I bought this book from Amazon because I like smart, funny, Chick Lit and it's becoming increasingly harder to find. Mind you, I like froth and simple stories and lap up that style of writing with a spoon. Finding Lucas gave me the fix I need, but so much more. Our heroine, Jamie Ross, is a relatable and engaging girl. However, she's complicated, quirky, neurotic, bitchy at times, misguided, under confident, and bristly. Plus, she's fairly blunt about what she does and doesn't like in bed (and, ahem, in the shower). In short, she is REAL! I loved this more than anything about the book. I found the chick lit trope I'm always looking for in Finding Lucas. Girl starts out dissatisfied and itchy: She cannot live for much longer in her current circumstances, and something's going to have to change. Hello Derek, her snobby jerk of a boyfriend who demeans Jamie at every turn and is a snooze in the bedroom. Worse yet, he has an arch and judgmental mother whom he allows to influence him with regard to his life, his job, and his girlfriend. Why would our heroine be with such a d*&^, you ask? The author does a great job of spelling that out. We've all been there…things start out one way, but the magic doesn't last. Inertia and other factors paralyze us. This is Jamie's story, and we root for her to bail and move on. She has the requisite best friend, who is at once a stunner and a success and a little bit of a weirdo with regard to closeness and relationships. We immediately understand why Jamie is drawn to her. She has the requisite quirky family, but this time with a twist: Both parents divorced and remarried, but mom remarried a woman. Bailey does a nice job making the lesbian couple normal; they may be same-sex partners, and they may be new-age hippies, but at the heart of it, they are a couple in love who care about their children. Jamie works for a Jerry Springer-type talk show, and the plot of her show becomes the plot of her life: Reuniting with a lost love. The private and somewhat shy Jamie is dragged kicking and screaming into a very public drama featuring her break-up, the work bitch who's out to get her, her family's personal life, and her very handsome and very kind boss. The adage "You can't go home again" is explored and turned inside-out in this page turner, and Jamie learns more about herself than she imagined possible, pushing up against every boundary of her comfort zone. That's what I like in women's fiction: Being taking on a journey of the heroine's self-discovery. This is a satisfying read filled with heart and humor. I'm sad it's over, and am not back to Amazon to look for more from this author. Ok, right from the first line I was hooked. Jaime's candid and irreverent attitude was fun and refreshing, creating a heroine to really root for. I wanted to punch Derek on behalf of Jaime (and all females in this world). Ms. Bailey's debut novel is a well-crafted, engaging and humorous read. Her characters are real and flawed, which made them so much more relatable. I enjoyed the building tension and was ever so pleased with the ending. I definitely recommend this book!
What do You think about Finding Lucas (2012)?
Best fucking chick lit I've read since a very long time.
—Capman
a funny, charming and fast read!!!!
—effervescent7
