Crazy for You: A Novel

If you are sick and tired of reading about foreign royalty, designer clothes, jaunts to Monte Carlo, and meaningless sex laden with tired metaphors, here is your antidote. Jenny Crusie writes about real people, characters I could recognize right from the people in my home town, and yet their story is told with such humor and sensitivity, such great understanding of the dark and the light, that I was riveted. This is an incredibly fun read, yet as right and true as any piece of literature. I am incredibly impressed with it; and I shut the world off and devoured it in a day.

Too bad this book is fiction instead of non-fiction. Then it'll prove that females do rule this world! With a little change with Quinn McKenzie (that is a girl! ) everyone around her starts changing also. Her mom is coming out of the closet, her best-friend is moving in with her and best of all, that sexy Nick and her may have somethin going on. The story gets really interesting when Quinn's persistent ex, Bill, starts stalking her. Things get intersting and all this from a little change with Quinn getting Katie, a poor looking dog that really looks like a rat.

I thought this book was fabulous and nearly perfect. I thought ALL the elements worked. The humor and romance were perfection itself and Bill's descent into near madness was one of the most compelling and logical I've ever read because it made so much sense to him. Every character in Tibbett rang true with genuine depth and charm. I didn't want to put the book down and when I did, I couldn't find anything else nearly as wonderful to read. This is my favorite Jennifer Crusie book to date! She's earned a lifelong fan with this marvelous novel.

Crazy For You by Jennifer Cruise was released in 1999. Quinn and Nick have a long way to go before they get together. The villain is truly vile. I was pretty upset that Katie the dog was ill treated. Fans pf Jennifer Cruise will like this the most.

Wow! This book is steamy and fun! Quinn and Nick have always been best friends, but once Quinn decides not to be so predictable and safe, things start to heat up between these two. The sexual tension between them is sizzling! The auditorium sex scene - well let's just say you may need a cold shower after reading it! The suspense part of the book is based on Quinn's ex-boyfriend Bill. He's a total whack job, way beyond the normal control freak. I definitely recommend this book!

I was disappointed with this book. The dialogue is often unimaginative and silly...repetitious phrases like "her hair like copper silk," "warm and round," and "oh hell" got old fast, and the plot didn't seem important. The characters were flat and the book just didn't get going for me...if Quinn was so exciting and wonderful, what was she doing with that dork Bill in the first place? Just change boyfriends and get over it, will ya? Similarly, the Nick character's reasoning that kept him away from Quinn was just stupid; a vague threat from his ex-wife 20 years ago kept his simmering love at bay? Quinn is 35 years old, and he's nearly 40 for goodness sake! Get real! I even found the dog irritating! My advice to the author: Invest in a thesaurus and work on character development. Guess I'm just not a fan of "light romance."

I am a fan! Jennifer Cruise is an incredible author. This is the 3rd book that I have read; Manhunting & Temptation are the others, and I love her stuff!
In "Crazy for You" Quinn is a 35 year old high school art teacher who decides to change her life. As a result, the whole town begins to make some changes too.
This is a funny story about families and relationships and all of the messes that can ensue.
Perfect summer time reading. Very highly recommended.

I love Jennifer Crusie's style and substance, and "Crazy for You" has plenty of cute twists and turns. Everything from the bank tart to the show-stopper with Quinn's mother shows a flair for terrific plotting.
Her talent for circular storytelling is terrific, and the malicious acts that are inflicted on Quinn are perfectly righted, and done so by the spunky heroine.
However. I had a couple of problems. The hero, Nick, acts like a jerk. And because the dog was the catalyst for so much of what happened, the end could have been more satisfying had the dog participated in righting some of the wrongs done against her.

When I started reading this book, I thought it was just going to be your average, formula romance. But the plot quickly pulls you in and you keep going, fascinated, as the ex-boyfriend evolves into a stalker and the two main characters fight the chemistry. THIS IS A GREAT BOOK!!! The ending is very satisfying, on several levels. Check other reviews for the plotline. This book is DEFINITELY a keeper for me...

I only wish Quinn could have been tougher. This sort of spoils the book. Besides that, I would have given it a 5. I know, it's a book, it's not real. Still a wonderful read. Enjoy.

P.S. I hate the changes that the store has made. Searches are not as easy and not as accurate as they were before. And, the book ratings are not shown unless you click to see them. Looks like I'll be spending more time selecting books.

I enjoyed reading this book but have one complaint. Everytime ANYTHING happens, the characters think "Oh hell." This sometimes occurs several times on one page.

It got to the point where anytime someone said or thought "Oh hell", it made me cringe.

I mean, do you use the exact same phrases as everyone else you know? Couldn't some of the characters say "Oh crap" or "Uh oh" or anything but "Oh hell"???

Other than that annoyance, the book was good, easy, light reading. None of the characters are especially deep, but you don't expect that from these types of books. :)

Crystal

Ms. Crusie's an outstanding author! She creates a world full of characters and situations that kept my fingers turning the pages. I laughed, got angry, and was amused. Ms. Crusie has a way of threading her characters' lives into one another's that kept me spellbound. Her snappy "he said," then "she said"'s in the same paragraph always made me chuckle - it kept in sync with the tone for the whole book.
She made me FEEL in one way or another for every one of her characters - Katie, especially, made me feel joyous to downhearted - I just wanted to pick her up and hold her no matter the wet consequences. And the passion Quinn had for Katie and the way she grew stronger in making change in her own life tickled me and made me want to cheer.
What a read! Didn't think I was going to like such "plain folk," in a romance novel, but there's no way I couldn't.
Thank you Ms. Crusie! What a delightful read!

Enjoyable story to read. Definitely interesting with some very crazy characters thinking they're kind of stuck in the same old daily boring routine wanting to feel basically wanted again and mix things up a bit. Then you get some who just can't handle change clearly at all. :)

I originally reached for this book for the sheer fun and delight I knew this author would provide. I got that, of course, in Nick and Quinn, and Quinn's family and friends and even in her students, but it was the fascinating downward spiral into madness of her former boyfriend that had me riveted to the pages. Such darkness amidst such humor, each handled so skillfully by Ms. Cruisie, has cemented this fan's opinion that this author is one to watch out for--and enjoy--for years to come. I highly recommend this book (and it also had one of the best "love" scenes I've read in awhile!).

This book was so great! As always, Crusie gives you main characters you can really relate to. I found myself cheering them on and smiling at every turn. Once you pick it up, you will not be able to put it down! You really accept the characters into your heart, I hated to see this book end! Funny, kooky and downright spooky (wow, what an ex from Hell!) You will love it! Try all of Crusie's books, she is my most favorite author by far. She will win you over, too! Just wait

If you like Jennifer Crusie's humorous, sexy and suspensful writing, you will like this book.
If you haven't read Crusie's work before, she has a light fast-paced style. She understands alot about small towns and her characters are real and fairly complex. In this book she explores the themes of fidelity and acceptance in relationships, as well as the need for and problems with changes in life. There is a lot of humor here, even in the villain.

I must be missing something here. Although I found the characters well defined and the dialogue sexy and lively, I had trouble relating to any of them. I found the women to be petty, bitter whinners and the men to be pathetic imbeciles. The only one who knew what they wanted was Bill and he turned out to be an abusive stalker. This is my first book by Ms. Cruise. I'm willing to try another one to see if its me or the author.

Well I certainly was not 'crazy' for this book.It had all the eliments to make it great, but somehow just kept missing.Truly a disappointment after Tell Me Lies, which was a 6 star book if there ever was one.I still gave 2 stars, because the characters were all filled out, and the story line was a fun one, it was just somehow, not quite together.Lets hope her next one is more like her first book.

"Crazy for You" was such an awesome surprise. I picked it up just on a whim, not expecting anything because I usually like to read mysteries. The story was so fun, fast-paced, sexy, sweet, and also did contain some elements of mystery. It was fabulous!! Even though Quinn was the main protagonist, Crusie's development of the other characters stayed refreshing & interesting, and did not take away from Quinn's storyline or her romance with Nick. I can not recommend it enough - i found myself looking forward to getting out of work just so i could get back to it! Just great.

I finally broke down and read this book. Why didn't i do it sooner! I loved it! I laughed out loud at some of the scenes! No i am dying to read her latest book which is still in hardcover. Definetly a keeper! I really enjoyed this book. She has the humour of Susan Elizabeth Phillips...maybe even more so...lots of sizzle too! I will definetly read more of her work!

So this confetti cover catches my eye. What kind of book gets this kind of weird cover? As a man, if it's a "woman's book," I won't be interested.
When I look inside I see sex - good stuff, with both emotions and sensations - from a woman's viewpoint. Is this for real? Most woman novelists are too indirect. But, checking the author photo, it was written by a real live woman. Just maybe, if I read this, I can get a glimpse of sex from the "other side."
And I read it, enjoying the sex as expected. And I do get to see the other side, not just the sex part either. Yes, it's a little romancy contrived - but not enough to spoil the fun. So why only three stars? Well, Steinbeck gets five. I'm sure Jennifer will understand. She does, after all, have a passionate sense of humor.

I absolutely adore Jennifer Crusie and have most of her books. I especially like this book. The story she tells about Quinn, the dog, her love life, and her friends is totally funny! And there is a lot of romantic steaminess to boot!
It also includes some "real life" drama with the boyfriend who just won't let go, people who are second guessing every decision, the choice to break out of the norm, etc.
It not only is a great fiction book, but in a way gives you a little girl power too! :)

This is one of those love stories which just sucks you in and makes you want more. Jennifer crusie has a very endearing style of writing. Her characters were very real and you almost felt as if you were part of the small town they lived in. It's also the first book in which I liked all the secondary characters almost as much as the main protagonists. I would certainly recomend this as an entertaining beach read!

Jennifer Crusie will not disappoint. Once a "mere" paperback romance writer who no one had ever heard of, she's made a move into the mainstream, and has done so successfully. Her chararcters are real--flawed, unpredictable, and absolutely hilarious. If you enjoyed "Crazy for You," then "Tell Me Lies" is a must-read.

So, I'm trying to figure if the frequent references to pizza count as the trademark Crusie junk food fetish.
I was really slow getting to this one, and boy do I feel guilty about it. And stupid. This was too fun to hold back on. The ethics of the Crusie universe are evident and appealing here.

The main romance between Nick and Quinn is good, but there is also an underlying theme about overcoming marital discontent that made this book great. Max and Darla rang so true. Surely every married woman in America has struggled with keeping the flame alive like Darla. It was a quick and fun read.

If you want to chuckle and laugh at the absurdity of life read this book! Jennifer Cruisie wrote a delightful book about a woman who decided that her life was indeed hers and she goes about declaring it. A wonderful and entertaining story with a cast of characters that are equally endearing.

Then use this excellent book. It will transport you out of your life and into the world of Quinn. Quinn is fed with her normal life and longs for something more. When a dog (yes a dog!) drops into her lap she decides this is the sign from fate she has been waiting for. Quinn is now ready to take on her new life and Tibbett, OH.
This book allows us to 'hear' Quinn's thoughts and it adds quite a bit to the depth of Quinn. In the most intimate moments Quinn is still Quinn and it makes her all the more likable.
This book is great for anyone who sees the 'perfect man' under her nose and wants to do something about it.
An A++++

This summer I'm re-reading as many favorite romance writer stories as I can find in the library. I love Jennifer Crusie, so I grabbed a bunch including Crazy for You, which I couldn't remember reading before though eventually the story came back to me. There are funny parts and sweet parts in CFY, though I am not totally convinced of the main love story between Quinn/Nick; however, the Max & Darla love story was excellent and hilarious.

Unfortunately, Quinn's ex-boyfriend is creepy and as I continuted to read, his creepiness started to poison the entire story. It stopped being light summer reading, it stopped being fun, it stopped being a romance. The ex not only stalks the heroine, he abuses her, terrifies her and tries repeatedly to kill her dog - and this storyline is probably more detailed and dominant in the book than the one between Nick and Quinn. The ex progressively gets worse, so that as the climax draws near, I wasn't wondering how Nick and Quinn would finally "get together," but wondering if the boyfriend would have to be shot by police in order to finally stop him (seriously.) The stalking/abuse/animal abuse was so real and detailed (we get to see into the stalker's mind, which is supposed to show how screwed up he is in a "ha-ha" way, but instead reinforces how chillingly sick in the head he is) that it began to feel obscene to be putting that kind of story line in a "funny" romance. There are woman who undergo this kind of terror and humiliation everyday, and animals too -- its not funny and its not fluff. I worry that there are going to be people who've been victimized that pick this up to bring to the beach for a fun read and will instead be dragged down to a dark place. Honestly, I think this book should come with a warning label. And it isn't that great a romance even without this disturbing story line that permeates the book starting a third of the way in and going until practically the very last pages. There are plenty of great JC stories out there - I recommend a pass on this one.

BTW, I also re-read Welcome to Temptation, one of the best JC books ever, an outstanding, fun romance and very clever story. In WTT, besides lots of funny parts and romantic parts, etc., one of the characters dies in what appears to be a gruesome manner, someone repeatedly tries to kill off the female lead, and there are some other unsavvory elements. But I would recommend the story in a nano-second --- it worked and wasn't creepy, not like CFY. Other good ones: Bet Me, Fast Women.

Another Crusie great. Who would have thought adopting one poor, little, skinny dog would change Quinn's life? What a change it is. She goes from dating the "world's nicest guy" to dating her sister's ex husband. This book will have you laughing out loud. It is fun and witty.

First of all, I had the pleasure of meeting Jennifer Crusie at a writers convention. Moreover, I got to sit with her at lunch! I only wish I had already read this book, so I could have told her in person how much I enjoyed it. Lots of books promise a good story. This one actually delivers!

Crusie is an automatic keeper. Her writing is witty and the story lines are interesting. The only reason I haven't given her 5 stars is because I can't read them in one sitting (over 300 pages). :) Too bad she is such a prolifice writer! See the other 64 reviews to date.

This book was so great! As always, Crusie gives you main characters you can really relate to. I found myself cheering them on and smiling at every turn. Once you pick it up, you will not be able to put it down! You really accept the characters into your heart, I hated to see this book end! Funny, kooky and downright spooky (wow, what an ex from Hell!) You will love it! Try all of Crusie's books, she is my most favorite author by far. She will win you over, too! Just wait!

Jennifer Crusie hits a home run with this one! I lost an entire day's work because I couldn't put it down. It's funny,fresh, and completely satisfying! This is one book you won't feel as if you've read a hundred times before. I loved the characters, the humor, and the surprises. The best book I've read in months!

I agree with another reader - were we all reading the same book. I was really looking forward to this book. I've read other Crusie books & loved them & this book had great reviews. But I was thoroughly dissappointed - bad in every way. The plot was lame, the characters were lame....lame, lame, lame. And have I mentioned boring? I do not recommend this book. Neither do I recommend "Getting Rid of Bradley" or "Charlie All Night". But I have read a few greats by Crusie - I RECOMMEND: "Bet Me" and "Welcome to Temptation".

I just returned from vacation where I devoured this book! I loved it. It made me laugh out loud several times which caused my 3 year old to ask what was so funny! Now I am waiting for the movie. I can just see Sandra Bullock as Quinn but I haven't yet made my decision for Nick - maybe Nic Cage. Nic fits Nick's description - wiry and not too good looking. I have also read Tell Me Lies (& loved it) and am anxious to read Welcome to Temptation. I am almost tempted to buy the hardcover rather than wait several months for the paperback.

Great sex and warm-hearted humor. This author has a gift for creating absolutely true, human characters and putting them in the middle of an ordinary life...and then making them a part of an extraordinary story! A super read which my mother stole from me before I could get to it, but then she gave it back saying it was great. I dove right in and you know what? Mothers are ALWAYS right.

I found this book to be funny and interesting. The characters were hilarious and the conversation fresh and believable. This was my first book by Cruisie but I have picked up several more since reading this one.

jennifer crusie was recommended to me by a friend and I'm so glad she did. I found this book and was drawn in immediately. It's a fun easy read that helps you escape th humdrum of every day. I'm looking for my next read by her!

Absolutely--this is Crusie's best, and that's saying a mouthful. This book is sheer fun, notwithstanding the genuinely creepy ex-boyfriend who won't take no for an answer. Nobody writes like Crusie; her voice is unique, utterly charming, and you can hear it a mile away. She really is a treasure.

I am a huge Jennifer Crusie fan- after reading this book; it was the first one of hers I read, and I don't usually read books like this; I have bought all of her other books after reading this and I love them all so far; they're fun, easy reads. BUY IT!

This was my first (and last) Jennifer Cruise book. I have thoroughly enjoyed the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich, and was looking for something to read while awaiting her most recent installment. Several people suggested Jennifer Cruise to me as an alternative. I was totally underwhelmed and unimpressed by her writing. Weak plot, lame characters, and tacky sex (in a high school, no less). What is there to like about this book? I managed to make it through the entire book, but was extremely thankful I had checked it out from the library. Needless to say, I won't be reading any of her other books.