Comments on: What I Did For Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

By: KarLynP

KarLynP — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 23:21:56 +0000

Oh the dilema. I have no doubt your review nailed it, but I can’t possibly go without reading it. I swear I would still buy and read it even if it got a 1-star rating by everyone. I love this author, so if my choices are to a) have read it and hated it OR b) to never have read it at all, I have to read it! Oh my.

By: Buffie

Buffie — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:52:07 +0000

No, Andrea, you are not the only one who has not read SEP. We are so much a like, it is scary at times

By: Donna

Donna — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:11:47 +0000

SEP is always a sure buy to me and I was looking forward to this one…I am on the list at the library for it and I am #1 when it comes to me I will let you know what I think…. My fav of her was Fancy Pants, I met her when she was at the Schaumburg Library for a Romance Fest and she hated the cover told her that was what made me pick up the book….

Donna

By: azteclady

azteclady — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 17:09:10 +0000

I have been in PJ’s shoes several times, but there are those books that I wanted, oh so much! to like and couldn’t get into… that I keep them and try them again later. More often than not, I’m less critical (read: my expectations have shifted lower) during that second (or third) try, and so I am able to enjoy the good parts much more.

By: Marisa

Marisa — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:10:58 +0000

I usually don’t return to a book I didn’t like or couldn’t finish. There are too many other books waiting to be read. The only times I’ve given a book a second chance were those where people whose opinions I trust raved about the book in question.

I totally get what you mean PJ. But recently I’ve had such a great experience with books that I returned to – and I was surprised and happy about that. I have also had the experience of reading a book that was sort of meh (as Kati would say) – but when I went to review the book and re-read large parts of it, fell in love with it. So I’m beginning to suspect that many times the way I feel about a particular book depends on what kind of mood I’m in. It’s something I’ve been seriously thinking about.

By: PJ

PJ — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:52:35 +0000

Another superbly written review, Kati. SEP is an autobuy for me so I’ll give this book a chance but I’ll probably look for it at the library or the UBS.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:30:21 +0000

Perhaps I’m the only person who has never read an SEP. If I ever find the time to read one, I’ll be sure to take your advice to heart, Kati, and start with a different one. Great review!

Marisa, I totally know what you mean. There are times when I’m not in the right mood or frame of mind to read a particular book. I’ve since learned to take a break from it and try it again later, as well.

By: Kati

Kati — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:52:09 +0000

Thanks Marisa & Gannon! I wish you both the best of luck with this new SEP. I was disappointed not to like it more. But I’m pretty confident I’ll go back to loving her next book. She’s pretty much a sure thing for me.

By: Gannon

Gannon — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:40:32 +0000

As usual, Kati, your review is so good! I’m definitely going to read this SEP–she’s always an auto buy for me–but I’ll be interested to see if I have the same reaction as you.

Marisa, I have also found books that I wasn’t crazy about the first time, but after a re-read, I really liked them. Don’t know why that is, but I’m always glad I gave them a second chance.

By: Marisa

Marisa — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:18:59 +0000

Kati, thanks so much for the review. I appreciate how you feel about characters whose behavior passes the line of no return. It’s hard to empathize with them when that occurs.
I find that sometimes, if I go back and re-read a book (for what ever reason) with characters I didn’t necessarily connect to the first time, I may like them better on a second pass. It all depends on where I am at the time. Granted, for me a keeper is always an IMMEDIATE keeper and on every re-read I still know why I loved it so much. But recently I’ve read several books that weren’t doing it for me and stopped reading them in the middle. I just picked up three of those picks and decided to finish them and loved them. Perhpas the story got better, but I tend to think it’s because I was in a different place and ready to read that particular book. So… why am I saying all this? Well since SEP is an auto buy for me I’m going to get “What I Did For Love” and give Georgie and Bram a try – I’ll let you know what I think.