Customer Reviews

Do Me, Do My Roots

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have to say, I don't think the cover does this book justice. It's about so much more than the cover implies: family relationships, deep wounds, love of those around you, and yet all told in humorously REAL form. There are a few chick lit authors who have the ability to delve deep into your psyche, and still make you laugh and have a good time. I think this author is there, and has a long future ahead of her. YAY! She's a humorous Maeve Binchy!

In spite of journeying down different paths in the Seattle area, the three sisters, all in their thirties, remains close as they get together quite often but at least once a month to do each other's hair. The youngest Emily is a widow of eighteen months raises her seven year old daughter Abby with the help of her parents, siblings, and her deceased spouse's pal Jake. Middle daughter Claudia has two sons while oldest daughter Leah has never married as she usually scares men off by the fourth date.

When their dad suffers what first appeared to be a heart attack, the three siblings become concerned but do not go as nuts as their mom. Though the tests prove he is okay, mom insists on healthy food like tofurkey for Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, a horny Emily encouraged by her sisters decide a brief fling with Jake would be helpful, but he has loved her from the moment they were introduced to one another, but loyalty to his best friend, her husband, even in death, keeps him from acting on his feelings.

This is an engaging relationship drama that, though told predominantly from the perspective of Emily, provides insight into the lead character and her extended family. The amusing story line can become overwhelming as the three siblings share their confidences, woes and render judgment while seeking the root of the problem. DO ME, DO MY ROOTS contains a wonderful cast struggling with life's ups and downs (more of the latter), but the sisterly trio remain optimistic even when putting men down throughout.

Harriet Klausner

This book is light and entertaining, while at the same time tackling some big life issues. A perfect "summer read"!

This book is really wonderful. Beautifully told, it is satisfying in every way. I would never classify this book as chick lit, though. Yes, the sisters' dating woes are chronicled, but the story is about so much more. At heart, it's a story of what it means to be a family. This is women's fiction at its best. Bravo, Ms. Rendahl. I'm looking forward to reading many more of your books in the future.

Sharing their ups and downs, and triumphs and disappointments, the three Simon sisters have always been close, culminating in the ritual of hair dying parties. Eldest Leah tends to scare most guys off, but can't seem to stop hooking up with younger musician Chase; middle sis Claudia is looking for love after a painful divorce from an addict husband whose only commitment is his need for a fix; Emily was widowed at 30, and at 32, wants to appease her family by venturing out into the dating world, but after nursing her husband through cancer, she's finding that she's just not ready. When their dad suffers a mild heart attack and another family member has a cancer scare, Emily finds herself turning to her husband's best friend Jake, who has quickly become her best friend as well.

Don't be misled by the packaging. With a happy go lucky cover, this is really a deep and heart-wrenching tale of love, loss, and sisterhood, covering every serious topic from marriage to death to drug abuse. Told in first person from Emily's viewpoint, Rendahl injects just the right amount of comedy to offset the inevitable tears, and her writing is so real - not the least bit contrived. Most chapters start with the recipe for each sister's hair color (though Emily still has virgin hair), with some interesting narrative tossed in. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

This is one of the most emotionally satisfying chick lit books I've ever read. Easy to read, very well written, 3-D characters in a realistic, identifiable situation. The author's voice and personal experiences shine for a very entertaining read.

This book is exactly what I was in the mood for. It was funny, but it also dealt with more serious issues. That's often my favorite kind of chick lit. Eileen is a talented writer and I look forward to more of her work.

I finished this book in 2 days, which is quick for me as I'm a slow reader but I really couldn't put it down. It was punchy and had well written dialog between the sisters that showed each of their personalities fairly distinctly. There were a couple places I was not convinced with the story line between Emily and Jake and the theme might have been too heavy handed at times. Overall though a cute piece of fiction that was a breezy and enjoyable read, I'll read more of her.

I've recommended this book so many times. It's funny, touching, poignant, sad, uplifting, and suprisingly honest at times about the emotions of a person who's lost someone close to them. The only problem with the book is that the title gives the wrong impression of what the story is about. I always name this as one of my favorites.

I enjoyed this book, but it didn't hold my interest like Balancing in High Heels. It also wasn't as light of a read. Nothing wrong with that, it's just not what I was looking for...this one made me cry several times!