Some aspects of this storyline reminded me a bit of Pride and Prejudice and the Darcy/Elizabeth Bennett/Wickham storyline. In fact there were a couple of lines in the book that made me wonder if they were tributes to Ms. Austen.
I wondered that a few paragraphs earlier in your review when you said, "Taylor doesn't like him at first, she doesn't trust him, in fact she's just plain pissed off that she has to help this egomaniac pampered movie star...Of course Jason is immediately intrigued by her and can't believe she's giving him the brush off! It was delightful to read how he feels and how this is all so new for him! No one says no to Jason Andrews!" Sounds like P&P fanfic to me!
No explicit sex? You've almost got me sold. I wonder if my library has it.
No explicit sex - it's fairly new, it came out last Fall.
Yes, through a lot of the book I kept thinking Jason is Darcy, but there are differences, too, but there is one line that is very close to P&P, the one where Darcy is something about how hard to please Elizabeth is, so if she comments on something that she believes is fine that is even saying something more - can't remember what. And there is a part about the word "tolerable." All in all, a really, really fun read!
I was just checking out Julie James' blog and she wrote this:
As I mentioned in the interview with the Sun-Times, in many ways Austen’s novels inspire my own writing. Just the Sexiest Man Alive was written as a modern, romantic comedy homage to P&P: the story of a smart, witty heroine who vows to resist the affection of an arrogant, sought-after man who, in turn, learns to become a better person in order to win her over.
Well, no wonder you love it. Besides, haven't we all read that P&P is basically the blueprint for every modern romance (at least with an alpha male and a spunky woman who gives him cheek)? :)
Exactly, but this book had the same basics, but it was different enough that unless you were experts on P&P (like we are ;)) you wouldn't pick up on the similarities. For one thing, Jason in this isn't biased against Taylor at first, though he blows her off twice because he doesn't think she's important enough - he's thoughtless at first and self-centered, of course that all changes. :D
She has another book out about two rivals at a law firm, Practice Makes Perfect that came out in March. She used to be a screenplay writer in Hollywood and an attorney before that. It shows because there was so much in this book that sounded like the real thing. This is her first book. She's writing another that is supposed to be steamier. The practice one is on my TBR list.
I recently read both books (after they were recced to me by Crysty of DWG). I loved JtSMA! I loved its plot, its pace, the characters, just about everything about it. Crysty and I definitely found the Jane Austen influence, as well, and we also found some similarities with the story's setting and Crysty's own Emma Experiments (at DWG). In fact, I once suggested she write a scene very much like the end scene in JtSMA; ha
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I wondered that a few paragraphs earlier in your review when you said, "Taylor doesn't like him at first, she doesn't trust him, in fact she's just plain pissed off that she has to help this egomaniac pampered movie star...Of course Jason is immediately intrigued by her and can't believe she's giving him the brush off! It was delightful to read how he feels and how this is all so new for him! No one says no to Jason Andrews!" Sounds like P&P fanfic to me!
No explicit sex? You've almost got me sold. I wonder if my library has it.
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Yes, through a lot of the book I kept thinking Jason is Darcy, but there are differences, too, but there is one line that is very close to P&P, the one where Darcy is something about how hard to please Elizabeth is, so if she comments on something that she believes is fine that is even saying something more - can't remember what. And there is a part about the word "tolerable." All in all, a really, really fun read!
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As I mentioned in the interview with the Sun-Times, in many ways Austen’s novels inspire my own writing. Just the Sexiest Man Alive was written as a modern, romantic comedy homage to P&P: the story of a smart, witty heroine who vows to resist the affection of an arrogant, sought-after man who, in turn, learns to become a better person in order to win her over.
I guess that answers that question!
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Have you read anything else by the author? Are all her books sweet and witty and not explicit?
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