Customer Reviews

Jennifer Johnson Is Sick of Being Single

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The author has a very wacky sense of humor, and several passages of this book made me laugh out loud. Her protagonist, Jennifer Johnson, doesn't really fit into her religious community in Minnesota. She collects kitschy figurines, has dolls that do naughty things, and has a gay best friend. However, her dream is rather conventional: find a millionaire, marry him and live happily ever after. Then that dream takes a nasty left turn. This is one of those books where the ending is *not* predictable.

OK...I love this book. It is witty, well written and a bit like potato chips....one is not enough. Kudos to Heather McElhatton for a fun read. I feel as if I personally know all the characters and have a much better sense of life in Minneapolis, MN. The perfect read if you are looking for an escape into the wacky world of dating. Applicable to both men and women...well maybe I got a little crazy but what the H***..."WRITE ON"....

I started this book on a lunch hour, canceled my afternoon meetings, and finished it all in one go. It's like someone finally tells you the whole truth, not just the pretty parts. I wound up loving Jennifer, despite herself, and finding all the arrows where the book hit a target inside myself. Underneath all the crazy stories and the laugh-so-hard-you-cry parts, you wind up asking if you're your own, most authentic self? This book is for all of us who very mistakenly walked down the aisle towards the wrong person and realized it too late (or too early, and were just to scared to admit it), or any of us looking at that choice again, or for the very first time. Let's be honest! Good luck everybody - this book cracks it wide open.

I read chick-lit for light reading, that's fun and leaves me feeling good at the end. Pure escapism.

The book delivers on the first two and in fact, excels in a way many other books in this genre don't. Parts are laugh-out loud funny (especially the "lists"), the primary and side characters have enough quirks to make them memorable and the story moves along.

Without giving away the ending, it left me thinking "huh? it ends like this?". I even went back to make sure I didn't miss something. While it leaves room for a sequel, it also left me wanting the "girl learns from her mistakes and finds true happiness" ending I expected.

Not that a book has to have a happy ending to be good (Gone with the Wind is one of my favorite books). But in this case, it didn't work for me at all.

I'm giving this three stars because I did enjoy the book despite the disappointing ending.

My God this is an amazing book. a journey of the soul that still has a romper room zeal for life. This is the kind of book that all the Sex In the City types aspire to be. Funny and heartfelt, hitting you with a one two punch, that will make you laugh and cry often at the same time.

The author creates an ultra-vivid world full of delight. If you don't know these characters then you must live in some sort of cavern, most certainly one without basic cable. Jennifer Johnson is more then just type on a page, there is a life beyond words in her character. I envy those of you who get to read this for the first time,it truly is a remarkable ride.

In Minnesota, though she dreams of being a real writer, thirty years old Jennifer Johnson works as a copywriter toiling in the marketing department of Keller's department store. She is currently going through some difficult personal times with the least being a fire in her cherished apartment. Jennifer struggles with her younger sister getting married though she is happy for her Bridezilla sibling; she even loathes more her ex who is also getting married though she does not want the Groomzilla rat back. Both are marrying others on Valentine Day's; a holiday that has betrayed her. Finally she seems to have lost the battle of the bulge accepting size 12 for the first time though she is freaking out.

Dating especially on-line has proven one disaster after another so much so she wonders if this is divine punishment. Her co-worker Ted loves Jenifer, but she ignores his kindness as being weak. Meanwhile, the store's heir Brad Keller asks her out to her shock as she cannot think of one reason why her. As they go out a lot, she changes her goals to meet what she perceives he wants; soon he proposes and she accepts, but though her new objective is not being single she has nagging doubts every time she thinks beyond her immediate goal.

Unlikable as the lead is in many ways especially with her opinionated décor attitude on life, fans will enjoy this fine chick lit tale ironically due to Jennifer, who paints an honest, often amusing and not always kind self portrait. The story line overuses acceptable chick lit devices, but overcomes the expected standard with the sarcastic at times contemptuous look at relationships. This fun frolic will surprise readers with a wonderful final spin as Jennifer understands the realism of what her Prince Charming is.

Harriet Klausner

I loved the title and cover for this book, so I was very excited to read it. It does have some laugh-out-loud moments - and not many books can make me laugh like that. I appreciate the book's honesty of human failings and choices, instead of being a cute and forgettable fairy tale. However, my disappointment lies with the heroine herself. I just did not find her likable. I enjoy a sarcastic, sassy, modern hero, but Jennifer at times is mean, selfish and rude, especially to her family, and rather juvenile. As other reviewers noted, the ending is not as expected. But I think Jennifer gets exactly what she deserves. It's truthful, but not enjoyable reading.

I was busy tearing through this book this weekend. My 20 something daughter wanted to rip it out of my hands so she could read it, as it made me laugh out loud, which doesn't happen often enough. I'm making her wait for it until her finals are over.

McElhatton has finally done it; she's taken the wit, cynicism (and the inherent hope that germinates the seed of cynicism) I've come to expect from our generation of writers (yet rarely delivered), and packaged it into the most wonderful book I've read in years. By all accounts, this doesn't appear to be marketed as "my" book. Nevertheless, after attending a few of McElhatton's readings, productions, and enjoying the hell out of her "Pretty Little Mistakes" book, I decided to give this a go. I figured, "if I've not taken to it within the 3rd chapter, I'll pass it on to my girlfriend." A week later, my girlfriend has been left to buy her own copy. I *adore* this book. Everything about it - the honesty, humor, and deconstruction of neurosis vs. jack-assery is brilliant. If this isn't made into a film within 1 year, I'll be very surprised. 5 enthusiastic stars!

I found the story entertaining and full of humor and joy! The easy flow of the words helped pull me in, and keep me involved with Jennifer Johnson's tale. Will there be more to Jenifer's life and struggles? It would be fun to follow and see where she ends up ...