Mr. Maybe: A Novel
by Jane Green

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Book Reviews of Mr. Maybe: A Novel

Book Review: Loads of Fun
Summary: 5 Stars

Eventually I discovered Jane Green, who is a British Author of the "Bridget Jones" Genre. Eventually I made it to Mr. Maybe.

I will try not to totally spoil the book for anyone who may want to read it after my review...

The Plot
This book is about a woman by the name of Libby Mason. Libby is a 27 year-old Public Relations Professional-successful but not amazingly so. She is deeply committed to shopping. And her friends. And her job-as it provides the funds for shopping and going out with her friends. And finding a rich husband - so she would no longer need her job to go shopping and would always have a friend around.

In the beginning of the book Libby meets Nick, through a mutual friend. He is handsome, sexy, and an unpublished writer on "on the dole" (welfare for Americans). There is an instant attraction and Libby begins a "purely sexual" (as he is not rich or "smart"-British for stylish-enough for Libby) relationship with him. The first quarter of the book or so follows the sexual exploits of the couple, and Libby's attempts to not fall in love with the oh-so-sweet-and-sexy Nick---I bet you know what happens there!!!

To get over Nick , Libby gets back to her partying ways, and before she knows it is in a relationship with Financial Wiz Ed McMann (isn't this a similar name to the old guy from that Blooper's show???). Ed is a little older, very rich, not awful looking-except for his moustache, nice enough-though boring, and head-over-heels-in-love with Libby. Libby convinces herself she could love and marry Ed, in-spite of his moustache and personality and bedroom deficiencies.

Libby eventually needs to decide if she will settle for Ed, or look for someone with all of Nick's qualities and Ed's money.

I wont tell you what happens next...

Why I enjoyed this book
I simply couldn't put it down. It was one of those books where I couldn't wait to see what happened-even though it was predictable and I knew along what would happen I needed to know how it happened. I read this book in 2 days and actually looked forward to early morning nursing sessions just to get back to it. I started fights with my husband so he'd leave me alone and let me read...

It was a quick, fun, easy book. It did not feel like work.

In spite of being quick and easy, it had some depth and the characters were well developed. Green explores Libby's history and relationships with detail, so that she is a real person and not just a shallow chick that wants someone with money. Libby's conversation with her friends and family reveal a lot about who she is.

The characters were all likeable. I didn't even always know what guy I was routing for-neither of them were jerks they were just very different.

I enjoy these "single-girl-looking-for-love" books. Though I am married, I was single for years and went through a lot of yucky relationships. I can relate to these women. And I can live vicariously through them and go back to my partying, hard-drinking, serial dating days!!! I read for escapism, and these kinds of books let me escape from mommy-wifedom for a while (Not that I'd really want to give it up ever!!)

What I didn't like so much
Green's books are all very formula. If this is the first one you read it will not be a problem-but I have read 4 of her books in the last couple months so they are all starting to feel the same. I've got one left to read, and I think I'm gonna wait a while. I won't tell you so much about the formula-as it may spoil the plot for you. Suffice to say there were several occurrences in this book (particularly with the sub-plots) that found themselves in every one of Green's books.

The women in the book were all thin, pretty and nice. That always annoys me-can't they be normal women who still manage to find love?? Libby, her best friend Jules, her co-worker pal Jo, her client/friend Amanda and her friend Sal are all perfect. Not a witch in the bunch. Not a fat chick. All different types, but all pretty and relatively nice-even the one who seems like she'll be witchy isn't really. Barf.

Obviously, it was not a brilliant literary masterpiece. But I didn't expect it to be, that is why I read it-I am saving those for when my daughter is about 20-then I'll be back at the Giller and Booker lists.

Also recommended: THE LOSERS' CLUB by Richard Perez

Summary of Mr. Maybe: A Novel

Literary Books

• Subjects > Literature & Fiction > Literary
• Romance > Contemporary