Customer Reviews

Perfecting Kate

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Kate Meadows is a strong Christian, a successful artist, and just getting over a bad romance. She's sworn off men. In fact she swears off them at least twice a year. Then she meets Dr. Clive Alexander, who wants her to paint a mural for the children's burn unit. Sparks fly, as the two clash over almost everything. Kate has better luck with Michael Palmier, make-up artist to the stars. He says he loves Kate, but every time she sees him he hands her a different business card from a different expert who can make her look better. He wants her to have the gap between her teeth fixed, removed a mole, highlight her hair, change from glasses to contacts. Where does a girl draw the line?
Most of us would like to change something about the way we look, so it's easy to relate to Kate. Without being preachy, Tamara Leigh drives home the point that God loves us just as we are. A very entertaining story, clever and fun.

Tamara Leigh has done it again! Great characters, a fast-moving plot, and an inspirational message. Leigh's writing is packed with humor, page-turning entertainment, and characters you would love to have as a best friend.

"Imperfect" women of all ages will identify with Kate Meadows -- and fall in love with Dr. Clive Alexander. I identified personally with the final scene, which celebrates families created through adoption.

Shallow but True.....I love the cover! Kate's story is a beautiful story of triumph over trouble. The characters were well developed and there were just enough twist to keep me emotional throughtout my journey of Perfecting Kate. I look forward to the next Hair raising, eye brow lifting, heartthrob story by Tamara Leigh. I wish you great success as you paint the canvas for your next creative piece of work!

Lu
Hendersonville Tennessee

"Perfecting Kate" was one of the most fun stories I've ever read! Readers of all ages, shapes, and sizes can easily relate to poor Kate, and you find yourself rooting for her the whole way through! This is the best "make-over" story I've read in a long time, and Tamara's fresh take on outward beauty vs. inner beauty is truly a winner. I can't wait to read more from this hilarious, inspiring author. You go girl! =)

I easily slid into Kate's corner from the first sentence of the prologue. Her needy, yet quirky personality is fresh and delightful; she's a real diamond in a world of cubic zirconium. And just when I thought I had things figured out Leigh penned another twist in the plot, and I was back to guessing.

This is chick lit at its finest--a story for both young and old. On the back side of never-you-mind, I could still relate to Kate's struggles with self esteem, and I felt her pain over her physical afflictions. And while the novel deals with some deep issues, they're delivered with humor.

Devoid of predictable romantic plotting, I alternately cheered for Michael and Clive--although I did want to slap Michael a couple of times. And then there's Maia. She was enough to test anyone's Christianity.

Kate's faith journey parallels our own: two steps forward, one step back. Leigh presents an honest portrayal of a new Christian growing in her walk with the Lord. Kate fails daily, as do we all. Yet she perseveres, often leaving me smiling at her predicaments.

A thoroughly rewarding and marvelous read--the kind of book you sigh over when you turn the last page, Perfecting Kate receives Novel Reviewer's highest recommendation.

Reviewed by Ane Mulligan
www.anemulligan.com

Kate Meadows is a wonderfully gifted artist that brings creativity and wonder to all of her projects. Despite an already full schedule, she is selected for a make-over with her housemate Maia, and she takes on transforming the burn unit for a local hospital. Having decided to "embrace singledom," Kate finds herself the object of two handsome men's affections. Will the makeover be effective? Will she complete her projects on time? Will she end up with a romance, or will everything fall flat?

I must admit, I actually won this book from the author quite a few months ago and just picked it up the other day to read. Boy am I glad I did! Kate and I could be twins as far as our thoughts go. Her journaling mirrors her chaotic life--which is what so many of us live from day to day. Her reflections and promises to God about spending better quaility time with Him remind me of my own thoughts and prayers. If you've ever felt that things needed to change in your own life, then THIS is the book for you! The humor interspersed between the tense moments of realization, make this a MUST READ!!!!

The truth is I'm not much of a fan of chick lit. Let's face it, I'm ... ummm, shall we say ... beyond the chick lit age. I generally find it hard to relate to the drama of the young, single career woman. However, after reading Tamara Leigh's Stealing Adda about the trials and tribulations of a romance author I was hooked on Leigh's style. I laughed myself silly on that one and couldn't wait to get my hands on Perfecting Kate.

It didn't take long for Leigh to hook me all over again. Honestly, is there a woman in the world who hasn't stood in front of her mirror and felt the temptation to make a few ... er ... adjustments? Riding along on Kate's emotional rollercoaster while she deals with the demands of her career as an artist, the snarky remarks of her pregnant best friend's husband, the stack of business cards thrust on her by the famous make-up artist who makes her his personal improvement project while pursuing her romantically, and her flawlessly beautiful housemate's obvious attraction to Kate's boyfriend in spite of her own involvement with a married man is a scream! Add in Brad-Pitt handsome, mysterious, aloof Dr. Clive Alexander who gives Kate goosebumps every time he's around, and you have the perfect formula for truly delicious entertainment!

On a serious note, I'm impressed with how seamlessly and believably Leigh weaves the spiritual thread into the storyline. Both Kate and Clive are harboring secrets that cause complications in their relationship and severely test Kate's trust in the Lord. I truly felt for her as she struggled to tame her tongue and share her faith. Her stumbles made her even more endearing and realistic.

Leigh does an outstanding job of bringing each of her characters to life on the page, and by the end of the book, you feel as if each of them is a good friend. I truly cared about how Kate's story would be resolved--and the ending is perfect! What a joy to read a story that's not only funny, but heartwarming at the same time. Perfecting Kate is a must read!

Katherine Mae Meadows is an up and coming artist whose personal life is on the down and out! Kate has sworn off men determined to embrace the single life, refocus her faith, enjoy the birth of her best friend's first child and witness to her wayward room mate.

When Michael Palmier, make up artist to the stars, shows an interest her, Kate is so flattered that she accepts his recommendations to improve her image, undertaking a number of treatments to rectify her "flaws".

A new contract to create a mural for the burns unit at a San Francisco hospital creates havoc with Kate's schedule and peace of mind. The aloof yet magnetic Dr Clive Alexander is determined to frustrate Kate's artistic endeavours and deride her physical improvements!

Perfecting Kate epitomises the joy that can be experienced with a great book! It is entertaining, witty and held me captive from the first chapter to the last word. Kate is an endearing and authentic character with an honest and unique voice. Tamara Leigh adds depth to this story with Kate's health issues and Clive's traumatic past but does so without dampening the enchanting tone of the story. I laughed, cried, and cheered with Kate, wanted to help fight her battles as well as knock some sense into her from time to time. I have no regrets about reading this book late into the night to learn the culmination of the physical and spiritual journey of this woman.

Tamara Leigh has sealed her fate as one of my must read authors!

Check out Stealing Adda and look for Tamara's next novel (as yet untitled) releasing in November, 2007 with Multnomah.

I really loved Leigh's Stealing Adda. I couldn't put it down, stayed up all night to finish it. Perfecting Kate was still good and hard to put down (Leigh's very good at chapter-ending cliffhangers) but not as good. It wasn't as entertaining. I didn't find Kate as relatable. Sure, there are things we'd all love to change about ourselves but I don't think many would go the lengths that Kate does. Her journey to self-acceptance takes a long time and I don't know that she's even really there at the end. She seems too caught up in the superficial- her vanity about her looks and figure, her superficial relationship with God (only on her terms and her time), and her inability to judge herself as she judges others.

The romance is sweet. You want Kate to find happiness, acceptance- like Bridget Jones- to find someone who will love her just as she is (a dream for many women). Most chapters end with an entry into Kate's journal to God- in the beginning this was interesting but after awhile it only slowed down the overall pace of the story. I almost feel like most of the story was forced- the attempts at comedy are not funny and the overall writing, especially in the beginning, feels like Leigh was trying too hard.

I had high expectations of this book. After Stealing Adda, I was eagerly anticipating another winner but Perfecting Kate is not on the same playing field. It was annoying how practically anytime Beau was talked about, his "prior life" had to be mentioned. This tidbit didn't add anything to the story. It was odd and out of place, like a message was trying to be sent about homosexuality by throwing this "converted" character in. It was too hokey that Beau and Belle were the real names and they, of course, were a couple (being both the masculine and feminine French for beautiful). It was also aggravating that Kate was always obsessing about her weight and what she looked like in the outfit she happened to be wearing at the time. I know and understand that obsession but Kate is not remotely fat, and it's irksome that this subject is brought up, over and over again.

It's really not a bad read. I just finished reading it so these impressions are fresh in my mind. I did find it hard to put down; I wanted Kate to be relatable, realistic; I wanted her to find happiness because I knew, despite her creed/motto, that singledom was not what she wanted. Overall my rating is 3 1/2 stars.

To those who liked Perfecting Kate, read Stealing Adda- it's even better! I hope Splitting Harriet will be an entertaining read- I like the title (the play on splitting hairs- clever).

Kate, the main character of this book, would be a fun friend to have. She is a Christian who tries hard but just doesn't have it all together. If we were meeting for lunch, she'd tell me about her crazy work schedule and how she barely has time to eat, much less exercise or read her Bible. I'd raise my eyebrows when she tells me about how her boyfriend, Michael, keeps wanting her to have cosmetic surgery. I'd tell her to be careful after she talks about Clive, the doctor who hired her to paint a mural in his hospital. She definitely would moan to me about her roommate, Maia, who is an unbeliever who constantly tries her patience with her snide remarks and boyfriend-stealing ways.

This is a fun read with lots of humor and romance which will keep you turning pages late into the night to see how it's all going to work out. Some of my favorite parts were Kate's journal entries because of the fresh and honest way she talks to God. I highly recommend this book. I found it at my local library and I'll be looking for more books by Tamara Leigh.