Love Like That (Red Dress Ink Novels) [Paperback]

Amanda Hill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2005 | Series: Red Dress Ink Novels

Meet Dalton Moss: quick-witted, impulsive, aggressively unambitious; a halfhearted assistant to a Hollywood events planner, she's haggling over the price of chicken Florentine and waiting for the workday to end.

Meet Dalton's boyfriend, Roman: charming, intellectual, worldly; he lands in L.A. just long enough to slip a two-carat diamond on her finger before flying right off again.

Now meet Dalton's other boyfriend, Jeremy: perfect in his imperfection, surly in his attraction to her and can match her beer for beer; she doesn't want to love him, but can't help herself, despite Roman -- and despite Jeremy's other girlfriend.

Confused? So is Dalton.

Now that she's engaged, twenty-five-year-old Dalton figures she should temper her penchant for dive bars, abusing her mother's credit card and her fiery, furtive relationship with Jeremy. After all, this is her chance to shed her bad-girl habits and live happily ever after.

But that diamond ring seems to wink at her in defiance, representing everything she's ever, and never, wanted. Roman's offering a rescue from her drowned existence in L.A., but Jeremy could be her twisted ticket to wonderland. She's been holding out for a crushing feeling, a love like that, but will she figure out which man she has it with before she loses them both?

Amanda Hill is a full-time writer living in the Washington, D.C. area. Like Dalton Moss, she grew up in Southern California.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Dalton Moss, 25, isn't quite sure what she wants out of life. She's juggling two men-- older, sophisticated Roman and fiery but often cruel Jeremy--and working at an unfulfilling but adequate job as a top event planner's assistant. Roman's job with a relief organization often keeps him away for long periods of time, but just before he heads to Cameroon for six months he surprises Dalton by proposing. Dalton accepts, even though she's not entirely sure that marrying old-fashioned Roman is the best thing for her. She is charmed by Roman's romantic gestures, but she can't quite bring herself to give up her tempestuous entanglement with Jeremy; and she isn't quite ready to give up life in L.A. with her wild roommates. Although Dalton is often an unsympathetic character, young women at a crossroads will likely relate to her attempt to choose between a passionate affair and settling down and growing up. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Red Dress Ink (April 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373895186
• ISBN-13: 978-0373895182
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,451,196 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loving Love Like That, May 16, 2005

By 

Jamie Masters (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Love Like That (Red Dress Ink Novels) (Paperback)

It's about time the chick-lit genre provided a no-frills offering. The characters in this book are authentically flawed and that is what makes them believable. Like most twenty-somethings in Los Angeles, they use profanity and drink to excess, habitually smoke (habitual smokers do exist in LA) and want to live the carefree lives of young people without ties and boundaries. They don't try to adhere to any ideals or expect their friends and significant others to do the same. How refreshing to come across them in a universe of otherwise "sympathetic" characters, always striving to live up to certain standards.

I liked that at no point in the story did I think of Dalton as dumb--like I do a lot of chick-lit heroines. She may not have always made good choices, but at least she never tried to blame her wrongdoing on her own cluelessness. She didn't find herself in unflattering situations and then wonder why. I also liked that her friends weren't overly judgmental because they realized that they, too, weren't perfect.

I especially liked the author's insight into living in Los Angeles and the mentions of familiar places. It was surprising to see someone write with a real view of LA and not try to make it more dazzling, or less, than it really is.

I would recommend this book to anyone who prefers a gritty and humorous read to something tame and syrupy.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Love Like That Stands Out, March 29, 2005

By 

Rian Montgomery "Rian Montgomery" (Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Love Like That (Red Dress Ink Novels) (Paperback)

Dalton Moss (everyone calls her Doll) is a hip, modern, Southern Californian girl. Working as an assistant to a glamorous events planner, Dalton finds herself torn between two men. There is the handsome, sweet, caring and intellectual Roman, who has just proposed - and then taken off to Africa for a six month trip. Then there is Jeremy, who is irresistibly attractive, frustratingly hot-and-cold, and just somehow gets under Dalton's skin. Never mind the fact that Jeremy already has a girlfriend. Dalton never intended to keep seeing Jeremy, but somehow, she can't help herself. And her fiancé Roman seems to never be around!

Through alcohol-soaked nights, run-ins with her arch-rival from high school, dealing with her zany roommates (also going through guy troubles), Dalton must figure out which guy she really likes - before it is too late.

A Love Like That was a very interesting look at relationship angst, cheating, being alone, and what happens when you are torn between two people you really love in totally different ways. Amanda Hill's writing is witty and outrageous - the characters don't mince words or actions. Dalton as a main heroine is all at once quirky, impulsive, mixed up, and irritating at times, but you will fall in love with her.

The plot to this novel has all of the essential chick lit ingredients: laughter, tears, escapism, naughtiness, strength, and fun.

Some might be put off by the excessive cursing that the characters do and might think that Dalton is a crude and selfish main heroine. It didn't bother me though. I personally love characters that make mistakes and are human like the rest of us. Also, some will be put off by the cheating that goes on throughout the novel. However, I didn't mind because I don't read chick lit in order to find directions in my life - I read it for entertainment. Sometimes it is very interesting reading about a character doing a bunch of things you yourself would never do, right?

Overall, I highly recommend this great chick lit novel to all fans, and to anyone who loves an offbeat story.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read!, August 9, 2005

By 

Sarah C. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Love Like That (Red Dress Ink Novels) (Paperback)

I adored this book- the story of Dalton is real, funny and filled with twists. I couldn't put it down. A definate must read for someone looking to laugh and enjoy the life of a twenty-something looking to find herself and find love.