Learning Curves (Signature Select) [Mass Market Paperback]

Cindi Myers (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. In this superior contemporary romance from Myers (Do Me Right), Shelly Piper, a Denver television reporter, leaves her job at a local network and takes a position as a coanchor at a nearby PBS station, where she excels as a journalist. She builds a good professional relationship with Jack Halloran, her hunky boss and coanchor, that later blossoms into something more personal, though Shelly, a "substantial" size 12 in a size 4 industry, must struggle with her self-image. The author convincingly explores the bonds of women's friendships as Shelly's best friend, Yvonne, plans her wedding to Daniel, and Shelly argues that Yvonne is agreeing to undergo breast augmentation surgery only to please her fiancé. Myers's ability to portray true-to-life sympathetic characters will resonate most with readers of this captivating romance.
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Review

"a subtly written, richly rewarding romance...thoughtfully explores the struggles everyone who is not "perfect" faces." -- John Charles, ReadertoReader.com

On every page, I found myself nodding in agreement. Cindi Myers has created a wonderful story dealing with real issues. -- Lisa Baca, Romance Reviews Today

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin (October 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373836759
• ISBN-13: 978-0373836758
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,918,568 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Cindi Myers became one of the most popular people in eighth grade when she and her best friend wrote a torrid historical romance and circulated it among their peers. Fame was short-lived, however; the English teacher confiscated the manuscript and advised her to concentrate on learning to properly diagram a sentence. From this humbling beginning, she has gone on to write more than three dozen novels that have been translated into more than a dozen languages and distributed all over the world. Her books have been praised for their emotion, humor and realistic characters. She writes stories about relationships that matter, whether the subject is friendship, families, or the love between a man and a woman.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courageous and Thought-provoking, February 4, 2006

By 

HeyJudy "heyjudy" (East Hampton, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Learning Curves (Signature Select) (Mass Market Paperback)

In LEARNING CURVES, author Cindi Myers tackles an important and largely ignored subject, the anti-fat prejudice of America. "Fat-ism" probably is the only politically correct form of discrimination still considered acceptable.

The heroine here wears a size 12, which she explains is the median size of the adult American women. Still, in many circles--especially in television news, where the heroine works--a size 12 is considered grossly obese.

Myers is to be admired for acknowledging this issue, and for addressing it thoroughly and well. A romance novel, particularly, would not seem to be the perfect forum to air these kinds of concern, but LEARNING CURVES does an excellent job of it. Even the title is clever.

The rest of the book is more conventional; there's not much left unexplored in romance fiction. Yet the subtext here takes LEARNING CURVES out of the ordinary and brings it somewhere unexpected.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars learning curve set on high, October 27, 2005

By 

artemis - See all my reviews

This review is from: Learning Curves (Signature Select) (Mass Market Paperback)

I have enjoyed this book and would recomend it to my customers.This book breaks the mold,it gets the point across of not only learning to accept oneself,but points out that there are more pressing concerns in the world.This is a book that in short will make you feel.

4.0 out of 5 stars intriguing contemporary newsroom romance, October 14, 2005

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Learning Curves (Signature Select) (Mass Market Paperback)

In Denver Shelly Piper learns that "perky" Pam Parsons was selected for the anchor spot on "First for News" though she worked diligently for ten years at the show; worse she learns that her size 12 did her in; even worse they offer her a spot on a weight reduction program to be shown over a year. Irate, Shelly quits.

Former Dallas anchor Jack Halloran, funded by his Uncle Ed Palmer, hires Shelly to co-anchor his KPRM public TV show "Inside Story". As they work diligently to make their show a success, the hunk, who quit his last show because no one took him serious as a reporter only a handsome visage, and the "fat" female co-star begin to fall in love. However, can they form a relationship off the air that will not destroy their terrific on the air affinity?

This is an intriguing contemporary newsroom romance that stars two wonderful protagonists struggling to overcome perceptions of how the media and consequently the audience see anchors. Jack wants to be taken serious instead of cotton candy while Shelly needs to prove that a big woman can perform the job. Though their romance takes a back seat to their journalistic relationship, fans of character driven tales will enjoy Cindi Myers fine look at the spotlights of TV news.

Harriet Klausner