Review : Fools Rush In

Posted by on May 8, 2012 4:22 am in 3 stars reads | 4 comments

Fools Rush In by Kristan Higgins
Pages : 379
Genre : Contemporary Romance
Stand Alone
My Rating :

What it’s about :

Millie’s life seems to be on its way to perfection : she just got a job as a local doctor in her hometown, along with a new home and mostly adorable puppy. Now, all she needs to be a hundred percent happy is to complete her makeover and seduce Joe Carpenter, her former high school crush.

My Thoughts :

Kristan Higgins has quickly become my go-to author when I need a “pick-me-up” read. Her romance novels are closer to what is commonly called “chicklit”, with main characters who have more than love on their minds – which is essential to me. Fortunately, Fools Rush In was no exception to this rule.

I liked Millie from her first words. “I’m a stalker. The good kind”, she says on page one, and her description of a young teen’s crush immediately had me laughing. So even though she turned out to be the silliest of Higgins’ main characters (at least of the novels I have read so far), most of the time, I was just having fun watching her trying to seduce Joe Carpenter. And while we’re at it, can we just take a moment to mention how ridiculous Joe Carpenter’s name is? Of course, he is a carpenter not only in name, but in profession too. It is perfect in its context! Just by the name, I imagined him like a Ken doll. I don’t know why. The power of words, what a mystery! That’s the kind of silly details I really enjoy.

So, yes, I was having fun with Millie’s story. She had just enough personality and wits, with a history that explained her insecurities. Family was again an important theme, but I enjoy that Higgins always treats it differently. Millie’s complicated relationship with her sister is something that I have seen many times in novels, but it still worked well. Higgins writes with humor and charm, so I don’t mind when parts of her stories are, maybe, a little less original.

What I did mind, and really affected how I felt about the novel, was the romance itself. If you read the book’s jacket (which might spoil the book for you, so read carefully!), you’ll immediately know what I mean and guess why I was slightly uncomfortable with it. Millie and her loved one definitely had a great chemistry and connection; there was no denying that. They were, very obviously, a perfect match. However, context really mattered in this case. I had a hard time getting over that and it definitely tainted my enjoyment of the book. In the end, the situation was a bit of a mess and I can’t imagine that, in real life, things would fix themselves so smoothly. Not with these characters, anyway, but that’s just my opinion.

This being said, I’m still a fan of Kristan Higgins, but if you want to give her books a try, I would recommend starting with Too Good to be True or Just One of the Guys.

 

4 Comments

  1. I am just starting to discover that I really like light women’s fiction, but I am not sure this is the right place to start with this author. You bring up some really relevant and pertinent questions in this review, and I enjoyed reading your thoughts. I may start with another of Higgins’ works, thanks to your great endorsement!

  2. i haven’t read any of her books, but i do want to try them. i’ll have to keep too good to be true and just one of the guys in mind the next time i head to a bookstore.

  3. You made me really excited to read this novel! This one is going on my wishlist, no doubt! Thank you 🙂

  4. This sounds like a great book for the beach!!

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