| Title | : | Like Casablanca |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 174 |
| Publication | : | First published July 22, 2010 |
Like Casablanca Reviews
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Don’t hate on the G-Man because today’s novel is Chick-Lit or whatever you call it now a days. Being the dull geezer I am, I am just going with romance novel, make whatever labels you want to apply to this on your own. The only the other label I would like to smack on this is fun and quick, so your basic fun, quick romance novel. Besides being today’s featured post, Sylvia will be joining us in The G-Zone, our blogtalk radio show, on March 17th 6pmEST. She is in Australia, I have no idea what time it will be there. Quickly-To the novel- what is between the virtual covers:
“What does internet dating and Casablanca have in common? Nothing, unless you go to Rick's Cafe and find out what antiques dealer and dating blogger, Cat Ryan, is up to.
Cat's doing research for her internet dating blog gig, and the place she chooses to meet her many dates is at Rick's Cafe in Sydney. But what of its disturbingly handsome owner, Rick Blake? Cat wonders what he thinks, seeing her with a different male all the time. What’s more, why does this bother Cat so much? It’s not like she wants any involvement after her recent break up with Josh, her cheating ex. Besides, it looks like Rick is trying to get back together with his ex-wife, Denise. So Cat decides to play it safe, but her heart has different ideas.”
A few hints about this reading this novel; it is a quick, fun read, and don’t eat it on an empty stomach. I say that because the author, Sylvia Massara, is very good at describing food and may make you hungry. That now out of the way, I enjoyed the many subplots and goings on in the novel. It was fun, campy and light just like what I think a good romance should be. Spring, for those of us here in the USA, is around the corner and I can see reading this in the park or backyard enjoying a spring breeze. Download this novel from down under and have some romantic light quick, fun, grab like Casablanca and enjoy.
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http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com -
Love this book...chick lit at its best.
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Like Casablanca Is A Tasty Dish!
Cat Ryan, the main character in Like Casablanca, is on the cusp of forty. So, it’s not clear whether this book is Chick-Lit or its older sister, Hen-Lit. What is clear is that it has all the elements of a Chick-Lit romantic comedy. It has a confiding, personal tone, accomplished through compelling first person prose. Cat’s flip, yet endearing attitude toward herself draws you into her story. Her feistiness, while a refreshing quality, could also be her undoing.
Having suffered a devastating breakup with Josh, Cat is at an unsettled time in her life, and it is reflected in her business life. She is working part time in an antiques shop for Scotty, her gay best friend, and trying to make extra money writing a blog on the pitfalls of Internet Dating for her former magazine editor. At the same time, she has promised herself to write her dream book on Renaissance art when she gets around to it!
When her path crosses that of Rick Blake, the handsome owner of Rick’s Café ,she quickly learns that Scotty’s description of the café as being “like Casablanca” was more telling than she could have imagined. Rick is not only mysterious, he is dangerously irresistible to Cat. Unfortunately, fate continually conspires to keep them apart. Will Cat’s cheekiness and Rick’s dispassionate air work against each other? Are they destined to give up the great love of their lives – like in Casablanca?
Told from the first person, Like Casablanca was entertaining and humorous. Sylvia Massara allowed her main character to be real. It was like listening to your closest friend filling you in on all the latest. Cat Ryan wallowed when she felt like it, was a good friend when she needed to be, and struggled to stay above water financially—just like most of us do even if we don’t want to admit it. All the while, she never really gave up hope of finding someone special to share her life.
The biggest complaint I had about Massara’s writing is that she was so descriptive in describing food dishes that I wound up reading this book to the tune of my stomach growling! -
First, I have two disclaimers.
1. I would never have read this book without a friend recommending it because I’m not a fan of “chick lit.”
2. I knew how it would end within a few pages.
That said, I read Like Casablanca in a day and enjoyed every page. The protagonist, Cat Ryan is a delight. She seems to be the only one who sees crow’s feet where everyone else sees a lovely, kind, intelligent woman. (Women do that to themselves, don’t they, especially when they’ve been dumped by a cheater.)
The cast of characters was highly entertaining. Many of them were introduced as the dates Cat went on as part of her research for an online dating blog she had been hired to write. Those of us of a certain age have been out with every man on her blog. I may have gained weight just by reading about the meals Cat had along the way.
Reading Like Casablanca felt a lot like having a good chat with a best girlfriend and the ending, though predictable, left me smiling. -
I have a confession: I have never seen the movie Casablanca. Yes, berate me if you must. That being said, the references to the movie were few and easily understood by this movie-challenged reader.
In Like Casablanca, we are taken on a journey of broken hearts, friendship, Internet dating and, finally, love. As with all of Massara's books, the characters sucked me right into their world. Reading this story was like sitting down with an old friend, laughing at her antics and commiserating with her difficulties. While this is classified as 'Chick Lit', women and men alike can easily enjoy this book. -
I really enjoyed this book. I was quite surprised how good it actually was since it's free.
It was sweet and romantic and just what you need to relax. You shouldn't be hungry reading it though as the author seems to like food a lot and eating is an essential part of the story :)
