Book Review: Good in Bed

Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner

So I don't usually pick up Chic Lit, but this was an option at a book exchange that the book club had at Christmas. I had read Jennifer Weiner's book In Her Shoes and liked it, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

Review from Amazon.com
It is tempting at first but unwise to assume Candace Shapiro is yet another Bridget Jones. Feisty, funny and less self-hating than her predecessor, Cannie is a 28-year-old Philadelphia Examiner reporter preoccupied with her weight and men, but able to see the humor in even the most unpleasant of life's broadsides.

Even she is floored, however, when she reads "Good in Bed," a new women's magazine column penned by her ex-boyfriend, pothead grad student Bruce Guberman. Three months earlier, Cannie suggested they take a break apparently, Bruce thought they were through and set about making such proclamations as, "Loving a larger woman is an act of courage in our world." Devastated by this public humiliation, Cannie takes comfort in tequila and her beloved dog, Nifkin. Bruce has let her down like another man in her life: Cannie's sadistic, plastic surgeon father emotionally abused her as a young girl, and eventually abandoned his wife and family, leaving no forwarding address. Cannie's siblings suffer, especially the youngest, Lucy, who has tried everything from phone sex to striptease. Their tough-as-nails mother managed to find love again with a woman, Tanya, the gravel-voiced owner of a two-ton loom.

Somehow, Cannie stays strong for family and friends, joining a weight-loss group, selling her screenplay and gaining the maturity to ask for help when she faces something bigger than her fears. Weiner's witty, original, fast-moving debut features a lovable heroine, a solid cast, snappy dialogue and a poignant take on life's priorities. This is a must-read for any woman who struggles with body image, or for anyone who cares about someone who does.

My Review:

I think this book was typical Chic Lit, which to me means generally enjoyable and also a light and "feel-good" read. The book was funny at times, easy to read and relate to, yet at the same time delightfully unrealistic in places.

I don't have much to say about this book, since I think it was described pretty well in the Amazon.com description. I will at least mention; however, that I did like Weiner's other book In Her Shoes better.

Overall, I think this is a great read if you are looking for something light, fast-moving, and a happy ending. Great vacation or beach read!

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think?

-K