Leave It to Cleavage

Rating:
Summary: intelligent and funny contemporary
Review: Despite the title and the cartoon cover, this isn't a zany romantic comedy. It does
have gentle humor but don't look for a farce. I loved the subplot of the hero learning to
accept that his little girl is finally growing up.

Other things I liked: the heroine
does a realistic job of trying to turn her company around with a believable
plan and actually uses her intelligence and MBA to do it. She also uses
all the skills in presentation and self-marketing that she acquired as a
beauty pageant contestant, something that was never denigrated or
looked down upon by the author. I also liked that the heroine wanted a
bit of time to sort through her feelings about her marriage and didn't
immediately rush into a new relationship.

I liked that neither the hero nor heroine stood staring at the other
with drool running down their chins. And that the author didn't use
stupid gimmicks to separate them nor indulge in pointless and
inappropriately timed sex. Another plus is the fact that none of
the secondary characters are used solely for down-home cutsey
humor nor made to be two dimensional cardboard cutouts.

I did get a little tired of Miranda's initial crying jags but then her
husband had just left her after she'd learned that he had a thing
for ladies undergarments and had been having an affair on her
so I'll cut her some slack. This is Wax's second published book
and I'll be looking for more from her.

Rating:
Summary: 1/2 stars
Review: I have to admit, the first time I tried to read this book, I put it down and forgot about it. Tonight, I was desperate, you know how it is, there are no good new books out there that you have not read so you go back to a reject pile. This one was on top, and to force myself to be happy w/it. I climbed in the tub and brought no other books.
Well I have to say, it took me until somewhere around page 20 that I started to get into it, and once I was able to identify with Miranda, I thought it was a great book. It was fun, (not laught out loud like Katie McCallister,) but very entertaining, more like Susan Anderson.
It had a good secondary story going with the Andie, the chief of police's daughter growing up. The mystery of Tom the cross dressing creep of an ex was handled well. There was a legitimate build up between Miranda and Blake, and they had a good relationship.
I think what I liked best about the book was the knowledge of running a business, and what they really need to look at. Ms. Wax did her research, which made it much more beleivable and therefore entertaining. You could actually beleive that this woman saved her company.
Give it a try, I will be reading her new books and trying out her 1st one. This book seems along the lines of Carly Phillips, so if you like her, get this one.

Rating:
Summary: entertaining uplifting tale
Review: In Truro, Georgia, Miranda Smith seeks a stamp, but instead finds photos of her husband in lingerie with a female hand on his butt. She next pulls out of the garbage a torn letter from the Liberty National Bank stating that her family's century plus women's unmentionables manufacturing business of which Tom is CEO, Ballantyne Bras, is in financial trouble. Uncovering fraud at the office and that all their joint accounts except a minor checking account were zeroed out, Miranda knows Tom left her with a disaster.

Following a few days of weeping, Miranda takes charge, faking contact with Tom, who she insists is in Hong Kong. Putting up property to back a loan, Miranda begins making over the company to save it. At the same time, an anonymous female calls the divorced Chief of Police Blake Summers about the disappearance of Tom. He asks questions of Miranda and finds himself attracted to her until his athletic teenage daughter enters a beauty contest sponsored by Ballantyne Bras. Miranda reciprocates his warmest feelings, but she believes once burned twice as cautious. She has a business and a one company town to save and she believes that comes first.

This is an entertaining regional boardroom story that literally tells "an uplifting tale" that fans will enjoy. Ignoring high school or college conference affiliations that that cause minor confusion, readers will appreciate the cast especially Miranda as she adapts from former beauty queen to decision-making CEO to include buying time via fake e-mail and phone calls which make for a solid story. The romance between the suspecting cop and the new company head comes late, but that enables fans to see the metamorphosis of the heroine.

Harriet Klausner


Rating:
Summary: Light and entertaining - perfect poolside reading
Review: Miranda Smith's comfortable life of social functions and charity fundraisers is forever turned upside-down when she accidentally discovers pictures of her husband of fifteen years dressed in women's lingerie (with a pristinely manicured female hand on his rear). In just one day, everything becomes painfully clear-Tom's penchant for women's underwear, his infidelity, and, finally, his disappearance. When she reads Tom's "have a nice life" letter, Miranda thinks that her life has hit its lowest point-but then she discovers that Tom did more than just leave her. He also emptied out their bank accounts and left Ballantyne Bras, her family's business, in serious financial trouble.

Suddenly realizing that she's the only one capable of saving her family's business (and, consequently, the entire town of Truro, Georgia) from bankruptcy, Miranda dusts off her MBA and fills in for Tom, claiming that her husband asked her to take care of the company while he went on an extended business trip to China. Miranda manages to cover up her husband's disappearance using fake emails and phone calls, but Blake Summers, the chief of police, isn't falling for it. Miranda can't seem to hide from the persistent chief-nor is she totally sure that she wants to.

The plot of Leave It to Cleavage (a jilted woman forced to take charge and make it on her own) isn't necessarily a unique one, but Wax does a wonderful job of taking the plot and making it her own. She creates characters (especially Miranda and Blake's daughter, Andie, the teenage tomboy turned beauty queen hopeful) that you can't help but love. She creates a tension between Miranda and Blake that's absolutely electric-so electric, in fact, that you'll feel it. And her devilish wit only adds to the fun. From the very first sentence, Wax will have you hooked, and you won't be able to put down this uplifting tale.


Rating:
Summary: HIlarious
Review: There are times in your life when you need something funny to happen. What happened to me was Leave it to Cleavage! From the moment I picked up the book I had a grin on my face. That's okay on an airplane, but to laugh aloud did cause curious stares. I simply held up the book. People saw the title and nodded. This book is thoroughly enjoyable. I couldn't put it down. From the time the heroine found out her philandering, women's underwear wearing husband had taken off with the family fortune, to the final moments when she saves Truro, her home town, saves the family business and gets the man--the town sheriff, I'm hooked and laughing. Wendy Wax has come into her own as a comedy writer. I can't wait for the next book!

Rating:
Summary: Leave it to Wendy....
Review: to create a wonderfully delightful novel!! Sorry, but this book 'had me at Hello'!! From the first line in this story, I was laughing so hard, I was crying! Wendy Wax has an interesting way of leading the reader on...tempting us per-say with wanting Miranda and Blake together so badly and then nothing! Once things begin flaming, it makes the reader appreciate it even more! The characters are so believably real, you can't help but fall in love with them and the story!