I Love Claire (Claire Everett Series, No. 3) [Paperback]

Tracey Bateman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2, 2007

Loveable and quirky Claire Everett finally snags a man, but how will she pay for the wedding when her writing career hits a snag of its own?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this follow-up to Leave It to Claire and Claire Knows Best, Bateman rings wedding bells for the fallible protagonist—maybe. Claire Everett, a divorced mother of three, is set to marry her good-hearted boyfriend, Greg Lewis. But Greg's decision to become a pastor is giving her cold feet, and his devotion to his calling may cost them their two-week honeymoon in Hawaii. A handsome executive is pushing Claire to reconsider tying the knot, which further muddies the waters. Things aren't so good for Claire's career as a writer, either; her agent has dropped her and she's trying to switch genres. Even worse, the wedding dress of her dreams has a hefty price tag. Although Claire's no dog lover, she finds herself in the dog-walking business to raise cash to cover the dress, providing some light humor throughout the story. Other complications include her teenage daughter's increasingly serious romance, her skateboarding teen son's flirtation with the wild side and a younger son's couch potato tendencies. Claire's ex-husband and his new family are on such good terms with her that some readers may find it difficult to believe it's all as rosy as it seems. Nonetheless, Bateman's chick lit for middle-aged moms is enjoyable, smooth and sweet without being cloying. (Jan. 2)
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About the Author

Tracey Bateman lives in Lebanon, Missouri.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: FaithWords (January 2, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446696072
• ISBN-13: 978-0446696074
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.8 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #756,843 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational read, December 28, 2006

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Love Claire (Claire Everett Series, No. 3) (Paperback)

I Love Claire is not your grandmother's romance novel. It's not even your mother's romance. I Love Claire is the newest entry in Tracey Bateman's Claire Everett series. Called "mom-lit" or "hen-lit," this is chick-lit for the next generation.

Claire is a single mother of four, a novelist without a publisher, and engaged to Greg, a teacher changing careers and attending seminary. Claire finds the perfect wedding gown and takes on odd jobs, including dogwalking, to pay for it.

When Greg asks her to postpone their honeymoon so he can begin a summer interim pastorate job, Claire questions herself. Giving up her trip to Hawaii is the right thing to do, isn't it? It's for God, after all. Her feelings are further confused when Jerry, the son of a dog-walking client, begins to pursue Claire and won't take no for an answer. But is Claire really telling him to stop?

As the wedding date approaches, Jerry continues to let Claire know he's available for Hawaiian vacations and Greg asks another sacrifice of Claire and her kids. Will Greg and Claire be able to meld two very different families? Will Jerry ever back off? Will the dress be paid for in time?

Claire's voice is sassy and wry and Bateman hits the right combination of humor and honesty. She does a good job making each of the characters individuals. The only exception is Greg's daughter, Sadie. We're told she's spoiled and willful although we aren't shown that; she comes across as more forlorn and needy.

I Love Claire is the concluding book of a trilogy so perhaps Sadie's problems played a bigger part in the first two installments.

Fans of romance, chick-lit, or madcap humor will find much to love about Claire and her family.

Armchair Interviews says: I Love Claire is a fun, quick inspirational read but with real spiritual take-away.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars You'll Love I Love Claire!, January 16, 2007

By 

Novel Reviews "www.novelreviews.blogspot.com" (Every City, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Love Claire (Claire Everett Series, No. 3) (Paperback)

If you liked Leave it to Claire and Claire Knows Best, you're going to love I Love Claire. I started chuckling on page one and snickered all the way through to the end. But this lighthearted look at relationships will have you reexamining your own. There's meat on the bones of this novel--spiritual food for thought. It's just hidden in the package of a rollicking good read.

With characters that grab you by the hand and pull you into their world, I Love Claire will leave you wanting more.

Reviewed by Ane Mulligan
www.anemulligan.com

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 3rd Book in Claire series a real winner!, December 20, 2006

By 

Christina Lockstein "Christy's Book Blog" (Oconto Falls, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: I Love Claire (Claire Everett Series, No. 3) (Paperback)

I Love Claire by Tracey Bateman is the third book in her fabulous Claire series. Claire Everett is a Christian romance writer who's currently without a publishing house or an agent. What she does have is a fiance, four children, an ex-husband and his new family, a new suitor, and a desire for a $5000 wedding dress. The desire for the dress leads her to new jobs as a dog walker and nursing home housekeeper. I relate so strongly to Claire in many ways. She's a real woman who doesn't always clean her house and isn't the greatest cook. She loves her children, but sometimes she stumbles over how to care for them best. She's most comfortable in her Spongebob pj pants and leopard fuzzy slippers. Most of all, Claire is trying to live her life the way God wants to and is struggling to give Him control every day. This is a woman we can all relate to! Bateman's writing of Claire is superlative, and she creates difficult situations for her that are realistic. Her oldest son is smoking pot, and her oldest daughter is graduating from high school and in a possibly too serious relationship with a young man. Bateman isn't afraid to share the nitty-gritty details of real life in a way that makes the reader laugh and learn at the same time. The series ends on a high note with most plots tied up, but with others left dangling, just like real life. Claire Everett really is every woman, God bless her!