Bubbles A Broad (Bubbles Books) [Mass Market Paperback]

Sarah Strohmeyer (Author)

Book Description

Series: Bubbles Books | Publication Date: November 7, 2006

A high-profile murder has landed at Bubbles's pretty feet. The victim: a local steel executive. The accused: his lovely wife.

The weapon: cyanide-laced fingernails. If anyone can solve a well-manicured slaying like this, it's Bubbles. And nothing's going to stop her. Not even hunky photojournalist Steve Stiletto, who vows that this time, he's getting everything he wants from Bubbles. But how far is the amateur sleuth in spandex willing to go to get what she wants?

 

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Broad humor, in more than one sense, permeates Strohmeyer's fourth amusing adventure (after 2003's Bubbles Ablaze) of Bubbles Yablonsky, Lehigh, Pa.'s unique combination of hairdresser, single mother, aspiring journalist and bumbling sleuth. Bubbles doesn't so much solve a crime as wait until all the dust settles and then see what's left standing. While the management and the workers at Lehigh Steel wage class war, the irrepressible Bubbles tries to parlay her degree from Two Guys Community College and a one-week tryout at the News-Times into a full-time reporting gig. The appearance on her doorstep of Carol Weaver, convicted for the murder of her husband, a Lehigh Steel executive, newly escaped from prison and claiming that someone is trying to kill her, may be just the break Bubbles needs. Strohmeyer expertly plays Bubbles's blue-collar working class background against the monolithic Lehigh Steel's country club types and their wives. On the other hand, Strohmeyer's targets are so big that just hitting them isn't enough, and the frequent bull's-eyes don't impress as much as they might. Bubbles may be Two Guys' "Biggest Loser Ever," but she's good-hearted, persistent and very, very funny.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

As much effervescent fun as its heroine’s name. (New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot) “Bubbles is hot, hot, hot in this one! Sarah Strohmeyer’s wicked wit and playful intelligenceght up the pages of Bubbles Ablaze.” (Claire Cook<, author of Must Love Dogs) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Onyx (November 7, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451411773
• ISBN-13: 978-0451411778
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #434,421 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

When I stumbled into this business back in 1997 as a harried mother spoofing Barbie in BARBIE UNBOUND: A PARODY OF THE BARBIE OBSESSION, I had no idea that what started out as a lark would evolve into a career writing twelve novels published in multiple languages - from Thai to German - and even a Lifetime Original Movie: Lying to Be Perfect. Some have been bestsellers. A few have won awards, mostly, I think, by accident.

Now, with the publication of KINDRED SPIRITS, from Dutton, on June 30th, I've taken my writing down a different path, exploring women's friendship, what bonds us, what makes us do incredibly stupid things for one another and how a few martinis along the way can make it all worthwhile. (And, possibly, explain the stupid things per above.)

In KINDRED SPIRITS, I hope you'll not only make friends with Beth, Carol, Mary Kay and Lynne, but also get down to some serious martini making. Ginger, Lemon, Blue, Cosmopolitan - KINDRED SPIRITS has a bunch of recipes.
Here's one for a killer CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY MARTINI.

First, dip the rim of your martini glass in melted bittersweet chocolate and freeze.
Meanwhile, at the bottom of a martini shaker muddle a few fresh raspberries. Add raspberry vodka and Godiva chocolate liqueur plus a splash of Chambord. Shake vigorously with ice. Pour into chocolate- dipped glasses and garnish with fresh raspberries.

Hey. I really want to keep you entertained. But I never said anything about keeping you thin! :)

To learn more about me and my books, please visit http://www.sarahstrohmeyer.com or visit me on FB where I write stupid stuff almost hourly.

Sarah (and her trusty writing partner seen here, Fred)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This was the best yet in the series, February 24, 2006

By 

Ratmammy "The Ratmammy" (Ratmammy's Town, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Bubbles a Broad (Hardcover)

BUBBLES A BROAD by Sarah Strohmeyer
February 24, 2006

Amazon rating ****


BUBBLES A BROAD I felt was much better than the previous installments of the novels about Bubbles Yablonsky. Bubbles is a hairdresser by trade, but she's just graduated from TWO GUYS Community College (in Lehigh, Pennsylvania) with a degree in (I think) journalism. She's trying to land a job with the local paper when she finds an opportunity to "interview" Carol Weaver, a woman that was in jail for the murder of her husband the wealthy and powerful Hal Weaver. Carol had just sprung herself out of jail and was now on the lam. This was really big news, so of course Bubbles was quite excited to have this opportunity, as Carol had shown up on Bubbles' doorsteps, asking for help. After Carol leaves, Bubbles goes to bed, only to be awakened at four in the morning by the sounds of someone in her house, and she later escapes narrowly with her life when that someone shoots at her bed. Granted, it was only with a BB gun, but the fact is, someone wanted to hurt Bubbles but for what reason, no one knew - yet.

With the help of Detective Mickey Sinkler, Bubbles' friend from the police force (Mickey has a huge crush on Bubbles) and Bubbles' current love interest Steve Stiletto, an award wining AP photographer (and very good looking to boot), Bubbles solves the mystery of who really killed Hal Weaver, a wealthy millionaire who had been having an affair with at least one woman before his murder. He's also made a number of enemies during his time. Was Carol the jealous wife who killed her husband in a jealous rage? Or was there someone else involved that had a vendetta against Hal?

Bubbles has troubles of her own when a former client of hers, Lorena Ludwig, crosses paths with Bubbles when they are both asked to cover a meeting with the Historical Society. (Lorena is a recent graduate of TWO GUYS Community College, in photography) Unfortunately, Lorena was not a happy former client, her life ruined after a botched job before her wedding, and throughout the novel, Lorena is found trying to exact revenge on Bubbles in a number of imaginative ways.

In the mean time, the romance between Bubbles and Stiletto are heating up, especially when Bubbles is asked to move in with him while her home is being investigated as a crime scene. Bubbles' mother Lulu Yablonsky is also in the picture, along with her sidekick Genevieve, both women crazy as ever. There are a lot of off the wall characters as well as an interesting mystery to solve. I didn't figure out who the murderer was until toward the end of the book, although Bubbles did come across some well thought-out theories on some possible suspects. I've two more books in this series to read, and hope to get to them in the next few months. They are fast beach reads for when one wants to read a no-brainer and be entertained.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Strohmeyer's many Bubbleheads will cheer this one, July 25, 2004

By 

Bookreporter (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bubbles a Broad (Hardcover)

Carol Weaver escapes from prison, where she was serving time for killing her husband, and runs straight to her former manicurist, Bubbles Yablonsky, for help. Thus the scene is set for the plotting and pacing of this wacky fourth novel in Sarah Strohmeyer's amusing series. But, strange as it may seem, Bubbles is not such a bizarre choice. Since our heroine is trying to earn a permanent slot writing for the News-Times, and has been doing some feature stories on the mysterious death of another Lehigh Steel Company executive, her determination to learn the truth could actually work in Carol's favor.

And, sure enough, the former beauty salon operator begins to search for clues that will help clear the former corporate wife. She could even bring to justice those responsible for other big business shenanigans that may even include murder, along with the customary cover-ups.

The story line is a bit complicated and would require many more compound and run-on sentences to summarize. But never mind. "Story" is not why we read Chick Lit. We read it to be transported out of our own everyday problems and into the dramas of someone else's life. And, with Bubbles around, drama abounds. Each of the many characters, well drawn and quirky, has a storyline that will somehow tie into the whole.

In addition, if you are from the East Coast, each character will remind you of someone you know as you nod your head and smile in recognition. I especially like Lulu Yablonsky, Bubbles's mother, who doles out pearls of wisdom. Lulu's take on Female Economics 101: "...men have needs which women manipulate in exchange for goods and services."

Pennsylvania's answer to Legally Blonde narrates as if she were telling this story to her best friend during a long weekend. Strohmeyer deftly captures the vernacular of the Lehigh Valley's blue-collar middle-class without resorting to vulgar expressions and never allows her players to slip out of character. And, of course, she leaves nothing out as she breaks her vow of chastity with Steve Stilleto, the hunk of her dreams. It gets pretty chaotic and a little Abbott and Costello-ish at times, but through it all Bubbles prevails and eventually sorts everything out.

To get the full impact of Bubbles's adventures, you may want to begin with BUBBLES UNBOUND, followed by BUBBLES IN TROUBLE, and then BUBBLES ABLAZE. Her style is more Donna Andrews (MURDER WITH PEACOCKS) than Janet Evanovich, but Strohmeyer has already gathered quite a following of "Bubbleheads" and is sure to keep her fans cheering through many future adventures.

--- Reviewed by Maggie Harding

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, great free T-shirt offer!, June 3, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Bubbles a Broad (Hardcover)

Okay, so I liked the book so much I wrote it! Just saying hello and inviting you to stop by our website, http://www.sarahstrohmeyer.com to check out our FREE BUBBLES OR BUST! T-shirt offer. We Bubblesheads have a blast all year long and even more fun on the road. Dress up as Bubbles, show up at a signing (maybe one's near you...see our EVENTS page) and get more free stuff! Serious literature, this ain't. Great story, lots of laughs and hot romance it is. Enjoy! Sarah