Customer Reviews

The Big Love

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

While I love reading "single thirtysomething women in the big city books" the genre has been SO overdone.
As a result you get books that are trying to hard to be witty ( most recently, Bergdorf Blondes) or poorly written (most recently, Bergdorf Blondes).

Big Love is a refreshing change - the writing is smooth and seamless, the story is engaging (unlike The Devil Wears Prada), and it is laugh out loud funny.

Was this book supposed to be humorous? I did not laugh one time, and the neurotic nature of the main character was not different than other chick lit characters that I have read before. After reading the glowing reviews, I really wanted to love this book, but somehow it just fell short. Allison was a likeable character, but her constant dialogue about her childhood religion and sex got really boring after awhile. I kept looking for some redeeming quality about this novel, but it continued to fall short of expectations. Also, do chick lit heroines ever do anything beside be a) novelists or b) columnists for local/alternative newspapers? Author alert- it is just plain lazy to think that every character is Carrie Bradshaw- that is the easy way out. Write more original characters- it might actually add some much needed character dimension.

From the first chapter, this book has you curious about this just dumped, former fundamentalist Christian woman who has only slept with two men in her life - one of them gay. Talk about a multi-faceted character. I'm not usually a big fan of lots of exposition, and this book has more exposition than dialog, lots more, but it works.

While the premise is great, a woman's boyfriend leaves a dinner party to get mustard and never returns, what really got me was the main character. She's a little weird, a little normal, and a lot appealing. Every page seemed to peel back another layer to her quirkiness and while sometimes I thought she was more than a little odd, and almost unlikeable, she still kept my attention. One of the best books I've read in a while.

A quick, enjoyable, yet deep read. Ms. Dunn can really move a story forward and manages to tackle some deep internal issues through her protagonist. Anyone who grew up Evangelical and is left feeling somewhat weird after that experience will find a kindred spirit here, and those who did not will gain some insights in a very enjoyable way. I laughed out loud, cringed inwardly, shook my head, felt triumphantly understood, and even cried at times. This woman has a gift for expressing what is so difficult to express and making her reader delight in it.

I was surprised to see the negative reviews for this book. I actually laughed out loud a number of times when I read it. I really liked the main char, Allison. I thought she was refreshing. I liked her evangelical Christian background and the contradictions/justifications it created in her life. Yes, she's neurotic like most chick lit characters, but I am too. I found it to be a smart, funny read.

This book made me laugh out loud many times! The main character, Alison was down to earth, smart, thoughtful and witty. Sarah Dunn really understands the complexity of the female psyche and is a master of dialogue. Can't wait for her next novel!

While I can't put my finger on it, this reads a little differently than other books. It's almost conversational. The author shifts to telling stories about high school and former boyfriends completely effortlessly, like you're sitting across the table from her at a diner just shooting the breeze. I never once rooted for Allison to get back together with her boyfriend, so thank goodness he didn't re-enter the picture until the end. I really just enjoyed listening to Allison talk - even with all her neurosis, she was completely entertaining.

The Big Love is a humorous, light hearted look at one woman's world; her relationships, career, life style, etc. I totally empathized with the main character who struggles with a cheating lover, an unappreciative boss, workplace jealousy,misguided religious values and more! Satire, Irony, Self-depricating Humor; all are here. The narrator for this audio book was above average and added to my enjoyment of it. My only criticism is the book ends so abruptly and it doesn't seem like it should be over.

I just finished reading the THE BIG LOVE by Sarah Dunn. I thought this book was well written. It was extremely interesting and funny. As a woman who is in her mid 30's I could relate to the main character in alot of ways. This book should be on every woman's bookself. As a author myself I am very critical of other writers but she is an amazing storyteller. She is one to watch. I am looking forward to reading her new novel.

Stephanie Dawkins (Author of Soul Fire)