but it made me want to keep reading! The duck was a nice touch! I hated Josie's ex-husband - so arrogant & conceited & he doesn't even know it!

I wanted Josie & Matt to get together, but the end was a bit too pat. Matt also was a great guy, but turned into a typical man at different parts. Very entertaining - I read it in less than a day!