Customer Reviews

I Heart Bloomberg (86 Bloomberg Place Series #1)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I Heart Bloomberg by Melody Carlson is the first book in the 85 Bloomberg Place series. Kendall Weis has a great plan: she will rent out the home her grandmother has given her to three roommates and live off of the income insuring she won't have to get a job and can continue to support her designer clothes habit. But when Megan, Leilani, and Anna see the place, it's not quite the luxurious upscale home Kendall advertised. The four women renegotiate the contract leaving Kendall frustrated and angry at the reduction in income and the remodeling her new roomies plan on making. Carlson is a fantastic writer of Christian chick lit, and this book is another fab example. Megan is recovering from the death of her father, Leilani from a bad relationship resulting in pregnancy, Anna's trying to break free from her mother's stranglehold, and Kendall is devastated after her parents abandon her. Each woman is trying to mend a wounded heart and hoping that this house will be the cure. The women are interesting and multi-dimensional (even selfish Kendall). The groundwork has been laid for suspense, with several young women disappearing in the area, and romance in future books. There are so many different plotlines running through this book, I don't know how Carlson will wrap them all up in just four books, but I know that this writer can handle it with aplomb. I hope the series goes longer than four books; these are characters I will enjoy reading about as they mature again and again.

PROS

-A fun read with interesting enough characters and premise.

-I especially found the Megan and Anna characters to be especially well-portrayed and realistic.


CONS


-A little too much high-end product placement for my taste (Prada purses, Nordstrom shopping trips, etc.)

-The author tends not to use "show, don't tell"--I think it would have been interesting to see more action and little nuances than to have the author state everything.

-Sometimes this book comes off as a soap opera. At one point, Lelani's uncle by marriage comes onto her in a way that is random and schlocky.
Lelani's "big secret" is played out in similar fashion.

-Kendall is a completely stereotypical blonde "Barbie doll" lazy rich girl with few redeeming qualities.

-The Christian element is barely there, which was kind of disappointing for me, although the book is generally fairly clean.



Overall, not flawless but far from awful. Light, fluffy, and a slight touch of melodrama.

I've been a fan of Melody Carlson for years now and have yet to read a book she's written that I haven't enjoyed. I Heart Bloomberg was a delightful setup for the series, which has three more books to come by 2009. In this first book you spend a lot of time getting to know the individual characters. The four women each have their own point of view. There is your stereotypical spoiled but beautiful brat, your sensible and intelligent girl, the smart and wounded but beatiful girl, and the well-rounded and attractive girl who doesn't see herself that way at all. They are a delightful bunch, and so are the men in the story.

There wasn't much of a romantic element in the book, which took away some of the thrill for me as I love great romance novels. But I'm thinking there may be some touching moments in future books in this series. It appears that the author has set things up to head in that direction, which means I will HAVE to read them to find out. Overall, I'd say this was an enjoyable read. Kind of like a clean Melrose Place--minus the gay neighbor. I zipped through it in less than two days and I never got bored with the story even though there wasn't much angst or real drama in the novel. So if you like a light, feel-good story (with few tense moments) that is about four young women trying to share a house and get along, you'll like this story. Some of the ladies had issues, but I didn't feel like I got to know them well enough to feel their pain yet. I want to read the rest of the series to see how they change as they rub shoulders with each other and learn to get along.

Each character brings a pile of baggage and a box or two of issues as the Bloomberg series begins. Kendall, Megan, Lelani and Anna are strangers who become new intimates. Toes are stepped on, space is invaded and renovation occurs within each character before the book ends. However, there is much room for future character development as the obvious and not so obvious issues barely began to unpack in book one. There are several chick-lit style scenarios, girlfriend bonding, job shuffling and guy stuff, but the story is told in 3rd person POV through the four different female characters. Because of the style, chick-lit lovers may find it less than satisfying because there is limited intimacy. Fans of Yada-Yada books may enjoy the multi-character format, but there is a limited amount of God talk. It was a quick and enjoyable read, perfect if you want a light serving of drama.

Half-Hawaiian Lelani Porter, white Christian Megan Abernathy and Hispanic Anna Mendez are thinking of renting rooms at 86 Bloomberg Place. However, each expected a "luxurious" house based on the advertisement of owner Kendall Weis, but 86 Bloomberg Place is more a fixer upper. Kendall barters with them; and they agree to rent when she reduces their rent in return for helping renovate the home.

Kendall turns out to be a lunatic with enough issues to fill an abnormal psychology class. The three renters consider moving out, but each decides to remain for now as their previous arrangements remain a motivation to stay and they even pledge to be nice to their neurotic landlady.

The concept is fascinating as each of the four females has strong reasons to make their arrangement at 86 Bloomberg Place work. The characters are solid and seem fully developed although Kendall's psychological issues are overwhelming as there are too many for the audience (or the renters) to cope with. Still the story line is fun to follow as relationships begin to form, but the climax is abrupt and nothing important resolved as if this opening tale was to introduce the cast to the audience while affirming the importance of friendship.

Harriet Klausner

This is a light-hearted book that is a quick read. It seems to be mainly introducing the characters who we will get to know better in three more books following later this year and next year. I enjoyed many of the characters and look forward to finding out more about them. It reminded me of my college days and my first roommate!!

I really enjoyed reading this and found it to be a fast read. It has characters I could relate to, and I enjoyed reading how each one came into finding her own place, with the help of true friends. I highly recommend it for an easy summer read....for young adults especially. It's fun and touching, and I loved getting to know each of the characters.

Very good book 1st in a really interesting series. Clean , Christian undertone, good story telling without lude or unnecessay suggestive lines. Well Done.

Kendra Weis is hoping that by taking in some roommates she can may some money and avoid having to work. After making her home sound better than it. Anna, Lelani and Megan are able to work out a better deal, a lower rent in exchange they will make the house better. Each of the woman are bringing there own baggage but they are will to work through their problems and they might able to come together.
"I Heart Bloomberg" is the first book in the 86 Bloomberg Place series by Melody Carlson and while overall it was a okay book. I found the characters to be simple and not that interesting. I did not all the product placements that seem to be in the book. It was a quick read and didn't cost me much, but I don't think that I will be reading anymore books in the series

I didn't like this book. I picked this up as a Kindle freebie. I wonder if it was free because the author received payoffs from all the products and stores that were frequently mentioned in the book. The characters were weak and I just couldn't find a strong story line. I will not be buying into the series.