Customer Reviews

The Bright Side of Disaster: A Novel

5 star:		(54)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I'm glad my wife recommended this book to me - she laughed out loud reading it and thought I'd like it. It's not the type of book I'd normally pick up (older guys usually don't read about the problems of young mothers, and it's not in the mystery genre that I normally read for fun). But this is not just a "woman's" book. I loved it. It's well written, and more important the characters become real people. The guys are never put down (although of course some are nicer than others). It is a funny, warm, well-written novel. I can recommend it highly.

Despite the rather misleadingly grim title, I found this book fast and easy reading.

Although one of the main themes of the book is about being a new, single Mom, that's not the only theme. I'm sure those who have been a new mother will find much to identify with here, but I also enjoyed the book despite not having that distinction. There is really something for everyone, with interwoven storylines featuring relationships of every type - family, love and friendship.

I found it a quick, light, yet rich, book to curl up with. I'll look forward to the author's next book, since this is her first.

This is a really great book. It is incredibly moving and funny and lovely and a very quick read. Highly highly recommended.

Here's a book I just drowned myself in, and finished it in a 24-hour timeframe, while still doing the other daily crap a SAHM of three kids does. I willingly slammed myself into the world of Center's characters!

The Bright Side of Disaster is classified as Chick Lit and it is, but without the goofy I-Need-A-New-Pair-Of-Shoes context (no offense to you Manallanno-Ding-Dong-Choo wearing gals out there!)

Dean and Jenny are engaged and living together but then Dean kind of freaks out and deserts Jenny and her nine-month pregnant self THE DAY BEFORE SHE HAS THE BABY!

Jenny is a Goddess! She figures out that life without a man is better than life with a bad man, and she rises to the challenge of single motherhood, all baby-in-one-hand,-a-handful-of-grapes-in-the-other! (Sidenote: I wish I knew about THAT diet when I had my kids!)

Jenny discovers she's more amazing than she ever thought possible. She's given life to another human being, she's "made eye lashes!" She offers care, and comfort, and love to another person who wholly depends on her 24/7, 365. I look at the character of Jenny and wished I could have been a mother like that!

Enter cute pajama-clad neighbor. And ooh, in my book, Gardner is a HOTTIE! He's hot, he's handy, he's handsome, he's a helluva neighbor, great with babies and single mothers! Fortunately he's got his eye on one single mother in particular: Jenny.

Of course, the jerk comes back (for those of you not paying attention here, it's Dean), and for some unknown freaky reason Jenny sleeps with him again! (I think because as writers we are supposed to give our characters grief, and what better way to give Jenny grief than to make her sleep with Dean again!)

But can you really blame her? She's lonely, she wants to be comforted, he sneaks into her bed and kisses her neck... how can you NOT want sex? OK, so I don't blame Jenny. And the two of them having sex did cause the anxiety a reader WANTS in a book.

So, Dean is back. Gardner has disappeared because he has discovered the bad boyfriend has returned. But then Jenny smartens up and kicks the jerko out, because come on, he can't even manage a ten-minute walk around the block with his adorable little girl WHO HE HASN'T EVEN MET TILL SHE'S SEVEN MONTHS OLD! The Ba$*%rd!

Can you tell I'm a little connected to these characters?

Anyway, of course, I can't tell you the ending, even though I'd really, really, really like to. Just put it this way, when I finished the book, I thought to myself, "Awwwww!"

I thoroughly enjoyed Katherine Center's debut novel, "The Bright Side of Disaster". Yes, its plot is predictable, but that is more than made up for with her humor and her vivid and realistic descriptions of new motherhood; both the bone crushing fatigue as well as the utterly transcendent and euphoric love. And what fun, as a Houstonian, to read a novel set in my fair city - by someone who is obviously at home here!

Center is a fresh new voice and I'll be in line for her next novel!

This is a most enjoyable book by a very talented author. This story rings of truth as Jenny Harris, a spunky modern young woman, finds herself overwhelmed by unwanted events cascading down upon her. The characters are well developed and appealing, and the story unfolds with warmth and great humor. At times,I found myself actually laughing out loud. Jenny is a survivor and you will be cheering for her as she copes. I highly recommend this charming book and I look forward eagerly to another by this new author.

I love this book! The author has such a lovely voice: its witty, it's wise, and her observations draw you totally in from the first paragraph. The characters were developed beautifully. You begin to care about them immediately. Because of this, the book has a wide appeal for everybody. This said, being a mother of young children, there where so many times when i could totally relate to what Jenny, the main character, was going through, with so many "been there, done that" moments. It's a couldn't put it down read. The Bright Side was such a refreshing read, i can't wait to read more from this talented author.

I read this book because several friends with a good sense of humor recommended it highly. It was funny - I laughed out loud - engaging, a great escape.

Once you start, you won't be able to put the book down. It's very well done and is funny, sweet and engaging. A great book for the summer.

This was a light, fun book for the summer that I thoroughly enjoyed. Being a first time mom, I was able to identify with "Jenny" and I thought Katherine Center's description of those first few months (birth, breast-feeding, exhaustion and all) was spot on! She described this period better than I could articulate it. I plan on buying this book to give away as a baby shower gift for new mommies.