My Diet Starts Tomorrow: A Novel

Rating:
Summary: loved it!
Review: so, saturday night rolls around and finds me by the fireplace with a class of white zin, a tasty novel called My Diet Starts Tomorrow, and 60lbs of ungraded research papers-- what to do, what to do?! you do the math on this one! those research papers had to wait while i sipped my wine and read this entertaining novel. as a marylander, i especially appreciated all of the local references as this serial dater ran into more and more relationship disasters. i even appreciated the metaphor of dieting in this hip and contemporary novel. but, alas, the fun ended, and i still have 60lbs of ungraded research papers to deal with! unless i can get a sequel from the author-- please??!!
J Marie Darden- author of Enemy Fields www.jmariedarden.com

Rating:
Summary: Definite pageturner
Review: I just finished reading this book and I must say that Ms. Handfield did wonderful for her debut novel. The story centered on Monica and her dating faiscos. And her overwhelming need to go on a diet. It also shows the close relationship she has with her best friend Char. I really like the way that the book ended. I can't wait to read her next book (an except is included in the book).

Rating:
Summary: Definite pageturner
Review: I just finished reading this book and I must say that Ms. Handfield did wonderful for her debut novel. The story centered on Monica and her dating faiscos. And her overwhelming need to go on a diet. It also shows the close relationship she has with her best friend Char. I really like the way that the book ended. I can't wait to read her next book (an except is included in the book).

Rating:
Summary: Love Don't Come Easy
Review: Monica, a single African-American woman approaching the big 3-0, is exhausted from the merry-go-round dating scene. She knows there has to be a few good men left in the world, even if they are not in Pennsylvania. Monica eagerly anticipates her move from Pennsylvania to Maryland, but what she encounters once she relocates has her believing that all men are losers with too much baggage.

Her best friend Char is constantly setting her up on dates with men who are just "perfect" for her. Monica has nothing to lose, so she continues to let Char do her thing. Mark is the most interesting so far, but he's a player and a psycho, and he has an even crazier ex-girlfriend named Tanya. At least Monica thinks Tanya is his 'ex' she's not quite sure, but that's a moot point, because what she does know is this man is not worth her time.

Even with all the heartache she has suffered because of her failed relationships, Monica still has hope that she will find her soulmate. On another date engineered by Char, Monica meets a man who just might be the one. There is just one major drawback, he lives in another country so she now has to decide if he is worth her taking yet another chance at love and maybe relocating again.

With MY DIET STARTS TOMORROW, Ms. Handfield has crafted a hilarious yet emotional look at dating. This is a story that to which anyone who has experienced the tumultuous world of boy-meets-girl can relate. As I read this story I reflected on some of my dating experiences, and I have laughed so hard. I thank the author for letting others know that there is someone out there who understands how stressful, funny, and demanding dating can be. I enjoyed MY DIET STARTS TOMORROW and look forward to more of the author's work.

Reviewed by Simone A. Hawks
of THE RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Rating:
Summary: Loved It!
Review: The book was good, nah great! A definite page turner. I would have given it 5 stars but I reserve that for books I read in a day. As for "My Diet Starts Tomorrow", it was really close. I love the way the characters were developed and the entire time I thought I was reading a seasoned author's work, i.e. EJD...this book put me in the mind of his work. I've already pre-ordered "Mirror, Mirror" and if she keeps coming with the move 'em type stories...she may quite easily join my favorite authors list! Keep it up Laurel!! You already have a fan!

Rating:
Summary: Loved It!
Review: The book was good, nah great! A definite page turner. I would have given it 5 stars but I reserve that for books I read in a day. As for "My Diet Starts Tomorrow", it was really close. I love the way the characters were developed and the entire time I thought I was reading a seasoned author's work, i.e. EJD...this book put me in the mind of his work. I've already pre-ordered "Mirror, Mirror" and if she keeps coming with the move 'em type stories...she may quite easily join my favorite authors list! Keep it up Laurel!! You already have a fan!

Rating:
Summary: Getting Rid of Dead Weight
Review: The premise of Laurel Handfield's debut novel, My Diet Starts Tomorrow, is nothing new. Twenty-something Monica is dating and the men she meets leave much to be desired. She also has a best friend, Char, whose character is the epitome of the fun-loving twenty-something female. Add a lot of laugh out loud moments as the characters candidly express their woes with their dating experiences.

Char sets up Monica on a blind date with Mark. While Monica and Mark do not exactly hit it off, they find themselves in each other's company quite frequently. So much so, Monica questions him as to whether or not he is stalking her. Usually in Mark's company is his "friend", Tanya, who appears to be none too happy about his attraction to Monica. Being the woman that she is, Monica finds pleasure in tormenting Tanya about her relationship with Mark. However, Mark has some secrets that leave everyone shocked.

On another blind date, set up by whom else but Char, Monica meets Neal. Problem is that he is younger than her and lives in another country. Nevertheless, Monica is smitten by this guy and he is smitten by her. They decide to go against the odds and establish a relationship. Now Monica is juggling two men; Mark and Neal.

While there were some problems with the time frames and inconsistencies, I have to applaud the author for taking the same old storyline and making it into an enjoyable reading experience. The story was filled with lots of laugh out loud moments and unexpected surprises. If you are looking for a fun and funny book, I would recommend picking up this one.

Jeanette
APOOO BookClub

Rating:
Summary: How Refreshing
Review: YOu may think this is another book about the funny stories of dating. You are right! This story is funny but is told in such a "REAL" way that you feel you right there watching the entire thing. There are no slow points and the characters are well developed. I enjoyed the plot. I enjoyed the storyline from beginning to end. I look forward to more books from this author. WHAT A DEBUT!