Customer Reviews

Mad About Max

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

 

 

Dream come true or worst nightmare? Grace Macguire can't figure out what in the world is going on, when three of the characters she'd created for recurring roles in her romance novels suddenly seem to come to life and decided that *she* is their next 'Cinderella Story.'

On the pretense of doing research, Grace enlists the help of psychiatrist Dr. Max Aaronson, (and the fairy godmothers' choice for Grace's life-mate.) in an effort to really help her over her sudden bout of weird visions.

Throw in some vile step-relatives and a really heinous individual who sees dollar signs in Grace's eyes and who, in my opinion, got off way too lightly and you have the makings for a enjoyable night of reading. I'd have liked the book to have been a bit longer, so that the characters could have been fleshed out more and the storyline beefed up, but all in all, a delightful story.

Holly Fuhrman's MAD ABOUT MAX is a delightful blend of romance, humor, and fantasy. A writer doubts her sanity when her own creations come to life -- and the resulting conversations will have readers laughing out loud.

MAD ABOUT MAX is a perfect ending to a stressful day. I highly recommend it!

Grace Kelly MacGuire is a romance novelist. She writes a series in which a trio of eccentric fairy godmothers help couples find love. Suddenly, she finds that the trio has come to life, and only she can see them. Naturally, she goes for psychiatric help. She picks the doctor most likely to be old and grandfatherly, Dr. Artemus Aaronson, who turns out to be gorgeous and young, all this after winning a free makeover from a radio station she doesn't listen to. Later she wins a new wardrobe, obviously the fairies have been busy. She has both an evil stepmother and stepsister who want her trust fund and an evil would be husband, who wants her money. All in all this is a really funny book, and I look forward to finally reading the rest of the series, Max's brother and sister are featured.

It is a light hearted read, very Mills and Boone romance with a bit of quirky fairytale myth thrown in for free. It is exactly right if you are looking for an uncomplicated book that will make you smile and doesn't need you to work out the quantum physics of time travel or the validity of vampiric lifestyle choices. I think the concept would do well as a Disney or TV afternoon film. Fun read.

MAD ABOUT MAX is Holly Fuhrmann's first fantasy romance. It is the also the first of a 3-part fairy godmother series which involves three siblings Max, Joy, and Nick Aaronson. Her previous works include: 'A Snowball's Chance' (Neighborhood Press) and 'This Old Heart' - PG #157, and 'Baby, It's You'- PG #241 (Zebra) as well as numerous short stories. Look for the second book in the series, MAGIC FOR JOY from Imajinn Books in November 2000.

Those of us who are familiar with romance authors are well used to hearing things like, 'I wanted the hero to do this, but he kept insisting that he just WOULDN'T do something like that!' Voices in the head? Now if it were anyone else but a writer, you'd think they were crazy! Crazy is just what romance author Grace MacGuire thinks she has become.

Returning from her publishers office. Grace Not only hears her characters voices, her three fairy godmothers, prominently featured in each of her seven books, are actually sitting beside her in her car. In the flesh! Just when she thought all was right with her world! Grace has just gotten a contract to write a whole new series of the fairy stories. Maybe the stress is getting to her after all.

The fairies aren't convinced that Grace's life is perfect at all. What she needs is her very own Prince Charming. Oh great! The fairies are famous for their bungling. Even though her stories always end Happily Ever After, Grace isn't looking forward to the inevitable mess that's about to take over her life. Worst of all her stepmother, and stepsister, hate her guts and want her money. When word gets out that she's crazy, it's all over.

A visit to a kindly old psychiatrist (purely for character research, of course) is just what the doctor ordered. Grace thinks Artemus M. Aaronson is just the one to fit the bill. She can just picture him. Oops, he's not the fatherly Einstein type she'd expected. He's young, handsome, and unattached. Aha! Prince Charming without a doubt. Grace is resigned to the inevitable. At least if they get married, Max can keep the 'steps' from getting their hands on her money, while she's in the asylum!

What's the old saying? Really crazy people don't believe they're crazy? Max doesn't think Grace is crazy either. He doesn't know why, but he likes her and wants to help her get to the root of her problem. Soon he is every bit as confused as she is. The fairies have PLANS for Max! Maybe, just maybe, Grace does too, if the fairies don't mess things up too badly. Ah, but then we all know how fairytales end.

There are lots of laughs on the way to that end as all sorts of folks get unwittingly drawn into the scheme. The villain is so unbelievably self-absorbed; it's hilarious. This sweet contemporary Cinderella story is typical of Holly Fuhrmann's style. Fans of her previous romances will recognize her fertile imagination and quirky sense of humor, with the added bonus of lighthearted fantasy. As with her other works, Mad About Max is light on sexual content, and I would describe what there is as non- descriptive. Mad for Max could easily find acceptance among the teen readership. An excerpt from the sequel, Magic For Joy, is included in this offering. --- Reviewed for PNR Reviews

If you've always loved "Cinderella" and were/are a fan of the old TV series, "Bewitched," then MAD ABOUT MAX is the book for you. As always in one of Ms.Fuhrmann's books, humor abounds in this tale of Grace, a romance writer whose fictional characters come to life--three fairy godmothers who are almost as bumbling as Samantha Steven's befuddled aunt and every bit as loveable. The trio of well-meaning and marvelously magical ladies set to work immediately on making Grace over and setting her up with the perfect Price Charming for her. Max is a psychiatrist so handsome and charming, you'll wish you could spend some time on his couch. Sit back and enjoy this delightful fantasy, secure in knowing the fun doesn't stop with Max and Grace. Fern, Myrtle and Blossom will be at work again in the upcoming sequel: MAGIC FOR JOY. I can't wait.

The story was not believable and I am not talking about fairies. Max falling for Grace happened too fast. It appeared to be her good looks caused him to ignore the red flags about her. It is hard to believe or respect Max's attraction towards Grace for a psychologist. There was no healthy build up of a realistic relationship between them. When Grace showed up at her step mother's and step sister's party, it made me wonder about her sense of boundaries to be in same room as them by choice. When Clarence kidnapped her, that was the last straw for me. I could not stomach any more of this story or of Graces lack of self preservation. This is because she allowed Clarence to drag her away from party even though she knew he was out for her money and likely would go to extream measures since she clearly rejected him. Anyone with any intellenge would have screamed for help as soon as he grabbed her. I am only interested in reading stories with main characters that I can respect and their behavior is believable or probable considering them being of basic intelligence.

This is a very light, short (around 2800 locations) read. It's far from perfect. I got a kick out of the reviewer who said he or she didn't have a problem with believing in the fairies but couldn't believe in the relationship. I agree, lots in this book just happened too fast, it needed to be longer and more developed.

But it was still entertaining. The three bumbling fairy godmothers were a hoot. As was watching Grace trying to figure out if she was crazy or not because she could see and hear them. The stepmother and stepsister characters were delightfully evil.

If you can suspend all disbelief and forgive the shortcomings, it's a nice little HEA romance that's worth the read.

Although the dialog is well written and I was excited about the fairytale premise, I felt like I was watching a bad Lifetime movie. You know the ones where you just want to throw up your hands and rewrite the screenplay. If you are into that Lifetime super, sticky-sweet romance that is so predictable, then this is your romance book. As for me I like some edgyness to my kidnappings and not the over the top psycho that deserves laughs more than shudders and gets off scot free in the end.

I think this author has promise if she would please tighten up the plot and leave off some of the syrup. Since this one was written in 2000 she may have done just that.