Jennifer Johnson Is Sick of Being Married, by Heather McElhatton.
The perfect woman is actually three women rolled into one: Mrs. Howell, Mary Ann, and Ginger from Gilligan's Island. Three women who when combined become the whole package. The refined lady, the demure sweetheart, and the sultry sex kitten, all in one. A woman who can bake coconut pies, charm cannibals, and cavort on white-sand beaches in six-inch stilettos.
Simply put, the perfect woman is a sweet rich slut.
I was sent this book to review without reading the previous Johnson novel, Jennifer Johnson Is Sick of Being Single, but this novel can stand on its own two feet without having read its "prequel."
Jennifer is newly married to Brad Keller, whose father and family own Keller's department store, where we gather that Jennifer used to work as a copywriter. The Kellers are rich beyond belief, very Christian, and very controlling; Mother Keller and Brad's father send Jen and Brad to the tropics for their honeymoon, to a Christian resort, where they proceed to have the worst trip (or honeymoon, for that matter) ever, ranging from diarrhea to being locked out of the resort one night.
When they return to Minnesota, Jennifer finds herself bored with nothing to do all day, and she quickly finds herself becoming one of the "ladies who lunch." Brad wants them to exude perfection, as well, since his father is about to name a successor to the store and he is up against his sister, Sarah, for the position of CEO. Jennifer finds herself disliking Brad and his family more and more, until the end of the novel where she decides to take action and get herself out of the marriage as painlessly as possible.
I was reading this book in a hotel lobby during breaks (the hotel is connected to my workplace) and I found myself laughing out loud at various parts and dialogue throughout; I'm sure I looked like a crazy person, but I couldn't help myself, because the dialogue is hilarious. Not only will I be reading Jennifer Johnson Is Sick of Being Single, but I almost wish Jennifer was real, because I have a feeling she would be as awesome in real life as she is in the book. Other parts that made me laugh were sections on their new "space-age" refrigerator, which has a computer screen and an Ice Empress that can find you whatever you want to eat or drink in the fridge; the Ice Empress speaks Japanese, and it later turns out that she's not as "friendly" as she appears to be.
Kirkus Reviews has called this novel "bawdy, occasionally lewd, and often funny," and "a cross between chick-lit fare and Bridesmaids." If you're looking for smart and funny chick lit, look no further - Jennifer and her friends will guarantee you a good read.
Jennifer Johnson Is Sick of Being Married will be in stores on October 9th. 4.5 stars out of 5.
*Disclosure: I received a copy of this novel to review. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own.
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