Funny You Should Ask- A Novel by Elissa Sussman
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Web ID: 15419118Will make you cry tears of joy & sadness
I gave this 4.5 stars. I know it took me a while to read and that was not the fault of the book but all the challenges that I like to do that sometimes get in the way of my reading. I loved this book. I totally love how Elissa Sussman captured the Jewish girl Chani's character. Totally on point. I so enjoyed taking the trip to Montanta to see Gabe's hometown and meet the important women in his life. All through the story my heart went out to Gabe. I guess I am perceptive in my reading sometimes and figure out why characters are written the way they are and to do the things they do. This was a wonderful story and I hope that Sussman goes on to write other adult novels. This was a first time adult novel for the author and it was truly wonderful. It was a joy to read from beginning to end and again, I apologize for the not completing it sooner. This is a fun book. A sad book. A book that had me alternatively in laughter and tears. If you want a good clean book that you can say "aaahh" to at the end this one is for you.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Interesting, But a Bit of a Disappointment
There’s another review for this book, albeit more negative than I, that sums up a lot of how I feel about this. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Chris Evans. And so when I heard that there was a book based off of an article about him, I was in. But then I read this and felt disappointed the whole way through because I just kept waiting for it to start. The way the story is told, with so many lengthy flashbacks and then editorializations on the flashbacks you’re about to read, and then random/tangentially related articles and news clippings… the entire book was trying to go for style over substance but didn’t really get either. The characters were really flat to me and didn’t have a ton of chemistry (and went hard into a weird prolonged version of insta-love). I kept reading though, thinking I’d get to the part where their chemistry sizzled. Where I’d get some sex positive intimate scenes. But there is only one in the book and it comes maybe 20 pages before the end, which was maddening. Also maddening were the crumbs dropped by the intercut articles that were never mentioned again. Like, there was a certain detail about a perfect day involving cider that was in an intercut article that I kept waiting for the female lead to bring up when the opportunity was spelled out for her and SHE DID NOT. MADDENING. I think I’d have liked this better if it was more focused on one timeline with short flashbacks thrown it. It would’ve felt a whole lot more cohesive and impactful.(And also, an acknowledgement of the inspiration for this book would’ve been good too? Very weird.) It was by no means a bad read, but I think it was only a fine read while going through it because I kept thinking that the story was really about to start. And it never really did.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Very good
Compulsively readable…I didn’t want to put it down. Many thanks to Random House and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A sweet and smart romance
A fun read! Funny You Should Ask is a second chance romance of sorts full of longing and tension, featuring a handsome, humble, and kind (so refreshing!) celebrity romantic lead. The story moves back and forth over a ten-year period and follows Chani Horowitz, a journalist, as she interviews rising star Gabe Parker, and navigates the aftermath of publishing a viral celebrity profile. The premise is great and I enjoyed learning more about Chani and Gabe and how their relationship and respective careers developed over the years. At times, the time jumps and snippets of press coverage were a bit jarring but overall they added context and atmosphere to the story. I recommend this to anyone looking for a sweet, smart romance. Enjoy! Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
cute story
"Funny You Should Ask" was a cute story. Ten years ago, a celebrity interview had made the career of the writer (Chani Horowitz) and helped the career the actor (Gabe Parker), because the interview was not anyone expected. Gabe Parker had been chosen as the next James Bond, which was not a popular choice, as Gabe was an American, a country boy from small town Montana, and his career so far had been based on his looks -- not the suave, intelligent (and of course, British) persona that epitomizes Bond, unlike his best friend Oliver (Ollie) Matthias, who people think should have gotten the role. His publicists hoped that an interview in Broad Sheets would help the public seem his as the next Bond. Chani Horowitz wanted to be a successful writer, and actually wanted to write fiction -- she even had a work of fiction published in a literary magazine -- but her short stories had not captured the necessary attention, and she had ended up with the job with Broad Sheets conducting celebrity interviews. Gabe Parker happened to be her celebrity crush, and her chance to impress her boss and hopefully get offered better stories to write. The initial interview did not go that well, but situations arose that extended the time that Gabe and Chani spent together, and Chani learned things about Gabe (and about Ollie) that would have made for a sensational article, and really made her career. However, the article Chani ended up writing was more about how a "normal" person had a chance with a celebrity and "whiffed" it. The article helped both of their careers, but it came at a cost for Chani -- as many people in the "industry" and in celebrity fandom assumed that they had actually "hooked up" and that her future success was due to what she allegedly did, not the quality of her work. The next ten years had ups and downs for both of them, but especially for Gabe, whose career crashed in the way that only a Hollywood star's career can implode. Gabe is trying to rebuild his career and has a new movie coming out. His PR team has reached out to Broad Sheets and suggested the idea of another interview between Gabe and Chani, hoping to recreate the magic of the first article. The story alternates between the past and present, with the "Past" chapters including excerpts from Chani's article as well as chapters depicting what actually happened, as well as excerpts from other news articles about Gabe Parker and his career. The events of that weekend and its aftermath resulted in a lot of confusion, anger, and misunderstandings, which the "present" chapters seek to unravel. The author has created interesting and likable characters. I am glad that she gave Gabe and Oliver so much depth; it would have been easy to make the "true" Gabe more like the "persona" that the public and critics had placed on him, and still have him play the same role in the overall story between Chani and Gabe. The interactions between Chani and Gabe were quite good, especially when they reacted to the moment or let their guard down temporarily. I also liked that the author addresses a number of "touchy" or potentially controversial topics in a respectful manner, and has the major characters treat those topics appropriately. I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Hollywood romance moving between past & present
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was very surprised by this book. For some reason, it reminded me a lot of Daisy Jones and the Six, which it is not and nor was it trying to be. But that is how I reacted to it. I enjoyed the story and the characters. Sure, some elements are a bit far fetched, but all in all, the two mains were highly likeable. I appreciated that Chani's husband was and continued to be a jerk, but I did find it hard to believe that such a strong character would marry someone who was so dislikable. But I guess that's the reality of relationships: sometimes you end up with someone not because they are the best person for you. The interwoven articles and blog posts were fun to read and did a good job of setting up the transition between now and then. And I loved Chani's friend in the now, because she was just a generally likeable person. The writing is solid. The character development is good. And the plot, while not unique, still has enough difference from similar novels to catch your attention and keep you rooting for the characters to figure their stuff out.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Not a Typical Romance!
Definitely not a typical romance! Chani is an up and coming writer who has been given a huge break to interview a hot, Hollywood actor who has just gotten the role of Bond. What she is not expecting is the intense feelings she starts to feel for Gabe. Is she just star struck or is something really there? What is different about this book is that it spans 10 years. The reader is left with a mystery as to what happens between the two of them. The novel includes articles that were published which gives you clues to their relationship and what has happened between the two of them. I liked the different format as it kept me guessing as to what happened. It gave a little mystery element that you don't typically see in a romance. I also thought both of the main characters were likable and I cared what happened to them. The cover didn't really seem to fit this novel. It is definitely not a light read but an enjoyable one where you really start to connect with the characters and their relationships.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
I loved the push and pull in this relationship
I really enjoyed Funny You Should Ask. Full of romantic banter, the magnetic draw between Chani and Gabe was palpable. The characters were highly likeable and well developed. The story was engaging and highly entertaining. The couple first meet when Chani is interviewing Gabe for a celebrity profile. Gabe is a rising star who has just been chosen to play James Bond in a three picture deal. While Chani is nevertheless nervous to meet her heartthrob, the two develop a connection and end up spending the next 72 hours together. Chani ends up writing the story of a lifetime - one that goes viral and is remembered for years to come. The insinuation that Gabe slept with her for a flattering profile is unjustified. While her career took off after this piece, it has also haunted her. Ten years later, the two meet again for a second interview leaving Chani wondering if the feelings she felt for Gabe were mutual and whether or not they would still be present. The story is as sweet as it is steamy. The push and pull of the relationship is an ongoing theme. There are also some heavier topics such as alcoholism and homophobia which are written respectfully. I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel and look forward to reading more from this author.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com