Mad About the Boy (Ausgabe 2011)

You can also read my review here: http://www.turningthepages.ca/2012/02/review-mad-about-boy.html

In all honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect with this book. When I first saw the original cover, I was a little put off as it was cartoonish and not my style, but we can't judge books that way, right?!?! As the tour date neared, I saw the updated cover and while it was a vast improvement, it still left something to be desired... oh well, never fail, the story within was wonderful!

This is not my first read, in fact was my second in a row, where the main character has lost her husband and it leaves major emotional walls up. Understandable but tends to slow the storyline down a little. The characters throughout the book were great though. I thoroughly enjoyed Randy... okay, loved! Chris was swoon-worthy and the general support around Julia was just awesome. Really makes you take a step back to look at those in your network - where would you turn?

Suzan Battah's ability to captivate the reader and lead you down a path that you weren't expecting is evidence of an amazing talent. It is not often that you see that from an author's debut novel.

Overall, a full on romantic story about second chances that leaves you with your heart just a little bit fuller. A great read to all fans of a good 'smushy' chick lit book! ( )

This book is great! I tend to get bored with books that drag on, or have the stereotypical storyline.. but when I started reading the first few pages, I couldn't put it down! It brings to life so many emotions that we can all relate to. I would definitely recommend this to book to anyone who likes to be kept on their toes.. Question is, does she get the boy? .... you have to read it to find out :) ( )

Would you be able to pick up the pieces of your life if you became a widow at too young an age? Would you be able to be happy just having a good time, and not believing in "happily ever after" ever again? Can you deny your attraction for a new man and a second chance of being in love, by clinging to your lost love? These are the questions that Julia Mendoza must answer in Mad About The Boy.

Julia Mendoza is a twenty-something young widow, who has given up on love and the "happily ever after" dream. To mask her grief and loneliness, her interior design company becomes her everything, she's all work and no play. When she is confronted at the grocery store by an ex-friend who had been stalking her, she asks a stranger to come to her aid and play her boyfriend. To thank the handsome stranger for his assistance, she agrees to go out to dinner with him. What she doesn't know is that she just met Christophe Augustine, the wealthy heir apparent to the luxurious Augustine Hotel chain, and her design company's new client. There is a mutual attraction for each other, sparks fly with a lot of sizzling passion ... but Julia can't let go of the ghost of her dead husband Carlos. Will Julia's motto of "just having fun without a serious relationship" be enough to sustain what she has with Chris? Can Julia let go of the past and allow herself to believe in love and "happily ever after" again? Or will she be forever chasing the ghost of her past?

Mad About The Boy is a delightfully playful and lighthearted story of love lost, love found, and love's redemption. The storyline was intriguing and I enjoyed following Julia and Chris's journey of finding love. Their journey had many layers of complex issues that they had to deal with. There was so much passion and sizzle between them, that I found myself cheering them on, yet there were times when I wanted to smack Julia for trying to sabotage her second chance at being loved. The characters were engaging and fun, the different personalities gave the story the playfulness that made it more endearing and fun to read. I absolutely loved Chris's character, he is the type of guy that makes romance readers sigh over, me included. What I loved most about this story was that the author gives the reader a glimpse into the complexities of a relationship, and that there is hope for second chances of finding love.

I thought this was an ambitious and complex story that the author chose for her debut novel. While there were a lot of plots that made the story a little bit hard to follow a times, overall I think that the author was able to pull it together and provide the reader with an enjoyable storyline about second chances and soul mates. I would recommend this novel to romance fans who would enjoy reading a story that is anything but the typical romance story.

Disclaimer: At the request of the author, publisher and Chick Lit Plus, a Kindle edition of the book was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest review and participation in the virtual book tour event.

Virtual Book Tour Event: On Sunday, February 26, 2012, in association with Chick Lit Plus, Suzan Battah participated in a virtual book tour event with an Author Guest Post on Jersey Girl Book Reviews.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/02/author-guest-post-suzan-battah...

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/02/mad-about-boy-by-suzan-battah.... ( )

Wowza! Suzan Battah's debut novel is absolutely FANTABULOUS!!!!! This is a book that gripped me from the beginning with it's sweet, funny start, and kept me hooked until the very last page with all it's twists and turns. The characters were full of complex issues yet they were perfect for the story line.

I loved Julia's character. I got a little perturbed at her here and there as she kept Christophe "The Augustine Boy" Augustine at a distance. I understand her feelings of not wanting to get close again after loosing her husband...her best friend since they were in high school....at an early age. The fear of loving again can be strong and overbearing, but Chris' character was so amazingly sexy and sweet that Julia needed to open her eyes before she lost a good thing!!! I had fun laughing with her, and getting scared but I wanted to shake her a few times and say "wake up,doll"!

Chris. WOW. What a totally handsomely hunky surfie, Augustine Hotel owner. Now THAT is man to drool over just reading about him, and all his good qualities. When he lay eyes on Julia the first time, he can't get over her, even plays along with her charade to avoid a crazy ex-friend stalker. With the twists and turns that follow you can't help but fall in love with Chris over and over....and over again!

This story of second chances and soulmates is absolutely AWESOME! For a debut novel, Suzan Battah has captured the essence of a masterful author in one shot. This is most definitely another greatastic favorite and high on my 5 Book worthy recommendation list. I can't wait to see what Ms. Battah has in store for new fans! And a forever fan am I! What are you waiting for???!!! GO GRAB YOUR COPY NOW!!!

This book originated at Reviews By Molly in part with a blog tour. ( )

Julia Mendoza is driven by the success of her business. Since her husband Carlos passed away at such a young age, her business By Design is her number one priority. In her late twenties she works too hard and doesn’t take time out for fun. Annoyance with a pesky ex-friend has her begging one of the local surfer’s with a cheeky smile in the grocery store to pretend he’s her boyfriend. Suddenly, life takes a sudden detour from her business plan; much to the delight of her boisterous Latin American family. Christophe Augustine is groomed to take over his father’s successful chain of luxurious hotels. With a wealthy French-American background, Chris has been given privileges that not many have. He works hard, plays harder but seeks approval and recognition above all else. Family is a top priority for him as he fights for custody of his young brother. His parent’s divorce has not diminished his faith in romance. When a gorgeous Latino woman changes one boring morning into an interesting game of role play, though reluctant to help at first, he soon realises she’s not like the string of other women he’s known. A romantic first date ending dramatically doesn’t stop Chris from wanting to know Julia more. And for Julia, she’s all for a bit of fun but when things get too serious she’s running the other way. Too alike, in some ways and complete opposites, in other ways, Julia and Chris fumble through fun moments, annoying confrontations, passionate times and heartbreaking revelations. Love has no boundaries when soul-mates meet but when one is ready to love and the other one isn’t…. ( )