14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Emma is Back!, July 20, 2004
This review is from: Call Waiting (Paperback)
Emma is back!! Yep, Emma from 32AA.
In Call Waiting, Emma is just turning 31. A year older, a year wiser (perhaps), this time with a steady boyfriend in tow, Emma writes down what she's accomplished in the past year, and makes some goals for her next year of life. These goals include moving her relationship with boyfriend Jack into the next phase, purchasing more Manolo Blahniks, and moving on in her career. Emma is still the sweet, somewhat scatty, obsessive-compulsive person she was in the last book, but seems to have developed a little more of a backbone. Many of the characters from "32AA" are also in Call Waiting, and they are all going through different things. Rachel, Emma's outspoken, genius friend has just discovered she is pregnant, much to her chagrin. Tish is itching to drag Rufus down the aisle before his mother sets him up with someone else. Katy, married-but-not-necessarily-happy, has just gotten promoted while her husband can't seem to find a job to save his life. Many other familiar colorful characters also make appearances throughout the story.
This time around, Emma has some different issues to contend with. For instance, boyfriend Jack keeps taking off on business trips with his beautiful boss Clare and not calling Emma to let her know when he will return. Emma's eccentric Aunt Alice has passed away, leaving Emma an inheritance, but before she can get it, she has to fulfill certain unclear requirements. At the same time, Emma's job is going down the tubes. She is downgraded to a telemarketers, of all things. (Emma is known for despising telemarketers and in fact has many ingenious ways to get rid of them when they call her!) Last but not least, the beautiful Clare seems determined to not only steal Jack, but also all of Emma's friends.
Will Emma's next year of life be as difficult as her previous one was? Will Clare succeed at stealing Jack from Emma? Will Emma ever figure out what she has to do (and how) to get her inheritance? Find out these answers, and much more, by reading Call Waiting.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The characters are all interesting and quirky. Emma is funny and endearing, and seems a little like an American version of Becky Bloomwood, sans the shopping habit. Her friend Rachel, whose rather colorful language made me laugh a lot in the first book, is a little more subdued this time around, but still pretty feisty. The story moves along fairly rapidly and is definitely not predictable. Also, since Call Waiting is told in first-person narrative, kind of in a loose diary format, I felt as though I was right there with Emma, experiencing everything with her and her friends.
The only thing about Call Waiting that I didn't like was the many story lines that were taking place all at once. There are at least 4 sub-plots in this book, and a couple of them seem pointless. Emma herself is going through so many different things, and with all the side stories added in, the book seemed to pull in too many directions. It was a little hard for me to keep track of. You will definitely have to stay on your toes while reading Call Waiting.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, and recommend it for fun and breezy summer reading. The novel doesn't have much substance, but all the same it is enjoyable and funny with a cast of original characters. Emma herself has grown up a little (but not too much, thankfully!), and many will be able to relate with her many dilemmas in this book.
I certainly hope there is a third book in the series!
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Highly entertaining, very well-written chick book, August 8, 2004
This review is from: Call Waiting (Paperback)
I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel to 32AA, featuring the adventures of the insecure Emma Taylor and her circle of friends in Hoboken. In response to a previous reviewer who denigrated this book as a Bridget-Jones wannabe, I find Michelle Cunnah's writing to be much better than Helen Fielding's, and her characters to be much more appealing. If you're missing a sense of fun and humor, better skip this book. Otherwise, treat yourself to this perfect, frothy summer read.
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wish Emma were my best friend, August 8, 2004
This review is from: Call Waiting (Paperback)
I was lucky enough to be given Michele Cunnah's two books, 32AA and this one, as a present last week. I devoured them in two days, and then had to read them both again, cover to cover! The main character can be a bit neurotic and ditzy, but she's a sweetie. I love those lists she's always making about her goals in life. Her adventures with the gorgeous Jack, and her amusing friends, make me want to visit Hoboken right this minute. I certainly hope we haven't seen the last of Emma Taylor!
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