Customer Reviews

I Love Claire (Claire Everett Series, No. 3)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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

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!

In this third book about writer/Christian/divorced mom of four Claire Everett, we learn she is planning the wedding of her dreams to Greg, a widowed dad who is aspiring to become a minister.

Despite being in such a happy time, Claire's life is also full of problems, including her uneasiness with the path that Greg's calling is taking, with her lack of an agent and a seemingly stunted career, with her teenage daughter's serious romance, with her teenage son's rebelliousness, and her younger son's growing chubbiness from sitting around with video games 24/7. Also, Claire's just stumbled upon the most gorgeous wedding dress she's ever seen -- with a price tag of $5,000.

As usual, Claire decides to take action. To earn extra cash, she begins a dog-walking service -- despite being less than crazy about dogs. She also prays to God for guidance at all her uncertain moments, and turns to her friends, Linda and her ex-husband's new wife Darcy, for support.

While this book is overall a fun read, about an honest, less-than-perfect (and thus realistic) woman, there are a few elements that just didn't mesh with me. For example, when we first met Claire in the premiere novel, she was described as somewhat dumpy, without much male interest in her. Now, suddenly, she's snagged a drop-dead gorgeous, perfect man, and has the interest of another, a wealthy smoothtalker who will stop at nothing in his pursuit of her. Also, after much strife following a messy divorce, Claire is BFFs with her husband's new wife, to the point of calling her "Darce" and even allowing her to plan her upcoming wedding with Greg. Finally, there is the fact of the coveted wedding dress. Would the Claire we've known til now -- a simple woman, who enjoys hanging out in her SpongeBob pj pants, and appreciates the basics of life -- really become so obsessed with a $5,000 garment she will only wear once? It doesn't seem likely to me.

Overall, though, readers will enjoy Claire's life. While it's helpful if someone's read the previous two books, it isn't necessary to follow the current story -- this book stands alone quite well.

I really love Claire. She is funny, down-to-earth, and at times a bit irreverent. She is a wonderful mother, a good friend, and a compassionate person. In short, she is a part of what every woman is. This book, for me, takes Christian Fiction to another level by making the every day walk with Christ seem like exactly what it is - an un-sugar-coated struggle to keep to the straight and narrow path, making right decisions. The ideals of Christ are interwoven so naturally that you don't think about them along the way and yet come away with the distinct feeling of, "Yeah, I've been there." I loved this book and simply cannot recommend it enough.

I've enjoyed reading all three "Claire" books by Tracey Bateman. This in itself should make the statement that I found the story and characters very good and wanted to continue knowing what continued happening to them. This is all true! I believe that the character Claire is very realistic, open and honest - the kind of person I wish more people were really like. She doesn't fool herself by going through life with rose-colored glasses and glossing everything over. She knows there are many challenges with her kids, her career and her love life. She also gets suspicious if things go well for more than a day because that's just not how her life rolls! The only negative point I have to give this book, and the series overall, is that Claire, who describes herself as being a plain, average-looking woman who struggles with her weight (and she is honest about it all, which is wonderfully realistic!) always manages to meet gorgeous men who absolutely fall for her completely. I thought that was a bit unrealistic. Not just because she describes herself as an average woman, but because where in life do we continuously, one after the other, continuously come across handsome and rich men?! The main man in Claire's life, Greg, is described as drop-dead gorgeous, and on top of that, extremely patient and totally into Claire. The other men that she comes across are also described as gorgeous, muscular, wealthy and totally into her. I just found that a little "over the top" for reality. The guy, Jerry, in "I Love Claire" that actually begins to make Claire have doubts (though she won't totally admit to it) about marrying Greg, is not only gorgeous but drives a Jaguar and has a yacht, showers her with roses everyday and just won't quit attempting to win her heart. We should all be that lucky! In my opinion, this was perhaps a bit overdone and that's why I gave this book a 4-star rating. Otherwise, I enjoyed the author's always thoroughly expressing Claire's thoughts in all that was going on - and the turn-around and ultimate understanding Claire had to have with her children was indeed a well-written and realistic journey.

I do recommend this book to anyone who wants to read about a woman's real-life struggles and how to handles, overcomes some and just has to give up on some others. Just bear in mind that the love interests are a bit much...

What can i say? I think we all... either KNOW Claire or feel like we ARE her!

A great book with a great ending! This series has been phenomenal & I really enjoy all of Tracy's books!

This was a nice book to read. Pleasant stroy, good characters, no raunchy sex scenes. It was a nice change of pace. It wasn't too over the top religously speaking, to make one uncomfortable. Unfortunately, did not know this was a series. Have now read the last one first...irritating!

I am going to read another "Claire" book.

Readers who can't get enough of Tracey Bateman's hilarious mom-lit will love this final installment in her Claire trilogy. I Love Claire continues the story of quirky romance writer Claire Everett, whose real-life drama inches her closer toward wedded bliss with fiancé Greg. Yet a few obstacles stand in the way of their path to the altar.

First of all, there's a slight snafu with the Hawaiian honeymoon plans. Greg's new schedule as interim church pastor may prevent him from having time off to travel. Then Claire discovers the most gorgeous wedding gown ever created, which fits her like a glove, yet the price tag renders the dress way beyond her reach. To add to her sagging spirits, Claire's writing career is on the skids, and she's been dropped by her long-time agent. She passes her time watching Oprah, Dr. Phil, and other therapeutic TV shows.

Enter Ollie, a 200-pound mastiff needing to be walked. Through a surprise encounter with elderly dog-owner Miss Lou, Claire devises a plan to earn her the extra cash she needs to snag the dress of her dreams. Then along comes Miss Lou's rich and charming single son, Jerry, who can't keep his eyes off Claire. Will he extinguish the passion Claire feels for her perfect Christian fiancé, Greg?

Like Batemen's other novels, the humor and snappy dialogue make I Love Claire a page-turner. In addition to her financial woes and pre-wedding jitters, Claire's four kids keep her living on the edge. Through it all, God's constant presence reminds Claire that He's in control.

Tracey Bateman's novels offer the perfect escape for readers, like a box of scrumptious chocolates to be savored one by one. The only problem with her books is that you laugh out loud so much, you have to keep answering the question, "What's so funny?"

Leave it to Tracey; she's done it again. - Heather Ivester, Christian Book Previews