Thursday, April 19, 2007

Title: Charlie All Night
Author: Jennifer Crusie
Published: 1996, Mira
Category: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 7/10

I am a self-proclaimed Jennifer Crusie fangirl. I thought that I'd read all the books that she has in print, but then I saw this one on someone's blog (can't remember who) and I was like OMG, A CRUSIE I HAVEN'T READ?!!! I don't know how I missed it. Woo hoo!

Radio producer Allie McGuffey is the power behind the station's current star, Mark, who also happens to be Allie's ex-boyfriend. Mark has moved on to another woman and has decided that Allie shouldn't be his producer any more than she should be his girlfriend. So Allie gets the new talent: Charlie Tenniel. Charlie is only in town as a favor to his father, and has no real ambition to make his show a success. Allie has other ideas. In the meantime, Allie decides that a fling with Charlie will help cure her of Mark, only the one-night stand turns into many nights... and maybe more.

I love Crusie's humor--her books always make me laugh my ass off. Charlie All Night doesn't rank with my favorites though. I think her later, longer books are much better. This one felt a little too over-stuffed, like she was trying to cram everything into too short a book. And Crusie's heroines are always seriously competent, intelligent women, but Allie comes off a bit too managing in this one. Like if I knew her in real life, I'd think she was kind of pushy.

Anyway, still lots of laughs here. ;)

7 comments:

~ames~ said...

This was one of the first of Jennie's I've read. I really enjoy it, but she probably would be pushy in RL.

CindyS said...

I think I have most of her single titles yet to read. I'm horrible with titles but I started one where the heroine is cleaning her husband's car and finds underwear that isn't hers, she has a teen and her highschool boyfriend knocks on the door in the first chapter. I wasn't sure I could deal - I would have done well without the teen maybe ;) I always think it's Welcome to Temptation. I'm just glad I have some I haven't read yet.

I think I have read all her categories and I remember this one. The hero was very beta and the heroine was pushy but I remember loving it anyways.

CindyS

nath said...

Hey Jennie,

I do like this book, but as you say, it wasn't my favorite. The great thing about Ms. Crusie is that she has some really, really good short books (Getting Rid of Bradley and Manhunting and I love Strange Bedperson, but I'm probably the only one on that one)... and some longer books. but then, she also has bummer in both categories. You're lucky to have been able to find all her backlist.. I'm still looking forward to the Cinderella Deal.

Cindy, the one that you're describing is Tell Me Lies. I have that one, but haven't read it ^^;

Jennie said...

Ames--Allie didn't really bother me, I just couldn't love her like I do most of Crusie's heroines.

Cindy--Yeah, Tell Me Lies isn't my favorite either. I think it was her first full-length and it's a bit much, what with the cheating husband and ex-boyfriend and pre-teen daughter. But Welcome to Temptation is one of my absolute faves. ;)

Nath--I know I've read Strange Bedpersons, though to be honest I can't remember a thing about it. I might have to reread...
And I don't have The Cinderella Deal either, or Trust Me on This (I think that's the title). They're out of print and I haven't wanted to pay the big bucks for some ancient mm book. :)

Stacy~ said...

I enjoy her books, even though they all seem to be exactly the same, and sometimes it's hard for me to tell the difference between the characters cuz they all "speak" the same LOL, but with a JC I know what I'm getting and I love her sense of humor.

Jennie said...

Stacy--You're right. Her heroines are pretty much all the same character. And her language is so distinctive--I think I could read any one sentence of hers and know immediately that it was JC. But I love her books, so I don't really mind! :)

Nicole said...

I really loved this book. Don't know why, I mean I remember the jist of the book but not details. I read it awhile ago, but I do remember really liking it.

But your right it doesn't rank up there with, Bet Me or Anyone But Your, for me.