If You Were Here: A Novel [Hardcover]

Jen Lancaster (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 3, 2011

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The fiction debut of the New York Times bestselling author of My Fair Lazy.

Told in the uproariously entertaining voice readers have come to expect from Jen Lancaster, If You Were Here follows Amish-zombie-teen- romance author Mia and her husband Mac (and their pets) through the alternately frustrating, exciting, terrifying-but always funny-process of buying and renovating their first home in the Chicago suburbs that John hughes's movies made famous. Along their harrowing renovation journey, Mia and Mac get caught up in various wars with the homeowners' association, meet some less-than-friendly neighbors, and are joined by a hilarious cast of supporting characters, including a celebutard ex- landlady. As they struggle to adapt to their new surroundings- with Mac taking on the renovations himself- Mia and Mac will discover if their marriage is strong enough to survive months of DIY renovations.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Author One-on-One: Laurie Notaro and Jen Lancaster
Read an author one-on-one where hilariously funny authors Laurie Notaro (It Looked Different on the Model) and Jen Lancaster (If You Were Here) sat down to discuss meeting their readers, where they get their ideas, and writing in different genres.

Read the full interview

About the Author

Jen Lancaster is the author of Bitter is the New Black. She has lived in Chicago for ten years with her husband and pets, and has yet to get the hang of the subway or returning library books in a timely manner. Visit www.jennsylvania.com

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: NAL Hardcover; First Edition edition (May 3, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451234383
• ISBN-13: 978-0451234384
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (198 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #136,349 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jen Lancaster is a former vice president at an investor relations firm and a New York Times bestselling author.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 65 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Really, REALLY wanted to love it... May 17, 2011

By D. Geer

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

but I didn't. Love Jen, have read all of her books many times over... I grab Such a Pretty Fat and My Fair Lazy every time I need something to read but don't have a new book. I've downloaded them all to Kindle, as well, so that I can read them on the go.
I wasn't sure I wanted to read her fiction novel because I love her memoirs sooo much, and thought I'd miss reading about Jen, Fletch and her family of critters... but the temptation got too much for me so I downloaded it to Kindle.
Hate to say it, but I, too, was almost instantly disappointed. The name changes bugged me... Daisy for Maisy, Duckie for Loki, Tracy for Stacy and Agent Jack Bauer for Chuck Norris... I know it was meant to be obvious and ironic but I couldn't help wishing it was just Jen and Fletch and the dogs.
Had a hard time getting through it... And as much as I love Jen, I hope she stops "rocking fiction" and just keeps writing about her fabulous life and interesting, funny, and creative friends.

On the plus side, her writing style is never disappointing and she's always funny. If I were new to her work I probably would have loved it, but for me, it was like watching a movie AFTER you've read the book. It's never the same, too many important things are changed, and you leave wishing Hollywood could just stick to an already wonderful story line.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars I Tried to Like It July 16, 2011

By CaseHolland

Format:Hardcover

I was really disappointed in this book. I've been a fan of Jen's since her first book. I always laugh out loud and read the books multiple times. I did not enjoy this book. It was odd because after reading her other books the characters are clearly her and her husband just with different names. The book is not as humorous as her former books. The plot drags on and it takes several chapters to get to the point. I really hope Jen returns to nonfiction. It's where she belongs.

48 of 59 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Glad I wasn't there.... May 8, 2011

By St. Lucia

Format:Hardcover

I'll give this book 2 stars on the fact that I was able to finish it an didn't stop midway through.

This book was such a letdown for me!

I'm a huge Jen Lancaster fan, but she's been slowly losing me with her last couple of books. I didn't LOVE "Pretty in Plaid", and "My Fair Lazy" was better but still so-so. But this one has to be the worst. I was skeptical initially at Jen venturing into fiction, but I thought, oh this won't be so bad...she has an excellent writing style and I bet this can transition pretty well and be really funny. I bet she can carry it off!

But it just didn't work for me. I understand that sometimes a great way to venturing into fiction is to write about what you know, but Mia and Mac might as well be Jen and her husband with an exaggeration of details. When I read the synopsis of the book I thought I definitely can get into this having gone through some recent homeownership woes myself, but I found myself rolling my eyes at some of the things that happen to Mia and Mac.

I've also been a fan of Jen's footnotes in her novels, but here they felt amiss. I didn't buy this book on my kindle for the purpose of wanting to be able to read the footnotes hassle free, but where with her nonfiction I feel it always added a little something to the novel, here I felt it took away from the novel.

I would have rather read this book as nonfiction Jen and Fletch story. I couldn't find anything likable about Mia or Mac.

If I were to recommend a Jen Lancaster book for a new fan, I'd definitely recommend one of her earlier nonfictions, like "Bitter".