The Accidental Virgin: A Novel (2003) - Plot & Excerpts
I’m glad I read this book before reading other reviewers comments on it as I feel it would have put me off. I thoroughly enjoyed The Accidental Virgin by Valerie Frankel. Valerie has a unique way of writing that borders on the perverse (At times) but in a generally humorous manor. I can’t help but laugh out loud (Much to my partners dislike at times as he thinks I’m laughing at him) at things her characters do and say and especially in this case with Stacy our leading girl.The story follows Stacy a self-proclaimed workaholic, who doesn’t realise till its pointed out to her by her best friend Charlie (Who is a gorgeous guy, can relate as my best friend is a guy too) that she will soon be a virgin again as she has not had sex for nearly a year, just like having a birthday if you don’t have sex for a year according to a web vixen called Gigi then you are indeed a virgin again as it will have ‘grown back’. Thus goes the conquest for Stacy to have sex with someone as soon as possible before the year is out so she is not a virgin again nor sad for not having sex for so long.I loved the characters in this book, her neurotic bosses, her best friend and not forgetting her men whom she sets out for. I thought Stacy like a lot of us 30 something’s worries too much about other people’s views on life and how we should be a certain way etc, she was funny, crazy and all together humble and a prude at times. I’ve never seen a character flit about so much from (almost) whore to prude in a few page turns. Over all I liked The Accidental Virgin a lot, it was funny, it made me laugh, it wasn’t meant to be taken seriously or offend women who read it, it was what it was a good old fashioned modern book of women in the 21st century and how ‘some’ of them can behave. Believable maybe, funny (for me ) yes and a quick read. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars and will carry on reading Valerie Frankel books as I think she obviously shares a similar (twisted) sense of humour to me.Review also featured on my blog - http://www.bewitchedbooks.co.uk/
To begin with, the description of this book completely misled me as the Goddess of Love made no appearance in this story, whatsoever. I quickly got over that, however, and became so immersed in Stacy Temple’s life that I finished this book in 5 days! I’m still surprised by that because I’m a notoriously slow reader and there just haven’t been many books that I literally inhale so quickly.Stacy Temple is your typical young working gal who has had her share of ups and downs in the relationship arena. After her last relationship ended nearly a year ago, Stacy’s focus turned to her career at an Internet start-up company selling sexy lingerie that she has neglected her sexual needs. No big deal, right? Apparently Stacy discovers it is a very big deal. She learns through a sex column emailed to her by a friend that after one year of celibacy, a girl gets “re-virginated.” No, “it” doesn’t grow back, but according to the column, it may as well as you are officially a virgin again. This sends Stacy on a quest to get lucky before the one year mark. With failure after failure with several prospective partners (one of which is a paid escort gifted to Stacy by her boss!!!), Stacy’s desperation rockets upward.This book was hilarious. I laughed out loud throughout the book while shaking my head combined with a little bit of eye-rolling at what was waiting on the next page. However, I couldn’t help but cheer Stacy on. I had to give the girl points for seeing it through despite the odds of overall failure. Who knew it would be so hard to find someone to have sex with in New York City? Finding out how this would all shake out kept my anticipation level rising at the same pace as Stacy’s desperation.This was a very fast read for me that made me laugh out loud several times. I highly recommend this to fans of both the chick-lit and contemporary romance genre who are looking for an entertaining and humorous book to escape into…eye-rolling optional.
What do You think about The Accidental Virgin: A Novel (2003)?
So. Fucking. Bad.I received this in a grab bag of books from a neighbor. I thought it would be a light, funny read. It started with potential, but the complete idiocy of the character and her quest to keep herself from "revirginization" was so over the top and shallow I couldn't believe this was considered a novel for adults. Read it if you are interested in a truly mindless book. It's hours of your life you will never get back, but I suppose it is better than staring at the back of an airplane seat.
—NATUI
The Accidental Virgin was a surprisingly great read. I say surprisingly because of the rating it has here on GR. It should be much higher. I thought the story was funny and quirky. Stacy's journey in trying to get laid after realizing how long she had been celibate for was pretty challenging. It was rather comical how many times she would get close to finally getting laid only to have something intervene & make it not happen after all.Although the ending was very fictional. (All her options showing up at once), it was still a good ending to a great story!
— PuMbA's MoMmy*•.♥.•*
Sometimes I get really indignant about hating a book, but usually that's because I expected it to be good.This one, I had ZERO expectations. I mean, seriously with a title like that? And a concept of a chick in her early thirties working for a lingerie dot com start-up trying to get laid within seven days? How could anyone go in with high expectations?It was far stretched, absurd, slightly insulting to the female sex and sometimes hilarious. Mostly, it made me roll my eyes.It was just as I thought it would be.
—Tory
