Customer Reviews

Sleeping Over

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

 

 

There are five engaging main characters in Sleeping Over, Stacey Ballis's latest novel: Jess, who has just returned home from the Peace Corps and ends up in bed with the handsome and charming Dr. Harrison. Since he is known as a womanizer, Jess intends to steer clear... but why are they sleeping together every night? Robin meanwhile has been busy cozying up to Michael, who is also her boss. But they are "just friends"... although Robin is nursing strong feelings for him. Beth and Anne are sisters, and both going through man troubles of their own: Anne has just met the enchanting Chris, and is slowly falling in love. Beth has had a lot of bad luck with men - after getting out of a long relationship with a selfish but incredibly intelligent man. Lastly, there is Lilith. She is torn between an adorable and sweet bartender, and a married actor whom she can't stop thinking about. Then there is her boyfriend...

The five stories are told in short chapters, going from one character to the next pretty quickly. Each woman is "sleeping" with a man - literally.

I found this book to be a good read overall. The characters were real, unique and quirky, and each had their own situations to work out and emotional issues to overcome. Each woman's story drew me in and made me want to keep reading.

The problem with this book is typical of multiple-perspective novels - there was too much going on. Five characters is a lot to keep up with, especially when each one introduces a whole new set of men and situations. Although I managed to finally get them all down, I was very disappointed at the end. For no apparent reason, some of the characters' conclusions were told from the other characters' points of views. I have no idea why the author did this. For instance, Beth may have started off telling her own story, but in order to find out how her situation ended, you would have to read it while another character was talking.

Another slight downfall to the book was that the chapters were very short. Just as I was getting into one story than BAM - it was another character's turn. One last problem I had was that most of the book seemed to be just too good to be true and not very realistic.

Overall however, this was an interesting chick lit read. It stands apart from other novels because of its many perspectives and feel-good tone. I'd recommend giving it a try!

The latest addition to the Red Dress Ink line, Stacey Ballis' Sleeping Over, can't quite decide what it wants to be. There are "vital stats" placed within the novel, but not for all characters; so this can't be described as a character study. The characters are attempting to be single, independent career women, yet they all rely on the men in their lives for even the most basic of necessities. Platonic relationships are explored, though none remain so, (with the exception of the gratuitous gay friend) which gets a bit tiresome towards the end of the novel. Finally, the whole "sleeping over" theme just gets ridiculous after a while.

Technically, the narrators jump all over the place and the point of view gets confusing. There is little consistency and little plot. Overall, I had a hard time figuring out what these characters are all about and where they're headed. Ballis gives us no reason to care about them.

It's too bad, though. I always look forward to my new RDI novels, but this is one that could have been missed.

I was a little skeptical when it came to reading this book, because I have tried to get through Inappropriate Men several times. However, I really enjoyed this book! I liked the characters and at times I didn't want to put it down. If you like chick-lit, this is a great read!

The book starts to get good in certain areas, but there are too many characters and points of view. I actually tried to write out a cheat sheet w/ characterstics of the 5 main women, but it was still too confusing. That in itself ruined the book for me :(

Her books capture you in the first few pages and this one is true to form. Once you start reading it you won't want to put it down. I pulled an all-niter reading this book and it was so worth it. Would make a great beach read. I can't wait for her new book!

There is not much to recommend here. Sleeping Over is one of the more dull reads in the chick-lit universe. Bad enough that the main characters are not very interesting, but there are five of them and quite frankly they are interchangeable. Despite the fact that each chapter is devoted to one of the 5 main characters, it is hard to tell these women apart beyond the names they have been given. And the main conceit of the book, that all of these women have a man in their life for whom sleeping together is not a euphemism but rather a literal fact, strains credibility. truth is, the cover photo is the most interesting book as there is more action in that one picture than in the entirety of the book.

I am usually easy to please when it comes to chick lit, but this book is over the top. Give me a break! Every female character in this book gets their dream guy under picturesque circumstances by the end. The characters are flawed, but are never really developed, and instead of caring about them, they become needy and a tad annoying. This book that leads you to believe it is about 5 fabulous, independant women turns out to be the story of Sleeping Beauty x5 without conflict or climax and straight to the happily ever after...

For good Chick Lit, try Emily Giffin or Jennifer Weiner.

In the fairy tales of old, the heroine was beautiful, demure and rescued by the handsome prince. In Sleeping Over, the heroines have flaws, and struggle with their careers and love lives. The men however, are just as unrealistic as the princes in fairy tales of old. They may enter the scene with flaws, but alas, they are diamonds in the rough, and we end up in the same happily-ever-after scenario that makes an old fashioned romance novel.

A realistic look at the search for love among young urbanites? No. An enjoyable book? Yes.

After breaking up with her boyfriend before he could dump her, and spending two years in Africa with the Peace Corp., Jess is returning to Chicago and into the fold of her four gal pals, Beth, Robin, Anne, and Lilith.

First stop is to find temporary lodging with Harrison, her cousin's best friend, who happens to have quite a reputation as a ladies man. They share a bed platonically until they both realize that they are into each other. And she also has to stand by and watch her divorced parents date each other again.

First and foremost, "Sleeping Over" is a relationship drama - between the women, their lovers, their families, and themselves. In essence, each character could have her own story, and because of that, none of the characters or couplings is completely fleshed out to the point where the reader really feels like they have gotten to know them, though Jess and Harrison are the most compelling.

There are too many characters, too many "voices," and there is just too much going on - it is just a mess. Each chapter is told from the point of view of one character. All this first person has the reader confused. At times, I had to back track to the start of the chapter to see if it started with Jess, Beth, Lilith, etc. I like first person stories, but 5 interchangeable points of view is taxing on even the most patient reader. Thank goodness I checked this one out of the library.

In Chicago it has been two years since the five young single women held a "circling up" to discuss men and other problems. However, now that Jess has returned home from two years overseas with the Peace Corps, the quintet agrees it is time.

Jess wants to talk about her platonic relationship pediatrician Harrison who she lives with platonically but wants to make it more. Robin cherishes her friendship with her boss, restaurant owner Michael, but fears exploring what she really wants from him. Lilith enjoys the performing arts more than she does her businessman boyfriend Martin. Sisters Beth and Ann have opened up a clothing store, but the former has Jeff while the latter has Chris; two men coming in the way of their loving sibling camaraderie. Five friends struggling to spice up their relationships with the men in their respective lives, but will it mean the end of Circling Up.

Fans of relationship dramas will appreciate this fine character driven tale that provides unique protagonists approaching similar male issues in radically different manners. The story line is more a series of vignettes as the focus switches from one woman to another. Though Stacey Ballis does a remarkable job of keeping the personalities of her Circling Up stars different yet consistent, readers will find the switching perspective difficult to keep track of anyway. Still sub-genre fans will appreciate this female Friends tale because the women seem real and their loneliness woes and fears feel genuine.

Harriet Klausner