Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing, 4 Jun 2008
Usually I can't get enough of Rachel Gibson but 'Not Another Bad Date' will not be joining it's friends on my keeper shelf.
Adele and Zach met in college, dated for a brief time, fell in love and parted when his ex-girlfriend told him she was pregnant. They have not seen each other since. Fourteen years later, Adele is back in her hometown helping her pregnant, abandoned sister out. Zach lives closeby with his teenage daughter who happens to be friends with Adele's niece. They dance around each other for a while, naturally fall into bed and cover old ground.
Things I liked: Adele. Quirky, strong, intelligent, colourful and intersting. Many a good adjective for Adele.Also, Gibson writes well, her dialogue is believable and she avoids overly flowery sentiments.
Things I disliked: Zach. God forbid but for the first time in a long time I dislike the hero. He just never seemed to be sincere enough for me. He had loved Adele over a decade ago but easily put her aside (admittedly for noble reasons). In addition to this it came across that he didn't really try to make a 'go' of it with his wife and was unfaithful to her throughout their marriage.
There is a ghost who appears sporadically throughout the novel, and while its easy to spot correlations between her and Adele's bad luck she does seem a bit superfluous to the plot.
*****This novel is okay but Gibson can do better, 'See Jane Score' for example is stunning.*****
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fabulous, frothy fun, 24 Jan 2009
I wasn't sure whether to buy this book or not, despite being an avid Rachel Gibson fan, due to the poorer than usual reviews here. Eventually I caved (of course) and I'm so glad that I did. Okay, so it's not great classic literature, but it's still a heck of a lot better than a lot of the so-called chick-lit out there. If you're a Rachel Gibson fan you may agree that it's not quite on a par with 'See Jane Score', but neither was it the worst that she's ever written (that would be 'It Must Be Love' by my reckoning), and I fully intend to keep 'Not Another Bad Date' alongside all Rachel Gibson's other novels on my bookshelf.
The book forms part of a very loose quartet based on the love lives of four writers, but don't panic if you haven't read the others, as each book stands alone. Adele is a quirky sci-fi author who feels she's been cursed to only ever have bad dates, and handsome football star Zack just could be the cure. But will they let the bad experience in their past get in the way of finding happiness? If you're new to this author then sit back and enjoy a deliciously frothy, fun romance; if you're a fan then let Rachel Gibson work her magic on you again and don't let a few poor reviews put you off. I really wanted to give this novel 4 and a half stars but that wasn't an option!
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Where did the sparkle go?, 7 Jun 2008
I was unsure whether to write a review because I absolutely adore Rachel Gibson's books and wondered if it was just me that was disappointed by her latest contemporary romance. However, I see I'm not alone. If you're a Rachel Gibson fan then yes, of course you must read it. If you're new to her books then I suggest you start reading ANY of her other books apart from 'Not Another Bad Date' or 'I'm in No Mood for Love'.
The plot is very simple and has already been explained. So onto why 'Not Another Bad Date' didn't sparkle for me. Somehow it lacked passion, complexity and fun. I didn't like Adele (she seemed whiny) and I was frustrated by Zach being soooo nice to everybody (I appreciate that's it's part of his character to always try to do the right thing, but more could have been made of his struggle with that).
There is quite a bit about American football in this book. Unlike Rachel's books that include ice hockey, I didn't feel any genuine interest or enthusiasm (the discussions about football felt like they'd been taken from research).
Maybe it would have helped if Adele could have had more amusing bad dates? I do feel the humour of Rachel's books was missing and maybe there wasn't the witty detail that usually brings her books alive. Maybe I just didn't like Adele and there wasn't enough of Zach? Maybe I should stop moaning!
OK, I'm going to stop being negative. There were scenes I enjoyed like Zach and Adele in the girl's bathroom. Of course you must read this if you're a Rachel Gibson fan (how could anybody not be?!)and if you don't go in with high expectation then perhaps you'll be more forgiving.
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