Comments on: REVIEW: Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

By: rachel

rachel — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:41:34 +0000

I personally thought the book was a phenominally written piece. I really like how you had a good understanding of every characters life. The ”wanting to know what happens to them next” aspect kept me turning pages. The sex scenes were a bit graphic for me (i’m 13) but I really liked the storyline. I will definitely be looking for more of her books!

By: Lynne Connolly

Lynne Connolly — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 21:06:28 +0000

I loved most of this book, and yes, I’ve only just read it. I was saving it for a rainy day, and boy, was it rainy today!
The bit I didn’t like so much was the end. Too happy, too resolved. I wanted the secondary story to be a bit more problematic and the overweight child to become happy with her weight, or at least reconciled to it.
I would have liked it better if the story had concentrated a bit more on Dean and Blue, or maybe on Jack and April. I think a Jack and April story would have rocked in more ways than one, but maybe with a tougher ending.
But hey, she doesn’t write very fast and this one will go on my keeper shelf and I’ll be doing a re-read of Heaven, Texas pretty soon. When all’s said and done, she’s a great writer.

By: Sharon Beatty

Sharon Beatty — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 23:40:27 +0000

sep, Natural Born Charmer is w/o a doubt your best ever! I didn’t know how you could get any better but this one beats them all. I was half way thru before I realized it and deliberately slowed down so it would last longer. I have all of your books so will just have to start over on them until you come out with another one. What a wonderful writer you are. Do you know who your next protagonist will be or what it will be about? I look forward to anything you write. Wishing you as good a day as I had reading Natural Born Charmer. Sharon

By: Shiloh Walker

Shiloh Walker — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 05:55:26 +0000

an ebook… selling for 19.95????

ouch.

By: Jane

Jane — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 05:47:18 +0000

It looks like it will be an ebook for $19.95.

By: Lars

Lars — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 05:45:14 +0000

i was just wondering if this will be coming out in ebook? does anyone know? thank you!

By: Eva Gale

Eva Gale — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 22:43:41 +0000

Hmm, she might have done better saying extruded circular toasted oat cereal…hee.

By: Jane

Jane — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 19:05:26 +0000

Did any of you read Faking It? because the heroine reminded me alot of the heroine in Faking It.

By: LeeLee

LeeLee — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 19:03:47 +0000

Heroine convinces hero to drive her across the country because she can run his errands, etc. Heaven, Texas
Hero owns semi-remote property populated by eccentric cast of characters, including an artist. Nobody’s Baby But Mine
While I’m looking forward to reading this book, SEP is stepping back to older books for some plot material.

By: Janine

Janine — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 17:36:29 +0000

[quote comment="22824"]No, Eva Gale, you make a good point. I think we give points (maybe inapporpriately) to more obscure references because it seems smart (and probably is). The endless name dropping, though, does seem a bit lazy. Shouldn’t the author be able to evoke the sense of feeling with descriptive words instead of brand name articles. What if you don’t like honey nut cheerios?[/quote]

For me the difference between a reference to classic literature and a reference to a television show or a product name is that the latter dates the book and the former doesn’t. Thirty years from now Shakespeare will still be relevant, but will Dolce & Gabanna be equally timeless?

Having said that, I don’t always mind product names or television show references. Like anything else it can get excessive, but in moderation it doesn’t necessarily bother me.

By: Jane

Jane — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 17:20:02 +0000

No, Eva Gale, you make a good point. I think we give points (maybe inapporpriately) to more obscure references because it seems smart (and probably is). The endless name dropping, though, does seem a bit lazy. Shouldn’t the author be able to evoke the sense of feeling with descriptive words instead of brand name articles. What if you don’t like honey nut cheerios?

As for SEP’s characterizations, i completely agree with you. She does make them come alive.

By: Eva Gale

Eva Gale — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 17:17:35 +0000

We were having a discuss about that on Romace Divas the other day. I believe it started with a reference to Elaine dancing (Seinfeld). If product name dropping is annoying, what about pop culture references? Do you think it’s different when a writer makes an obscure reference to … Kate Chopin? Shakespeare?

Sometimes I think authors drop product names like that because it puts us squarely into the characters life. Saying he ate cereal is not as evocative as bringing up the readers immeadiate smell/sight memories of Honey Nut Cheerios. It’s a common point of reference. Granted, I think high $ names like Dolce can be offputting too, but maybe she was trying to set characterizations?

The thing I love about SEP is to me, it’s as if there characters were alive. As if she just got off the phone with them. Sometimes their motivations fall flat, but they’re realistically quirky.

Falling into rabid fangirl mode. Stopping now. :)

By: Jayne

Jayne — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 17:08:03 +0000

Yeah they did have some name dropping but not each and every piece of clothing, furniture, etc for each and every character in each and every scene the way it was done in Match Me.

By: Jane

Jane — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:25:11 +0000

I did like it, obviously more than Jayne. One thing I thought was ironic was that Jayne said that there weren’t as many irritating name droppings in this book, but I thought that there were. There were Dolce & Gabanna, BMW, Astin Marton. A bandage was not a bandage, it was an ACE bandage. They didn’t eat cereal, they ate Honey Nut Cheerios. You get the picture. I felt it was like a movie with brand name placements all over the place.

By: Eva Gale

Eva Gale — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 14:41:07 +0000

*puts fingers in ears* lalalalalaaaaa

Just got done with Match Me. I’m high on SEP brilliance. Gotta ride the wave.

By: AAR Rachel

AAR Rachel — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 14:18:11 +0000

I’ve really been looking forward to this book (and I have so few on my MUST READ list that the ones there seem vital), so I’m glad you liked it, Jane.