Looking for Laura

Rating:
Summary: Wow! What a Great Author!
Review: Three months after her husband's death, Sally Driver is going through his things when she finds a thick envelope filled with sickly-sweet, purple prose love letters. Sally is indignant. It's not enough that her husband cheated on her, but he had to go and give the woman Sally's Hula girl pocket knife!

Since Paul is--fortunately for him at this point--dead, Sally decides to take a pound of flesh out of his best friend instead, whom she's never been fond of anyway. But Todd feels almost more wounded than Sally does: Paul had a reason not to tell Sally about the affair, but he was Paul's BEST FRIEND. Best friends are supposed to share stuff like that, aren't they?

Independently, both Todd and Sally start their own investigations into the identity of Paul's mistress. Much to their annoyance, however, they're quickly compelled to join forces. As they spend more and more time together, both Todd and Sally begin to realize that their conceptions of one another, and of Paul, were completely skewed. Without Paul around to influence their ideas of each other, Sally and Todd become tentative friends and then fall in love.

Yes, the plot is a little on the weak side. But what makes this book such a terrific read is Arnold's writing, which is light in tone, clever and funny in its presentation of the character's foibles, and filled with the author's life experience. Also, the romance between Todd and Sally, while slow to develop, is completely believable.

Furthermore, I appreciated how the author didn't excuse Paul's behavior toward his wife, which went beyond simply having an affair, as Sally discovers during the course of the book.

This wasn't a sad book at all. It was light, funny, and romantic. Arnold is a great writer and I can't wait to read more of her stuff! I highly recommend LOOKING FOR LAURA.

Rating:
Summary: Wow! What a Great Author!
Review: Three months after her husband's death, Sally Driver is going through his things when she finds a thick envelope filled with sickly-sweet, purple prose love letters. Sally is indignant. It's not enough that her husband cheated on her, but he had to go and give the woman Sally's Hula girl pocket knife!

Since Paul is--fortunately for him at this point--dead, Sally decides to take a pound of flesh out of his best friend instead, whom she's never been fond of anyway. But Todd feels almost more wounded than Sally does: Paul had a reason not to tell Sally about the affair, but he was Paul's BEST FRIEND. Best friends are supposed to share stuff like that, aren't they?

Independently, both Todd and Sally start their own investigations into the identity of Paul's mistress. Much to their annoyance, however, they're quickly compelled to join forces. As they spend more and more time together, both Todd and Sally begin to realize that their conceptions of one another, and of Paul, were completely skewed. Without Paul around to influence their ideas of each other, Sally and Todd become tentative friends and then fall in love.

Yes, the plot is a little on the weak side. But what makes this book such a terrific read is Arnold's writing, which is light in tone, clever and funny in its presentation of the character's foibles, and filled with the author's life experience. Also, the romance between Todd and Sally, while slow to develop, is completely believable.

Furthermore, I appreciated how the author didn't excuse Paul's behavior toward his wife, which went beyond simply having an affair, as Sally discovers during the course of the book.

This wasn't a sad book at all. It was light, funny, and romantic. Arnold is a great writer and I can't wait to read more of her stuff! I highly recommend LOOKING FOR LAURA.

Rating:
Summary: A pleasant contemporary romance
Review: Three months ago in Winfield, Massachusetts husband and father Paul Driver died in a car accident. Though he did not want to marry her when she became pregnant, he finally did and his wife Sally thought they had a pleasant but not passionate life together. Following a period of grieving, Sally begins to go through his things. However to her shock, she finds love letters from a mysterious Laura written to Paul. She rushes over to see the executor, Paul's best friend Todd Sloane about the letters and a life insurance stipulation.

Like Sally, Todd is stunned to learn that Paul had a lover he never told him about. Needing closure also, the two agrees to search out for Laura to learn more about Paul. On the road to discovery, the two opposites begin to fall in love, but feel guilt as their loyalties to the deceased Paul keeps both of them from taking the next step towards a permanent relationship.

LOOKING FOR LAURA is a pleasant contemporary romance that will entertain readers, but is not quite at the level of quality expected from Judith Arnold. The story line contains an interesting dilemma as the lead protagonists find love with one another, but their mutual acquaintance though dead lingers in the back of their minds. The problem with the tale is that Paul is written as a cheater rather than a person who deeply loved someone else while reluctantly remaining married for the sake of his daughter. Fans who enjoy a tale similar to It Happened One Night but not as good will want to read this sad yet amusing romance novel.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: A pleasant contemporary romance
Review: Three months ago in Winfield, Massachusetts husband and father Paul Driver died in a car accident. Though he did not want to marry her when she became pregnant, he finally did and his wife Sally thought they had a pleasant but not passionate life together. Following a period of grieving, Sally begins to go through his things. However to her shock, she finds love letters from a mysterious Laura written to Paul. She rushes over to see the executor, Paul's best friend Todd Sloane about the letters and a life insurance stipulation.

Like Sally, Todd is stunned to learn that Paul had a lover he never told him about. Needing closure also, the two agrees to search out for Laura to learn more about Paul. On the road to discovery, the two opposites begin to fall in love, but feel guilt as their loyalties to the deceased Paul keeps both of them from taking the next step towards a permanent relationship.

LOOKING FOR LAURA is a pleasant contemporary romance that will entertain readers, but is not quite at the level of quality expected from Judith Arnold. The story line contains an interesting dilemma as the lead protagonists find love with one another, but their mutual acquaintance though dead lingers in the back of their minds. The problem with the tale is that Paul is written as a cheater rather than a person who deeply loved someone else while reluctantly remaining married for the sake of his daughter. Fans who enjoy a tale similar to It Happened One Night but not as good will want to read this sad yet amusing romance novel.

Harriet Klausner