Let's Meet On Platform 8 (Red Dress Ink)

Rating:
Summary: Keep it real on Platform 8
Review: First of all, let me just say that this book has so much potential. Topics of true love and infidelity are sources for wonderful drama and plot twists, but Matthews' venture into the above themes falls a bit short.

Teri Carter trips and falls on the train platform, and yes, her dream man saves her. Of course, her dream man (Jamie) is also someone else's dream man, and Teri is crushed. This doesn't stop her from pursuing the affair and kicking her best friend (who left her cheating husband) out of her house. I found it difficult to really empathize with either character, as much of the dialogue is trite and seems forced at times. The story's ending is equally simplistic and leaves the reader hanging as to the future of the star-crossed lovers' relationship.

This makes for a fast Sunday afternoon read, but there are other Red Dress Ink titles that are far more interesting and captivating. Leave this one on the platform after reading.

Rating:
Summary: It has its good points, but theres more cons than pros.
Review: I picked up this book after falling in love with Matthews' short story in Girls Night In. I have to say, though, I was very disappointed for a few reasons.

One problem I had with this book was that it left out a lot. One minute the two are just meeting, the next they're meeting again and apparently they've met many times in between, but the author doesn't tell about that. There is also no background story about the characters and hardly any scenes of them in their daily lives, like at work. It makes it seem there is nothing actually going on in their lives except meeting the other person. I felt like I was just reading about a story, not actually experiencing it. I couldn't identify with the characters, and that is really important in a great book.

Another problem I had was with the language. It was very hard to read this book; it felt almost like reading Shakespeare. I had to really concentrate on what I was reading and make sure I understood it, even re-reading some parts. I think this may be partly due to it being very British-style. Even though I have read a lot of British Chic Lit and not had a problem. This one was just a very foreign style for me.

With the exception of the end of the book, the reason this book kept me interested was that it was a very good storyline. And until almost the end, you aren't sure what will happen. The reason I say "with the exception of the end" is because this book ends with a very stupid cliffhanger. It's overdone and completely over dramatic, and it sot of ruins the whole thing. And why on earth do you include a cliffhanger in a book that has no sequel? It just frustrates the reader.

This wasn't a terrible book, but I wouldn't recommend it, just because there are so many better books out there. Try picking up something by Sophie Kinsella, Sarah Mlynowski, Meg Cabot, Jennifer Weiner, or Theresa Alan instead.


Rating:
Summary: Infidelity abroad...
Review: I received this book as a trade on bookcrossing.com and all I knew about it, was that it was "chick lit," one of my favorite genres. I could see how this book would offend some people. Two people meet, one of them is married, yet they continue to see each other. I was one of those people, but I chose to read it anyway. I feel that it's important, as a reader, to separate my personal feelings from the subject, and find a good story and writing within. I am happy to say that I did.

Teri met Jamie on Platform 8 (in London) after falling down and having the insides of her briefcase scattered everywhere. As a true gentleman, he helped her up and even bought her some new stockings. Out of guilt and attraction, they shared a cab to their respective houses. He had yet to tell her that he was married, even though he knew that was something that should have been done.

They continued to see each other every morning, she getting up earlier than usual to catch the train to work. After they had the "drink after work," she discovered his marital status, and of course was crushed. They had both developed feelings for each other, and they still kept meeting every morning.

Pamela, Jamie's wife and a stay at home mom starts to notice that there is something funny going on, late nights, less attention paid to her, and decides to "fake an affair" to get Jamie back. Will her made up extra curricular love activites drive Jamie into Teri's arms, or will she get him back? Will she find something that she has been looking for in her staged affair? The ending may surprise you.

I liked that even though the book disagreed with my morals, it kept me locked into the story, and I really wanted to know what happened. Of course I was rooting for the family to stay together because the characters of Jamie and Teri could be irritating and unlikeable. But, then again, it could be my emotions talking because I didn't like how they built their relationship on a lie.

It was a little bit longer than it should have been, but it was well written, and went beyond the usual boy-meets-girl, boy-wants to-be-with-girl-even-though-boy-is-married story.

Recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Another tragic airport pickup
Review: It happened again. At the airport and nothing to read, two minutes to catch my flight so I hurry through the bookstore...which unfortunately leaves me stuck on a four hour flight with this awful book.

I kept waiting and waiting for the characters to become likeable, or in any way sympathetic. None of them. They were all hateful, and when you hate all the co-protagonists, the only way you're going to enjoy the book is if everyone gets their comeuppance. And SPOILER! It doesn't happen.

Save your time and your thirteen bucks this time, guys. I only hope the author isn't as souless as the characters in her book.

Rating:
Summary: Let's not!
Review: More serious a storyline than appeared. Teri meets Jamie while they are commuting and finds out he's married. She OBVIOUSLY is upset but then keeps seeing him. The book lost me. If Matthews had made the guy single, I think it would have been more likeable a story for me. The ending did agree with me though.

Rating:
Summary: Cute and quirky
Review: This book has a really cute storyline, but really,how many guys would be gracious enough to want to be as helpful as Jamie is? Nevertheless,it is a good book,it is fun to see Jamie and Teri's evolving relationship,and in a way reminds me of Name and Address Witheld (another RDI book). It is basically the same storyline,with the innocent girl falling for the perfect in every way guy,except for the fact that he's married. Both end in very different ways though, but all I can say is that if you enjoyed Name and Address Witheld,then you will definitely enjoy Let's Meet on Platform 8 (maybe even more so)!

Rating:
Summary: Try other Matthews novels instead!
Review: While I enjoyed this book, I LOVED several others by her--A Minor Indiscretion, The Sweetest Taboo, For Better For Worse and Bare Necessity!
This isn't a don't-read, but just take it with a grain of salt--this one isn't nearly as much of a page-turner as the others.

Rating:
Summary: interesting chick lit tale
Review: While rushing to catch the 6:07 from London on Platform 8, Jamie Duncan cannonballs through Teri Carter. Instead of continuing his mad dash, Jamie stops to help Teri by bandaging her scraped knee, giving her new stockings to replace the ones he ruined, allows her to place her feet on his lap, and finally takes her home. Teri thinks she has finally found a sensitive charming soulmate.

However, Teri learns there is one obstacle to her having a permanent relationship with her dream. He is married to a nice woman. Though Jamie wonders if that is all there is, Teri has doubts about braking up a marriage although she believes he is Mr. Right.

This is an interesting chick lit tale that stars several perceptive nice people stuck in a commuter triangle. The story line is terrific when it emphasizes relationships (the good, the bad, and the boring) to include that of Teri's best friend. The story slows down when the tale delves into the specifics of the commute as it seems to target Londoners. When the plot digs deep into the feelings of real people, LET'S MEET ON PLATFORM 8 is fabulous as the lead couple, his wife, and her pal make for a strong character study that provides multiple perspectives.

Harriet Klausner