What do You think about The Sleeping Beauty Proposal (2007)?
I only picked this book up because I was assured it didn't follow the formula that all chick lit appears to follow. This was the book that was going to convince me that it wasn't all desparate/meek/heartbroken women who finally have that light bulb moment.If you've been told the same, well I'm sorry to disappoint because this is exactly one of those books. The standard women breaks up with boyfriend/husband in a traumatic way and then, after moping for a few weeks/months realises shes worth more. Enter in handsome but argumentative man who she couldn't possibly fall in love with but, ultimately, finds herself attracted too and while protagonist is your regular Mary Jane it turns out that handsome man loves/adores/wants her at first glance.Enter some dull twist and then BAM! story written.Hope I didn't spoil you, but then if you're reading chick lit you know all that already.I did really like how the characters were written though and at least Genie didn't sit down and whine for 50% of the book.Unfortunately, other than an out of character twist it was all too predictable.
—Kalliste
I read The Cinderella Pact by Sarah Strohmeyer and liked it a lot; it was funny, smart, and just plain good. Soooo, I ordered The Sleeping Beauty Proposal, expecting it to be everything The Cinderella Pact was. It wasn't. It's not. It's boring, ardous reading; so formulaic and lazy, I knew everything that was going to happen, which basically ruined continuing with it. I almost just stopped reading and shoved it on a shelf a few times. The idea was a good one, but the author just couldn't produce. And her inclusions of such archaic sayings as "I'll give you the skinny," calling people here and there a "fink," "hot stuff"...didn't help matters--it's a twenty-first century story...it doesn't take place in the 1950s. I was disappointed and sorry I'd wasted my money; the book is a complete wash. Judging from the reviews at Amazon, the other books Sarah Strohmeyer's already published don't quite cut it, either. But I hope in the future that she can hit us with a book as good as The Cinderella Pact once again.
—Lori
Very cute story. It was maybe a little cheesy that Genie and Patty were able to get away with fake engagements as long as they did...and maybe, just maybe Nick was a little too good to be true. But it was a wonderful modern day fairytale and I'm going to pretend it can really happen.Strohmeyer's characters had really interesting personalities. Genie was someone I could really relate to. Her best friend, Patty, reminded me a lot of Samantha from Sex & the City. (I loved the 'rivalry' between Patty and Genie's brother.) Genie's parents were funny in their stuffy, traditional ways. And I loved Nick of course! Overall, this book was kind of a mix of a Friends and a Sex & the City episode. The drama Genie goes through with Hugh kind of reminds me of Mr. Big from Sex & the City. But then there were also moments that were super funny when Genie reminded me of Friends' Rachel (like when she was making up 'pure method house building' when she first meets Nick, or later when she's buying herself a fake engagement ring).
—Laura
