Isn't It Romantic? : An Entertainment

Rating:
Summary: Hilarious
Review: This is the funniest novel I've read in a long time. Hansen's a positively great writer; there's nothing he can't do well; and this book is no exception. A laugh-out-loud riot with fantastic characters and dialogue.

Rating:
Summary: A hilarious French romp through the Midwest...
Review: This is the only book I've ever read that reads just like a movie script -- and this is a good thing! Ron Hansen has written an exciting, hilarious story that would fit perfectly on a movie screen without having to chop out any scenes. I loved it; it was entertainment at its finest.

Isn't it Romantic? tells the story of a French couple, Natalie Clairevoux, and her fiance, Pierre Smith, as they journey across America on a bus tour. Natalie, fed up with Pierre's loverboy ways, has decided to take the vacation of her dreams -- alone. But Pierre tracks her down in Omaha, wondering what in the heck? Pierre's cosmopolitian, European self doesn't belong amidst Midwest corn fields, so certainly this vacation of Natalie's must be a joke, right? Some sort of punishment for his waywardness? Then the bus breaks down in Seldom, Nebraska -- population 395 -- and the fun really begins. Stranded in the middle of nowhere, Natalie and Pierre are taken in by the friendly, quirky residents of this sleepy, peaceful town.

I laughed so much at the madcap scenes in this book. I can totally visualize the actions in my head in perfect detail. The citizens of Seldom are one of a kind, especially Owen, who has dreams of marketing his Nebraska wine, and Carlo, the cook at the café, who embarks on a matchmaking mission. Ron Hansen did an incredible job bringing these characters to life, and I will be looking for the movie adaptation in the future (hopefully!).

Rating:
Summary: A hilarious French romp through the Midwest...
Review: This is the only book I've ever read that reads just like a movie script -- and this is a good thing! Ron Hansen has written an exciting, hilarious story that would fit perfectly on a movie screen without having to chop out any scenes. I loved it; it was entertainment at its finest.

Isn't it Romantic? tells the story of a French couple, Natalie Clairevoux, and her fiance, Pierre Smith, as they journey across America on a bus tour. Natalie, fed up with Pierre's loverboy ways, has decided to take the vacation of her dreams -- alone. But Pierre tracks her down in Omaha, wondering what in the heck? Pierre's cosmopolitian, European self doesn't belong amidst Midwest corn fields, so certainly this vacation of Natalie's must be a joke, right? Some sort of punishment for his waywardness? Then the bus breaks down in Seldom, Nebraska -- population 395 -- and the fun really begins. Stranded in the middle of nowhere, Natalie and Pierre are taken in by the friendly, quirky residents of this sleepy, peaceful town.

I laughed so much at the madcap scenes in this book. I can totally visualize the actions in my head in perfect detail. The citizens of Seldom are one of a kind, especially Owen, who has dreams of marketing his Nebraska wine, and Carlo, the cook at the café, who embarks on a matchmaking mission. Ron Hansen did an incredible job bringing these characters to life, and I will be looking for the movie adaptation in the future (hopefully!).

Rating:
Summary: Flows like a classic Lombard-Gable film
Review: This short (under 200p) little romance by Ron Hansen is the story of a pair of French lovers on a bus trip across America. As they bicker their way into the Heartland, they plop down in Nebraska and talk on and on, trying to decide if they should marry. It's silly, witty, brainless, irreverent, and laugh-out-loud funny. Of course it's not serious literature, but it's great, great, great. Just have a cup of hot chocolate and a few chocolate chip cookies, settle down in a cozy spot, and enjoy yourself. But be careful not to spill the hot chocolate: guffaws will spring up unannounced.

Rating:
Summary: Typically wonderful Ron Hansen writing!
Review: What a delightful book! I bought it on the strength of the great review I read yesterday in the New York Times. Hansen is a master storyteller and does a wonderful job with this lighthearted and terrific read. I've loved all of the rest of his books (especially "Mariette in Ecstacy") and while this one is a departure for him (that is, romantic comedy) it's a winner.