Nine Uses for an ex-boyfriend by Sarra Manning

I have been an avid Sarra Manning’s supporter and reader for many many years.

I devoured Diary of a Crush (Ya Trilogy), Guitar Girl,  Let’s Get Lost, Nobody’s Girl and I was thrilled when she started writing adult romance, I absolutely adored Unsticky, I enjoyed You don’t have to say you love me so so so it really pains me to say that I really disliked Nine Uses for an ex-boyfriend.

Recently I only reviewed books that I liked, I have very little time and I have been sleeping poorly for ages (yeah my one year old daughter believes that sleeping is a waste of time, but that’s another story :)) but I have to say something about  Nine Uses for an ex-boyfriend because I am afraid that some readers might pick up this one (as their first try at Sarra Manning) and think “nah, not my thing”.

I did the same in the past with a few authors (Paige Toon, Kristan Higgings, …) and I am glad that after initial disappointment I picked up other books and loved them.

Don’t give up on Sarra Manning!

From Goodreads:

Hope Delafield hasn’t always had an easy life. She has red hair and a temper to match, as her mother is constantly reminding her. She can’t wear heels, is terrified of heights and being a primary school teacher isn’t exactly the job she dreamed of doing, especially when her class are stuck on the two times table.

At least Hope has Jack, and Jack is the God of boyfriends. He’s sweet, kind, funny, has a killer smile, a cool job on a fashion magazine and he’s pretty (but in a manly way). Hope knew that Jack was The One ever since their first kiss after the Youth Club Disco and thirteen years later, they’re still totally in love. Totally. They’re even officially pre-engaged. And then Hope catches Jack kissing her best friend Susie…

My problem, my big big problem with this book is that it doesn’t have that un-put-down-ability factor that I crave when I decide to buy a Sarra Manning’s book, it was actually boring due to poor characterization, weak storyline, a “who-cares” sort of romance.

Yes Jack is annoying, Hope is hopeless but I cannot  put my finger on what exactly doesn’t work, let’s say I was bored from start to finish.

Yet when Manning’s new book will be released I’ll be there to buy it, she is great, she wrote so many great books that I will pretend that I haven’t read this one, it won’t spoil my love for Sarra.

Other reviews:

Book Harbinger

Handwritten Girl

Em

High Expectations and Romance Clichès

Prologue

A conversation I just  had at lunch with a friend/colleague in his mid thirties who broke up with his long-term partner and recently started dating again:

me: “so how is it going with Miss X?

him:  “I am broke, I don’t think I can keep it up any longer”

me: “How comes?”

him: “She wants  me to pay for everything, she doesn’t like dining in, we went away for the weekend but she didn’t want to stay in a B&B, I had to book a hotel with a spa”

me: “That’s unfair, you should be honest, talk to her”

him: “Yesterday I asked her to share the bill,  after she was in a really bad mood all night, she said that it doesn’t feel right , that  we just started dating “

My thoughts

All my life I’ve hung out with relatively broke friends, I still do, so when it comes to money I am very “new fashion” and to me the concept of not sharing a bill (or a taxi ) is a foreign one (although I shamelessly accept free drinks).

My last line on the upper  conversation: “DUMP HER” (I am diplomatic like that)… but apparently it’s not that easy and she is very nice and not a gold digger (besides my friend doesn’t make lots of money neither he hides his moderate income) I read my fair share of romance so I can’t help thinking: do you believe that romance novels have an impact on women’s concept of love?

My husband thinks so while I always claim that it’s fiction, translated: “as much as I enjoy watching Dexter he would not be my friend if he was a real person” ,”as I much as I love fairytales I don’t believe in them” (all right just a little) … my point is that believe  I can tell the difference between fiction & reality.

It is true that lately while reading romance novels I’ve been rolling my eyes A LOT, all male heroes seem to be a variant of the very same character:

* broad and dark,  hard chest and corded arms;

” He was tall and big-framed, all hard muscle and easy masculinity, with dark eyes and heavy well-cut black hair” Lisa Keyplas, Smooth Talking Stranger

* jeans must be well worn;

“he wore a navy T-shirt and jeans instead of the standard-issue suit and tie most agents were expected to wear” Julie James, Something about you

* insolent attitude, capable of arching eyebrows;

“He stood with the insolent, loose-jointed slouch of someone who’d rather spend his time in a pool hall. Although he was well-dressed, it was obvious he didn’t make his living sitting behind a desk” Lisa Keyplas, Blue-Eyed Devil

are you rolling your eyes? not yet?

* confident, doesn’t like authority

“He’d be a loner, and have trouble with rules and superiors, but he’d be smart enough to have turned the detriment into an asset. A man who kept his own counsel, and would definitely not be interested in sharing command” Dee Davis, End Game

* a caring lover, he may last forever if he puts his mind into it

“I‟m not all lion,” Curran said. “But I do bounce back quickly.” “How quickly?”. He shrugged. “Two minutes.” Kate Andrews, Magic Bleeds

* successful, professionally accomplished (the sort who will never allow you to pay for anything), a real hero comes with £££, $$$, €€€

Those quotes are from books that I read and enjoyed but I admit that when I think about it (really think) I wish there were less stereotypical characters in adult romance novels, someone refreshing like a struggling writer (Ethan in Something Blue), like a conceptual artist (Ian in If Andy Warhol had a girlfriend)  or a shy blushing co-worker (Ray in Slacker Girl).

I was never really involved in the dating scene so I can’t help wondering: how many dates would you expect your partner to pay for? and do you believe that romance novels have an impact on women’s concept of love (do they influence our expectations)?

I would be interested in hearing other people opinions.

Em

P.S. May I share you feedback with my friend?