Oct 2 2007
REVIEW: Sexiest Man Alive by Diana Holquist
Dear Ms. Holquist:
I was skeptical that I was going to like this book given the back cover copy, the title and the concept. It just sounded too hokey, too precious. If it wasn’t sent to me for free, I don’t think I would have read it because I wouldn’t have bought it. However, what is inside the cover is a funny, sweet and tender contemporary romance that reveals our insecurities are sometimes what makes us so attractive if we don’t let them stop us from moving forward. It’s a romance in the truest sense of the genre definition and it does not rely on secondary romances, sappy epilogues, or contrived suspense to make it work.
Jasmine Burns has a sister who’s psychic talent is to be able to touch someone and hear the name of their one true love. She gets only the name though so it’s up to the person to figure out which John Smith is their One True Love. Jasmine is told that her One True Love is Josh Toby. There is one Josh Toby she knows and he is the Sexiest Man Alive.
Jasmine Burns suffers from androphobia which is “an abnormal and peristent fear of men.” Like most extreme phobias, this seriously limits Jasmine’s life. She cannot speak to them without getting physically ill and thus her tailoring business run from her tiny efficiency on the “Upper-Upper West Side” of Manhattan consists of only females. To males who inquire, she simply gives the “too busy” excuse. However, an opportunity arises for Burns to apply for a position on an off Broadway product of Romeo and Juliet with a famed designer, Arturo Mastriani.
She tries to get ready for this by talking to a naked Ken doll which is suggested by one of the multitude of not so helpful self help books she has purchased.
She paced. Seven steps. Pivot. Seven steps. Pivot. Exercise #12, page 127 in her Good-bye Shy! workbook had made sense in theory: Practice job interviews with a doll to focus on until the panic is gone. To achieve maximum vulnerability, rehearse the interview with both parties naked.
Jasmine couldn't get completely naked. She settled on a black lace teddy for herself. Ken wasn't so shy. He went all the way without complaint.
Josh Toby is a two time Sexiest Man Alive designee and a movie star who’s action films haven’t lead the critics to say anything nice about his brain power. Josh wants to be known as a true actor and has a not so brilliant idea of disguising himself as a non entity in order to achieve the dream of acting on stage and thereby ridding himself of the nothing more than a pretty face accusation.
Both Jasmine and Josh have their own insecurities which makes their hook up more believable. Josh’s movie star fame has led to an estrangement with his parents. Jasmine’s neurosis has kept her from having even the remotest acquaintance with a male. They are both incredibly lonely individuals.
Together they find strength to face and conquer their fears and that is what leads me to believe in the connection of the two. Further, the character flaws are important plot points to the story and how those flaws or neuroses are dealt with, accepted and even embraced makes the story poignant.
You did a great job of showing both the bad parts of being famous and the good parts. Josh Toby really did enjoy being famous but when it prevents him from having Jasmine, he begins to regret it.
There are some great comedic moments that are inserted here. There is more than one Josh Toby in New York. One is a librarian at the NY library. Apparently a lot of homeless people come and take refuge in the library and the first time that Jamine meets librarian Josh, he assumes she is a bag lady because of her appearance and her crazy story about One True Love and so forth.
She felt desperate to explain. "I've never felt this way around a–"" She stopped herself from saying "man." It sounded too sexual. "A stranger. Ever. I guess that sounds kind of crazy.–Â
"Oh, no. It sounds perfectly normal to me." He leaned in toward her, took her hand from his wrist, and placed it gently on the table. "You can stay here as long as you like, and you can sketch me all you like if you do it quietly. But I can't have you and Eleanor fighting.–Â
Jasmine looked from Eleanor to Josh and then back to Eleanor. Eleanor and her friends are bag people. "You think I'm crazy.–Â
Josh motioned to the table. "We don't say 'crazy' here. We're a public facility, and all are welcome if they sit quietly. That's Tony. He thinks he's Jesus Christ. Which is fine. Jesus was a very quiet man. Sometimes he thinks he's Elvis, though. That can be a problem. Next to him, the woman with the Indian headdress, that's Suzanne, but she likes to be called Crouching Panther. Eleanor, who you met earlier, thinks she's my wife. Which is okay so long as she's quiet." He raised one freckled finger at Jasmine to prevent her from replying. "If we have complaints about body odor, we have to ask you to leave.–Â
"No, you don't understand! I'm not crazy! Let me explain. See, the voices that Amy hears are–"–Â
He gave her a practiced librarian shush: one finger lightly against his lips, his lips pursed, no sound, but warning eyes. Maybe they taught that in library school. "Amy's welcome too. Whenever it's cold outside, we get lots of friends who come in to keep warm. The weather turned this morning, and I'm glad you found us!" He looked to Eleanor and waved. Then he said very seriously to Jasmine, "No fighting with Eleanor. If you want to be my wife, too, that's fine. So long as everyone gets along.
There’s even a convenient HEA for all those involved but it worked perfectly in the scope of the book that it only made me smile. That’s what I can say about this book. The Sexiest Man Alive made me smile, laugh out loud and sigh in appreciation. B+
Best regards
Jane
Related posts:
Oct 02, 2007 @ 16:25:26
Dang! A positive and realistic portrayal of a librarian who is male to boot? I think I’ll be taking a look at this.
Oct 02, 2007 @ 16:54:49
It’s not often that a couple of short quotes would be enough to get me to buy a book but I will definitely be buying this. And contemp isn’t even my thing. It sounds like this author has a unique voice and I love the humour.
Oct 02, 2007 @ 16:54:49
It’s not often that a couple of short quotes would be enough to get me to buy a book but I will definitely be buying this. And contemp isn’t even my thing. It sounds like this author has a unique voice and I love the humour.
Oct 02, 2007 @ 18:01:43
I want this one after reading this review!
Oct 02, 2007 @ 18:23:32
I also was planning on passing on this book, but now I’m definitely going to try to get it.
Oct 02, 2007 @ 18:31:02
wow. The blog is loading slow! It is available as an ebook for under $4 at books on board and I think fictionwise. I bought my copy at fictionwise to use up some micropay $$ I had.
Oct 02, 2007 @ 18:40:44
I was just coming back here to mention the BoB price.
Is it just me, or are the Random House titles for this month only in Mobipocket? I wants me some books, but not in Mobipocket!!
Oct 02, 2007 @ 19:32:22
This sounds very fun. For some reason it seems like there’s a lot of dark and heavy out right now and I want light and fun.
Oct 02, 2007 @ 22:23:16
Charlene, do you have any plans to write anything like and fun – like “Yule Be Mine” – again?
Oct 02, 2007 @ 22:50:21
Miki – I thought her anthology – Wild Wild west – was light and fun.
Oct 02, 2007 @ 23:13:58
Oh, uh…thanks, Jane, for the recommendation… but I tend to be leery of erotica/erotic romance these days. Too many hot buttons for me.
I seem to remember that “Wild Wild West” included D/s (hero requiring “submission” or “obedience” from the heroine, regardless of whether it includes BDSM in all its flavors). That alone would take it out of the “light and fun” arena for me.
You describe “Sexiest Man…” as “sweet, funny, and tender”. That’s how I remember “Yule Be Mine”. Maybe a little “zany”, too.
Anyway, I picked up “Sexiest Man…” over at Fictionwise based on your review. I’ve been switching between sub-genres lately, and have noticed I didn’t have enough “just plain contemporary” in my electronic TBR pile. This will make a nice addition. :wink:
Oct 03, 2007 @ 01:04:53
I saw a great book trailer for this title a while back – glad to know that the book is just much fun. I’ll definitely be looking into it. Thanks!
Oct 03, 2007 @ 05:49:39
Miki, Miss Lonely Hearts from Samhain Oct. 30 is light and fun, like Yule. And I have more in the same vein in the works. I mostly lean to the funny side; Only Human is the only title of mine that springs to mind as dealing with heavier subject matter. As far as WWW, I actually had a reviewer complain that it was too vanilla, so one person’s “too much BDSM” is another’s “Where is it?” Very subjective.
Oct 03, 2007 @ 08:30:03
Your review has convinced me to check this out. The title alone would normally have kept me away.
Oct 03, 2007 @ 08:41:01
I hope I haven’t led you all astray but I guess at $4 it isn’t much of a risk, right?
Oct 03, 2007 @ 22:42:46
Charlene, thanks for the update! I’ll watch over at Samhaim for Miss Lonely Hearts…
Jane, I probably would have passed on it – since this is a new-to-me author – if it had been trade paperback priced, but you’re right. For just over $4, it’s certainly worth a chance!
Oct 04, 2007 @ 11:34:47
This sounds cute, although I have kind of a bias against famous heroes for some reason.
May 09, 2008 @ 20:44:48
sounds interesting. i will need to try it.
REVIEW: Hungry for More by Diana Holquist | Dear Author: Romance Book Reviews, Author Interviews, and Commentary
Sep 23, 2008 @ 14:01:48
[...] it was such a struggle for me to pinpoint why I didn't respond well to it given that I liked The Sexiest Man Alive so much. Ultimately, I think I failed to connect to the hero and heroine in a “it's not you, [...]