Flip-Flopped: A Novel [Hardcover]

Jill Smolinski (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 12, 2002

Hawaii may be the island of romance according to the travel brochures, but for Keeley Baker-Kekuhi, lately it's been anything but. She's broke, stuck in a dead-end job studying an extinct volcano-and her husband, Kam, has just dumped her for a hula dancer. Even worse, he's now demanding custody of their four-year-old son. No wonder she's about to throw in the towel on love.

But things are looking up. Enter Ian Gardiner, an artist rep whose boyish good looks catch Keeley's eye. A true gentleman, he's sweet, thoughtful, romantic-and nothing like Kam, who just wants to surf and watch TV all day. Plus, Ian's crazy for Keeley. But is he just too good to be true? Kam was perfect for Keeley once, too. Does she have the heart, much less the energy, to try again?

Flip-Flopped is a quirky and charming story of Keeley's adventures as she faces single motherhood, a fierce custody battle, a divorce lawyer who can't seem to leave the Summer of Love long enough to focus on Keeley's case, her duties as maid of honor for her best friend's wedding-and a once dormant volcano that's suddenly about to blow.

With witty, laugh-out-loud detail, Jill Smolinski serves up smart, spot-on observations about love and relationships, and ultimately shows that life's eruptions can often lead to bigger and better things.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Keeley's life in beautiful Hawaii is a bit stressful--her husband, Kam, has moved out to live with a hula dancer, who wants to move to Fiji (along with Kam's and Keeley's son, Dante). At work, Keeley is stuck in the finance department, even though she was hired as a scientist to study Kohala, the island's long-extinct volcano. In the little time she fits in for Kohala, she notices activity. As the volcano heats up, so does Keeley's life; first there's the custody battle she's in with her husband; then there's her lawyer's iguana (which Keeley adopts in exchange for a reduced fee); and, finally, there's her simmering relationship with a British art agent, whose initial lure seems to be that he knows Davy Jones, Keeley's childhood idol. Some of the events in Keeley's frantic life seem quite contrived, but a willing suspension of disbelief makes it possible to appreciate Smolinski's honest and funny look at the loss of love and the process of grieving. A light and charming debut. Beth Warrell
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"Smart, engaging, and as refreshing as a dip in the surf..." (Jennifer Weiner, author of Good in Bed)

"Settle down with a Mai-Tai, you're in for a treat!" (Libby Schmais, author of The Perfect Elizabeth)

"Smolinski's voice is funny and wise and her tough, tender characters will stay with you long after this...story ends." (Linda Phillips Ashour, author of A Comforting Lie)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books; 1st edition (July 12, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312285140
• ISBN-13: 978-0312285142
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,283,271 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jill Smolinski is author of the novels Objects of My Affection, The Next Thing on My List and Flip-Flopped. Her short story "40 Days" appears in the anthology American Girls About Town, and she has also written nine books on topics ranging from origami to supermodels. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her son. Visit her at JillSmolinski.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A summer must-read!, July 27, 2002

By 

CoffeeGurl - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Flip-Flopped: A Novel (Hardcover)

A friend of mine recommended Flip-Flopped. Apparently, Jill Smolinski's writing style is similar to Marian Keyes's and Jennifer Weiner's. Having read the aforementioned authors' novels, I picked up Flip-Flopped. Glad I did. Filled with dry, sarcastic humor, Keenley is one of the funniest heroines I have read in a while.

Set in Hawaii, Keeley is under a lot of stress. Her husband, Kam, has left her for a hula dancer. He intends to move to Figi with her and, to Keeley's dismay, take his and Keeley's son with him, which is why he stops at nothing to get full custody of the child. To make matters worse, she is stuck in a professional rut. As a scientist, she wishes to study the progress of a volcano that threatens to burst at any given day, but she is in charge of the finance department instead. The only good thing going in her life is Ian, an adorable British art agent. But does she have time for romance? And, more importantly, is she over Kam? There are some interesting twists in the novel.

I love the characters. Morna, Keeley's eccentric divorce lawyer, is the most hilarious character in the novel. I also liked Regatta and Keeley's workmates. Character development was done brilliantly.

I have to agree with my friend. Smolinski's writing is similar to Marian Keyes's and Jennifer Weiner's. In fact, for all Marian Keyes fans, this novel reminds me of Watermelon. However, Smolinski is a great author in her own right. I hope that she continues to write for a living. I recommend this gem.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The BEST Read of the Summer!, June 20, 2002

By 

Mary Jo Reutter (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Flip-Flopped: A Novel (Hardcover)

I saw that this got a "thumbs up" from the author of GOOD IN BED (which I loved), so I decided to check it out... glad I did! I couldn't put it down! Much like GOOD IN BED, the main character is witty and a bit sarcastic, yet the book has moments where it's very touching. It tells the story of Keely, a woman who's trying to come to grips with the fact that she's been dumped by her husband, then finds herself in a custody battle over their four-year-old son. There are some very funny moments in here. My favorites were the erotic origami auction and the scenes involving Davy Jones of the Monkees. Hilarious! Yet the story also has a lot to say about love, relationships, forgiveness and parenting that will stay with you long after the laughs are over. You can't go wrong for a fun and thoughtful read. The BEST book of the summer!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fun Read, July 15, 2002

By 

Pat Shepich (Troy, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Flip-Flopped: A Novel (Hardcover)

I really enjoyed the characters in this book. Ms.Smolinski made then seem like my friends. I loved the Origami Exhibit! Her style of writing makes for a fun read, yet her characters had depth, and you really felt the emotions that Keeley was going through. It is a very amusing story, yet it has depth that makes you want the book to go on,long after it has ended. I hope it is made into a movie