Bought while waiting for my sister to finish shopping.Summary:Girl: [stupid/clumsy/love-burned/focused:] I am stupid and clumsy and love-burned and focused!Boy: [good-looking/rich/persistent/patient:] I am good-looking and rich and persistent and patient!Girl: I don't want to fall in love!Boy: Let's have sex!Girl: I don't want to have sex!Boy: Yes you do!Girl: Okay!Secondary characters: [crazy/helpful-but-in-an-unhelpful-way/judgmental/analogies:] We are crazy and helpful-in-an-unhelpful-way and judgmental and our lives are analogies for you! Learn from us! We are the comic relief!Girl: Oh, Secondary Characters, I have learned so much from you!Boy: Wow, you Secondary Characters are very funny!Girl: I must focus!Boy: Yes ... on me!Girl: I don't want to love you!Boy: Yes, you do!Girl: I love you!Boy: I'm not so sure now!Girl: I'm ready to commit!Boy: I'm having an emotional crisis!Secondary Characters: Look at us! We're funny! And we teach a lesson in a not-so-subtle way!Boy: Secondary Characters, I have learned so much from you!Fate: I will magically erase all obstacles to your love, happiness, and economic well-being. Also, here's a dog!Girl: I love dogs!Fate: I know! And this one poops a lot!Girl: Yay!Girl: I love you!Boy: I love you!Me: I did not appreciate the stalker/rapey undertones in this book! I did not find the "humor" to be very humorous! Poop is not funny! I am tired!
Not a bad little story. It was a quick, easy read with no deep plots or things to think about, which is nice. I laughed out loud quite a few times, which hardly ever happens when I read. The story itself was an interesting one I thought, with cute little twists and turns and funny characters. My main problem is just how fast Berry and Jake fell in love, moved in together, got engaged, etc. It was just unrealistic. I get that Jake is good looking and so she falls in lust with him, but I'm still not sure I entirely buy the whole "in love within twenty pages" bit. At the end of the book, I still didn't buy it. The lack of believability in that one regard is what knocked this down to three stars for me rather than four - because even as I was reading and enjoying the book, I felt like the whole basis of the plot - that Berry and Jake were in love - was not true. I just didn't believe that it happened as fast as it was supposed to, and though they spent a lot of time together, they never really went on dates and I don't feel like they had a loving relationship. Lusting relationship for definite, but I just didn't feel that the relationship I was reading about was one that was built on love and ready for marriage and kids.
What do You think about The Grand Finale (2009)?
Once burned, twice shy Berry Knudsen is very leery of the cute guy who has taken an interest in her. It's kind of funny how Berry turns into a klutz whenever Jake Sawyer is around. Berry is one of those woman who is just good-people, rescuing little old ladies from being homeless and even though she can barely afford to feed herself, moves them into her apartment and has them working in her pizza restaurant. And then along comes Jake whom she meets while delivering a pizza and things go all topsy-turvy. Another cute and funny romance from Janet Evanovich.
—Barbara ★
I think that Janet Evanovich needs to stop writing Stephanie Plum stories and concentrate on her new characters in "The Grand Finale." This is some outstanding work that she has developed outside of the Stephanie Plum series.Her main character, Berry Knudson, is just a walking disaster. She takes care of three old ladies and, just once, had the unprepared opportunity to spy on the gorgeous hunk undressing, only to fall out of the tree and smash his pizza that she was supposed to deliver.Leaving the twisted plot to that, the 246 page story was an easy read, with laughs a million along the way.
—Dwayne Wojtowicz
"The Grand Finale" was not, in my opinion, one of Janet Evanovich's best earlier works. The story never quite gelled and moved entirely too quickly to ring true. It's a G rated romance with lots of quirky humor...maybe just a bit too much.The story is the tale of a young, divorcee who is struggling to get by with her pizza business while finishing college. Since her first marriage derailed her life plan, she's now determined to stick with her goals without deviation. And none of those goals involve a hunky, inventor/schoolteacher...no matter how great he looks, and acts, and kisses, and...oh dear!For me, this was just too lightweight all around. But it is cheery and witty and quick.
—Julie (jjmachshev)
