Jennifer Crusie

After unsuccessfully diving back into the dating pool, forty-year-old divorcee Nina Askew finally realizes what Fred, her newly acquired canine companion, has known all along--that her downstairs neighbor, a much-younger doctor, is perfect for her. Reprint.

Anyone But You

After unsuccessfully diving back into the dating pool, forty-year-old divorcee Nina Askew finally realizes what Fred, her newly acquired canine companion, has known all along--that her downstairs neighbor, a much-younger doctor, is perfect for her.

Becky

I thought I had read all the best Jennifer Crusie books but it turns out I had missed one of the best ones. This one is in fact often referred to as the Fred book as he is the most stand out character in it... Fred is a dog, it's normally not a good thing when the most standout character is a dog. Fred was a standout character too, I adored him. I love how Jennifer Crusie always puts a memorable pet in all of her books, but I liked the couple too. Nina and Alex were so utterly lovely and once more Crusie wrote her main couple with the best banter.

I was wary, I admit I adore Crusie's books but when the heroine is a 40-year-old divorcee I wasn't sure it would be for me, there's a bit of an age difference and I thought I might not relate. It's okay though because all of Nina's problems were those we all feel from time to time. Am I good enough? Will someone love me? Am I doing the right thing in my job? All these small things and she was starting life over by herself and I loved reading about it.

Alex I was also wary about. he was the fun relaxed character I've seen before in Crusie's books but I questioned whether I'd like the romance when we learnt he was 10 years younger than Nina. I should have had no doubts, I always fall in love with Crusie's couples and these pair were no different. As it goes in the book age is nothing but a mental thing that folks use an excuse to not pursue a relationship. Nina continually compared herself to the younger women Alex dated but she was lovable in her own right. She was fun and interesting and she was what Alex wanted because he didn't want a young woman there pushing him into a career and a family and kids. He just wanted someone to love him, he didn't want the family and everything else. Nina had the same attitude. They were meant to be and they just weren't smart enough to see it for a really long time. I sped through reading waiting for them to get together and the wait was worth it with them.

This may have only been a short read, under 300 pages, but it was a very satisfying one. I definitely enjoyed it and I'm glad Crusie still has new books for me to discover. I remember why I claim her as a favourite now.

Sans

This is a great palate cleanser after either an heavy or bad (or heavily bad) book. A very fast read, fun and sweet and pretty sexy towards the end. I usually don't go in for contemporary romance but I'm quickly learning the error of my ways.

I picked this book up because it was mentioned in Beyond Heaving Bosoms as having one of Candy's favourite heroes. I totally agree with Candy. If I could find an Alex in real life, I would count my lucky stars every day.

Alex is a thirty year old ER doctor but that's as ambitious as he gets. He's happy and comfortable and at ease with his life. 

Nina is forty, a year of our her divorce, and living the life she's always wanted. She's happy if a little lonely but her new adopted dog is filling in the gaps quite nicely.

I love that they spend months as friends, quietly lusting after the other but making no moves whatsoever in that direction. There aren't giant balloons of angst hovering over every scene, even when the characters are concerned about their insecurities. Alex and Nina really get to know each other before taking that next step. That's rare in romance books and I do a little happy dance when I find it written so well.

I'd recommend this for anyone looking for a light, sweet-without-inducing-a-diabetic-coma, funny afternoon read.

Anyone But You

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