Customer Reviews

Love and Other Recreational Sports

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After swearing off alcohol & women (due to having his heart broken by a cheating ex 3 weeks before their nuptials), Jack Lafferty suddenly finds himself in unfamiliar territory - he is attracted to Sara Mitchell, a lawyer who keeps popping up in his life. But he wants to remain true to his self-imposed celibacy, and despite the efforts of all his friends (both male and female), he tries to resist her.

Jack is also frustrated with his career. While his true passion is writing, he instead works as a Wall Street banker. He and Sarah have so much in common, as she also is a frustrated artist - she plays the guitar in her spare time.

After biting the bullet, he finally asks her out. Unfortunately, a couple days prior to their date, he runs into his ex, Kim, and after a lot of alcohol, and horniness, they fall into bed together a few nights later. He slinks out he next morning and begrudgingly takes Sarah out that night. To his horror, Kim happens to be at that same restaurant and unceremoniously announces to Sarah where she and Jack spent the night and that they are back together. Sarah decides Jack is not worth the trouble and they part.

Jack is wracked with guilt over what could have been. He still is fighting his demons but knows that it will take a miracle for him to release himself from demons and self-doubt, and to forge a relationship with Sarah. But would it be worth it?

This book is cleverly told from the male point of view with the male as chief protagonist, which makes the story rings so much truer (and is a refreshing change in the normal point of view we usually read about), highlighting the many nuances between the brain activity of men and women. It should be required reading for any gal trying to get into a guy's brain.

The setting: Chic urban area. The lead: a single professional with a tumultuous love life and an unobtrusive job. Chick lit? Not exactly -- it's a book for guys. Like "Love Monkey," John Dearie's debut novel is a sort of chick-lit for guys, well-written but too uneven.

Jack Lafferty has no interest in settling down, especially when his beautiful, hypnotic fiancee Kim sleeps with a client three weeks before they were supposed to get married. While attending a pal's wedding, he meets the beautiful Sarah, and starts to form a friendly rapport with her -- and then to develop other feelings as well.

Confused and rapidly falling for Sarah, Jack runs into his ex-fiancee and ends up in bed with her (courtesy of old feelings and alcohol). He's wracked with guilt, but goes on a prearranged date with Sarah anyway. Everything goes well -- until Kim appears, and tells Sarah about what she did with Jack. Now Jack has lost Sarah -- unless he learns to be bold, to take risks with love, and find a way to win her heart and trust back.

If men constantly wonder what women think about, then women think just the same about men. "Love and Other Recreational Sports" is a bit like listening in on a men's locker room conversation, especially since it's written by a guy as well. Some of his "insights" seem a bit cliched -- such as the subplot about the newlyweds -- but quite true to life as well.

Dearie has a fairly pleasant writing style, about on par with average light fiction. But he doesn't quite know how to balance his book. He spends too much time having characters yammer about the intricacies of the male mind. Despite this, the plot itself is fairly interesting as it unfolds, watching as Jack tries to figure out what he wants to do.

Despite having a male protagonist, it's hard to really like Jack until the last quarter of "Love." Then he seems to develop some passion and drive, and drop his cynical, whiny attitude. It's pleasant to see his friendship with Sarah slowly bloom into real love and respect, despite the odds. Kim is a typical temptress type, while Jack's goofy pal Alex provides some welcome comic relief.

"Love and Other Recreational Sports" is a beach read for both sexes -- intriguing to women, sympathetic to men. Fairly entertaining light story, a chick-lit book specifically for guys.

This story does an excellent job of putting the reader inside the mind of the protagonist, Jack, as he tries to come to grips with the heartbreak caused by a cheating fiancee and his reluctance to put his heart at risk again. At times I felt like I was eavesdropping on a locker room discussion, confirming my beliefs and (in some ways) my fears about the way men act when we women are not around. But the fact that these conversations ring so true are a credit to the author...he makes Jack flawed, but he is also heartfelt and sincere as well. The book gives you hope that Jack's emotional growth throughout the book continues and is permanent.

John Dearie writes a great story. He reveals the innermost secrets and theories of the male's perspective on dating in a humurous and sometimes embarassing fashion. Embarassing in that we know its true, but we wish we did not think that way.

In addition to the dating intelligence, Dearie makes you feel like you really know his characters and have experienced the same things they have. Half the fun of reading this witty and insightful book is seeing yourself with your own friends discussing the rigors of dating.

Finally, after thoroghly enjoying the dating antics of Jack Lafferty, I actually found some significant "take aways" from this book. I will let you find them on your own. Enjoy this great book.

Intelligent and humorous beach read, a romance with a MAN who's on the lookout for love. As it's primarily (exclusively?) women who will read this book, they can look forward to exploring the inside track into the male brain. The premise of this book is that Jack Lafferty, after having been burned on his way to altar by a fiancée who cheats on him, has declared himself a woman-free zone. Enter a beautiful corporate lawyer, and see what happens to Jack's resolve.

This is a great book - smart, funny, hard to put down. A story of the end of adolescence and the beginning of adulthood in New York City.

Wall Street banker Jack Lafferty still recovers from being cuckold by his fiancee Kim and the overall viciousness of the Manhattan swinging singles scenes on a reticent individual like himself. He vows no more women believing that they just turn his lonely miserable existence into hell.

At a wedding, Jack meets lawyer Sarah Mitchell. Everyone sees they are meant for each other besides being single professionals in the city. Though they share a love for the arts and each participates in their own way, Jack, still hurting to the core, avoids Sara until an epiphany and several coincidental encounters makes him realize she is the one for him. However, Jack may be too late and then Kim has returned with plans for her former fiancé.

Though the use of random encounters is overdone, contemporary romance readers will appreciate this insightful Manhattan tale starring a gender bender male willing to abstain from the opposite sex yet seeking an eternal love. Jack is a great character, whose lack of self deprecating humor and overall depressing outlook over his love life makes him seem real. The rest of the cast brings the Big Apple to life or enables the audience to better comprehend Jack's forlorn feelings. LOVE & OTHER RECREATIONAL SPORTS is a solid tale of a guy giving up after failing to find love when the one is finally there.

Harriet Klausner

What a fun read! I have enjoyed lots of chick lit (Bridget Jones, Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing, etc.) and it was so refreshing to have a witty look at dating and relationships from the male perspective for a change. The protagonist is sympathetic without being a sap, smart, and realistically likable. The cast of supporting characters is also great. I am looking forward to Dearie's next book (unless HBO wisely hires him to write scripts for 'The Mind of the Married Man' before he finishes it!)

I know, I know. My review's subject isn't original, but I couldn't resist. John Dearie's novel is a fast-paced, fun and enlightening read. Relationships from a man's vantage point are done with a great deal of insight in this gem.

Having had his heart broken, Jack Rafferty wants nothing to do with relationships. He's decided to swear off women, but the aforementioned decision isn't facilitated when most of his male friends have taken the plunge into marriage. Also, the beautiful Sarah Mitchell weakens his conviction. Will Jack hold on to his promise to remain unattached? There are some fun twists in the novel.

As mentioned, Drearie's takes on relationships are quite insightful. The parts in which Jack reflects on his feelings for his ex-fiancee are done with intelligence and wit. This is a fun and quick Lad Lit to indulge in - Sex and the City for the male set. Highly recommended to both genders, though.

Guys, don't be put off by the word "love" in the title. This is a book about guys for guys -- which means it's for us too, ladies. As a woman, I have to say that I was shocked to learn that men actually talk about women, relationships, sex and commitment the way Dearie's characters do -- and in such detail! This is what happens when we're not around.

Dearie's characters are so real, you know them from the first page. I know Jack, and Alex, and Sarah, and Kim!!! The book reads almost like a play -- more dialogue than pure action, but the story is my life and the lives of my friends. Dearie's ear for what matters is dead on, both in what the characters say, the scenes, the circumstances -- everything rings true. And his writing is clear, crisp and breezy, like a nice summer cocktail. Be both entertained and enlightened -- read this book!