Newly divorced physics teacher Lucy Savage is pretty sure where she went wrong, and she's tired of being the staid and dependable sister. With newly died hair and a firm commitment to doing exactly what she wants to, Lucy sets out to meet her ex-husband for one last meal - hopefully to get some explanations out of the way.

When she is accosted outside the diner, and then shot at, Lucy fights off her assailant and goes home triumphant, if slightly bruised. Of course, things aren't as simple as they seem, and pretty soon Lucy and her dogs have live-in police protection (and a ripped up kitchen floor).

Funny - much, much funnier than I expected from a book I picked up to read over my lunch hour. Light, fluffy, and well-told. A very pleasant surprise. ( )

GETTING RID OF BRADLEY was a wonderful, light, breezy, and humorous book that I would definitely recommend. Reads very quickly and in a way it almost feels like a short story.

The two main characters, Lucy and Zach, are absolutely great and the type that you would have love to have as friends. Lucy is hysterical, I loved her dogs and self-reflections, and the whole blinking gag throughout the book was funny. Zach is extremely intense and energetic and is himself also hysterical; he's perfect for Lucy and they counterbalance one another very well. Their interactions were charming and Zach is so sweet to Lucy and says/thinks/does wonderful things that just made me sigh and wish for my own Detective Zach Warren.

The supporting characters were extremely well done, especially Anthony (Zach's partner) and Tina (Lucy's sister). They both made the story that much better, that much more entertaining, and that much funnier.

Other great Crusie books that I have read include BET ME (5 stars - FANTASTIC!), MANHUNTING (3.5 to 4 stars), and ANYONE BUT YOU (3.5 stars). ( )

Light and fluffy with a bit of suspense. The funny snappy dialogue along with the adorable dogs made this book a fun read. This was your typical story of heroine whose life is in danger and hero cop moves in with her to keep her safe. I wasn't too crazy about the ditzy heroine. The cop hero was only OK until he does something that just melted me. He sees a filthy starving stray dog, buys a hamburger and coaxes him to eat. He takes the stray home to the heroine, just because he knew that's what she would want. He had me right there. I have a huge soft spot for big macho guys who are kind to animals. (Grade: B-) ( )

This is one of Crusie's earlier novels, and it shows in both her plotting, and in early versions of characters and ideas that she'd go on to rework in her later novels. It's probably one of her best early novels, though, and a good, frothy read for a slow night at work. The heroine and hero have a great meet-cute, Crusie is very good at using repetition for comedic effect, and I think she does a better job of balancing the cute romance and the mystery side of things than in Crazy for You. ( )

Mass Market Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: HQN Books; Reprint edition (December 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0373773234
ISBN-13: 978-0373773237

"Lucy Savage is finally getting rid of Bradley—and his hideous green recliner. Bradley is out of her life for good. Or so she thinks. Turns out Officer Zack Warren wants to arrest the very same Bradley for embezzlement and figures the lovely Lucy can lead him straight to his target. Good thing there's a cop around. Because someone shoots at Lucy and then blows up her car. Zack insists she needs twenty-four-hour protection. What does he think her three dogs and attack cat are for? Still, he insists on moving right in to Lucy's house.
Now there's danger lurking outside and in her own kitchen, bathroom—and bedroom. Or maybe Zack is just what Lucy needs.… "

This is the usual fun romp by Crusie. She never disappoints her readers who look to her for witty, smart, fun dialogue mixed in with a crazy cast of characters. I had so much fun with this book. Lucy is just a normal woman, not a gorgeous model type, which is one of the things I love about Jennifer Crusie. Her characters are normal people and you feel like they are your best friend next door. I found myself laughing out loud while I read this book, it was such a delight and such an escape from real life. ( )