Customer Reviews

Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am not a fan of reality TV. I'd rather keep out the Kardashian's than keep up with them, and just the thought of shows like Jersey Shore make me question society's mental stability. There's no denying that they have taken over main stream media, (hell... I can't even go 10 minutes without seeing a tweet about Snookie) but what happens when it trickles over into literature?

Madeleine-Cora is a private person... or at least she was until one night she tried extreme drinking and as a result signed up for a television dating game. No problem right? Put on a cute dress, fill out some questionnaires, and pick out your hottie. It's just to bad it didn't turn out that way. Instead, MC is thrown onto an island (sans soap) and told to "work it out" What does that mean exactly? Well it roughly translates into "Sorry we lied to you, but here are 8 of your ex boyfriends, 7 of which you will be camping with, and make sure you don't wipe with poison ivy." Will MC survive the onslot of bitter men she is now forced to co-exsist with? And more importantly... what will happen when she realizes there's more at stake than a just a million dollars?

I first fell in love with Heather Wardell's unique way of story telling in "Go Small or Go Home" and I'm happy to say my opinion stands. There is nothing better than finding love in unexpected places and Wardell's knack for "creating the experience" is one of a kind, but even with all her "pole standing" and "peroxide" moments, her characterization is where she really shines.

MC is a complicated creature (ok... maybe complicated isn't the right word... lets go with neurotic) and her emotional roller-coasters could have very easily turned into pages of unnecessary whining, but instead, we were offered emotional depth with limited dialogue (think "a look is worth a thousand words.") As a reader I was so entranced by gestures and their meanings that even the slightest of nods had me questioning characters motives, and in turn kept me glued to the book. But that's not all, with a book so full of lively (or arrogant) personalities it was almost inevitable that a few of them would fall through the cracks... not the case. Each player held their own, and in some cases had moments of genuine shinyness (<- pretty sure that's not a word.) of their very own.

So...where do I stand on the "reality is my life" poll now? That's easy...reality TV still sucks, but reality fiction... that's a whole new ballgame.

Get it, Live it, Love it...Pass it on, because this one is a keeper folks. Great plot, flawless writing, and an unexpected heart flutter here and there.

Happy reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: The buddy system was created for a reason people... USE IT!

I loved the concept of the book - SO ORIGINAL. I can honestly say I've never read a RomCom quite like this one.

My major problem with the book was really the protagonist MC. To be quite frank I found her really annoying at times. SPOILER ALERT: who breaks up with their boyfriend after a pretty perfect relationship thus far because he wouldn't/couldn't get his brother to stop teasing them about overhearing them having sex? Better yet, who could find this same mistake "unforgivable" after YEARS have passed? Come on! Further, she was so incredibly dense when it came to Kent, her ex who was also on the island with his ex girlfriends, that it just got to be too much at times. There just wasn't enough development of her character to make her quirks likable in my opinion.

Another problem I had was that it got really sappy at times...I found myself rolling my eyes a ton during the last 1/4 of the book. MC was crying practically every 4 pages and her and Aaron's relationship was so saccharine towards the end that it was hard to stomach.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE a good romance novel/RomCom but this one just didn't do it for me.

MC was having rotten luck in the wonderful world of dating, so on a whim she applied to be on a dating show. Never in a million years did she imagine it would turn out the way it did, with MC stranded on an island with 7 exes, competing against yet another ex and his team of 7 exes. It was like survivor, with sex partners. Sure that all these men hate her, MC wonders how she will manage to make it through the required 21 days, not to mention try to win the game. But will she end up winning more than just a game?

For any reader who also loves reality television, this book is sure to be a hit. I will admit, there was a time when I was a reality t.v. junkie, so I found this book really funny, and at the same time insightful to how life must be for those who compete on the reality shows. I loved the characters in the book. You might think that this sounds like too many exes to keep track of, but Wardell does a fantastic job of really developing the characters, and making sure you are able to keep them all straight.

I thought the storyline was a fresh take on a romance/love triangle situation. More like a love octagon! The idea that the whole situation is framed around a reality show was innovative, in my opinion; I have not read any other romance book set in such a unique manner.

As always, Wardell delivers a book that is romantic and charming, sexy but not smutty. For anyone looking for a great romantic read for your summer vacation, I say, look no further!

A review copy was provided by the author.

I am an avid reader and have ordered numerous books at random, but this is the first time I have ever written a review. The concept is good, but the storyline iteself lacks imagination. By the end of the book, I was tired of the main character, MC. It seems all the character's traits were "over exaggerated" .....
too nice, too flirty, overly agressive.....jeesh. I would not buy again.

I enjoyed this book but was bothered by the callous unethical behavior of the tv show producers. Yeah, I get it, ethical tv producers=oxymoron. MC handled it much more graciously than I could have. It seemed strange that there was no discussion of the deceit they were subjected to after they all left the islands. Lawsuit anyone? And Peter's smug comments on the wrap-up show, revolting! The ends do NOT justify the means. I guess I got pretty wrapped up in the characters to feel so indignant on their behalf. A compliment to the author's writing skills.

Heather Wardell's latest novel, Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many, is a romantic comedy. It follows Madeleine-Cora Spencer (MC) who signs up for a dating show and instead finds herself on a reality show where she is competing with seven of her ex-boyfriends against the man she also married and seven of his ex-girlfriends.

Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many is a well-written romantic comedy that is both laugh-out-loud at moments and tremendously sweet at other times. From the first page, the book hooks its readers in and makes it impossible to stop reading. It does this with strong and funny dialogue, a humorous plot and realistic and likable characters.

However, while most of the characters, with some deliberate exceptions, are likable, MC can be at times hard to relate to. The relationships in the novel are complex and expanded on throughout the novel at a good pace, and don't seem the slightest bit rushed. The novel was concluded excellently without any unresolved problems; however the epilogue would have been better if it wasn't done in the form of an email.

In conclusion, this novel deserves 4 stars and should definitely be recommended to anyone who wants a good romantic comedy. As with well-written dialogue, a strong plot and intriguing characters, Heather Wardell delivers a fantastic novel to romantic comedy fans.

Reviewed by Danielle G
for The Romance Reviews

I do agree with all the opinions voiced, pros & cons ~
(I honestly watch very little t.v. and surely avoid this type of show altogether, however there are those in my house that DO watch & comment about them all the time, so I can say I know enough to write this review.)

Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many is an facinating example of an author that has a unique and captivating talent!
This book is an outstanding and artful portrayal of these particular shows many watch every week. Very rarely do we get a 'view' of different personalities HONESTLY as this book clearly defines. Actors of said shows have pre-typed scripts that never touch realistically on their actual feelings, values or morals. The writers ... write for ratings.
Then I read this book. I could understand SEVEN's characters as they lived the designated weeks on the island...felt as they felt, angered as they angered, crumbled along with their defeats, especially the main female & male protagonist themselves and their equal number of 'exes'.
Sure there is alot in this book each of us could have difference of opinions on, not believe at all, argue over what could be truthful or not, but all and all the author's subject matter IS unique and captivating from beginning to end.
In my opinion this book is an awesome read and I am so glad I purchased this. It was money well spent for a day of total enjoyment and escapism, which is why I read in the first place.

I take my hat off for a job well done, Heather! Now, when is your next book coming out?!

This is one book that I got into trouble for reading at work. I couldn't put it down, didn't want to miss a minute of it-almost like watching a real TV show- The twists and turns along with the personal realizations that the main character goes through on the island made this so worth the 99 cents I spent on it. I have to say best 99 cent purchase of my book collection.

If you're planning a long flight and want to read something inane this book will do the trick. It certainly is not the sort of book that you will put down and think to yourself "wow, that was so well written!". Its pretty obvious to see where the writer is going with the plot and if you're into reading intelligent books, this one will leave you frustrated with the repetitive choice of adjectives. Hardly gripping - if you put this book down, chances are you will probably forget where you left it - it really is that bad.

I went back and forth about whether to call this 2 or 3 stars. Ultimately, I couldn't honestly say that "I didn't like it," so 3 stars it was.

Overall, this was engaging and readable. The scenario was fun to read about. Other reviewers have mentioned the dishonesty and deceit of the producers, and I suppose there was a certain amount of that with some characters. Overall, though, no one pushed for answers, no one read the fine print, and the whole situation seemed consistent with what little I know of "reality TV" and people in general, who frequently sign things without reading them.

I do completely and wholeheartedly agree with what ReadingMD said in their 2-star review (which contains spoilers), and that is the main reason I seriously considered a 2-star myself. I stopped reading for a few minutes, completely and utterly aghast, when I came to that point and considered abandoning the book. However, to the author's credit, I did want to finish and when I did, I could not say that I hated or disliked the book.

The writing was accomplished and skillful. I did not notice any significant punctuation, grammar, or spelling problems, which I always appreciate.

As a side note, I am a bit bemused by what appears to be a trend towards epilogues. I finished 3 current books yesterday which used them, and I confess that I'm torn. On one hand, there is a certain amount of satisfaction to have ends neatly tied up. On the other, though, I've never had a problem with the future being left to the reader's imagination. (As an example, I like the ending of "Gone With the Wind." ) I think overall I would prefer to have authors put in another chapter, if they feel they must wrap things up to that extent, rather than insert an epilogue in a different "voice" or style. It's something I can see myself getting burned out on relatively quickly.